Economic Development Initiatives
This web resource supplements the Inclusive Economic Recovery Strategy report. In this resource, you will find information about economic development initiatives that are in progress, proposed or completed in the SCAG region. The purpose of this resource is to inform and inspire policymakers, economic development agencies, and other stakeholders.
This resource is organized into the four Focus Areas discussed in the report and by county:
- Housing Production and Preservation
- Transportation and Infrastructure
- Sector Based
- Human Capital
This resource provides a snapshot of economic development activities in the region and is not comprehensive. If you would like to share an economic development initiative to be included on this list, please contact economicrecovery@scag.ca.gov.
Housing Production and Preservation
| Initiative | Brief Description | Sponsor | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation USDA 502 Direct Loan Program | USDA Rural Development has a home loan program called the 502 Direct Loan, which assists very-low to low-income families with purchasing and improving homes in rural areas such as the Imperial Valley. | Imperial Regional Alliance | Imperial |
| Lotus Living, Rise Above Resilient Community Project | Construction is nearing completion for the Lotus Living, Rise Above Resilient Community project, which will provide 26 tiny homes for some of the Imperial Valley College students experiencing homelessness. | City of El Centro, local college, and Imperial Valley College Foundation | Imperial |
| Moratorium | Moratorium on evictions for non-payment of rent by tenants experiencing financial impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. | City of Pasadena | Los Angeles |
| Regions Build Together: Housing report defines solutions for LA, California | LAEDC contributed to the new California Forward (CAFWD) report, Regions Build Together, which provides a list of recommended actions to address the affordable housing crisis in California. | California Forward | Los Angeles |
| Coachella Valley Housing Catalyst Fund | Convened by Lift to Rise and in partnership with Riverside County’s Housing Authority and all nine Coachella Valley cities, a group of 50-plus stakeholders united to do just that. Together, this Housing Stability Collaborative Action Network has put forward a bold vision of producing 10,000 affordable housing units over the next 10 years. Developing request for the State to allocate $25M to establish a loan loss reserve for the Fund. | Lift to Rise (regional housing collaborative) | Riverside |
| Call for Collaboration | The California Community Foundation (CCF), in partnership with the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), issued a request for proposals (RFP) for nonprofit organizations that are advancing community-centered strategies that grow the supply of housing in a sustainable and equitable way. | SCAG, California Community Foundation, Irvine Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Foundation, others | Southern California |
| Downpayment Program | City staff is leading discussions regarding the implementation of a homeownership down payment assistance program. For any other programs, the city refers to available programs provided by LA County. | City of La Puente | Los Angeles |
| Homeless Assistance Program | A Five-Year Plan has been developed to address the issues of homelessness in the City of Oxnard and give direction to better serve the unsheltered homeless population. The plan is designed to include strategies that will address chronic vagrancy and the impacts of negative transient behavior, including unlawful encampments and misuse of City parks and public facilities. The plan is also intended to reduce homeless issues in downtown Oxnard, in support of revitalization efforts, and to address homeless issues in other business sectors throughout the City. | City of Oxnard | Ventura |
| Housing Assistance | The Mortgage Assistance Program is available to first-time homebuyers in the City of Victorville. Once qualified, buyers can receive up to $55,000 for down payment assistance and closing cost. The Senior Home Repair Program is designed to assist low income homeowners who are at least 62 year of age, permanently disabled, or handicapped, by providing a one-time grant in an amount of not less $1,000 and up to $15,000, to make eligible home repairs. The Residential Rehabilitation Program is designed to add curb appeal to your home or correct any health and safety or building code violations. This program offers low interest deferred loans to income eligible homeowners to make changes. Homeless Disaster Response – A grant to the reimburse costs incurred by the City to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus in the homeless community. San Bernardino County has launched the Rent Relief Partnership to provide rent and utility assistance to residents negatively impacted by COVID-19. The program provides future rent/utility payments and those that are owed. | City of Victorville | San Bernardino |
| Utility Relief Program | The City of Victorville provides federal CDBG dollars to local nonprofit organizations to help individuals in our community with rent and utility assistance. As part of the City’s response to COVID-19, shutoffs and late fees have been temporarily suspended for nonpayment by Victorville Water customers | City of Victorville | San Bernardino |
