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Council backs pilot business visitation program to bring city services to local firms
Summary
Council supported a pilot program to visit 2–4 local businesses per month to provide city resources and referrals, beginning in District 4; staff will market in English, Spanish and Korean and coordinate councillor participation and business licensing data.
The City Council endorsed a pilot business visitation and outreach program designed to bring city staff directly to local businesses to identify needs and promote available resources.
Senior management analyst Melissa Dow and Lauren Yoon outlined key elements: a short tour of business operations, discussions of permitting and expansion needs, referrals to programs (commercial facade improvement, small business trainings, county and federal resources), and distribution of materials in English, Spanish and Korean. The program would be appointment‑based; staff recommended starting in District 4 and meeting with two to four businesses per month.
Council members who sponsored or supported the item said the outreach would strengthen city‑business relationships and help local firms navigate permitting and available assistance. Council asked about marketing and staff capacity; staff said outreach will use the city website, social media, direct email, and door‑to‑door flyers and that business licensing records would inform outreach lists.
Council endorsed the pilot and encouraged expansion to additional districts; staff will start outreach and report initial results to the council.
