A group of Main Street leaders from across the state recently traveled to Sacramento to meet with state lawmakers for our inaugural CAMS at the CAP advocacy day.

A note from Amanda Elliott, Senior Program Officer and Director of California Programs: The holidays are upon us! Our gratitude goes to the Main Street professionals who hosted our recent webinars focused on retail trends, assessment districts, and housing. What’s the secret of our success? Community!

Newsworthy nuggets from our CAMS communities–from saving historic buildings and big fundraising wins to uniting cities through art and new parking investments.

Explore our curated list of Main Street-related podcasts. From placemaking trends to California housing experts to first-person stories from small business owners.

We welcome Vallejo Main Street back to the network and share the latest on Downtown SLO and Downtown Vacaville’s recent leadership transitions.

Join Michael Powe, Ph.D., Senior Director of Research at Main Street America for a discussion on housing and the role Main Streets play in addressing the supply and cost of housing in their downtown districts. Registration is required.

This holiday season, rally your communities around the small businesses that help make your downtown thrive. Encourage your community to Shop Small® on Small Business Saturday and throughout the holiday season by applying to be a Neighborhood Champion today.

Join host Carson Lambeth of Civitas Advisors for a breakdown of assessment districts by type and function. Learn the basics of district formation, day to day management, and more. Registration is required.

In an award-winning Southern California village by the sea, there’s a wave of energy pushing the business community and tourism efforts forward. That mighty force of nature is Christine Davis, Executive Director at Carlsbad Village Association (CVA). In her nearly 8 years with the organization, Christine has taken her community to new heights.

A note from Amanda Elliott, Senior Program Officer and Director of California Programs: This summer, our Main Street organizations hosted some of the most unique events drawing thousands to their districts and providing a platform for small businesses and entrepreneurs to grow. Next up, an exciting educational webinar on PBIDs planned for October.

Newsworthy nuggets from our CAMS communities - from historic piers to birthday cheers, bikeshares, and beyond.

Welcome Destination Crenshaw to the network and Blake Fisher, Viva Downtown Redding to our Board of Directors. Congratulations to Arcata Main Street and Leucadia 101 Main Street on their recent leadership transitions.

Join us for a discussion with Matt Wagner, Ph.D, Senior Program Officer at Main Street America outlining retail trends, their impacts on small business owners, and innovations for your districts.

AB 1669, The California Historically Significant Commercial District Initiative, was held in the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly and will not be moving forward this legislative session.

The bill gathered considerable momentum with advocates from inside and outside the Capital with over 30 Main Street Communities and their allies submitting letters of support.

We are proud to announce the California Main Street programs that have earned Accredited and Affiliate status, as well as the reinvestment impact that our network contributed to their communities in 2022.

Newsworthy nuggets from our CAMS communities - SLO’s award-winning public plaza, Grass Valley’s public plaza-in-the-making, a culinary adventure in Fremont, and more.

A note from Amanda Elliott, Senior Program Officer and Director of California Programs: We’re On The Move! California Main Street is making serious strides to expand our network of communities and provide support to build capacity for our Main Street programs and their businesses.

Welcome to our newest CAMS Members! The communities of San Juan Bautista, Vacaville and Ukiah are joining our network. Our CAMS Board is growing by two new Directors: Karla Robles-Puig of Coronado and Andrea Portillo-Knowles of Richmond. Taylor McDonald brings his knowledge of San Diego Main Streets to his new position as Executive Director of Vacaville.

In February, 78 Main Street professionals from 20+ communities across the state gathered in downtown Oceanside for educational sessions, networking, and professional development. It was an opportunity for all those involved in California commercial district revitalization to learn best practices, key trends, and economic development strategies to support small businesses and communities in a post-pandemic economy.

AB 1669, introduced by Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva and Co-Authored by Senator Benjamin Allen, would create the California Historically Significant Commercial District Initiative. The bill will create a new state program for commercial corridor organizations like California Main Street to expand technical assistance services, conduct place-specific outreach, and connect your district’s businesses to resources.

The bill would also create a subgrant program for Main Streets and Cultural Districts to execute locally driven strategies in support of underserved small businesses.