ORLANDO, Fla. — A City of Orlando construction project in Ivanhoe Village is prompting a statewide push to help small businesses impacted by prolonged public works projects.
Channel 9 first told you about a pipeline replacement project that provided a needed update to the city’s sewer system.
The project lasted more than 16 months and businesses said the construction hurt their bottom line.
A bill known as the Construction Disruption Assistance Act sponsored by State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith is hoping to provide relief to small businesses across the state who are in similar situations.
If it becomes law, businesses impacted by public works construction projects could get up to $100,000 in low interest loans.
“We know that these infrastructure repairs are necessary. But the question we ask is at what cost? It’s not fair to our locally owned businesses to have to bear the brunt of the sacrifice,” said Guillermo Smith.
Guillermo Smith said if the bill gets signed into law, locally owned business could apply for the low interest loans via the Florida Department of Commerce.
He said the bill is inspired by the experience of local bar the Hammered Lamb, who told Channel 9 in 2024 that they were feeling the pinch from the city’s “North Orange Avenue Sanitary Sewer Improvement Project”
After 12 years in business, the Hammered Lamb ultimately closed their doors in January.
Locally owned gift shop Maffrey’s Good Goods also said they were impacted by the construction project too.
“At the beginning of the construction in 2024, we saw a 40 percent decrease in our business, which for a small business, that’s normally not sustainable,” said Maffrey’s owner, Jeff Starks.
Starks said he was able to stay in business because of community support and is now supporting the bill to help others businesses keep their doors open.
“I think that would’ve potentially helped here in this case,” said Starks.
Guillermo Smith told Channel 9 the bill still has a long journey before becoming law. It needs to pass out of a state-senate committee and the house bill also needs to advance to a floor vote.
If signed into law, the bill would take effect in October.
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