Small businesses located along or adjacent to the recommended METRO Blue Line Extension were invited to access free legal services to prepare them for what’s coming.
The recommended route will bring light rail service to North Minneapolis, then on to Robbinsdale, Crystal and Brooklyn Park. When the 13 miles of track is completed in 2030, the METRO Blue Line extension will connect thousands of people in the north part of the city and the northwest suburbs to new transportation options and growth.
Businesses in the corridor are preparing now for the changes that will come first with construction and then with the arrival of more customers at their doorsteps.
“We are working every day with businesses in the corridor, getting them connected with the right advisers. We want them to be positioned for the long term benefits and prosperity associated with the METRO Blue Line Extension,” said Kyle Mianulli, communications administrator with Hennepin County Transit and Mobility.
Elevate Hennepin, a resource hub that connects local entrepreneurs to professional advisors, was created to provide free consulting to Hennepin County businesses, from marketing to accounting to legal services. Right now, Elevate Hennepin is focusing on outreach to businesses in the METRO Blue Line Extension corridor, helping to get them plugged in to navigate change and prepare for opportunities of light rail.
“These small businesses can access up to 25 hours of free professional consulting from advisors on broad range of needs,” Mianulli added.
On December 7, Elevate Hennepin offered a free webinar dedicated to shedding light on the legal needs of small businesses along the recommended METRO Blue Line Extension route.
“Right now, before ground is broken, we have time to prepare. This is a perfect time for small businesses to plan and get their houses in order,” said Miluska Novata, principal attorney with the Hortensia law firm in Minneapolis.
At the December webinar, Novata will join with Kwame Osafo-Addo, staff attorney at LegalCORPS, to consult with small business owners about everything from negotiating leases, business licensing and registration to preparing for business growth, and dealing with lenders and creditors.
“A lot of small businesses do not have written leases. With the assistance of a lawyer, they can negotiate a lease or review and revise their leases with their landlords and think about what features of the lease they are going to need,” Novata said. “Landlords may be willing to give a few months rent for free, maybe change how fast the rent goes up. A business that is strong can negotiate.”
Novata believes investing in small businesses with outreach and free professional services like legal consulting will ultimately pay big dividends.
“These are great businesses that will be even more profitable once the Blue Line Extension is done, with more customers at their door,” she said. “When they succeed, they hire more people, create more stability, pay more taxes.”
The Elevate Hennepin Legal Services for Small Businesses webinar was held December 7 from 8:30 to 10 am.