Quick, true story: Do you know what the number one problem was for every major city in the world at the turn of the 20th century? You might be surprised to know that it was horse manure. The cities could not dispose of it fast enough due to a growing population and the need for horse drawn transportation everywhere. The world’s largest cities met in very significant government-ran delegations to try to solve the problem. Meanwhile, in a small factory in Dearborn, Michigan, Henry Ford was developing the ability for mass production of the automobile in order to make it affordable for the masses. It was not intended specifically to solve the manure problem, but 8 years later, it did just that, making horse drawn transportation (and the manure it produced) go bye-bye. 

Back in the 6th century B.C. a democratic form of government was introduced in the city-state of Athens by Cleisthenes, and some of the first democratic governments were formed primarily to do things such as protecting its citizens, keeping the areas it serves clean, and providing elected representatives to ensure a voice for the citizens. These areas are still very important for governments to continue to provide, but many other areas might be better handled by engaging businesses and nonprofits. Problems such as homelessness and drug addiction could be handled by asking businesses and nonprofits to come up with unhindered solutions. There is hardly an area, with the exception being the protection of its citizens, that innovation, entrepreneurship and industry could not do a better, more efficient job, if given the tools and freedom to do so. That’s a bold statement and one that has been debated between politicians for as long as we have had the social construct of a democratic government. 

An example of innovation and entrepreneurship is happening in the real estate industry. In a recent article from Realtor.com titled “Could Empty Downtown Office Buildings Really Help Solve America’s Housing Crisis?”, the author Clare Trapasso, offers compelling insights about converting empty commercial buildings into residential real estate. She states that the biggest hindrance is red tape and bureaucracies. “These are often costly, difficult projects that typically take years and miles of bureaucratic red tape to complete,” said Trapasso. 

This is just one innovative idea that could solve blight problems, decrease crime, increase economic development, create more jobs, and the list could go on. 

What about using some of the empty buildings for the homeless? What’s the real cost of homelessness to our community? Can we turn this problem over to the entrepreneurs and innovators to come up with a solution that they could get behind, unhindered by bureaucratic red tape? It’s possible but we won’t know unless we try. 

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal has made it a point and a focus to stay out of the political limelight. Our focus is on business growth and highlighting innovation. My comments have zero political finger pointing. This is a struggle that every community has, but it is a debate worth having and one that can produce real tangible results to our biggest problems. 

So what’s our communities biggest problems, and how do we connect with the “Henry Fords” out there to help us solve them? Those are the questions we should be asking ourselves. 

God bless you and yours,

-Marty