| Housing Rental Assistance & Business Assistance Programs | Housing Rental Assistance and Business Assistance Program as part of the Cares Act. | City of San Dimas | Los Angeles |
| Residential Tenant Rental Assistance Grant | To provide financial assistance to residential tenants in the form of rental payments to be paid directly to the landlord in an effort to prevent eviction. | City of Bell Gardens | Los Angeles |
| Emergency Utility Assistance Grant | To provide financial assistance to residents who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and need to maintain critical utilities (i.e., electric, gas, and water). | City of Bell Gardens | Los Angeles |
| Moratorium on No-Fault Evictions | An urgency ordinance of the City Council of the City of South Pasadena, California, temporarily establishing and requiring just-cause for termination of tenancies in the City of South Pasadena | City of South Pasadena | Los Angeles |
Transportation and Infrastructure
| Initiative | Brief Description | Sponsor | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fontana USD High-Speed Internet for students | Fontana Unified School District will provide high-speed internet access for its more than 36,000 students – at home and in their community – by creating the nation’s first Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) private network of its scale dedicated to education. | Fontana School District | San Bernardino |
| California Integrated Travel Program (Cal-ITP) | Improve the transit experience in California, promote equity, increase public agency buying power for technology and services, meet California climate change law | California Department of Transportation | California |
| COVID-19 Economic Recovery Strategies for Climate Adaptation | The primary strategy outlined in this report involves incorporating climate adaptation into a local agency’s long term capital improvement plan. Once adequate capital facilities planning has taken place, an agency can position itself to pursue state and federal funding streams as they become available. | Commissioned by SCAG | Southern California |
| Transportation Electrification Partnership | Partnership among diverse stakeholders to make progress toward transportation electrification and zero emissions goods movement. | LACI, Multiple Organizations | Los Angeles |
Sector Based
| Initiative | Brief Description | Sponsor | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDBG-CV Coronavirus Microenterprise Loan Program | The City of El Centro has established a CDBG-CV Coronavirus Microenterprise Loan Program (MLP) to help businesses impacted by COVID-19 retain employees and sustain continuity of operations. Financial assistance up $10,000 in low-interest or forgivable loans will be allocated to eligible small businesses on a first-come, first-served basis. Funds awarded will be based on availability, program guidelines, and the submission of all required information and supporting documentation proving financial hardship related to COVID-19. | City of El Centro | Imperial |
| Imperial County Roadmap to Recovery | Four stages have been created and based on the direction from the State of California, Imperial County, along with the other 57 counties throughout the state, are moving from stage to stage, based on their County’s respective metrics and approved variance/attestation documents. | Imperial County | Imperial |
| Blueprint for +D30Economic Development: Creating economic opportunities for workers, investors, and entrepreneurs | The Blueprint will advance a 10-year vision of Long Beach as “the city of opportunity for workers, investors, and entrepreneurs.” For the City of Long Beach and civic partners, this Blueprint serves as a catalyst to work together to pro-actively recognize and determinedly seek solutions to civic and socio-economic challenges and opportunities. For workers, Long Beach will be a place where we come together to create more fulfilling higher-wage job opportunities, beyond meeting basic needs. For investors, Long Beach will foster a “can do” climate where they aggressively compete for the distinction to advance economic opportunities for business and community. For entrepreneurs, Long Beach will create an innovative ecosystem that lays a foundation for success from business start up to growth. For all residents, Long Beach will be a place where all have the opportunity to create, thrive, and positively impact where they live. | City of Long Beach | Los Angeles |
| Economic Recovery Plan | Revive Burbank’s robust economy by preventing homelessness and encouraging development and business recovery to occur along with financial stability for our residents, thereby building a safe, beautiful, and thriving community. | City of Burbank | Los Angeles |
| Small Business Recovery Resources | The City of Lancaster has launched the Small Business Recovery Resource (SBRR) program. This group consists of dedicated individuals that will readily assist our local small business owners with their questions and concerns regarding their businesses during, and preparing for life after, the COVID-19 virus. | City of Lancaster | Los Angeles |
