Goal ED -1: Cultivate a diverse and adaptive economy that aligns with future economic trends and reinforces Salinas’ leadership in the agricultural industry.
Policy Actions
Policy ED -1.1: Encourage economic
expansion in compatible high-tech industries.
ED-1.1.1: Collaborate with local and regional
educational institutions to develop training
programs tailored to the needs of the high-
tech industry.
ED-1.1.2: Identify and maintain a database of
strategically located business sites that are
ideal for high-tech companies.
ED-1.1.3: Launch a targeted marketing
strategy to attract high -tech firms to Salinas,
emphasizing the city's commitment to
technological growth and innovation.
Policy ED -1.2: Support the advancement of
agricultural productivity and technology.
ED-1.2.1: Foster partnerships with
technology providers and research
organizations to integrate advanced
technologies into local agriculture.
ED-1.2.2: Attract investments in agricultural
technology by promoting Salinas as a hub for
agricultural innovation.
ED-1.2.3: Identify and incentivize agri-
business supply chain expansion
opportunities for new and existing
enterprises.
ED-1.2.4: Address agricultural infrastructure
needs to support modernized farming
practices and increased productivity.
ED-1.2.5: Encourage workforce training
programs focused on agricultural technology
to ensure the sector remains competitive and
innovative.
ED-1.2.6: Work with the industry to reduce
climate impacts and adapt to changes such as
increased temperatures, volatile precipitation,
water supply threats, and increased pests.
Goal ED-2: Encourage a thriving business environment through supporting start - ups, growing current businesses, and attracting new industry to build a dynamic economic landscape in Salinas with higher paying employment opportunities.
Policy Action
Policy ED -2.1: Build relationships with
business and property owners.
ED-2.1.1: Develop a business retention
program.
ED-2.1.2: Continue to expand Small
Business Navigator assistance to guide and
support local businesses through regulatory
processes.
ED-2.1.3: Work to streamline licensing and
permitting processes to ease administrative
burdens for businesses.
ED-2.1.4: Support businesses with code
compliance correction process.
Policy ED-2.2: Promote entrepreneurship and
business innovation and expansion.
ED-2.2.1: Facilitate the creation of
designated spaces for business incubators to
nurture new ventures.
ED-2.2.2: Leverage existing small business
support resources to promote entrepreneurial
activities.
ED-2.2.3: Increase zoning flexibility to
accommodate diverse business needs and
spur innovation thought Zoning Code update.
ED-2.2.4: Evaluate a rental assistance
program for commercial renters.
Policy ED-2.3: Improve access to capital for
all stages of business growth.
ED-2.3.1: Collaborate with financial
institutions to facilitate easier access to
business loans and credit.
ED-2.3.2: Promote microloan programs
targeted at small businesses to ensure broad
availability of financial resources.
ED-2.3.3: Coordinate financial literacy
education to empower business owners and
enhance their capacity for sustainable
growth.
ED-2.3.4: Explore funding for undocumented
owners.
Goal ED-3: Narrow social and economic disparities in the City of Salinas through workforce development and community support.
Policy Actions
ED-3.1: Increase Access to Education
and Vocational Training Programs for
youth and adult learners to improve
economic security.
ED-3.1.1: Partner with local and regional
educational institutions and nonprofit
organizations to increase the number of
high school graduates, literate adults, and
completed general education
development (GED) or vocational
programs to increase job readiness skills
and opportunities. Integrate adult learning
programming, such as GED courses and
English as a Second Language (ESL)
classes, into vocational training and
workforce development programs.
ED-3.1.2: Encourage educational
institutions and workforce development
programs to expand and create new
educational and training programming
based on employer/industry needs.
Action ED-3.1.3: Create or recruit new job
training programs (e.g., JobCorps) to
connect existing and future residents with
job opportunities and to satisfy the needs
of local industry.
Action ED-3.1.4: Continue support of non-
profit organizations working with youth
programs focused on career exploration
and job readiness (e.g. Digital Nest,
Rancho Cielo, Girls Inc., etc.).
Action ED-3.1.5: Support workforce
development training for green economy
and climate adaptation jobs.
Policy ED-3.2: Promote economic
security by providing access to economic
opportunities for all workers and
households in the community.
ED-3.2.1: Strive to increase economic
equity in Salinas by providing technical
assistance, grant opportunities and other
services, focusing on small businesses in
underserved areas of the community
ED-3.2.2: Build partnerships with
organizations that assist the homeless,
undocumented immigrants, displaced
agricultural workers, the formerly
incarcerated, and other marginalized
populations find employment and become
self-sufficient.
ED-3.2.3: Seek development
opportunities that will increase the
number of professional-level jobs that
offer family-supportive wages, paid sick
days, and health care insurance, and
protect worker safety, so college-
educated residents can find appropriate
jobs in their home city.
ED-3.2.4: Prioritize employment
opportunities for Salinas’ residents
through tools such as community benefit
agreements, employer incentives, and
local preference policies.
ED-3.2.5: Support reskilling and
apprenticeship programs that provide
upward career mobility for residents
particularly those in underserved areas of
the community.
Policy ED-3.3: Empower Salinas residents
to take an active role in neighborhood
revitalization.
ED-3.3.1: Promote the establishment of a
system of neighborhood -level resident
representation to empower/engage local
neighborhoods in their own revitalization
process.
ED-3.3.2: In collaboration with
neighborhood representatives and/ or
other community groups and
organizations, leverage the use of
technology to promote low-cost, short-
term activities that revitalize
neighborhoods and enhance quality of life
to further long-term economic change.
ED-3.3.3: Support the emotional well-
being of residents by creating safe
opportunities for residents to connect with
their neighbors, especially when they are
from a different culture or background.
Goal ED -4: Enhance retail, entertainment, and tourism opportunities throughout the City.
Policy Action
ED-4.1: Enhance marketing, promotion,
and branding efforts and develop a City -
wide retail strategy to combat sales tax
leakage.
ED-4.1.1: Promote the City’s unique
neighborhoods as cultural, arts, and
shopping destinations.
ED-4.1.2: Attract new retail development
that will expand the variety and quality of
goods and services for existing residents
without harming existing, locally -owned
businesses.
ED-4.1.3: Develop a branding and
marketing strategy that promotes Salinas
as a culture, art, and retail destination.
ED-4.2: Enhance tourism opportunities by
promoting Salinas’ history, cultural
diversity, and positive attributes.
ED-4.2.1: Create destination -based and
identifiable place -themed districts within
the community for agriculture, business
and technology, marketplace/shopping
activities, tourism, entertainment,
recreation, food and wine, cultural, and
historic resources.
ED-4.2.2: Support the creation of key
cultural spaces to bring visitors to Salinas.
Goal ED-5: Coordinate public and private investment along disinvested commercial corridors.
Policy Action
ED-5.1: Improve the appearance,
accessibility and cleanliness of the city
and its commercial corridors.
ED-5.1.1: Establish a consistent corridor
maintenance program and tailored design
guidelines to improve appearance, create
district identity, and increase safety.
ED-5.1.2: Incentivize owners and
merchants to invest in property
maintenance and improvements. The City
will also evaluate potential revenue
streams to support consistent corridor
maintenance.
ED 5.1.3: Establish and fund a façade
improvement program that incentives
alignment with City design
guidelines/district identity (e.g. 50/50,
Jazz Up programs).
ED 5.1.4: Support business owners with
navigating code issues and assist to
ensure compliance.
ED 5.1.5: Facilitate ADA compliance and
streamline process by offering ADA
checklist, info packet, and trainings.
ED 5.1.6: Explore grants to facilitate ADA
upgrades and compliance.