Onyx in the News

Longtime local lobbyist launches new firm to help nonprofits navigate local government

After years of lobbying, negotiating and relationship-building, a local government relations expert has set up her own shop. Longtime lobbyist Erin Bley — a fixture at San Antonio City Hall — has founded Onyx Political Affairs to help clients navigate the political and regulatory environments of the city and Bexar County. Bley previously worked at land use firm The Kaufman Group and was instrumental in starting the local Urban Land Institute chapter.

Onyx will focus on representing nonprofits, industry trade groups, startups and other types of businesses while they navigate the complex web of local government. In an interview with the Business Journal, Bley said she saw a gap in the market for a full-service firm that makes sure an organization's voice reaches city hall chambers.

"As we have new businesses coming to San Antonio, new companies, local nonprofits and all of these professional organizations that need advocacy, there isn't a go-to firm specifically focused on government affairs and lobbying," she said. "We've been having a lot of conversations with elected officials, ... especially the female ones, and really seeing that there's a void in that space."

She's helped a number of organizations secure funding from the last two bonds and says there's a few that are already lining up to stake a claim to 2027 bond funds.

Read more: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2024/02/06/longtime-local-lobbyist-launches-new-firm.html