The U.S. Small Business Administration, under new Administrator Kelly Loeffler, announced significant changes in a “Day One” memo on Monday. One of the changes includes pulling regional offices out of cities with immigrant-friendly policies like Denver. This decision will affect the SBA’s Region VIII office, which covers Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, who has been critical of the administration’s immigration policies, is likely to see the regional office relocated.
The Colorado District Office, located in the U.S. Customs House in Denver, was established in 1953 and is in federally-owned property, limiting the impact on the city’s office market compared to a federal tenant in leased space. The SBA is also making changes to comply with other administration priorities, including requiring all full-time staff to return to the office, eliminating the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, pausing the Green Lender Initiative, and halting grants that do not align with President Trump’s executive orders.
These changes are part of a larger shift in the SBA’s operations under the new administration. Businesses in Denver and the surrounding region may see changes in the services and support provided by the SBA as a result of these decisions. The full story, originally reported by The Denver Post, provides more details on the changes and their potential impact on small businesses in the area.