| Small Business Grant Program | To qualify, the businesses must be located within the City of Palmdale, employ no more than 49 people (including the owner), must have a current business license, and provide documentation showing their financial need due to loss of revenue, increased costs to implement social distancing requirements, payments made for unemployment benefits, or other business expenses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Small Business Grant Program is available on a first-come, first-served basis and will run from Sept. 28, 2020, to Oct. 5, 2020, or until funds have been expended. It is part of the City’s Palmdale Cares initiative, and the City is committed to getting funds into the hands of businesses as quickly as possible. | City of Palmdale | Los Angeles |
| Small Business COVID Relief Grant Program | The City of Santa Clarita is thrilled to announce that the City Council has approved the Santa Clarita Small Business COVID Relief Grant program to help local small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The grant program will provide local small businesses a one-time financial reimbursement for expenses incurred from business interruption due to COVID-19 impacts. Santa Clarita small businesses with 100 employees or less would be eligible for reimbursable expenses up to $5,000. The new grant program will utilize CARES Act funding to reimburse local small businesses throughout the Santa Clarita Valley. | City of Santa Clarita | Los Angeles |
| Small Business Grant Program | The City of Torrance Small Business Grant (SBG) Program is offered to local business that have been economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The City is providing grants of $10,000 to businesses that create or retain a job for a low-income or moderate-income person | City of Torrance | Los Angeles |
| Orange County Economic Recovery Strategy | Mission: Engage diverse public and private sector partners in an integrated economic development planning process to develop a Post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery Strategy that will serve as an economic roadmap to diversify and strengthen the Orange County regional economy through the development of regional economic goals, a regional plan of action, and identification of investment priorities and funding. / Vision: Create strategies that guide economic prosperity and resiliency, encourage partnerships and collaboration, and fully utilize Orange County’s unique advantages to maximize economic opportunity and overall quality of life for businesses and residents in the region. | Orange County Partners | Orange |
| SCORE Orange County | Orange County SCORE offers FREE business mentoring, low-cost or no-cost business training, and numerous templates and tools to help you start or grow a business. | SCORE Orange County | Orange |
| High Desert Manufacturers Council | The Manufacturers’ Council of the Inland Empire (MCIE) supports education and workforce training on behalf of manufacturers throughout the region, offering expertise in a variety of topics including innovative workforce solutions. | Manufacturers’ Council of the Inland Empire | Riverside & San Bernardino |
| Inland Economic Growth and Opportunity | Private and public sector leaders from Riverside and San Bernardino counties have catalyzed an effort to forge a strategic agenda for advancing inclusive growth and opportunity that will benefit residents of both counties and put the region on the path to a more prosperous and secure future. | Inland Empire Community Foundation | Riverside & San Bernardino |
| Economic Development Small Business Grants | The City of Thousand Oaks Small Business Assistance Grant Program will provide financial assistance to eligible, locally-owned, small businesses impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) to continue operations and retain employees. The grant funds intended use is for payroll and/or rent/mortgage. Applicants may receive up to $10,000 in the form of a grant that will not require repayment. As the City is utilizing $340,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funds, all operating assistance must be compliant with federal regulations. | City of Thousand Oaks | Ventura |
| Conejo Valley Small Business Fund | The Conejo Valley Small Business Relief Fund has been established by the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Foundation in partnership with the cities of Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village and Agoura Hills. The fund will provide much needed grants to local small businesses as they navigate the financial impacts of COVID-19. | City of Thousand Oaks | Ventura |
| Small Business Programs | Data on COVID impacts, including reccomendations for an inclusive and equitable recovery helping small businesses. | Ventura County Economic Development Collaborative | Ventura |
| Ventura County Rapid Response Fund | The Ventura County Community Foundation, in coordination with the County of Ventura, Amgen Foundation, Southeast Ventura County YMCA, Give An Hour, and the Economic Development Collaborative, has launched the Ventura County Rapid Response Fund to support nonprofit organizations addressing the needs of individuals and families with food and housing support, childcare, wage replacement, mental health care, and more. | Ventura County Community Foundation | Ventura |
| California Rebuilding Fund | The California Rebuilding Fund (the “Fund”) is a public-private partnership that is aggregating funding from private, philanthropic, and public sector resources – including an anchor commitment from the State of California’s Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank) – to address the capital and advisory needs of California small businesses as they reopen and recover from the COVID-19 health and economic crisis. This effort will target the smallest of small businesses – the nearly 4 million businesses in California with fewer than 50 employees – and will have a goal of reaching historically under-resourced com | PPP, including State of California | California |
