Oakland Unveils Five-Year Economic Development Action Plan

Published on February 18, 2026

Oakland, CA  — Mayor Barbara Lee and the Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD) have officially released the 2025–2029 Economic Development Action Plan (EDAP), a strategic five-year roadmap designed to stabilize the economy and foster inclusive growth across all Oakland neighborhoods. The plan centers racial equity to close persistent gaps in income and business ownership opportunities, while positioning Oakland as a leader in the innovation-driven global economy. 

A Strategic Roadmap for Growth and Equity 

The EDAP is organized around five strategic goals intended to create a “virtuous cycle” of reinvestment where business success generates the revenue needed for improved and sustained public services: 

Attract and Grow Key Sectors: Targeting high-growth industries such as healthcare, transportation and logistics, and technology and creative sectors, as well as subsectors that advance Oakland’s climate goals. 

Sustain and Support Businesses: Providing tools and resources to help local businesses, particularly small, minority-owned, and women-owned enterprises, survive and succeed. 

Build Oakland’s Workforce: Developing adaptable workforce pathways that connect residents to thriving-wage jobs and reduce unemployment disparities. 

Invest in Places: Facilitating investment in key business corridors and under-resourced neighborhoods to ensure the built environment supports community well-being. 

Support Artistic, Cultural, and Social Activities: Investing in the artists and cultural institutions that drive economic vibrancy and reinforce Oakland’s unique identity and supporting opportunities for social connectivity. 

Targeting Thriving-Wage Growth Sectors 

The EDAP identifies and prioritizes sectors with the highest potential for thriving-wage jobs and long-term economic stability. The City will focus its business attraction and retention efforts on the following high-impact industries: 

Management, Finance, and Information: These sectors currently lead Oakland’s economy in average annual wages, with Management of Companies and Enterprises averaging $170,124 per year and Finance and Insurance at $155,214 per year. 
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services: This sector is a primary engine for innovation jobs, encompassing firms specializing in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, life sciences, and food production. 
Healthcare and Green Energy: Building on the presence of major employers, the City will expand pathways into healthcare and the new climate economy, focusing on clean tech and sustainable infrastructure. The City has set an ambitious vision to become a national leader in the “new climate economy” by 2035, integrating environmental sustainability directly into its economic growth strategy. 
Transportation, Logistics, and Advanced Manufacturing: Leveraging the City’s industrial legacy and working with the Port of Oakland, the plan seeks to strengthen and grow employment opportunities in these sectors. 

Comprehensive Support for Small Businesses 

With 90% of local businesses employing fewer than ten employees, small enterprises drive Oakland’s economy. But owners report they’re struggling: navigating city processes can feel overwhelming, insurance has become difficult or impossible to obtain, and many businesses are financially fragile after years of rising costs and declining foot traffic. The EDAP directly addresses these challenges, providing intensive support to help small, local, and minority-owned businesses become more resilient and competitive. Key initiatives include: 

Enhanced Technical and Navigational Assistance: The EWDD will act as a liaison to City departments, providing tailored support to help businesses navigate complex permitting, zoning, and building regulations. 
Access to Capital: The City will facilitate grants, subsidies, and low-interest loans, connecting entrepreneurs—particularly those in under-resourced neighborhoods—to community-led grant proposals and private financing. 
Procurement and Contract Opportunities: Targeted assistance will be provided to help small local contractors compete fairly for City contracts. 
Corridor Vitality and Safety: The plan expands the Corridor Safety Ambassador Program and funds “Entertainment and Activation Zones” to create clean, safe, and inviting spaces for customers, workers, and residents. 
Site and Space Activation: To reduce vacancies, the City will explore temporary use permits for ground-floor spaces and provide property search and acquisition advice to help businesses stay rooted in Oakland. 

“Guided by a vision of an inclusive, thriving economy that offers equitable opportunities to live, work, learn, and play in sustainable neighborhoods, this Plan is rooted in a simple but powerful idea: when Oakland’s economy grows, so do the opportunities to invest in our people,” said Mayor Barbara Lee. “A strong economy generates fiscal revenues that allow the City to deliver better services – from safer streets and cleaner parks to more housing and resilient infrastructure. These public investments, in turn, help attract and retain businesses, support good jobs, sustain our climate, and create a virtuous cycle of opportunity and reinvestment. This is how we build a city that works for everyone.”

Ashleigh Kanat, Director of the Economic and Workforce Development Department, emphasized the community-centered approach behind the plan: “What we heard loud and clear from Oakland’s business owners and community stakeholders is that economic growth must work for everyone. By focusing on strategic place-making investments, better connecting workforce development with business attraction, and making it easier to do business in Oakland, we’re creating an ecosystem where innovation and opportunity can flourish across the City.” 

For more information and to view the full 2025–2029 Economic Development Action Plan, please visit the City of Oakland’s website at https://www.oaklandca.gov/Government/Departments/Economic-Workforce-Development/Economic-Development-Action-Plan-2025-2029. 

About the Economic and Workforce Development Department 

The Economic & Workforce Development Department works to bring about a vibrant, innovative, globally competitive economy in Oakland. Our mission is to close equity gaps in access to jobs, business ownership and goods and services, thereby increasing investment in Oakland to help grow vital government services.

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