Economic Development Resources

This thoughtful campaign promotes California by the numbers and fact-based proof points to show why businesses should stay, grow, and locate in California. Learn how you can engage in helping tell California’s story, while promoting our economic development strengthens and sharing your success as well. Click here to watch the October 28, 2026 webinar.

With over 1,100 members, CALED is one of the largest economic development associations in the country. We are pleased to share this summer budget update. Activity resumes in the Capitol as the Legislature returns August 3 from its summer break. Over the next four weeks, legislators will take final action on over 1,000 pending bills. The Legislature adjourns August 31, and the Governor must sign or veto bills by September 30.  Click here to read the full analysis.

2026 was a quieter year when it came to local tax increment financing in the Legislature. Still, less can often mean more for local agencies looking to protect their authority and flexibility. The year did not start quietly. In early January, CALED alerted its members with planned High Speed Rail (HSR) stations of a legislative proposal being developed at the HSR Authority to control zoning and land use permitting within one-half mile of HSR stations, and capture local sales and property tax increment. CALED’s daylighting of this proposal early proved effective. Mayors from affected local cities combined with the League [...]

As part of CALED's role in promoting economic development and providing an opportunity for local economic developers to engage directly with the gubernatorial candidates, the Board of Directors met with Gubernatorial Candidate, Steve Hilton, to have a conversation about #EconDev. “Good business is a social contribution; the act of starting and running a business, employing people, and making a product or service is a contribution to society, and a value we must appreciate,” said Hilton. Read the full interview with Steve Hilton.

As part of CALED’s role in promoting economic development and providing an opportunity for local economic developers to engage directly with the gubernatorial candidates, the Board of Directors met with Gubernatorial Candidate, Honorable Sheriff Chad Bianco, to have a conversation about #EconDev. “We are by far the most business-regulated state in the country,” said Bianco. “Control has to be given back to cities and counties. All of the regulations that are different from those in other states are preventing businesses from coming here, or are driving businesses from here into other states.” Read the full interview with Chad Bianco.

As part of CALED’s role in promoting economic development and providing an opportunity for local economic developers to engage directly with the gubernatorial candidates, the Board of Directors met with Gubernatorial Candidate, Antonio Villaraigosa, to have a conversation about #EconDev. Villaraigosa shared, "Economic development is the key to getting people out of homelessness and poverty; we must make investments to grow our economy and create good jobs...The best way for us to grow is to grow together." Read the full interview with Antonio Villaraigosa.

As part of CALED’s role in promoting economic development and providing an opportunity for local economic developers to engage directly with the gubernatorial candidates, the Board of Directors met with Gubernatorial Candidate the Honorable Betty Yee to have a conversation about #EconDev. Betty stated how important it was to align state and local efforts to grow the economy, address affordability, and tap into the innovation and interconnectedness of our rural and urban communities so we can partner to support economic development and create economic opportunities for all Californians. Read the full interview with Betty Yee.

Representing more than 1,100 economic development practitioners and stakeholders, CALED is the voice of California’s economic development network. We are taking advantage of the Legislature’s summer break to give our members a brief update on the budget, two proposed bonds, and the full list of items on the November ballot. The Legislature left town on July 3, after passing a state budget, approving both climate and school bonds, and negotiating agreements resulting in the removal of several initiatives from the November ballot. On August 4, they return to take action on more than 1,000 bills before an August 31 adjournment date. To [...]

Jennifer McLain Hiramoto, Executive Director for the City of Ontario, is now the chair of the board of directors for the California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED). Jennifer has been a member of the Association for more than 15 years, including serving as an active member of the CALED Board of Directors. Her peers elected her to this leadership position due to her passion for championing economic development tools and resources and her work in supporting and elevating her peers as evidenced during her service as the first chair of CALED’s Project Development and Finance Division. Read more - [...]

Gurbax Sahota, President & CEO for the California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED), has been traveling throughout California, engaging with local elected officials to impart valuable insights in order to set a common foundation regarding the economic development environment. In addition, Gurbax shares available tools and resources to help local government leaders think through their economic development goals, projects and metrics. The unwavering commitment of CALED leadership continues to solidify CALED’s reputation as the foremost authority on economic development in California. In recent months, CALED members have held a diverse array of study sessions and leadership forums, sharing their [...]

­­Jessica Gonzales, Economic Development Director of the City of Corona, is now the Chair of the Board of Directors for the California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED).  Jessica has been a member of the Association for more than 15 years and has been an active board member for the past six years.  She was elected to this leadership position by her peers due to her economic development expertise, her commitment to helping others succeed and her history of giving back to the profession. Her economic development achievements include implementing innovative economic development strategies for Southern California cities and sharing [...]

SB 747 Narrowed by Forced Amendments in Senate Housing Committee Discussions/Negotiations over Multiple SLA Bills Expected SB 747 (Caballero) – a bill protecting use of public land for economic development and making helpful changes to the Surplus Land Act (SLA) encountered difficulties Monday in the Senate Housing Committee, when the Committee’s chair, Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), forced the author to take significant amendments that narrowed the scope of several key provisions. While the amendments are not yet in print, CALED understands them to be as follows: Requiring local agencies to have a state approved housing element and a Prohousing designation [...]