An organization that supports Salinas businesses comes to its end.

Celia Jiménez here, thinking about how different, on a small or big scale, the new year may look for each of us. It will be especially different for small businesses that are part of the Salinas United Business Association in East Salinas. 

In September, SUBA’s board decided to phase out the organization by the end of the year. “The main reason for it really had to do with how the economy has been really, really bad in the last two years,” Alejandro Chavez, SUBA’s then-executive director, told me at the time.

Chavez expects it will have a significant impact on many businesses in the area that relied on SUBA’s services—such as permitting assistance, beautification efforts, staff training and more—but noted they will move on. 

“There is a huge spirit there in the Alisal,” Chavez said. “They have gone through ups and downs before, and so I think one way or another, the perseverance and entrepreneurship that they have will push them ahead and they will continue on.” 

Being financially stable has been a challenge for SUBA since its inception in 2004. 

In its 2024-25 annual report, SUBA reported that only 40 percent of 420 businesses paid their dues for the year, meaning SUBA only collected $40,550 of $100,440 projected in revenue from dues. Those dues were used to fund SUBA’s services. Chavez estimated that business owners collectively owe more than $1 million in assessments.

SUBA is a commercial district that includes East Market Street, East Alisal Street and Sanborn Road. It represents small and family-owned businesses such as hairdressers, bakeries, restaurants and retail. Collectively, these businesses bring important tax revenue to the city.

Last month, the Salinas City Council moved forward with SUBA’s dissolution while recognizing the organization's positive impact. The council voted on Dec. 9 to dissolve it. 

"It's unfortunate that it has to wind down under these circumstances, with the circumstances being a lack of funding,” says Councilmember José Luis Barajas, who recused himself from voting since he worked for the organization, adding there is room to create another organization to represent this district. 

Another challenge the district faced regularly was a lack of quorum during its board meetings since many business owners were actively working. Attending a meeting could translate into a loss of revenue by closing early, or into added cost by bringing in another worker to fill a shift. 

SUBA will no longer exist in January. The city has reached out to other business organizations, including El Pajaro Community Development Corporation and the Small Business Development Center, to help fill the gap. 

For now, business owners can rely on the city’s small business navigation services, which offer assistance similar to what SUBA provided.