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Council OKs JEDI zone for San Pedro’s Pacific Avenue to spur commercial revitalization
Summary
The council approved a JEDI zone for Pacific Avenue in San Pedro, directing workforce and commercial revitalization support after partnership with local chambers, neighborhood councils and a business improvement district.
The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved establishing a JEDI (Jobs and Economic Development Incentive) zone on Pacific Avenue in San Pedro, a step the council said will help revitalize the corridor and support small businesses.
Councilmember John McOsker (on the record: “Mr. McCosker” in the transcript) brought the item and credited long‑running local collaboration among the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, neighborhood councils, the business improvement district and city staff. McOsker said Pacific Avenue had been a “thriving” commercial corridor in earlier decades and that the JEDI zone will be combined with other local efforts to attract investment and improve the street.
Supporters from the business community spoke at the council meeting. Elise Swanson, president and CEO of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, told the council the chamber and local stakeholders had worked with McCosker’s office for two years and that the JEDI zone is “critical to the future revitalization of Pacific Avenue.” Bruce Heyman of the Los Angeles Maritime Institute and a chamber board member also voiced support in the chamber.
Council action: The council voted to adopt the JEDI zone for Pacific Avenue (vote recorded as 13 ayes). The motion directs the Economic and Workforce Development Department and partner organizations to implement the zone in coordination with local stakeholders.
Why it matters: A JEDI zone can unlock targeted workforce development, small business support, and economic incentives tailored to a neighborhood corridor. Proponents said the designation will help reverse prolonged business decline along Pacific Avenue and complement other local investments.
What happens next: EWDD (Economic and Workforce Development Department) and local partners will proceed with implementation activities identified in the motion, including coordination with the San Pedro Chamber, the Business Improvement District, and neighborhood councils. The council’s action authorizes the city to move forward but does not itself appropriate specific project funds in the adopted motion text.
