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18 <br /> <br /> <br />3.2.5 “Sell Yourself First." <br />The community (businesses, property owners and San Leandro citizens) needs to know that change is <br />possible and worthy of public investment. If the community itself does not believe in the effort, no <br />amount of sales to outsiders will succeed. <br /> <br />For years, San Leandro has been losing companies and manufacturing to the point that the community <br />does not know that it still has many good businesses left and, even more importantly, the skills <br />necessary to succeed in advanced manufacturing. The referrals from city residents and existing <br />businesses must be there so that this is seen and felt to be a place with a future, and that the <br />community itself is committed to making the improvements necessary for this change. <br /> <br /> <br />3.3 Near-Term Actions <br /> <br />3.3.1. PROGRAMS <br /> <br />3.3.1.1. Call and/or meet with existing companies on a regular basis, giving particular attention to basic <br />city issues such as on-street parking and security. For example, every Tuesday a specific staff <br />person might spend the morning meeting with local business people in their offices and the <br />afternoon setting up future appointments. Assuming about an hour for each outside meeting, <br />this would allow four meetings a week or about 200 a year. Assuming three meetings per <br />company per year, this would create strong relationships with 60 companies or more, an <br />outstanding basis for understanding their business, identifying obstacles and challenges to their <br />growth, and consensus for district-wide improvements. The importance of this measure cannot <br />be overemphasized. <br /> <br />3.3.1.2. To create new, varied and moderate cost eating options in the district and generate <br />excitement and enthusiasm, work collaboratively with the Chamber of Commerce, industrial <br />council(s) and district private property owners to create “food pods” on private properties in <br />selected priority locations. The focus here is on food carts rather than food trucks, since carts <br />are stationary and require a much lower level of investment (Fig. 31). These can be attracted in <br />“pods” of five to 20 carts requiring relatively little space (typically the equivalent of one auto <br />parking space per cart) while providing diverse of offerings. Sites would need to be accessible <br />from public sidewalks, and/or from parking lots made available by owners. Initial examples may <br />be temporary to serve as demonstration projects; temporary uses of vacant sites that are <br />awaiting development, especially future retail sites (Fig. 32); or visible and conveniently <br />accessible groups of designated parking stalls within available parking lots. Other examples in <br />more limited locations may include temporary or permanent configuration of frontage <br />landscape areas adjoining public sidewalks as seating areas, such as on a side street or cul-de- <br />sac ("Back Street") location. Another option for a Back Street location where no open space is <br />available as an eating area is the construction of a "parklet" platform as a type of mini-plaza to