Equal Opportunity and Small Business Investment
The city of Phoenix and the city's Planning and Development Department are committed to promoting and helping develop new businesses. As part of the Department's Equal Opportunity Plan, the department helps connect businesses with resources to ensure a successful start-up and future and helps them through development processes from permitting, plan review, zoning and adapting a building for a new use.
The Equal Opportunity Department and Planning and Development are adding a new focus to the commitment; mentoring students to encourage entrepreneurship and future economic growth. The Small Business Entrepreneurial Protégé Program aims at high school and college students as they are forming ideas and plans for new business. Through partnerships, mentorships and education opportunities, Planning and Development staff is developing and implementing a comprehensive business program to help young entrepreneurs. Those mentorship opportunities will launch during the 2021/2022 fiscal year.
The Office of Customer Advocacy (OCA) is available to all business owners for assistance at any stage of the development process from ground-breaking to making tenant improvements as their business grows. The OCA staff provides assistance and guidance for projects like the remodel of existing commercial buildings, the adaptive reuse of existing buildings for new business purposes, the conversion of residences into business offices and minor additions to existing commercial buildings
Staff can meet with you to discuss the full scope of your construction project and explain the requirements involved in obtaining building permits and ultimately Certificates of Occupancy.
Key Services:
Assistance with pre-project research
Reviewing processes and procedures
Formulating realistic timelines and fostering feasibility discussions
Help connect you with the appropriate technical expertise for specific code or ordinance issues
