Foster Regional Prosperity

The City of San Diego is actively taking steps to support a thriving regional economy and develop the talented workforce we need to sustain economic opportunity in the future. Below, we outline how we envision fostering regional prosperity.

Our Focus
See Stats

For this focus area of our strategic plan, we aim for:

  • San Diego residents and businesses are supported by a strong local economy, with well-paying jobs, economic activity, and opportunities in every community.
  • San Diego businesses benefit from programs and funding opportunities that are accessible and equitably distributed.
  • San Diegans have economic opportunity from relations with Mexico as a binational trade partner.
  • The San Diego region benefits from a thriving, skilled, and educated workforce capable of tackling the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.
  • San Diegans benefit from a passionate, engaged City workforce that provides the highest level of customer service and represents the San Diego community.
  • City employees enjoy a culture of great leadership, appreciation, and acknowledgement, with opportunities for learning and development.
  • The City provides a clear, unified pathway for career growth and development.

The following strategies have been developed to help realize these outcomes.

The centerpiece of a thriving economy is a successful business community including both major industry and small business. This Strategic Plan focus area is dedicated to supporting our local businesses, facilitating start-ups, reducing financial and bureaucratic barriers, and using technology to make it easier for San Diego businesses to work with the City and take part in our regional prosperity.

  • Create and support programs to retain or expand, incubate, and attract business. (Council Policy 900-12)
  • Maximize resources and incentives available to low and moderate-income communities, as well as Opportunity and Promise Zones.
  • Reduce barriers to doing business with government by:
    • Streamline and automate application processes.
    • Expedite review and payment processes.
    • Deploy new technologies to facilitate easier interactions with government.

San Diego Snapshot:
Small Businesses

Source: City of San Diego Economic Development Strategy 2017-2019

Our international border provides a unique interdependent economy vital to this strategic focus area. We have developed strategies to enhance cross-border trade and employment opportunities and are taking steps to reduce border wait times and make it easier for businesses to hire people who choose to commute across our binational region to support workforce and economy needs.

  • Invest in improvements and maintenance on international trade facilities within the region.
  • Seek funding for businesses to participate in programs that hire from both sides of the border.
  • Support efforts that continue to decrease border wait times and reduce lost economic output, including those that address emissions from idling vehicles at the border.

Cali Baja Snapshot

51%
of Cali Baja trade is in the service sector
$7.6M
Scientific Research &
Development Services
$3.5M
Computer systems Design & Related Services
$3.1M
Other Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services
$2M
Software Publishers
$2M
Data Processing, & Related Services
Source: Trade and Competitiveness in North America: A Focus on the Cali Baja Mega Region

To sustain regional prosperity into the future, we are investing in the next generation of talent. The Strategic Plan outlines plans to develop the workforce we need for tomorrow with special attention given to including youth, at-risk youth, and foster youth, as well as supporting disabled, veteran, and ex-offender educational and employment opportunities.

  • Facilitate youth, at-risk youth, foster youth, disabled, veteran, and ex-offender educational and employment opportunities.
  • Increase opportunities for job readiness and invest in economic development programs.

Snapshot: City of San Diego
Employ & Empower Program
3-Year Goals

$19M
Invested
1000+
Youth workforce opportunities
80%
Included youth from
Communities of Concern
Source: Mayor Todd Gloria’s Employ & Empower Youth Workforce Development Program Goals PDF

Finally, we recognize that as an employer, we play a critical role in modeling the culture of leadership, diversity, appreciation, and growth that creates the future we want for all of us. Our Strategic Plan identifies our own expectations for representation in the workforce, as well as training and professional development opportunities.

  • Attract, hire, and retain a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities it serves.
  • Provide training and educational opportunities for employees to advance and develop in their careers.

Track Our Progress

Source: City of San Diego Performance & Analytics Department