TO: COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC FROM: Nanci Klein
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: April 12, 2024
Approved Date
4/14/24
SUBJECT: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIVISION ACTIVITIES ANNUAL REPORT
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the annual report on the activities of the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs’ Business Development Division, including small business assistance, downtown activity, corporate engagement, and development facilitation.
BACKGROUND
The Business Development Division in the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs supports businesses and strengthens the economy through the core service areas of outreach, partner collaboration, service contracts, development facilitation, policy development, economic analysis, and communications. Historically, the Division focused a large segment of its limited resources on outreach to attract new businesses to San José or on continued expansion of existing major employers, boosting the City’s jobs and revenue base. Triggered by the economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Business Development Division pivoted to serve the small business community with a special focus on micro-businesses, immigrant entrepreneurs, and businesses located in historically under-resourced neighborhoods. Over the past year, the Business Development Division expanded support for small business, increased the City’s commitment to downtown with a work plan and additional staff position, and focused on maximizing development facilitation efforts for mid and large-sized businesses.
In 2023, the business ecosystem in San José remained stable, with roughly 60,000 establishments employing approximately 435,000 people. Small businesses activate neighborhood business corridors, strengthen local identity, and support entrepreneurship. Starting a business is often a pathway to wealth creation—particularly for first-generation immigrants—and is a key strategy for improving under-resourced communities. Creating effective advocacy for the needs of businesses, designing new service offerings, including grants to retain businesses, and strengthening the ecosystem is at the heart of the Business Development Division’s work.
CED AGENDA: 4/22/24
FILE:
ITEM:
CC 24-335
(d)1
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
April 12, 2024
Subject: Business Development Division Activities Report
Large businesses are vital to the economic health of San José. A relatively small number, just over 1,100 or two percent, of all establishments in San José employ 280,000 workers or 65% of all jobs. Large businesses invest locally, create supply chains, and attract other businesses to locate in San José. The quality of the talent pool and the synergy of industry clustering remain critical to Silicon Valley’s long-term sustainability. As the large supply of vacant office spaces persists, it is important that the City retain large employers and that staff respond effectively to future location needs. Over the past year, local business-to-business sales tax grew by 10% to a new historic record. The strong showing in business-to-business sales tax as consumer spending stalled is a positive indicator of the underlying strength of the City’s economy despite the more uneven investment decisions made by individual businesses.
The Business Development Division, led by OEDCA’s Deputy Director, consists of 15 positions:
10 permanent positions and five time-limited positions (through June 2025). Of the 15 positions, the Small Business team consists of three permanent and four time-limited positions focused on small business and neighborhood commercial corridors, mostly serving underserved parts of the City. In addition, the Business Development Division also includes the two-person downtown team, a public information manager, a development facilitation officer, a corporate outreach/international programs officer, and a staff economist. The unit is currently recruiting to fill two corporate outreach officers (one permanent position and one time-limited position).
OEDCA also funds the two-person Small Business Ally program, a concierge permit-assistance pathway for small businesses offered in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese that is housed within the Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement. The Small Business Ally program is currently recruiting to fill the vacant Vietnamese-speaking position.
Over the past two years, the Business Development Division transitioned to a new framework with staff members grouped more distinctly into three primary focus areas: Small Business & Neighborhood Commercial Corridors, Downtown, and Corporate Outreach/Development Facilitation. The overall goal of this structure is to serve multiple segments of the City’s business community effectively, recognizing the unique and valuable contributions of small, medium, and large employers and improving the City’s market position as an attractive place to invest and do business. For every one dollar spent on OEDCA business development activity, approximately $2.50 returns to the City through business retention and attraction.
ANALYSIS
Communications
OEDCA’s Public Information Officer (PIO) provides communications, marketing, and promotional support for all three primary focus areas within the Business Development Division.
The PIO leverages a variety of channels—blogs, social media, e-newsletters, web pages, collateral, advertising, and news media—to promote the factors that make San José a global business leader, the new businesses and cultural activities that are helping Downtown San José
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
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Subject: Business Development Division Activities Report
rebound post-pandemic, and the events and resources that support the City’s entrepreneurs and neighborhood businesses.
