15399.1. Legislative intent.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to establish in the agency a program, the California Main Street Program, to provide technical assistance and training for small cities' government, business organizations, and merchants and property owners to accomplish community and economic revitalization and development of older central business districts and neighborhoods. It is the further intent of the Legislature that this program shall employ the techniques developed by the National Trust of Historic Preservation's Main Street Center which are designed to stimulate business reinvestment, restore building facades, retain existing small businesses, strengthen the local tax base, create employment opportunities, promote new businesses in downtown areas, and help to create a renewed sense of community pride. The Legislature further intends that this program be a joint state, local government, and private sector partnership utilizing private and public financial resources.

(b) It is the further intent of the Legislature to expand the California Main Street Program enacted pursuant to Chapter 1577 of the Statutes of 1985 to include assistance for commercial areas in medium-sized cities and larger urban communities.

15399.2. Development plan.

(a) There is hereby created within the agency a California Main Street Program which shall operate according to a plan developed by the agency with the assistance of all of the following:

(1) Organizations representing merchants and governments of small cities, historic preservation interests, financial institutions, and economic development groups.

(2) The California private industry councils.

(3) The Office of Small Business, the Office of Business Development, and the Small Business Development Center within the agency.

(4) The Office of Historic Preservation.
(5) The Department of Housing and Community Development.

(6) The chairpersons of the following committees of the Legislature:

(A) The Assembly Select Committee on Small Business.
(B) The Senate Select Committee on Small Business Enterprises.

(D) The Joint Committee on the State's Economy. These chairpersons shall assist in the development of the plan to the extent that their participation is not incompatible with their positions as Members of the Legislature.

(7) The California Preservation Foundation.

(b) The agency shall modify and expand the California Main Street Program plan pursuant to Chapter 1577 of the Statutes of 1985 to include program elements designed to assist merchants and residents in the neighborhoods of larger and medium-sized cities.

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15399.3. Development plan content.

The plan required by Section 15399.2 shall describe the objectives and strategies of the California Main Street Program, how the program will be coordinated with existing federal, state, local, and private sector small business development and historic preservation efforts, the means by which private investments will be solicited and employed, and methods of selecting and providing assistance to participating and demonstration communities.