As a small business owner, I’ve experienced first-hand how difficult it is to establish and maintain a business in Boston. After a fire destroyed the Blue Hill Avenue building that housed my business, The Biz Barbershop, I felt blessed and hopeful to receive a grant from the city of Boston in the spring of 2024 to help me reopen.

The program, Supporting Pandemic Affected Community Enterprises (SPACE), is designed specifically to help small businesses to open, reopen, or expand in commercial districts of Boston, particularly in historically underserved neighborhoods like Mattapan, Dorchester, and Roxbury. The program helps small businesses like mine with grants and technical assistance for lease negotiation, accounting, taxes, and more. It is intended to close the racial wealth gap and enhance the vibrancy of the neighborhoods.

But, as I searched for a new location, the reality of Boston’s commercial rental market quickly set in. Due to predatory lease terms, I am still searching for a new location and have been forced to rebuild within the confines of another barbershop’s brand.

Landlords’ greed is undermining the purpose of programs like SPACE, leaving small business owners like me struggling to stay afloat. To make matters worse, the vast majority of retail spaces I looked at did not want a barbershop as a tenant. It became clear that these landlords are more interested in holding out for larger tenants with deeper pockets, even if it means leaving their properties vacant for months or even years.

Commercial rents in Boston have increased dramatically over the last decade. In Mattapan, Dorchester, and Roxbury, the cost of renting a small retail space now ranges from $4,000 to $6,500 per month. And this figure often doesn’t include “triple-net” fees, which can add hundreds of dollars more each month.

Triple-net fees are legal in Massachusetts, but they shouldn’t be. They allow landlords to pass on property taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs. For example, a 1,000-square-foot commercial space might cost $4,500 in base rent, but once triple-net charges of $500 or more are added, the total monthly rent can exceed $5,000. Landlords should build these costs into the overall monthly rent rather than charge above and beyond the base monthly rent cost.

These predatory lease terms make it nearly impossible for small businesses to turn a profit, especially for service industries like mine with products priced with the community in mind. Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury are loaded with hard-working, entrepreneurial people who are deeply invested here, but they’re being priced out. Take a walk around.

You’ll see many empty storefronts. These spaces could be vibrant businesses, contributing to the local economy and creating jobs. Instead of working with small business owners, many landlords hold out for larger tenants who can afford their overly inflated rents. This shortsighted mindset stifles economic growth and hurts the vibrancy of our neighborhoods. Empty storefronts create a sense of neglect, discouraging foot traffic and reducing the appeal of the area.

I have watched neighboring businesses get funded, open for business, and then close two-to-four years later. The latest is the local food pantry Daily Table in the Loop building next to Mattapan station. After less than two years, and tens of thousands of dollars spent on the property owners’ “build out” requirements, this hopeful addition to a marginalized community is closing its doors.

This never-ending spiral of openings-and-closings is due to the predatory practices of these property owners. They are getting their buildings fixed up, collecting a short-term cash grab, then watching businesses close their doors. They choose a quick payday over earning steady revenue with a community-based business that has the potential to be there for 20 years, like many established Boston area barbershops do.

The loss of small businesses has a ripple effect on the entire community. Barbershops, for example, are more than just places to get a haircut; they are community hubs. For more than 15 years prior to the fire, The Biz Barbershop served as a gathering place for Mattapan residents. It was a space where people could connect, share resources, and find support.

During the pandemic, I partnered with the Boston Public Health Commission and the Family Nurturing Center to provide vital resources to the community through barbershops and salons. We trained barbers and stylists to Identify, Communicate, and Distribute (ICD) critical information and supplies. These efforts demonstrated the unique role that small businesses play in supporting their communities.

Boston’s landlords need to recognize their role in this crisis. By pricing small businesses out of their spaces, they’re not just hurting individual entrepreneurs, they’re undermining the vitality of entire neighborhoods.

Imagine what our community would look like if landlords partnered with small business owners to create fair lease agreements, offered reduced rents, waved triple-net fees, and built longer-term leases. A thriving business community would, in turn, attract more tenants and increase property values, benefiting landlords in the long run.

The SPACE Grant program represents a meaningful investment in Boston’s small business community, but Boston’s policymakers must address the challenges of the commercial rental market. The impact of programs like SPACE is limited when landlords exploit their tenants or leave spaces vacant. They must be held accountable. The city should consider measures like tax incentives for landlords who lease to small businesses, penalties for long-term vacancies, or caps on rent increases in underserved neighborhoods.

I urge policymakers, community leaders, and residents to join me in this effort. Contact the mayor’s office and advocate for policies that hold landlords accountable. Ask the mayor’s office to support small business owners and address the challenges of Boston’s commercial rental market. Landlords must also be encouraged or required to collaborate with entrepreneurs to create sustainable lease agreements.

Euan Davis is the owner/operator of the Biz Barbershop and founder/CEO of The BarberTime Media Network. For more information on this campaign, go to this site.