Since April 2023, the Business Development Division has increased its communication output, publishing an average of three blogs a month and four social media posts a week, a 35% and 38% increase over the previous period. Communications content includes celebrating new business openings, the growing businesses in industrial hubs in North and South San José, events, resources, and the entrepreneurial stories that comprise San José’s unique business neighborhoods. Blogs received more than 4,000 views, and social media posts averaged an engagement rate above the industry average.1 On Instagram, OEDCA followers have increased from 677 to 1,658 since April 2023, a 144% increase. Followers on Facebook increased by 75% during the same time period.
The Business Development Division has also leveraged social media and email to amplify business advice trainings and workshops hosted by technical assistance partners. Since June 2023, a bi-monthly social media post highlights a list of free business-oriented trainings. The team also distributes a monthly email of all upcoming business trainings to more than 5,000 subscribers. This regular content strengthens OEDCA’s role as a leader in supporting the City’s businesses and entrepreneurs.
In December 2023, the second annual "Holiday San José" campaign highlighted 300+ small businesses and cultural experiences across 11 neighborhoods. Outreach included social media, blogs, and digital ads. The site, sjeconomy.com/shoplocalsj, received 13,500+ visits, up from 2,400 last year, becoming a valuable resource, including for emerging business associations without a web presence. The page now continues as "Shop Local San José," supporting ongoing outreach.
Small Business & Neighborhood Commercial Corridors Team Over the past year, the Small Business team continued to introduce new areas of work including major programs and projects. Some of these initiatives included the establishment of the new Small Business Advisory Committee, expanding the City’s engagement in supporting existing and new business associations, executing technical assistance contracts offering free business advice to small business owners, recruiting the Eastside Coordinator to manage a program of work, launching the cannabis equity business program, and delivering a record volume of storefront grant awards.
Small Business Advisory Committee
In early 2023, OEDCA staff began consulting with relevant stakeholders and business support organizations on the purpose and direction of the newly formed Small Business Advisory Committee (Committee). The feedback received centered on the need to have a diverse range of 1 7% on Instagram (industry average is 2%) and 3% on Facebook (industry average is 2%).
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
April 12, 2024
Subject: Business Development Division Activities Report
business owners and organizations that serve the small business community. As a result, the overall purpose of the Committee focuses on providing advice to City Council and staff that:
• Encourages the creation and sustainability of small businesses in San José; • Informs program and policy work proposed or undertaken by the City of San José relevant to small businesses and the San José small business ecosystem; • Fosters collaboration and partnership between business-related public, private, and nonprofit organizations in San José; and
• Promotes issues of interest and a greater understanding of the positive impact of small businesses across the diverse communities of San José, including the contributions small businesses make to strengthening the City’s economy and long-term fiscal resiliency.
Vice Mayor Kamei and Councilmember Ortiz serve as liaisons to the Committee, whose work plan is focused on the following policy areas: access to capital; neighborhood business corridors; public safety; business advice and education; and City’s land use, zoning, and permitting processes for commercial property.
The Committee meets quarterly and is comprised of the following members:
• Daniel Fernandez, TMC Community Capital - Chief Executive – Committee Chair • Christina Bui, Love Me Knots Bridal - Business Owner & Chair, Tully Road Business Association – Committee Vice Chair
• Anuradha Basu, San Jose State University - Professor & Director of the Silicon Valley Center • Jeff Bichaud, EBay - Small Business Government Affairs Manager • Kobad Bugwadia, Mathnasium, Willow Glen San Jose - Business Owner • Chandra Brooks, Scrublyfe Uniforms - Business Owner & Coach • Jesus Flores, Latino Business Foundation - Executive Director & Business Owner • Ryan Gorospe, Hula Bar and Kitchen - Business Owner
• Mimi Hernandez, Prosperity Lab - Executive Director
• Charles “Chappie” Jones, Jones Enterprises - Business Owner • Dennis King, Enterprise Foundation - Executive Director • Tony Lam, Launch Your First - Business Owner & Investor • Azer Manashir, Bank of America - Senior Vice President Bay Area • Tony Mirenda, San Jose Chamber of Commerce - Interim Chief Executive Neighborhood Business Districts
The Business Development Division seeks to establish independent business associations in the City’s underserved neighborhoods with the ability to advocate for the neighborhood business district’s needs, network in the community, generate funds, and become self-sustaining. The strategy is to establish the business association as a first step and then create a Business Improvement District (BID) as a permanent income-generating opportunity for businesses to
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Subject: Business Development Division Activities Report
invest in new initiatives or services, such as enhanced environmental improvements, security, marketing, and events.