| Food & Agriculture Policy Action Plan | Proposes a series of steps to improve the food system, understanding that food security is essential for a community to survive and thrive | City of Riverside | Riverside |
| Back-to-Business Grant Program | Businesses with 15 or fewer employees can apply for $10,000 grants on a first come, first served basis. | City of Murrieta | Riverside |
| Economic Development Initiative | Provided outreach to over 1,000 businesses to identify pressing needs and provide assistance in navigating available financial resources. | City of Laguna Niguel | Orange |
| Economic Development Goal IIA4 | Protection of the fiscal integrity of Indian Wells. | City of Indian Wells | Riverside |
| Strategic Plan for Economic Development | An articulation of economic development priorities and action steps that will ensure timely and targeted economic benefits to the citizenry of Inglewood. | City of Inglewood | Los Angeles |
| Economic Development Plan | Committed to driving a vital and competitive economy that increases prosperity and quality of life for all of our residents, businesses and community partners. | City of Indio | Riverside |
| Small Business Retention Program | The Economic Development Department has a strong focus on business retention to help those impacted by COVID-19. We look to provide support to our small businesses and continued guidance on reopening procedures, precautions, and business plans to help simplify business operations once restrictions are lifted. Reopening Victorville Small Business Assistance Grants – In 2020, the City approved the allocation of $445,791 for the grant program which is funded through COVID-19 specific, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) dollars from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The City has started the process to award as many as 26 businesses with grants capped at $15,000. Businesses can use the funds for eligible expenses which include rent, utilities and other business-related expenses incurred due to COVID-19. Community Outreach Program – A reimbursable grant of up to $10,000 for eligible non-profit organizations and City entities. Grants are required to provide direct, front-line service programs to respond to community need arising from COVID-19. | City of Victorville | San Bernardino |
| Opportunity Zones: Old Town District | The City of Victorville currently has five designated IRS Opportunity Zones. Our goal is to promote development within these zones with a priority to our Old Town District as we are currently engaged in a redevelopment effort in the area. Focus will be put on mixed-use developments, filling vacancies, and retaining current businesses to revitalize area and preserve historic roots. | City of Victorville | San Bernardino |
| Small Business Assistance Grant | To provide financial assistance to small businesses that were considered “non-essential” by the State and County definitions during their mandatory COVID-19 County Health Order closure period. | City of Bell Gardens | Los Angeles |
| Business Liaison Identified to Assist Business Community | Guide through the process of starting a business in the City of Hermosa Beach, and assist in continuing to do business in this community. | City of Hermosa Beach | Los Angeles |
| SHINES Reopening, Recovery, and Resilience Plan | Community wide reopening, recovery and resilience plan that puts a focus on the vital elements to ensure Hermosa SHINES: Safety, Health, Infrastructure, New Technology, Economic Development and Service. | City of Hermosa Beach | Los Angeles |
| Business Financial Assistance Program | The City of Palm Springs had a business financial assistance program which targeted small businesses most impacted by COVID. | City of Palm Springs | Riverside |
| Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) | The City of Menifee recently completed a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), which is the guiding document for the City’s Economic Development efforts for years to come. By going through this process, the City also qualifies to apply for federal grants for up to $3 million. | City of Menifee | Riverside |
| Small Business Relief Grant | As a part of our disaster relief efforts for COVID-19 and beyond, Menifee Economic Development has compiled resources on this page to help our business community during this time of great need. We will continue to add to these resources and update this information regularly. | City of Menifee | Riverside |
| Business Incentive Program | Menifee’s B3 — building better businesses — offers tools and resources for business owners and managers to grow their businesses and improve the bottom line. Resources include free or low-cost support, counseling, workshops and classes for developing and existing Menifee businesses. | City of Menifee | Riverside |
