Tag: InclusiveSD

Intesa partner reflects on EDC Leadership Trip to Chicago

By Maddy Kilkenny,

Maddy Kilkenny, Partner at Intesa Communications Group, was part of the 40-person delegation for EDC’s Leadership Trip to Chicago—an annual effort to draw inspiration from peer metros and reflect on San Diego’s progress toward our 2030 Inclusive Growth goals. Intesa Communications Group is a women-owned and award-winning public relations and government relations firm trusted by many San Diego leaders, and a long time EDC investor, partner, and friend.

See below for Maddy’s reflections from our 2026 Inclusive Growth Leadership Trip to Chicago.

Anthony Bourdain once described Chicago as a city that “doesn’t ever have to measure itself against any other city.”

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to join San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp. (EDC) on the 2026 Chicago Leadership Trip in the Windy City.

Each year, EDC brings together a delegation of about 40 public and private sector leaders to step outside our region, reflect on San Diego’s progress toward a more inclusive economy, and strengthen employer commitment to the 2030 Inclusive Growth goals.

From the moment we loaded the bus to our hotel, Chicago just hit different. Maybe it was the Midwest spirit. Maybe it was the confidence of a big city that knows exactly who it is. Or maybe it was the civic pride embedded in a place that grows its talent and its businesses from within—and expects a return on that investment in the form of shared responsibility to make Chicago better… For everyone.

Our delegation had the privilege to learn from the truth tellers of Chicago—leaders who spoke candidly about the city’s strengths, challenges and obligations to its residents. We heard from former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker; Derek Douglas and leaders from the Civic Committee; Beth Swanson of A Better Chicago; Jarquetta Egeston of Xchange Chicago; and so many other bright, talented Chicagoans working to strengthen the economy, improve education, confront systemic racism, and build a more equitable future for their region. What stood out most was the Chicago-first mantra they all shared—the mark of a city that loves its people and is loved in return.

I left Chicago with a personal challenge—and one I hope my fellow delegates carry home, too: How can we help make San Diego better? What role can we play in building an economy that works for all San Diegans? How can we collaborate more intentionally? How can we see through the divisiveness and stay focused on a greater San Diego for all?

None of the hope and inspiration that I brought home would have been possible without the incredible team at EDC. Lauree Sahba and Enya Castañeda planned every detail to perfection. Eduardo Velasquez delivered the data and context we needed. Dr. Nikia Clarke always asked the right questions. Sang Nguyen quietly herded us cats constantly from stop to stop. Bree Burris kept us on track. And of course Mark Cafferty needs no explanation—one of the best humans I know AND the one who got us into the Obama Presidential Center ahead of its public opening next month!

A special hat tip to Amy Liu from the Brookings Institute, who was the backbone of so much of the trip and an honorary San Diegan if there ever was one. And to my fellow delegates: you are some of the best and brightest we have in San Diego, and I was honored to share this experience with you.

The trip reminded me that regional pride has to be more than a feeling. It has to show up in how we work together, how we challenge each other, and how boldly we plan for the future. This is also how we do our work at Intesa. We show up for each other, our clients and for San Diego.

Now that I’m back, I’m ready to cheerlead for our region, for our home. Let’s roll up our sleeves and make some big plans for San Diego. Who’s with me?

Learn more about Intesa Communications Group and read the original blog publication here.

A note from Mark: San Diego’s progress to Inclusive Growth

By Mark Cafferty,

Dear EDC Investors and partners,

I hope this message finds you well as we close out the first quarter of 2026. It was a shaky and unpredictable quarter for the region and the nation in so many ways. Yet through it all, our team at EDC continues to draw great inspiration from all of you as you stay committed to the success of your companies and to the health of the communities around you.

We know through our own research and data that important elements of San Diego’s economy are competitive and growing. However, we also know that we are facing a challenging inflection point: Our current growth is running parallel to the region’s persistently high cost of living, wide income gaps, and the ability for all San Diegans to live comfortably and thrive.

Simply put, our progress is not outpacing our problems. And that isn’t something to run from or ignore—but rather something to face and resolve.

