Economic Development Strategic Action Plan
DRAFT ELEMENTS & DISCUSSION
September 12, 2023
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE
1 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
Vision Statement
2 COUNCIL GOAL STATEMENT – Economic & Community Vibrancy :
Sustain and develop a diverse and thriving economy that benefits Santa Rosa residents and businesses and contributes to the community’s economic health while preserving historical and cultural integrity.
M
ISSION :
To provide high-quality public services and cultivate a vibrant, resilient and livable city.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
Input & Engagement
3 Surveys
Past survey
Other department/division surveys
• Upcoming survey
In Person Engagement
3 tabling/engagement sessions
1:1 discussions
• Targeted meetings
Departmental Engagement
• Targeted follow ups:
o Transit
o Water
o TCC grant team
Data, Studies, Research
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
Input & Engagement
4 • Streamline processes and increase access to
resources
• Clarify ED’s role and leverage partnerships
(how have been used vs. how will be used)
• Engage small business in more inclusive ways, esp.
BIPOC businesses
• Capitalize on staff’s
o history of innovation and responsiveness
o Flexibility and outside of the box thinking
within shifting City priorities
• Inclusion of arts and culture within ED is a plus
• Model the proven success of downtown
revitalization efforts
• ED team is small but valued; known by name
• Understaffed and under-resourced
o Limited reach and capacity
• Lacking tools and incentives
o Limited to no attraction or expansion incentives
o Interest in changing from growing local small biz to
attracting new companies
• Perceived inefficiencies and slow processes
o Process issue vs. personnel issue
o Not business friendly; not responsive to changing
needs of business/development
• Housing and affordability issues
• Competing crises and changing landscapes
• Evolving visions and inefficiencies due to City leadership transitions
• Artificial silos between departments
Challenges / Threats / Weaknesses
Opportunities / Strengths
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN
Community Perspectives
Lack of Affordable Housing / High Cost of Living &
Limited Workforce Attraction and Development
o Costs are high for businesses and employees alike, posing challenges to business retention and attraction, and is a critical limiting factor for workforce development.
o Employers cited need for downtown entertainment and living options for young professionals. o “Workforce development begins with equitable access to early education.” 5 Need for a more inclusive approach to economic development o Perceived shift from traditional ED approaches focused on bringing large businesses to the area to a focus on community building and resilience.
o Noted the importance of supporting small businesses and creating an environment where information and resources are easily accessible to all.
o Interest in publicly available training to support entrepreneurs (e.g. incubators). o Inclusive ED would intentionally center equity and data to evaluate processes and procedures that are not effectively serving the whole community, and to identify new avenues to increase opportunity.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN
2021 Economic Development Survey
600+ Respondents | Available in English and Spanish
• 59% identified as business owners
• Majority were long-term Santa Rosa residents (12 years or more) • Respondents identifying as Asian, Multi-racial, and White were over-represented compared to the population
• Respondents identifying as American Indian or Alaskan Native, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander were under-represented compared to the population.
• The majority were 35 or older and slightly more female than male • Top 5 zip codes across respondents were:
95404: parts of Downtown and South Park 95403: Coffey Park, Piner Rd./N. Mendocino areas 95405: Montgomery Village, Bennet Valley 95401: Stony Point Road/W. College Ave. areas 95409: Oakmont, Skyhawk
6 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN
2021 Economic Development Survey
7 Most important issue for the future of SR
Business owners & residents prioritized
housing and affordability. Business
owners selected business development
next whereas non-business owners were
concerned about equity and inclusion.
Challenges and Barriers to Engagement
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN
2021 Economic Development Survey
8 ED Issue Areas of Most Importance
Business Owners
ED Issue Areas of Most Importance
Non-Business Owners
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN
2021 General Plan Update Survey
9 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN
2022 General Plan Update Summary of Feedback
10 • Respondents generally favored focusing new housing and job growth towards Downtown, along major corridors and
community corridors, and in neighborhood retail centers. • Participants generally felt the City should prioritize development that addresses social and economic needs of the economically vulnerable populations. • There is a desire to streamline City review and approval processes for new projects to reduce cost and expedite good projects.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
Survey Discussion
Previous Survey Questions
based on input from interviews
• What are the most important issues for the future of
Santa Rosa
• What economic development issues are important to you? 11 o Business
Development
o Affordability
o Housing
o Childcare
o Economic Recovery
o Equity and Inclusion
o Other (public safety, homelessness,
infrastructure, environmental,
wildfire, beautification, vibrancy)
o Business
Assistance
o Development Proj.
o Workforce Dev.
o Civic Pride
o Permitting
o Permits (planning/building)
o Public Art
o Neighborhood programs
o Tourism
• Level of interaction with ED Division
• Challenges and barriers
• What changes do you want to see in the
city?
