BLOG: How the City of Aliso Viejo is Pro-actively Supporting Business

It is hard to escape the harsh realities of doing business in today’s Brave New World. The conversations range from the government claiming to be the catalyst behind small business success to entrepreneurs that scoff at that and look into the mirror for their inspiration. The reality falls somewhere in between and like most arguments there are three sides to every one.

In just a few months we’ve seen a foreboding crisis of city bankruptcies and more that claim to be in danger. Stockton, Mammoth Lakes and most recently the county seat of their county, San Bernardino, are all in various stages of bankruptcy and the question everyone asks is, “Who’s next?”

The city of Aliso Viejo is not sitting by idly watching these events unfold, but instead are proactively seeking economic development solutions.

They have actively sought out an expert consultant or company to help them implement their own vision of economic development. As many cities have closed economic development departments, Aliso Viejo’s Request for Proposal (RFP) points to their commitment to supporting the business community.

Mark Pulone, city manager says: “We have always been aware of the challenges in the business community and do what we can to help them. That includes having our own YouTube marketing channel for those wanting a city overview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRRQz5Xv8Ns&feature=plcp along with an on-line database of available commercial space. (www.cityapplications.com/alisoviejo/commercialspace.html)

So what makes a city “business friendly?” That is a matter of opinion, from cities offering their version, to the business community wanting so much more. I have worked with cities offering various consulting services and workshops in this area for several years and believe I can share some thoughts that cross more than city lines and are national in scope and effort.

• It is not just about Planning and Licensing. These are departments within a city that can be unwieldy to navigate. When do you need a permit? License? How long does it take; how much does it cost, etc… These processes are universal and cities should make the process as simple, inexpensive and user-friendly as possible. Even if they do make this process seamless and easy to follow, this is really not how the business community defines “business friendly.”
• Shop local. Without exception, every city wants more local shoppers, both from within and outside their domain. Retail sales fuels higher tax receipts which equates into more services for the residents of the city. It should be a revenue positive model, but as expenses have increased and many businesses are struggling or have failed, sometimes the math doesn’t work. WHY should someone “shop local?” That topic I will expand upon in a future column.
• Vacancies and generation of new businesses. Commercial vacancy rates vary in each city and depending upon the sectors. Aliso Viejo right now has only 50,000 square feet of retail space available, and almost one million square feet of office space. In all cities this is a balancing act and the additional sector of industrial adds one more level to monitor.

How do you GET new business? What is the incentive or motivation to move or start your business in any particular city? Again, this is what I will cover in Part II.

• The disconnection between the BIG businesses in the city and the small businesses, too. I have worked with many cities in Southern California and some of the largest businesses in a city feel no connection to it at all. In their minds they are strictly tenants and that’s it. That makes it challenging to get support from potentially “deep pockets” and chambers have that same challenge for years. For any and all cities, it is imperative that an effort be made to involve them and offer them an ROI.

At the other end are the home-based business/entrepreneur. This segment can be impactful to a city, yet they remain under the radar and most cities have no way of knowing how many there are, what they need/want, or how to help them profit.

Mark and city officials regularly meet with local business owners as part of their “Business Outreach Program” and regularly survey them to uncover their needs. A frequent question he gets from both landlords and tenants is “Which direction is the ‘market’ is going? Are rents going up? Down? We wish we knew and they acknowledge they are reluctant to commit until they see a direction.”

Here we sit in Orange County, an economic powerhouse on par with many countries! We have manpower, women-power, brainpower galore and local government that want to do their share. My conviction has been that economic recovery will begin with One Business at a Time; One City at a Time. Would you put that bumper sticker on your car? I would.