By: Dulce Torres Guzman, Tennesse Lookout

In some areas of Memphis, there are more gas stations than grocery stores. While a citywide moratorium placed a hold on new gas stations, businesses are still seeking permission from the Memphis City Council to open against the wishes of local communities.

In March, the Memphis City Council voted in favor of halting permitting of any new gas stations. Businesses now need to go through the Land Use Control Board of Memphis and Shelby County for permission, and their request would need final approval from the city council. 

“It seemed like every week we were passing an ordinance to allow two or three more service stations and we didn’t  feel like we had a handle on it. We felt like that needed to calm down,” said Councilmember Jeff Warren.

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Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League

The Knoxville Area Urban League (Knoxville, TN) or KAUL received a $10,000 grant from the Bank of America to help support its housing stability programs.

Felix Harris, the VP of Housing & Community Development for the Knoxville Area Urban League said the grant will be used to help educate families on the process of purchasing a home and will provide counseling to help clients keep their homes.

“Our main focus right now is to stop evictions,” said Harris. “For those who are facing evictions from the standpoint of rent. We are assisting clients from that standpoint, helping them find and stay in their homes either through the Knox Housing Assistance Program, or just aiding them ourselves in trying to find new homes, Harris says. "The Urban League has seen an increase of clients needing assistance on keeping their homes during the pandemic.”

Phillippa Satterwhite said she became a first-time homeowner with the help of Harris and the KAUL.

The Urban League of Louisiana (New Orleans, LA), in partnership with the Foundation for Louisiana, announced the launch of the Black Business Works Fund, an initiative to assist black-owned businesses impacted by Hurricane Ida.

Black-owned businesses located in federally declared disaster areas can apply for $2,500 micro-grants.

Federally declared disaster areas include Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemine, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John The Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana.

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