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small-scale manufacturers and supports its own needs for equipment, services, and skills. <br />In particular, the region has a strong supply chain industry for RVs, precision metal work, <br />and aviation. This history and current daily work in manufacturing also mean South Bend <br />has many people with the skills to launch and support more small-scale manufacturing <br />businesses. <br />Challenges moving forward <br />Feedback from the interviews and workshop pointed to a number of obstacles that small-scale <br />manufacturing businesses face, and that may impact neighborhood redevelopment in South Bend <br />and specifically on the Sample Street Corridor. These challenges could limit the ability to attract <br />additional businesses. <br />2. Availability of skilled workers may limit growth. Demand for skills may outstrip supply as <br />manufacturing seeks to return and expand. Part of a national skills gap trend, this is an <br />issue in South Bend both for traditional trade skills and for those based on university <br />degree programs. There is also some concern that people get trained on these skills and <br />then leave the area. This suggests that South Bend is not yet winning the competition as a <br />place people want to stay and be a part of. <br />3. Access to resources is limited for small businesses. Micro -enterprises (those with one <br />to twenty employees) have a very difficult time obtaining funds to start and grow <br />businesses, and to buy property. Similar to other sized cities, we heard, "Banks don't want <br />to lend," and "SBA is hard," repeatedly from small producers. Currently, there are a limited <br />number of options from local or state sources, and many of them (like TIF and IRF) do not <br />reach local micro -enterprises. In other cases, immigrant populations noted that they do not <br />trust the larger banks and prefer to put up personal collateral with credit unions for loans at <br />much higher rates. There is no pool of funds targeted to small-scale manufacturing, <br />businesses owned by women and/or people of color, or residents launching micro - <br />enterprises. Small product -based business owners also noted that many of them do not <br />