Economic Development Program
The San Luis Obispo Economic Development Program is responsible for implementing the economic development policies of the City Council. Economic development services include:

• Business retention and expansion assistance
• Targeted business recruitment program
• Site selection assistance for new and existing businesses
• Quick Response Team for timely processing of permits, providing development review strategies and identifying potential issues and their solutions
• Access to labor force assistance through the Employment Development Department and the Private Industry Council of San Luis Obispo County and
• County, Regional, and State programs through the Economic Vitality Corporation of San Luis Obispo County and the California Central Coast Marketing Team.

Staff
Claire Clark serves as the Economic Development Manager for the City of San Luis Obispo. 

Business Retention and Expansion
Nurturing local businesses is one of the program's most important goals.  The Economic Development Manager can help identify resources for your growing business needs and connect you with local service providers.  We also offer site selection and site expansion assistance.

Primary Target Industries
In September 1997, the City Council adopted the following target industries as part of the City’s recruitment efforts:
   · Computer Software/Multimedia
   · Light Manufacturing/Light Industrial
   · Business/Customer Service Centers

Computer Software/Multimedia
Existing representative companies in the computer software/multimedia industries include ComDev Wireless Kiosk Software, Oddworld Inhabitants, Wynd Technologies, Outback Resource Group, Surveyor Corporation, Veritas, and Ziatech, an Intel Company.

Softec, the Central Coast Software and Technology Association, a local trade organization, supports this industry and provides a forum for members to learn the newest technologies and trends.

Light Manufacturing/Light Industrial
A sampling of San Luis Obispo companies that represent light manufacturing/light industrial include Bob Bicycle Products, Crystal Engineering, Dioptics Medical Products, Inc., Ernie Ball Guitars, Mountain Cycle, Newport - Promega Bioscience, Nth Degree, The Spice Hunter, SAES Pure Gas, and Wallace Computer Services.

AM&D, the Association of Manufacturers and Distributors, a local organization provides support for this industry and a forum for members to share information.

Business/Customer Service Centers
Several San Luis Obispo software companies currently operate business/customer service centers within their facilities.  Central Coast Surfboards and Mo Hotta Mo Betta both operate call centers.

Site Selection
The City of San Luis Obispo assists companies with identifying available sites to locate in.  The City works closely with the local real estate brokerage community to provide the most up-to-date information on availability of sites. The City also has a land use inventory on available land sites, and on-going relationships with local developers and land owners.  The City is presently planning and pursuing the annexation of approximately 900 acres, of which 309 is targeted for expansion of the City’s inventory of light industrial business park needs.

Development Review
The City of San Luis Obispo provides excellent customer service throughout the development process, and works closely with companies to ensure that project reviews are done in a timely manner. We are committed to working with businesses in an expeditious manner on planning, zoning, and permitting issues.  One way we accomplish this is through the Quick Response Team (QRT), coordinated by the Economic Development Manager.  This group of key City staff is assembled to provide feedback and solutions throughout the development review process.

City Utilities
The City’s Utilities Department has detailed information regarding water supply, conservation, recycling, and sewer information.

Interestingly, in addition to City provided utilities, several transcontinental fiber optic line landing points are located close to the city limits.  Internationally known telecommunications companies including Level 3, Quest, Williams and others operate critical facilities in San Luis Obispo.  Related facilities are in the works and connectivity is high-speed in San Luis Obispo.