Prepare an Educated Workforce
Create a
Business-Friendly Environment
Enhance our Quality of Life
Implement Smart Land Use
Build 21st Century Infrastructure
Download the Plan [PDF]
Create a Business-Friendly Environment
Los Angeles County is a great place to do business, but so are many other locations. In today’s globally competitive economy where businesses have flexibility in their location decisions, Los Angeles must be as welcoming as possible to businesses of all sizes. All firms, and particularly smaller ones with fewer resources, need to be able to focus their energies on serving their customers rather than interacting with government. Being business-friendly means: state, county and city governments are customer-driven in their interactions with businesses; government processes are rational, predictable, understandable and timely; and public and private economic development agencies help businesses thrive and create good quality jobs.
1. Establish and promote a business-friendly environment to create and retain good quality jobs.
Educate local and statewide stakeholders on the value of private sector businesses as generators of jobs, tax revenue and regional prosperity, and encourage government officials to evaluate the economic impact of regulations and policies that affect overall competitiveness and to play a more active role in courting private sector employers.
Create a sample template and encourage cities to include an economic development element in their general plans; then, encourage L.A. County and our 88 cities to update their economic development elements regularly.
Facilitate private sector job creation by helping the state of California, L.A. County, and our 88 cities develop for their business-facing activities more efficient processes, more affordable pricing and a stronger customer service ethic.
Adopt clear, reasonable and predictable processes for the development of land to facilitate job creation and
implement policies, plans and procedures to streamline review and approval processes.
2. Retain and expand the existing job base while pro-actively attracting new businesses, industries, jobs and investment.
Develop and promote a compelling, consistent value proposition and brand for L.A. County, incorporating existing and aspirational strengths (e.g., size, diversity, creativity, climate, culture and commitment to green).
Increase proactive outreach to help retain and expand businesses of all sizes, with emphasis on those that are at risk of closing, leaving or being wooed away.
Align local and statewide tax incentive policies with local and regional economic development priorities.
Develop sector-specific value propositions and strategies to attract firms including incentives for businesses seeking to capitalize on opportunities created by the greening of the local, state and world economies.
Create employment and business opportunities for local firms by supporting the development of international trade, tourism, and by promoting Los Angeles County as a destination for foreign direct investment.
Ensure access to capital by expanding outreach and marketing efforts to capital sources and attracting capital
investors and lenders for all stages of development; exploring creative new sources of capital such as the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program; and creating and augmenting channels/networks to connect capital to entrepreneurs, with emphasis on small, minority or womenowned businesses.
3. Leverage the County’s research and development facilities for the commercialization of research, technology and similar opportunities.
Aggressively seek more research funding and activity for L.A. County-based institutions.
Create a more supportive infrastructure and stronger networks to facilitate the commercialization of local research and provide needed services to entrepreneurs (venture capital, research parks, entrepreneurial management teams and mentors, etc.), focusing in particular on industries where L.A. County holds a competitive advantage (e.g., port tech, digital media, entertainment technology, etc.).