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4 City of San Leandro | Economic Development Initiatives and Work Plan | December 2013 <br /> <br />downtown business, marketing opportunities and producing community events. The mission of <br />the San Leandro Downtown Association is to create a positive, cooperative, and inclusive <br />atmosphere in the Downtown area that encourages and promotes commerce. The Downtown <br />San Leandro Farmers’ Market, the Sausage & Suds Music Festival, the “It’s a Wonderful Night” <br />Holiday Celebration, and Bike SL would not be possible without the Downtown Association. <br />San Leandro Improvement Association/Downtown Benefit District – The San Leandro <br />Improvement Association is the official name of the management corporation that will run the <br />newly formed Downtown San Leandro Community Benefit District. This District was formed by <br />property owners in 2013 and will generate an ongoing funding source to support maintenance, <br />security, marketing, and events in Downtown San Leandro. The Benefit District will work in <br />close coordination with the San Leandro Downtown Association to maximize the effectiveness <br />of both organizations. <br />Advisory Boards and Citizen Committees – San Leandro citizens who volunteer their time play <br />a key role in supporting economic development in San Leandro. For example, the Shoreline <br />Citizens Advisory Committee worked over several years and dozens of public meetings to help <br />develop a Conceptual Master Plan for the Shoreline Area. The Board of Zoning Adjustments and <br />the Planning Commission are continually charged with interpreting policy directives and <br />regulatory requirements to ensure that development in San Leandro is advanced in a manner <br />that is consistent with community goals. <br />City Departments – Business development can no longer be considered the responsibility of <br />one small component of the City staff. All City departments are working cooperatively to <br />provide support for the business community through efforts such as expedited permitting, <br />transportation infrastructure, public utilities, and public safety. <br />San Leandro’s Local Economy <br /> <br />Understanding the broader economic trends in the East Bay Area and more specifically in San <br />Leandro is important when prioritizing finite economic development dollars and initiatives. The <br />East Bay’s economy is much stronger than most large metropolitan areas nationwide. <br />Advantages include a highly educated workforce, advanced infrastructure, innovation centers <br />and excellent quality of life. The top employment sectors are manufacturing, wholesale trade, <br />retail trade, health care and social assistance. Innovation is driving the East Bay’s economy with <br />the fastest growing sectors in the professional, scientific and technical services (PSTS) category <br />followed closely by health care, social assistance and education services. Annual growth of 2-3% <br />in these sectors is projected for the next five years. The chart below outlines the growing <br />importance of PSTS businesses in the East Bay versus the rest of the nation. <br />