In early 2023, staff completed a procurement process to hire consultants to assist seven neighborhoods to drive business engagement, establish a business association in each district, address issues of concern, and design opportunities for business attraction and investment. In April 2023, staff hosted a retreat for business associations to produce the first San José neighborhood business district operating plan. The plan provided a focus for staff and the associations, reflecting the key issues facing the neighborhoods, such as public safety, marketing, and long-term sustainability. This exercise was repeated in March 2024 with representatives from all twelve business corridors, consultants, and Councilmember staff. An updated plan will be presented to the Small Business Advisory Committee in June 2024.
In the year ahead, staff will work closely with the consultants to bring forward the establishment of three new business improvement districts along Monterey Road, Tully Road, and The Alameda. These are expected to be the first new business improvement districts to go to City Council for approval in over 10 years. A summary of each neighborhood business district status is provided below, with additional information in Attachment A.
Neighborhood Status Goal/Outcome
Monterey Road
Business Corridor
Year 2 Completed Council item to Approve BID
- November 2024
Tully Road Year 2 Completed Council item to Approve BID - December 2024
Alum Rock Village Year 1 Consultant Appointed -
Association Established
Formation of Year 2 program
In Progress
Alum Rock/E. Santa
Clara
Year 1 Consultant Appointed –
Association in existence
Formation of Year 2 program
In Progress
Calle Willow Year 1 Consultant Appointed –
Association revitalized
Formation of Year 2 program
In Progress
East Village (formerly
E. Santa Clara)
Year 1- Consultant Appointed &
Association revitalized
Formation of Year 2 program
In Progress
The Alameda Year 1 Consultant Appointed &
Association revitalized
Council item to approve a
BID expected in early 2025
Story Road Consultant Appointed – Kick-off
meeting held. Two-year program.
New - Started March 2024
Winchester Blvd. Consultant Appointed. Outreach
started. Two-year program.
New - Started April 2024
Japantown Annual Bid Renewal June 2024
Downtown Annual Bid Renewal June 2024
Willow Glen Annual Bid Renewal June 2024
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
April 12, 2024
Subject: Business Development Division Activities Report
Small Business Ally Program
The Small Business Ally program is a two-person team created in 2013 that, to date, has assisted more than 14,000 of San José’s small and micro businesses. From July 2023 to February 2024, the program has assisted 1,650 small businesses. It is projected to exceed last year’s small business customers assisted by the end of FY 2023-24. The team is currently recruiting to replace the vacant Vietnamese-speaking position, which is vital to maintaining current service levels.
The Small Business Ally team manages the Building Division’s Streamlined Restaurant Program, which assists small business food and beverage facilities (e.g., restaurants, cafes, bakeries, etc.) with expedited building permit plan review services to help facilitate these types of businesses getting open as quickly as possible.
The Small Business Ally team led the updating of the Building Division’s recently expanded Disability Access Improvement Grant Program (CASp Grant). The grant offers small businesses with a maximum of 50 employees a credit of up to $8,000 for the cost of a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) report, which identifies required federal Americans with Disabilities Act and state building code accessibility improvements and required City plan review, permitting, and inspections. This program was expanded in the fall of 2023 to add an additional grant of $25,000 to assist small businesses to cover the costs for ADA-related construction, labor, furniture, fixtures, equipment, and hiring a professional designer and contractor to make the improvements identified in their CASp report.
Expanding Business Technical Assistance
The impact of the pandemic on small business owners increased the demand for organizations that offer free or low-cost business advice. The Small Business team conducted a procurement process that resulted in the award of three contracts to local service providers with recent experience with small businesses, cultural competency, and valued customer engagement. These contractors are Prosperity Lab, the Enterprise Foundation, and the Latino Business Foundation of Silicon Valley. To date, over 500 businesses have been supported through a variety of different programs, offers, and training by these service providers. In the year ahead, staff will develop a new program focused specifically on assisting female entrepreneurs and business owners.
Early in 2024, staff solicited proposals to establish a free legal advice service for small business owners with a focus on improving landlord-tenant relationships and, where possible, avoiding evictions. The service will be delivered by Elevate Community for 18 months and available to all small businesses in San José beginning in late April 2024. Staff will closely monitor participation and the impact of the service.
In March 2024, staff issued a request for proposals to refresh the outdated Business Owner's Space (BOS) website, which is scheduled to relaunch in late 2024. The goal is to update the current information and services for existing business owners and place more emphasis on collaboration, access to capital with sponsorship, offers, and new market-led programs.