| Local Economic Assistance Program (LEAP) | The City has completed the development of the Local Economic Assistance Program (LEAP). The LEAP program will provide grants to small and micro-enterprise businesses in the City that have been economically impacted by COVID-19. The LEAP program is funded through the City’s Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Since this program will be financed with Federal funds, the City must follow the regulatory guidelines established by the Federal Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). HUD is the primary administrator of the CDBG program. | City of Jurupa Valley | Riverside |
| Microenterprise Business Grant | Chino’s Mayor and City Council will provide short-term working capital assistance to microenterprise businesses that meet the National Objective – income eligibility requirements in the form of rent assistance. | City of Chino | San Bernardino |
Human Capital
| Initiative | Brief Description | Sponsor | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Prototyping Center Fellowship Program | The LACI APC Fellowship Program is a multi-tiered workforce training pipeline program to provide technical training, interpersonal skills, and industry-recognized certifications to succeed in the green economy. Participants in the program are paired with LACI startups and partners for internships and job opportunities—all part of our mission to build an inclusive green economy. | Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator | Los Angeles |
| CalFlexi | CalFLEXI was planned before the pandemic. Long Beach has been nationally recognized for pioneering support for individuals in the hourly labor market. Work Long Beach aims to support anyone in the city who needs irregular work. | City of Long Beach, Public Gateway Workforce Partnership, Skills4Care, WorkLB | Los Angeles |
| Green Path Careers | Green Path Careers is a program designed to help individuals who are former foster youth between the ages of 18 and 24 or part of an independent living program by preparing them for a career in the energy efficiency field. | Southern California Regional Energy Network | Los Angeles |
| 2021-2024 STRONG Workforce Program Orange County Regional Plan | The 2021-2024 Orange County Strong Workforce Program (SWP) Plan was developed through a collaborative process involving Orange County’s nine community colleges and stand-alone continuing education (noncredit) center, workforce development boards, industry stakeholders, and representatives from organizations invested in improving and aligning career education (CE) in the region. The following report describes the work underway to calibrate community college efforts for the next four years to meet workforce demand fueling the regional economy, while strengthening pathways between postsecondary institutions and K-12 education. | California Community Colleges: Los Angeles Orange County Regional Consortium | Orange |
| Santa Ana WORK Center | Young people are the future workforce for our businesses, industries and community. At the Santa Ana WORK Center, we’re making sure today’s youth get the work experience, training and skills they need to compete in tomorrow’s workplace and help our businesses thrive. | City of Santa Ana | Orange |
| Emprendedores (Entrepreneurs) Program | Over the last year, this program has brought hope to over 300 local men and women and given them a means to invigorate their dreams of starting a business in the United States. | Partnership between OC/IE SBDC and OC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce | Orange |
| Profile of COVID-19 Business & Worker Impacts, Informing an Inclusive & Equitable Economic Recovery | Identify the specific character and profile of the industries, businesses, occupations and workers in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties most disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, for the purpose of informing our strategies for recovery and resource allocation. Note: Project launching on March 1, 2021 |
Ventura County Economic Development Collaborative | Ventura |
| US Employment Plan adoption by Metro | This US Employment Plan is a policy tool aimed to address good jobs through public spending. | Jobs to Move America | Los Angeles |
| Vocational Training Program |
The Oxnard Employee Pipeline will train local residents to get the skills they need and guarantee them an interview with Oxnard companies that offer great pay and health benefits. The program was created in partnership with Oxnard College and the Chamber of Commerce, and offers residents the chance to take three classes and receive a certificate that will guarantee them an interview with an Oxnard company. |
City of Oxnard | Ventura |
| City of Temecula Workforce Center Incentive Programs | The Riverside County Workplace Development Center offers incentive programs for businesses and individuals in Temecula including the Work Opportunity Tax Credit/Welfare to Work and On-the-Job-Training programs | City of Temecula | Riverside |
| Resolution Supporting HERO Pay | A presentation from the city at the council’s April 7 meeting noted that retailers have seen an increase in profits in 2020, while low-wage workers have largely retained their pay rates in spite of facing unprecedented job-related hazards in the past year. So-called hero pay would be a temporary raise between $3-5 per hour for frontline workers that would last up to 120 days and apply to retail grocery, retail drug stores or large retail that sell groceries and drugs. As written, it would specifically apply to businesses that employ 300 or more people nationwide or have 15 employees in a single store within the city. | City of South Pasadena | Los Angeles |