Getting LA to Work: A Job Creation Plan

This week, the City Council unanimously approved a citywide plan to create jobs and make Los Angeles more business-friendly.

Just 15 months ago, Council President Herb Wesson appointed me chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Comprehensive Job Creation Plan (Jobs Committee) to present a strategy to stimulate economic and job growth throughout the city and overhaul the way LA serves the business community. The comprehensive Job Creation Plan that I presented to the Los Angeles City Council accomplishes that goal.

Over the course of 12 public hearings, the Jobs Committee has worked with the Mayor's office, city department leaders, and business owners and advocates to streamline LA's policies, programs and procedures, putting the city in a proactive, pro-business and pro-jobs role.

The Job Creation Plan is comprised of 35 ideas and reforms that solve problems businesses face when they do business in or with the City of Los Angeles.

The plan creates a permanent Business Advancement Team to rapidly respond to local business needs and navigate the city's rules and resources. It also paves the way for the Small Business Commission, an appointed body that will give business owners and experts the ability to share input directly with city policymakers. We also joined the Mayor to launch a small business website with information on permits, licenses and incentives -- a one stop shop for local businesses.

Some of the most important parts of the plan include:

Business Advancement Team: a concierge service for local businesses with a rapid response unit to resolve issues for businesses,
Small Business Commission: a seven-member body that will give business owners and experts input and guidance on city policies,
Small Business Portal: a website that guides startup businesses, including information on permits and licenses and comprehensive list of incentives offered to businesses,
Business Incentive Zones: special districts throughout the city where businesses will receive special advantages for operating,
Local Business Preference Program and Procurement Reform: a simplified process for local businesses to contract with the city and support minority-owned businesses,
Asset Management Framework: a newly complied database, called Assetworks, that accurately lists all city-owned properties, making them available for economic development partnerships,
Locked in Permit Fees and Less Red Tape: locked in permit fees to provide certainty on construction costs and a simplified permitting process for restaurants and other businesses, and
Local Hiring: a goal of hiring 5,000 new city workers from underserved communities, including the homeless.

These are critical changes in the way Los Angeles interacts with businesses that will help promote job and economic growth in our communities. I want to make it part of LA's DNA to give businesses the support they need to open, thrive and grow in our city.

This plan is certainly not the end of this discussion, but it is an important step toward embracing a new pro-business, pro-jobs philosophy in the City of Los Angeles.

Take a look at the Job Creation Plan and the Jobs Committee's recommendations:

Job Creation Plan.

Read about the plan in the Daily News.

If you have comments or questions about this or anything else, don't hesitate to contact me: [email protected] or (213) 473-7002.

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