DATE:
March 18, 2025
TO:
LaTanya Bellow, City Manager
FROM:
Chadrick Smalley, Community Development Director
SUBJECT:
Economic Development Advisory Committee’s Annual Report On Committee Goals, Principles And Accomplishments For Calendar Year 2024; And Proposed Committee Priorities For Calendar Year 2025
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council accept this report on the Economic Development Advisory Committee’s accomplishments in 2024 and proposed priorities for 2025.
Committee Goals and Principles
The Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) provides input and recommendations regarding City policies and priorities related to the City’s economic development priorities and strategies Accomplishments for Calendar Year 2024
The EDAC’s highlighted priorities for 2024 were 1) Develop a Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) small business support program; and 2) Begin implementation of the Marketing Program. Other priorities included continued work on a “Solutions Program” that reduces the barriers to re-use of existing buildings by new businesses, continued support of business networking events, collaboration with Emeryville Commerce Connection as it develops its membership and addresses the needs of the business community, collaboration with Rotten City Cultural District programs, and support of the Art Center Project.
The EDAC’s work in 2024 primarily focused on BIPOC small business support and implementation of the marketing program, as described in more detail below.
In January 2024, the EDAC continued its discussions on BIPOC business support that had commenced at its September 2023 meeting, through a presentation from Northeastern University at Mills College faculty on approaches to small business needs assessment. The EDAC also reviewed and made a recommendation that the City Council approve a contract with 510 Media for Marketing Program implementation, and received an update on the formation of the Emeryville Commerce Connection business organization. Additionally, the EDAC reviewed its annual report to the City Council.
On March 27, 2024, a BizNexus networking event was held at Flores restaurant at Bay Street, celebrating the transition of business networking event production to the Emeryville Commerce Connection.
In May 2024, the EDAC continued its conversations on BIPOC small business support, receiving presentations from BMO Bank, the Hope Foundation, and ESO Ventures on these organizations’ programs targeted to BIPOC small businesses. The EDAC also received an update on the Tobacco Retailer License ordinance.
In September 2024, the EDAC heard a presentation from Bridgegood on its programs to develop career pathways in technology, specifically user interface design. The EDAC received an update from 510 Media on Marketing Program implementation, and discussed the Clipper BayPass pilot program jointly offered by BART and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
In November 2024, the EDAC discussed the state of the commercial real estate market with three commercial real estate professionals active in the Emeryville market. The EDAC also received an update from ABG Art Group on the Rotten City Cultural District Programs, and an update from staff on the Art Center Project.
Top Priorities for Calendar Year 2025
First Highlighted Priority
BIPOC Small Business Support – On May 16, 2023 and as part of the development of the City’s Fiscal Year 2024 and 2024 Operating Budget, the City Council identified ten Goals for Fiscal Year 2024. One of the identified Goals is to “Create a Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Small Business support program”. As noted above, the EDAC began preliminary work on this topic in late 2023 and continued this work through 2024. In late 2024, the City engaged Northeastern University at Mills College to conduct a needs assessment to inform the development of the program and this work commenced in early 2025. Supporting the thoughtful development of a BIPOC small business support program remains an EDAC priority for 2025. The committee plans to identify the needs of BIPOC small businesses through robust engagement, evaluate best practices for support programs, identify potential partners for implementation, and develop and launch a program over the course of the calendar year.
Second Highlighted Priority
Marketing Program – The need for the business community to understand the benefits of locating in Emeryville is now more important than ever, as the City’s commercial real estate market has been impacted by the abrupt end of the extraordinarily strong upswing in research and development leasing experienced in 2022-2023. With the consultant for implementation of the Marketing Program onboarded and the initial brand audit and insights gathering phase completed in late 2024, the EDAC expects implementation activities to continue in 2025 with additional public visibility, as 510 Media develops a purpose-built website for hosting content that tells the City’s story as a complete community that is a center of art and innovation, and a social media marketing campaign to drive traffic to the website.
Other Priorities
Other activities expected to involve the EDAC in 2025 include continued discussions on how to increase activity levels through reducing commercial vacancies, exploration of ways to help retail businesses with security concerns, engaging with businesses on disaster preparedness, continued collaboration with the Emeryville Commerce Connection as it develops its membership and addresses the needs of the business community, continued collaboration with Rotten City Cultural District programs, and support of the Art Center Project.
Conclusion
The EDAC has remained an engaged and productive advisory body in 2024. The upcoming calendar year is expected to be significant for economic development activities in Emeryville with the launch of the Marketing Program, growth of the Emeryville Commerce Connection, and continuation and expansion of the Rotten City Cultural District programs. These initiatives offer great opportunities for synergistic cooperation to the benefit of Emeryville’s economy and the EDAC is excited to be a part of this work.
PREPARED BY: Chadrick Smalley, Director of Community Development Approved and Forwarded to the
City Council of the City of Emeryville:
LaTanya Bellow, City Manager
Economic Development Advisory Committee Annual Report
City Council Meeting | March 18, 2025
City of Emeryville
CALIFORNIA
MEMORANDUM