As San Diego continues to see some gains toward its 2030 Inclusive Growth goals—increasing quality jobs within small businesses, increasing post-secondary education completions, and enabling more thriving households—our long-term success relies on both economic and inclusive growth. Still, and always. Without focusing on both, we risk losing talent to more accessible regions, constraining local spending, corroding our robust innovation economy, and stalling our (global) competitiveness for the future.

I invite you to explore our recently released 2030 Inclusive Growth Progress Report. The results are mixed, but the path remains clear. Every challenge presents us with an opportunity, and every opportunity puts us one step closer to a prosperous and sustainable future for our region.

With gratitude and respect,

Mark Cafferty
President & CEO
San Diego Regional EDC

2025 Inclusive Growth Update

EDC report: 2025 Progress to Inclusive Growth

By EDC Research Bureau,

In April 2026, San Diego Regional EDC released its annual Inclusive Growth Progress Report, using the most up to date and available data (2024). With new progress and bold objectives set around increasing the number of quality jobs, skilled talent, and thriving households critical to the region’s competitiveness, the report measures San Diego’s growth and future outlook, and spotlights the greatest threats to prosperity.

report at: 2025.incLUSIVesd.org

San Diego’s economy is competitive and growing—with a GRP in 2024 that reached nearly $267 billion, 2.1% higher than in 2023, making it one of the largest county economies in the United States. This value reflects production across San Diego’s key industries including defense, tech, manufacturing, life sciences, and tourism. Yet this growth runs parallel to San Diego’s persistently high cost of living, wide income gap, and stratified opportunities across racial groups. To maintain the region’s competitiveness, the benefits of growth must be felt by more San Diego households.

Smart economic development requires sustained and intentional attention to both the region’s immediate economic growth and inclusion. To guide San Diego’s economic development priorities, EDC alongside the Brookings Institution, established an Inclusive Growth Framework. Launched in 2018 and updated annually, this initiative set ambitious goals tailored to San Diego’s unique economy and communities to achieve by 2030:

Key takeaways

  • With more quality jobs in small businesses, San Diego is 87% of the way to meeting the 2030 goal. With sustained growth since 2017, the region now has a total of 228,087 quality jobs in small businesses. However, the overall proportion of quality jobs across all small businesses remains low at 28%.
  • More students are succeeding, yet the region remains around 7,000 students away from the 2030 goal. Further, only 21% of those completing a post-secondary degree are Hispanic and Latinx students despite representing 49% of current K-12 students, highlighting the persistence of racial and ethnicity disparities in accessing opportunities to develop in-demand skills.
  • San Diego has added 38,158 newly thriving households, fewer than last year and nearly 37,000 households away from the 2030 goal. Although household income continues to grow, it is still not enough to meet the cost of living—particularly for housing—in San Diego.

Read the full report here, and all previous updates at progress.inclusiveSD.org.

Join the movement

Learn more and get involved with EDC:

The Inclusive Growth initiative is sponsored by Bank of America, County of San Diego, JPMorganChase, Lifeline Community Services, Prebys Foundation, SDG&E, and Southwest Airlines.

Inclusive Growth Spotlight: Cajon Valley Union School District

By San Diego Regional EDC,

EDC’s Inclusive Growth blog series highlights and celebrates local companies and organizations helping drive economic growth and progress toward San Diego’s 2030 Inclusive Growth goals.

Launched in 2018 and informed by a partnership with the Brookings Institution, the Inclusive Growth initiative sets 2030 goals for San Diego related to increasing: 1) the supply of talent, 2) quality small business jobs, and 3) newly thriving households. The goals inform San Diego’s economic priorities and make the business case for economic inclusion.

Regional talent demand remains high

To maintain economic competitiveness, the region needs 20,000 students per year completing post-secondary education within six years of graduating high school.

While progress toward the goal has increased incrementally since 2017, talent scarcity has become the new normal as hiring demand exceeds the supply of talent across industries. Compounding this challenge, student success is demographically uneven as Hispanics and Latinos only account for 17 percent of residents over 25 years old with at least a bachelor’s degree. Employer-led talent pipeline development efforts are critical to the future of San Diego’s economy, and Cajon Valley Union School District is among those working toward a solution.

