On March 7, the VTA Board of Directors approved $15 million over a 5-year period for the Business Resource Program (BRP) including direct financial assistance for small businesses! 

This approval marks an important milestone in our commitment to support the local small business community, including direct financial assistance, through major construction of VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension (BSVII) Project. Project staff have been working diligently following the Board of Directors Spring 2023 informational update to make Program refinements to incorporate the Board’s and the Small Business Task Force’s feedback and recommendations.

VTA’s Small Business Task Force has been integral to the Program’s development since early Program concept discussions in 2019. The Program updates were well received at the March 4 Task Force meeting, where members offered their assistance to better engage small businesses and provided feedback on how to implement the Program. 

"I am a business owner at Alum Rock and 33rd, as well as serve on the Alum Rock Santa Clara Street Business Association Board and as an advisor of the Small Business Development Center. (…) We [the Task Force] serve as the liaison between the business owners and VTA, and we have been doing a phenomenal job talking to the business owners about VTA and BART coming to Alum Rock. The Task Force is very important for communication [between small businesses and VTA]”

Helen Masamori, Alum Rock Santa Clara Street Business Association / SBDC Silicon Valley
Public Comment, VTA Steering Committee (February 8, 2024) 

“The San Jose Downtown Association has been working with VTA staff on the BRP for over five years through a variety of means, including participating in the Small Business Task Force where many of these recommendations were formulated. For years the San Jose Downtown Association has continued to advocate for BART to Downtown San Jose, and we will continue to be a partner to VTA in this process.”

Alex Stettinski, Chief Executive Officer of the San Jose Downtown Association
Public Comment, VTA Board of Directors (March 7, 2024) 

The Program’s Shop Local Marketing (SLM), Signage & Wayfinding, and Small Business Resource Connections & Support will launch during early preparatory and construction activities, while Direct Financial Assistance (DFA), will be provided when major construction starts near the station areas. Next steps of the Program involve the Business Liaison Team visiting establishments to connect with business owners, understand their unique needs, and provide tailored information about the Program and how to opt-in. In addition to spreading general awareness about the Program at community pop-up events, look out for Project staff and the Business Liaison Team out in the community!

With approval in place, the Program will launch this summer! Watch the recording of the March Board of Directors Meeting where formal approval of the BRP was given and visit the Business Resource Program webpage for further information on eligibility and what will be coming next.