Six US Cities Selected to Join the Inaugural Regulatory Justice Initiative
Today, the Mayors Innovation Project is pleased to announce that six US cities have been selected through a national competitive application process to join the Regulatory Justice Initiative: Expanding Access to Small Business Opportunity cohort (RJI). RJI is a partnership between the Mayors Innovation Project and Cities Work at the Institute for Justice that aims to make it cheaper, faster, and simpler to start and grow small businesses in cities cross the US.
“Mayors know that small, local businesses are the heart and soul of their communities, but in many places, regulatory roadblocks and outdated procedures often complicate the process for entrepreneurs,” said Katya Spear, Managing Director of the Mayors Innovation Project. “We’re thrilled to work with these cities and their committed leaders to provide support and analysis to reduce regulatory barriers and expand opportunities for entrepreneurship.”
At a time when building local wealth is more important than ever, RJI is designed to equip forward-thinking municipalities with support and analysis to unlock opportunities for local entrepreneurs and grow their local economy. Powered by Cities Work’s extensive legal and regulatory knowledge, the cohort will engage participants through expert-led workshops, peer exchanges, and one-on-one coaching and analysis. “Participating cities will walk away from this cohort with an analysis of their city’s regulatory environment, tailored regulatory reform recommendations, and a detailed implementation strategy,” said Jennifer McDonald, Director of Cities Work.
This year’s inaugural cohort includes:
Ø Mayor Arunan Arulampalam and the Department of Development Services at the City of Hartford, CT
Ø Mayor Rick Blangiardi and the Office of Economic Revitalization at the City of Honolulu, HI
Ø Mayor Victor Treviño and the Office of Economic Development at the City of Laredo, TX
Ø Mayor Kim Norton and the Department of Community Development at the City of Rochester, MN
Ø Mayor Helen Tran and the Economic Development Department at the City of San Bernardino, CA
Ø Mayor Jan Kulmann and the Office of Economic Development at the City of Thornton, CO
“We’re honored that Thornton was selected to join the inaugural Regulatory Justice Initiative cohort,” said Jan Kulmann, Mayor of Thornton, CO. “This partnership will provide our city with valuable tools and insights to strengthen Thornton’s business environment, remove barriers, and ensure that opportunity is accessible to all who want to invest and grow here.”
Stay tuned for updates on the cohort at our website or explore options to reduce regulatory burdens in your own community by accessing Cities Work’s Barriers to Business toolkit here.
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ABOUT THE MAYORS INNOVATION PROJECT
The Mayors Innovation Project is a national learning network for mayors committed to shared prosperity, environmental sustainability, and efficient democratic government. We offer high-quality content that emphasizes innovative, actionable solutions and prioritizes peer exchange. Learn more at www.mayorsinnovation.org.
ABOUT CITIES WORK AT THE INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE
The Institute for Justice (IJ) is a nonprofit, public interest law firm that litigates to secure the constitutional rights that allow all Americans to pursue their dreams. Cities Work is IJ’s nonpartisan regulatory consulting initiative committed to increasing economic opportunity and fostering entrepreneurship in cities across the country. We partner with cities to make it cheaper, faster, and simpler to start a small business—all free of charge. Learn more at www.citieswork.org.
