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![\"EDAP](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/edap-pc-2.18.26.png\")
<\/p>\nPublished on February 18, 2026<\/p>\n
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Oakland, CA\u00a0\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Mayor Barbara Lee and the Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD) have officially released the 2025\u20132029 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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A Strategic Roadmap for Growth and Equity\u00a0<\/p>\n
The EDAP is organized around five strategic goals intended to create a “virtuous cycle” of reinvestment where business success generates the revenue needed for\u00a0improved and sustained\u00a0public services:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nAttract and Grow Key Sectors:\u00a0Targeting high-growth industries such as healthcare, transportation and\u00a0logistics, and\u00a0technology and\u00a0creative sectors, as well as subsectors that advance Oakland’s climate goals.\u00a0
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\nSustain and Support Businesses:\u00a0Providing tools and resources to help local businesses, particularly small, minority-owned, and women-owned enterprises, survive and succeed.\u00a0
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\nBuild Oakland’s Workforce:\u00a0Developing adaptable workforce pathways that connect residents to thriving-wage jobs and reduce unemployment disparities.\u00a0
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\nInvest in Places:\u00a0Facilitating\u00a0investment in key business corridors and under-resourced neighborhoods to ensure the built environment supports community well-being.\u00a0
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\nSupport Artistic, Cultural, and Social Activities:\u00a0Investing in the artists and cultural institutions that drive economic vibrancy and reinforce Oakland’s unique identity\u00a0and supporting opportunities for social connectivity.\u00a0
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Targeting\u00a0Thriving-Wage Growth Sectors\u00a0<\/p>\n
The EDAP identifies and prioritizes sectors with the highest potential for thriving-wage jobs and long-term economic stability. The City will focus\u00a0its\u00a0business\u00a0attraction and retention efforts on the following high-impact industries:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nManagement, Finance, and Information:\u00a0These sectors currently lead Oakland’s economy in average annual wages, with Management of Companies and Enterprises averaging $170,124\u00a0per year\u00a0and Finance and Insurance at $155,214\u00a0per year.\u00a0
\nProfessional, Scientific, and Technical Services:\u00a0This sector is a primary engine for innovation\u00a0jobs, encompassing firms specializing in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, life sciences, and food production.\u00a0
\nHealthcare and Green Energy:\u00a0Building on the presence of major employers, the\u00a0City\u00a0will expand pathways into healthcare and the new climate economy, focusing on clean tech and sustainable infrastructure.\u00a0The\u00a0City\u00a0has 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.\u00a0
\nTransportation, Logistics, and Advanced Manufacturing:\u00a0Leveraging\u00a0the\u00a0City’s industrial legacy\u00a0and working with the Port of Oakland, the plan\u00a0seeks\u00a0to\u00a0strengthen and grow\u00a0employment opportunities in\u00a0these sectors.\u00a0
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Comprehensive Support for Small Businesses\u00a0<\/p>\n
With 90% of local businesses employing fewer than ten employees, small enterprises drive Oakland\u2019s economy. But owners\u00a0report\u00a0they’re\u00a0struggling:\u00a0navigating city processes can feel\u00a0overwhelming,\u00a0insurance 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:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nEnhanced Technical and Navigational Assistance:\u00a0The EWDD will act as a liaison to City departments, providing\u00a0tailored\u00a0support to help businesses navigate complex permitting, zoning, and building regulations.\u00a0
\nAccess to Capital:\u00a0The City will\u00a0facilitate\u00a0grants, subsidies, and low-interest loans, connecting entrepreneurs\u2014particularly those in under-resourced neighborhoods\u2014to community-led grant proposals and private financing.\u00a0
\nProcurement and Contract Opportunities:\u00a0Targeted\u00a0assistance\u00a0will be provided to help small local contractors compete fairly for City contracts.\u00a0
\nCorridor Vitality and Safety:\u00a0The plan expands the Corridor Safety Ambassador Program and funds “Entertainment and Activation Zones” to create clean, safe, and inviting\u00a0spaces\u00a0for customers,\u00a0workers, and residents.\u00a0
\nSite and Space Activation:\u00a0To 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.\u00a0
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“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\u2019s economy grows, so do the opportunities to invest in our people,” said\u00a0Mayor Barbara Lee.\u00a0“A\u00a0strong economy generates fiscal revenues that allow the City to deliver better services \u2013 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.”<\/p>\n
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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\u00a0focusing on strategic place-making investments,\u00a0better\u00a0connecting 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\u00a0across the\u00a0City.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
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For more information and to view the full 2025\u20132029 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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About the\u00a0Economic and Workforce Development Department\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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