Cleveland City Council passed Ordinance 1230-2026 on Monday night, October 19, creating a voluntary Good Food Retailer Certification program. The program will be administered by the city’s Health Department. It is intended to help grocery stores remain open in parts of Cleveland where residents have limited access to fresh food.
Certification is voluntary, and stores that take part are scored on their fresh food stock and their local hiring. To be certified, a store must have no active building or health violations, must accept SNAP and WIC benefits, and must pay above minimum wage. Certification lasts for two years.
Certified grocery stores can qualify for a job-retention tax credit of up to 100 percent of the employer’s city income-tax liability. The credit is not automatic for certified stores. Each individual credit requires a separate vote by City Council.
Program estimates presented to council’s Health committee on October 19 put the cost at roughly $500,000 to $1 million a year. One example given to the committee was a store with a $250,000 payroll, which would receive a $6,250 credit under the program.
The ordinance was co-sponsored by Council Members Kevin Conwell of Ward 9, Jasmin Santana and Kevin Bishop. Conwell said, “We want to keep the grocery stores here so our residents will have access to fresh fruits and vegetables.” He also said the program “won’t help to lower food prices, but it keeps them in there and it keep them stable.”
Conwell pointed to food deserts in the Central and Glenville neighborhoods and on the city’s southeast side. Cleveland has lost several grocery stores in recent years, leaving some neighborhoods without consistent access to fresh food. Supporters say keeping stores open also keeps neighborhood jobs.
With the ordinance passed, the Health Department will administer certification for stores that choose to apply and meet the requirements. Stores that are certified may then be considered for a job-retention tax credit, with council voting separately on each credit. For residents in neighborhoods affected by store closures, the program is aimed at keeping existing grocery stores in place and maintaining access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
Photo: Mike Kalasnik, CC BY-SA 2.0