HBC receives $7,000 grant

Ann Mehaffy, HBC program director, said the National Main Street Trust Center and its partners announce the list of accredited Main Street programs each year.

“This is the first year we had an opportunity to be accredited since the 1990s,” Mehaffy said.

She said the state Legislature cut funding for the Oregon Main Street Program in the 1990s, causing the state and local programs, including Baker City’s, to be dropped from the national program.

“Every year you are evaluated by the state program, and every year the state makes a recommendation” to certify local programs to the National Trust, Mehaffy said. 

To qualify for accreditation, local programs must have demonstrated their ability to use the Main Street structured approach to strengthen their local economy and protect their historic buildings.

Mehaffy also announced Tuesday that HBC has received a $7,000 Rural Business Enterprise Grant from USDA Rural Development to support HBC’s Downtown Main Street Resource Center.

“Specifically, this grant is to fund specialized training of a part-time employee to gather and analyze downtown business data that will help in developing economic improvement strategies,” Mehaffy said.

HBC works with downtown businesses and the business community to strengthen economic development, to market and promote Baker City statewide and regionally, and to address downtown residential and upper story development issues, Mehaffy said in a written announcement.

In addition to those efforts, Mehaffy said HBC seeks grants and sponsorships to pay for downtown physical improvements such as the 50/50 matching grant facade renovation program, streetscape improvements such as banners, trash receptacles, benches and bike racks, and to fund downtown events, such as Fall Festival, the community Christmas Tree, the Twilight Parade, and the Historic Homes Tour.

“Our revitalization program focuses on four integral points of the downtown: organization, promotion, design, and economic vitality — all elements that make our downtown a unique place,” Mehaffy said.

“Most of our projects and events are brainstormed and implemented at the volunteer level. Our volunteers, including HBC’s board members, are your downtown colleagues and peers, as well as community members who care deeply about Baker City.,” Mehaffy said.

HBC is also part of the Oregon Main Street Program, which she said works in partnership with the National Trust Main Street Center to identify the local programs like the one in Baker City that meet the benchmarks for measuring improvement of commercial districts.

HBC is a nonprofit organization established in 1982.