Jan. 23—Citing a continued rise in storefront crimes, city leaders and businesses in the Old Town Kern neighborhood are mulling how to best use half a million dollars in federal funding.

At a roundtable talk inside La Mariposa last Thursday, interested parties from the Old Town Kern neighborhood in east Bakersfield met to go over what the city has done and plans going forward.

Present were representatives from the city's fire and police departments, City Manager Christian Clegg and Vice Mayor Andrae Gonzales.

"Old Town Kern shares a heavy burden," Gonzales said. "We're looking to make facade improvements and seeking out funding to help with that."

Old Town Kern is one of the seven areas targeted by the city for investing half a million in American Rescue Plan Act funds, which are for small businesses to recover from COVID-19.

Unlike revenue from the local Measure N tax, this money will not be available again. Officials want to direct it where it'll have the most impact.

According to city spokesman Joe Conroy, the money will go toward buying security upgrades for businesses in a three-tiered application approach — lighting and cameras; doors and fences; and security staff posted at buildings.

"We really want to identify priority areas with the highest concentration of property crime," Gonzales said. "With the right investment from the city and private businesses, we will see some real noticeable revitalization that is meaningful."

Galen Harris, owner of Sequoia Paint, was present at the meeting. He said while many business owners were "happy to hear the options," the overall response was mixed, with some owners leaving the meeting skeptical.

"We're excited to hear that they're working on things," Harris said. "I just think that if people would get more involved, and just don't take the attitude of 'yeah, well we've tried that before and nothing's worked.'"

While officials are still figuring out how to begin the application process, they're encouraging businesses in the seven areas to form associations, one of the main stipulations in qualifying for the one-time federal aid.

"I think it's good to put the taxpayers' dollars to the best use of revitalizing areas like Old Town Kern," Harris said. "This is a part of Bakersfield's history and I'd hate to see it fall by the wayside."

According to Harris, Old Town Kern, home of staples such as Luigi's and Pyrenees Cafe, has been in a slow decline at about the same time he entered the painting business: in the late eighties.

"Not quite sure why," Harris said. "Who knows what dynamics took place in the city structure or politics ... they just didn't have enough forethought to preserve the area."

Still, he takes pride in his purchase of his Baker Street storefront two years ago.

"I'm owning the business that I used to buy paint from when I first started," Harris said. "Never in my furthest dreams would I have really even thought I'd someday own this place."

Yet, in that time, Harris said he's suffered at least six break-ins, losing upward of $15,000 worth of product, and replacing nearly $5,000 in glass. He acknowledges that there is a large population of homeless people who wander the streets, but he doesn't think they're the immediate problem.

"The typical homeless person doesn't really bother us... It's the thieves that come in the middle of night, cut the fence and break in," Harris said.

At the meeting, Harris told fellow business owners how he applied for and received an Economic Opportunity Area local grant for $100,000. With it, he bought a new security fence, expanded the parking lot and installed 10 LED post lights.

"It was like $600 every time they broke a window, on top of whatever else we lost in the process," Harris said. "Now, it's lit up like a football field. And we used every penny of it."

Harris said he didn't think hiring security staff would be very effective, adding that at one point, he hired a guard for three months, and wasn't happy with the results.

"It cost us about 12 grand," Harris said. "So not only did we lose (our) product; we had to enhance our security with that guy... I think fencing and cameras would be better — showing a presence of security, keeping the place lit and clean, where stuff is out of sight."

In the coming weeks, Harris wants to corral his neighboring owners together to form an association. It's a tedious process, but one that is worth the added stress. To him, it is about the profit margins — as it would be for any business. But it's also about supporting the Wednesday Salmon Special at Luigi's, or the Chili Verde at Arizona Cafe.

"Why wouldn't we take advantage of it?" Harris said.