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
April 12, 2024
Subject: Business Development Division Activities Report
Since last year’s activities update, the Small Business team organized two free in-person events at the City Hall Rotunda, in May and November 2023. These two events attracted over 350 attendees who participated in a variety of informational panels, workshops and networking opportunities with the City’s technical assistance partners and industry experts. At the November event, staff organized the first Business Recognition Awards, where the Mayor and each Council Member nominated two businesses for their outstanding commitment to San José.
Eastside Coordinator
The Small Business team’s Eastside Coordinator position focuses on a combination of managing consultant contracts, direct outreach to the area’s small businesses, organizing events, and policy work outlined below.
Managing Service Contracts – The role oversees the two capacity-building contracts to support both Alum Rock Village Business Association and Alum Rock Santa Clara Street Business Association. This includes ensuring service providers address the needs of local business owners promptly and effectively, always prioritizing the interests of the Eastside's small business community.
Bidding for Grants –The Eastside Coordinator led the advocacy and collaboration required to apply for new funds both in the private sector with the Citi Foundation and, more recently, as part of the Bay Area High Roads Partnership funded by the State. While the Citi Foundation application was not ultimately awarded, the potential value of the Bay Area High Roads application is up to $1M.
Outreach – The Eastside Coordinator actively cultivates relationships with a variety of business owners and stakeholders relevant to East San José, responding to concerns and nurturing and enhancing existing collaborations. Business owners reach out seeking advice and service, and the Eastside Coordinator initiates business walks and informal meetings with local businesses.
Events – The experience of working with business owners informed the design and implementation of the first Latino Entrepreneur event in East San José, in partnership with the Yacanex Business Group. The event, held in January 2024 at the Mexican Heritage Plaza and was delivered completely in Spanish. It featured a series of workshops covering pertinent topics for small businesses, including contractor licensing, access to capital, marketing, taxes, and human resources. Over 300 attendees participated, many of whom have businesses in Council Districts 5 and 7.
Five Wounds Study and BART Phase II Policy – The Eastside Coordinator supported the outreach and promotion of public meetings for the Five Wounds Study. The final study report is expected to be made available by July 2024, and the Eastside Coordinator will support the implementation of recommendations contained in the study. The BART Phase II Business Resources Program has been published by the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), and the Eastside Coordinator is actively engaged in providing support to VTA in building out the program and working with local business interests near the planned BART Station at 28th Street.
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
April 12, 2024
Subject: Business Development Division Activities Report
Business Grant Program
The City invests in business grant programs to attract and retain small businesses, invest in commercial property, and improve the physical appearance of commercial corridors. The COVID-19 pandemic caused many small businesses to experience a loss in income, triggering rent debt. The City responded by creating rent relief grant programs to provide a direct cash payment to reduce debt owed and minimize the risk of eviction. In the past year, the Business Development Division contracted with a fiscal agent to deliver the Rent Relief and District 8 business grant programs.
Storefronts Activation Grant
The Storefronts Activation Grant program is administered by OEDCA’s Small Business team.
The program was initiated in 2012 to address the rise in vacant storefronts in neighborhood business districts in the wake of the Great Recession. The program is a highly effective way for the City to directly support San José’s small business ecosystem. The program goals are business retention and reactivation of commercial property. Most businesses in the City with at least three years remaining on their lease are eligible for funding; however, outreach is focused on the neighborhoods with the greatest need. Since 2016, 197 grants have been awarded. Seven businesses have closed, and 192 remain in operation. The overall success of the program is 96%.
Staff has been able to manage the program in-house through the assistance of an annual fellow from Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business. Due to the volume of requests since the beginning of the economic recovery, staff is looking to automate the grant application process by the next fiscal year. Various policy modifications to the program have been introduced over the past 10 years to encourage program participation. The impact of the COVID19 pandemic and new promotion and outreach efforts dramatically increased grant requests.
Table 1 illustrates differences in program funding in recent years:
Table 1: Volume and Dollar Value of the Storefronts Activation Grants by Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Vacant Exterior Total Award
2021-2022 10 26 $409,959
2022-2023 25 55 $875,000
2023-2024 8 33 $465,000
Totals 69 128 $1,749,959
2023-2024 Waitlist 8 22 $340,000
Over the past two years, 100% of grant funds were awarded to either business owners of color and/or to businesses in areas with the highest score in the City’s Equity Atlas. Business owners not located in high-scoring equity areas who received grants were business owners of color or women.