• What excites you about the future of Santa
Rosa?
o Difficult processes
o Unsure of resources
o Time consuming
processes
o Unsure who to reach
out to
o Unsure what is
required
o No money
o None
o Other
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
Landscape & Data
12 Educational Attainment
45% of the population has an
associates degree or higher.
Labor Force: 95,902
• 2.9% Unemployment Rate
• -2.8% - 1 year unemployment
rate change
• 26% Blue Collar
• 73% White Collar
Population: 176,898
Age Distribution
median age: 40
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
Landscape & Data
13 Biz Establishments 7,910
2023 Ethnicity Distribution
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
Economic and Employment Drivers
Diverse economy with strengths in health care, retail trade, manufacturing, and accommodation and food services
• Healthcare: largest industry in Sonoma County; 2 of the major hospitals are in Santa Rosa and serve the greater region.
• Retail Trade: 2nd largest industry; Santa Rosa is one of the few urban centers int eh North Bay region • Manufacturing: driven mostly by the agribusiness industry. Relative to the county, Santa Rosa includes a relatively small share of manufacturing and agricultural jobs. • Advance Technology Research and Development and Manufacturing: a significant industry niche, includes medical tech related to the presence of health care, computer and electronics components, and clean tech.
This sector offers the greatest opportunity for Santa Rosa moving forward. • Accommodation and Food Services: tied to the area’s well established tourism and recreation destination brand.
• Sonoma County’s primary business and financial hub: Santa Rosa has approximately 41% of the county jobs in office-based industries (professional and tech services, finance/insurance, information, real estate, etc.). 14
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
15 Where are
we now?
Where do
we want to
be?
How will we
get there?
Who will do
what?
How will we
measure?
EQUITABLE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
16 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
DRAFT CONCEPTS: Climate, Culture, Communication
17 Improve Biz
Climate:
streamline
services & support
Development Services
Strat Plan
Expedite certain
business permitting
processes
Updates to
information tools:
digital/hand-outs
Biz Satisfaction
Create a feedback loop
Client Management
System
Ensure seamlessness
of multiple points of
entry
Communications &
Marketing
Business/developer
attraction
marketing program
Maintain &
consistently refresh
web/social platforms
Reconstitute business
visitation program
Equitable
Economic
Opportunities
Support partners that
strengthen
BIPOC/women owned
biz
Conduct a BIPOC biz
audit
Meet
cultural/language
needs of biz through
resources/services
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
DRAFT CONCEPTS: Economic Vibrancy
18 Support SR
Businesses
Business/developer
attraction tools
ARPA funded business
support programs
Provide access to data
(location asset tools)
Temp incentive
programs
Encourage CBD
Formations
Foster
Community
Partnerships
Create P3 opportunities
Downtown tenant/re-
tenanting streamlining
Wayfinding
Infrastructure
& Econ
Accelerators
Downtown investment &
City assets strategy
EIFD
S. SR Priority Dev.
Specific Plan
Resilient City
Development Measures
Strengthen mfg
competitiveness
Studies &
Reports
Infill housing economic
& fiscal impact study
Annexation discussions
Workforce study –
needs/gaps by industry
sector
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
DRAFT CONCEPTS: Resiliency & Community Investment
19 Placemaking/
Place-Keeping
Implement the Public
Art Strategic Action Plan
Support community
events/activities
through grants &
services
Address Poverty
& Increase Econ
Opportunities
Childcare Support
Program Facility Fund
Child College Savings
Account
Guaranteed Basic
Income Program
Education &
Workforce Dev
Strengthen the childcare
sector
Partner on childcare
access and affordability
issues
Partner with WIB &
other community
workforce programs
Physical
Infrastructure
Improvements
Ensure adequate
infrastructure to support
biz growth
Enhance public
transportation
coordination
Address
broadband/connectivity
needs/gaps
Anticipate/address
alternative ROW use
needs/issues
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
Timeline
JULY - AUGUST
Process and element clarification
Vision (goal/value) statement(s)
ED Subcommittee Discussion 2
AUGUST - SEPTEMBER
• Internal engagement
• External engagement
SEPTEMBER
Draft review by CMO/executive staff
• Draft review by ED Subcommittee
• Incorporation of changes and
recommendations
20 OCTOBER - NOVEMBER
• Review of final draft by CMO/executive staff
• Review of final draft by ED Subcommittee
• Incorporation of changes/recommendations
NOVEMBER
• Council Study Session?
• Final changes based on any Council feedback
DECEMBER
• Presentation to Council
• Prep for January 2024 release of document