Executive Summary
This report was produced through the City of Arcata's partnership with Cal Poly Humboldt's Sustainable Rural Economic Development course. As the City prepares to hire a consulting firm to produce Arcata's 2026-2031 Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP), our team was tasked with producing a foundation that will serve as a starting point for the consultants. To guide our research, the team focused on Arcata's development goals:
I. Retaining existing jobs and strengthening existing businesses;
2. Creating new jobs and diversifying Arcata's economy;
3. Enhancing the key retail areas of Downtown and Valley West;
4. Increasing the City's tax base & improving government fiscal stability; and
5. Creating an attractive community image to attract businesses.
The team used secondary data to conduct research and produce four analyses/reports detailing our findings (see appendices). The Trends and Patterns Analysis identified five development trends across cities: developing a strong city brand, attraction/retention of businesses, identification of land sites for new businesses, fostering an educated workforce, and increasing diversity efforts. The Cal Poly Humboldt Impact Report found that the university plays a crucial role in Arcata's economy, contributing $5. l million in tax revenue, supporting over 1,400 jobs, generating $55.3 million in industry activity, and $36.4 million in labor income.
The Applicable Priority Measures Report pulled and compiled existing implementation strategies from Arcata's 2010 EDSP that could be used to achieve Arcata's development goals.
This report identified Healthcare Diversification, Food Sovereignty, Marketing, and Business Support as key growth sectors, what we call "Buckets" of Opportunity for the City. S. W 0. T Analyses were then conducted to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for each sector. How will these sectors help Arcata meet its development goals?
1. Healthcare Diversification would diversify Arcata's economy by expanding healthcare to meet the community's medical needs.
2. Food Sovereignty would diversify Arcata's economy and create an attractive community image by addressing food system issues and creating a sustainable system.
3. By expanding Marketing efforts, the City can increase tourism, which would increase local consumption and support small businesses. It would also increase business attraction, which would promote job creation, increase local investment, and increase the city's tax base.
4. Business Support would help attract new businesses while supporting and retaining existing ones.
The team created numerous recommendations on what the City can do to enhance these growth sectors and meet its development goals. Full details of the recommendations are specified in the report. Should the City or consulting firm wish to contact us for more information, our contact information can be found at the end of the report.
Enhancing Arcata: A Framework for Arcata's 2026-2031 Economic Development Strategic Plan