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
April 12, 2024
Subject: Business Development Division Activities Report
Business Rent Relief Grant
Staff designed an upgraded rent relief business grant and entered into an agreement with the Enterprise Foundation to manage and administer the program. This was the third rent relief grant program introduced by the City since 2020 to alleviate rent debt and mitigate evictions caused by the economic impact of the pandemic. The program was supported by extensive outreach and promotional activity, and over 400 applications were received. The Enterprise Foundation conducted due diligence and evidence of debt, resulting in the approval of 248 awards and payments totaling $1.4M. The program provided a direct way to provide financial support to small businesses. The program ended on December 31, 2023.
Council District 8 Business Grant
In the summer of 2023, staff executed an agreement with the Enterprise Foundation to be the fiscal agent to manage $150,000 pandemic recovery grant program funds. The target was to award 40 business grants. Following extensive outreach in partnership with leaders from the Tully Road/Eastridge Business Association, over 70 applications were submitted. Fifty-seven grants were awarded to local businesses ranging from $1,000 to $3,000.
Cannabis Equity Business Program
In February 2022, the City Council approved the Cannabis Equity Assessment and allocated 10 new cannabis retail (storefront or delivery-only) registrations to equity-owned businesses.
Business Development staff subsequently designed a new program known as the Academy that focused on entrepreneurship training and the support needed to create a business that requires a high level of investment capital. A total of 89 residents completed the Academy pre-screening, and 29 completed program applications. The Academy began in April 2023, offering a comprehensive series of online business training programs backed by one-on-one mentoring support. All 29 applicants completed the program.
In November 2023, the State of California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development announced the 2023-24 grant solicitation for the Cannabis Equity Grants Program for Local Jurisdictions. Business Development staff applied for the maximum allowable allocation under the grant formula and was awarded the full request of $1,026,820. This award will secure the next phase of the Academy, ensuring a minimum of 80% of all funds will directly benefit participants in the program. The next phase in the Academy, launching by June 2024, will focus on how to raise investment capital, structure ownership, provide specialized legal advice and identify an appropriate business location.
Downtown
In the last year, a new Downtown Manager and Downtown Coordinator were hired to head up the City’s priorities for Silicon Valley’s urban center. The Downtown Management team focuses
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Subject: Business Development Division Activities Report
its work on four main categories affecting the downtown core: clean, safe, and housed; public realm and activation; arts, entertainment, and culture; and business development/investment.
This work is a team effort alongside inter-departmental and inter-agency partners, meaning that while the Downtown Management team may not be the ultimate service provider, it plays a key facilitation or coordination role.
Some key highlights over the last year include the permanent closure of San Pedro Street between Santa Clara and St. John streets and the launch of The Collab, a social-services coordination initiative at 50 E. St. John St.; securing five spaces for the forthcoming Downtown Retail Pop-Up initiative; re-launching a business retention visit program for Downtown’s top employers; and continuing the holiday illumination program on the Cathedral Basilica of St.
Joseph. In March, Downtown was the backdrop for the return of NVIDIA’s GTC conference, a major event for artificial intelligence research and industry. For five days, the eyes of the business world were on Downtown San José as 20,000 people descended on the McEnery Convention Center. The Downtown Management team led an interdepartmental and inter-agency team to enhance Downtown’s appearance and vibrancy and set a welcoming tone for this reintroduction of the City to major tech events.
A full report on Downtown activities will be presented in the annual Downtown Progress Report provided at the June 2024 Community and Economic Development Committee meeting.
Corporate Outreach and Development Facilitation
Business outreach lies at the core of economic development and includes both proactive engagement and responsive communication. Outreach may be focused on a specific message (such as getting the word out about a grant or service), problem-solving, or an exploratory location conversation. A key audience is medium and larger-sized corporate entities, which have an outsized influence on jobs and revenue for the City. Over the past year, the corporate outreach team has been staffed at only half of its capacity. During that time, the staff has concentrated its proactive work on Foreign Trade Zone expansion, facilitating the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act investment in San José, and fostering the manufacturing industry through a consultant agreement with the nonprofit SFMade/Manufacture: San José.