Meet CVUSD

The Cajon Valley Union School District (CVUSD) serves approximately 18,000 students across 28 schools spanning more than 60-square-miles in East San Diego County. Located in one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse regions of San Diego, the district has earned national recognition for its innovative approach to education, its commitment to whole child development, and its focus on preparing students for meaningful futures. At the center of the district’s work is a mission that guides every aspect of its approach to education: Happy Kids, Healthy Relationships, on a Path to Gainful Employment.

This mission reflects a belief that schools must do more than deliver academic content. Schools must help young people understand who they are, what they care about, and how their strengths can translate into meaningful contributions in the world.

An opportunity to re-define career preparedness

CVUSD serves one of the most diverse student populations in San Diego County. Many students are multilingual learners, newcomers to the United States, or the first in their families to navigate American education systems and postsecondary opportunities.

At the same time, San Diego faces a significant workforce development challenge, requiring education systems to rethink how they prepare students for the future. Historically, K–12 education and workforce development systems were not designed to respond dynamically to labor market changes, emerging industries, or employer needs. CVUSD has addressed this challenge by intentionally redesigning the student experience around identity, relevance, and future readiness.

An innovative approach to career-connected learning

Over the past decade, CVUSD has become nationally recognized for its World of Work framework—an innovative system that integrates career awareness, strengths discovery, and real-world learning experiences throughout the K–8 educational journey. Using the Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional career development assessment and model, students research professions aligned with their interests and strengths, interview professionals about their work, and present their findings through projects that connect classroom learning to real professions and pathways.

Career literacy is embedded throughout the curriculum. Students encounter real-world applications within reading and writing assignments, research projects, collaborative problem-solving challenges, and presentations that strengthen both academic and professional communication skills. Equally important, students regularly interact with professionals across San Diego’s major industry sectors.

This approach helps students see purpose in their education. In a recent district survey, 73% of students in fourth through eighth grade agreed with the statement, “The things I’m learning in school are important to my future.” This data reflects a powerful shift in how students experience learning, understanding that what they are studying today connects directly to the opportunities they may pursue tomorrow.

To expand these opportunities even further, CVUSD recently launched the World of Work Foundation, a nonprofit initiative designed to connect schools, employers, and community organizations around a shared vision for workforce development, and therefore expanding mentorship networks, employer partnerships, youth apprenticeship opportunities, and work-based learning experiences for students throughout the region.

In a region working to close opportunity gaps and build a stronger talent pipeline, CVUSD is preparing young people not only to graduate but to thrive.

Join the movement

Progress on EDC’s 2030 Inclusive Growth goals is only achievable with and through the region’s employers scaling innovative and intentional solutions. Anchor institutions like SDG&E are helping to collectively pave the way toward a more inclusive regional economy. Join us:

To learn more and get involved in EDC’s work, contact:

Bree Burris
Bree Burris

Sr. Director, Communications & Community Engagement

2025 Thriving Households update: Affordability pressures persisted

By Alberto Fragoso & Sofia Nelson-Ferezi,

San Diego has continued to show progress in reaching our Inclusive Growth goals with 2024 median household income experiencing a 29 percent increase since 2019. Despite promising recent growth in annual earnings across the county, San Diego remains one of the most expensive metros in the U.S. By the end of 2024, households needed an income exceeding $235,000 to afford the median-priced home, a threshold that, combined with elevated interest rates, places homeownership further out of reach for most San Diegans.

On average, homeowners faced housing costs of $4,748 per month in 2024, 55.5 percent higher than 2019 costs. Because household income growth has failed to keep pace with the cost of living, the gap between local housing costs and incomes continues to widen despite home prices stabilizing.

Renters face similar pressures. Average rent prices reached $4,039 in 2024, increasing by 8.3 percent over a year and 38 percent over five years. As household income struggles to catch up to increasing prices, 58 percent of renters remain cost-burdened, spending more than 30 percent of their income on rent.

