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