During FY 2023-24, the Business Development team was on track to meet with approximately 200 corporate/investor representatives. These meetings include formal attraction/retention conversations undertaken to maintain/develop relationships with existing or prospective employers and educate them on the City, regional labor market, permit processes, location opportunities, and available resources. These meetings also serve as an early warning system for tenants facing a relocation decision out of San José. In these cases, staff aims to help the company find a location in the city.
In FY 2023-24, the Business Development team’s work facilitated the attraction or retention of an estimated 4,200 jobs. One example is Procept Biorobotics, which relocated from Redwood
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
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Subject: Business Development Division Activities Report
City to San José in fall 2023, bringing upwards of 400 jobs. OEDCA has been in contact with Procept since early 2022 regarding relocation opportunities and support, development/permit facilitation, and available financial incentives. This cutting-edge firm develops non-invasive treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is the most common form of prostate disease.
The move highlights San José’s position as a leader in advanced manufacturing R&D, a growth industry that supports strategic goals around our hardware-oriented technology ecosystem. Other significant corporate attractions, retentions, and expansions this past year included:
Logitech at 3930 N. 1st St.; Adobe’s new Founder’s Tower downtown; XP Power at 455 Trimble Road; BD Bio at 86 Montecito Vista; the BioSquare complex supporting BioCube, Accuragen, Allay Therapeutics, and Turn Biotechnologies; and Archer Aviation.
Another major focus of the Business Development Division’s corporate outreach this past year involved the CHIPS Act. This new law provides federal funding to boost research and manufacturing for the semiconductor sector. Staff launched an outreach campaign to connect with companies and maximize their potential benefit from CHIPS Act funding. Notable companies included in this outreach effort Infinera, Western Digital, Samsara and ISE Labs.
Staff will continue to monitor and act upon opportunities that may provide significant benefit for San José companies with respect to the CHIPS Act.
Finally, the largest employment sector in San José remains manufacturing, with approximately 17% of jobs in the City. In 2023, staff worked closely with the nonprofit Manufacture: San José to host tours during National Manufacturing Week in October. This year, the team hosted 11 tours of manufacturing facilities for more than 330 students from Piedmont Hills High School, Independence High School, SIA Tech Charter High School, and Goodwill of Silicon Valley. The host manufacturers included Sunnytech, Vander-Bend, Promotec, PeakFab, NextFlex, and Nevarez Machining. These tours will give San José’s youth exposure to the manufacturing career sector, which provides good paying entry-level jobs and the ability to gain valuable skills that lead to career growth and economic opportunity.
The Business Development Division’s Development Facilitation Officer plays a key role in providing ongoing support during the entitlement and permit process for long-term complex development projects as well as quick-turnaround guidance on City processes, permitting and development pathways for developers, real estate brokers and businesses. In Fiscal Year 2023- 24, ongoing project assistance was provided to companies as part of ongoing corporate campus operations and expansions and to developers with major projects in multiple locations throughout the City, including Westbank, Urban Catalyst, Jay Paul Company, Westfield, IBM, Supermicro, Infinera, Adobe, Tesla, Lucid, Del Grande Dealership Group.
In 2023 and 2024, the Development Facilitation Officer has continued to co-lead monthly coordination meetings between OEDCA, the Housing Department, the Building Division, the Public Works Department, and the Fire Department to fast-track affordable housing projects that are within six months of building permits based on funding deadlines.
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
April 12, 2024
Subject: Business Development Division Activities Report
Conclusion
In the past year, OEDCA’s Business Development Division maintained a high level of support to small, medium, and large businesses, implementing and facilitating programs and projects designed to strengthen both underserved neighborhoods, the City’s urban core, and key employment areas. In the year ahead, the team will continue these activities, bringing to the City Council the establishment of new business improvement districts, launching new services to support small businesses, increasing support for downtown, and enhancing outreach to large employers. The summary of key activity planned for FY 2024-2025 is set out in Attachment B.
COORDINATION
This memorandum has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office. /s/
Nanci Klein
Director of Economic Development and
Cultural Affairs
The principal author(s) of this memorandum are Blage Zelalich, Deputy Director, [email protected], Victor Farlie, Assistant to the City Manager, [email protected] and Nathan Donato-Weinstein, Assistant to the City Manager, [email protected].
ATTACHMENTS:
ATTACHMENT A: Neighborhood Business District Association FY 2023-2024 Status and Planned Outcome Report
ATTACHMENT B: Business Development Division FY 2024-2025 Work Plan