Revolving Loan Fund Aims to Develop 6 Ex-Military Bases

Bank of America Corp. and a local redevelopment group on Monday launched a $1 million revolving loan fund to spur small-business and economic growth on former military bases.

The Defense Conversion Revolving Loan Fund will be administered through the East Bay Conversion and Reinvestment Commission, a group established by Congress in 1993 to promote economic redevelopment near six closed military bases in Alameda County, Calif. Charlotte, N.C.-based Bank of America contributed $650,000, the approximate cost of capitalizing and operating the fund for three years.

The U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration previously committed $900,000.

The program, which the commission says is the first of its kind, will offer secured and unsecured lines of credit, term loans, and commercial real estate loans at below-market rates.

The credit, which will range from $5,000 to $100,000, may be extended over longer terms.

Funds will be offered primarily to businesses owned by women, minorities, and veterans, though former military-base suppliers and small businesses on the base sites will also be eligible for credit.

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