What does REV Birmingham, the city’s economic development organization, do? They describe themselves as a group “that stimulates business growth and improves quality of life in Birmingham.” But WELD says that mission isn’t clearly visible to Birmingham residents. Reporters from WELD took to Facebook to ask what their readers thought.
“They’re the expensive outsourced economic development department of the mayor,” wrote Joseph Casper Baker III in a Facebook comment. “They’re great at organizing block parties.”
Shirley Hicks, meanwhile, wrote that she had “experienced and observed” REV “helping the different neighborhood business associations get setup [sic] with basic tools they need to enhance communications and coordination…[and evaluating] roadblocks and [helping] smooth processes at City Hall so that people starting new businesses or making changes to existing ones don’t get stuck in paperwork because they couldn’t find the right form or get in touch with the right department.”
Others expressed the opposite perspective. “So far, I’ve only observed them helping just one business in East Lake,” Natalye S. Pond wrote. “I hope someone can show me that I’m wrong.”
Laura Frances Wise added, “I haven’t heard a peep out of REV in nearly 3 years. I didn’t know what was going on with it.”
Nick Patterson, editor of WELD, joined WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley to discuss the organization’s history, challenges and mission.