Progress toward the goal

By the end of the decade, EDC estimated the region would need to add 75,000 newly thriving households. To be considered ‘thriving’ in 2024, a renter-occupied household needs at least $84,816 in household income per year, while a homeowner-occupied household needs $139,872 per year.

As of 2024, San Diego has added 38,157 newly thriving households since tracking began—a decrease from 2023 levels. The decline reflects eroding household purchasing power amid continued price pressures on essential goods including housing, groceries, and energy.

Addressing the supply challenge

To increase housing supply, local jurisdictions have made notable progress in streamlining permitting processes. Nearly 15,000 housing permits were approved in 2024, demonstrating continued momentum despite a slight decrease from 2023. However, the number of permits for moderate income housing dropped by 18.8 percent, highlighting the persistent challenge of the “missing middle” and insufficient affordable housing production. Furthermore, permits for low and very low income households dropped 47.4 percent compared to 2023.

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) represented nearly 27 percent of all permits approved in 2024—up from 22 percent in 2023—and 66 percent of all permits approved at moderate level pricing. However, those priced above moderate continue to make up most of ADU permits. While ADUs offer an opportunity to increase housing stock in existing single-family home lots, they’re unlikely to solve the region’s housing crises alone.

Developers cite several obstacles hampering housing production. The multifamily development market has become oversaturated, reducing incentives for new entrants. Current policies favor small units that do little to address the scale of San Diego’s housing needs. Rising construction costs, coupled with high insurance premiums and litigation risks, have the power to prevent projects from ever breaking ground.

At a broader level, California continues to experience a decline in construction employment, with a 1.9 percent annual decrease in 2024. This could be a potential contributing factor to slowed construction in coming years. This is especially relevant in states like California where the construction workforce is particularly reliant on immigrant workers. In fact, 40 percent of the construction workforce is comprised of foreign-born labor, potentially affecting construction-related labor under the current immigration enforcement landscape.

Extended timelines from permitting to groundbreaking further diminish project viability. Addressing these barriers will require better incentives for risk-taking and access to more flexible financing options.

Creative solutions for persistent challenges

Recent announcements signal significant office space vacancies in downtown San Diego. Major real estate firms including the Irvine Co. have been divesting San Diego office towers since 2024, reflecting broader shifts in the commercial real estate market. This challenge presents an opportunity.

Converting vacant office space into housing could revitalize areas where commercial properties no longer contribute meaningfully to the local economy. However, conversion costs can be prohibitively high. In many cases, demolishing outdated office buildings to construct multifamily housing may prove more economically feasible.

Similarly, conversions of single-family home lots into multiple single-family lots could have significant impact on housing affordability. According to LISC’s single family lot size reduction analysis, allowing multiple townhomes on one single family lot could lower home prices by 42 percent. Additionally, if 1.4 percent of the City of San Diego’s current single family lots were allowed to build multiple townhomes on one single family lot, the amount of new property taxes generated would be approximately $450 million each year, just for the County of San Diego. These innovative efforts require streamlined permitting, supportive re-zoning, and infrastructure assessment from local governments.

Identifying which vacant office properties are suited for conversion—or demolition and redevelopment—should be the first step. Addressing San Diego’s supply-constrained market will require strong public-private collaboration and regional strategies to explore innovative solutions at the scale needed to meet the region’s housing demands.

In February 2026, EDC’s Thriving Households Roundtable provided an opportunity to discuss employer-led solutions to these pressing challenges and to hear about innovative initiatives from local leaders such as LISC, cREate Development, and Center for Housing Policy and Design.

Join the movement. Endorse our Inclusive Growth goals.

Bree Burris
Bree Burris

Sr. Director, Communications & Community Engagement

Local procurement means big impact: The power of the Anchor Institution Collaborative

By Lindsey Silvia,

Collaboration, one of San Diego’s greatest strengths, is at the core of the EDC’s Anchor Institution Collaborative: A partnership between the region’s largest buyers committed to using their combined purchasing power to strengthen our local economy.

Launched in 2020, the Anchor Institution Collaborative brings together San Diego universities, hospitals, utilities, and large companies around a shared goal of supporting small, local, and diverse businesses to drive inclusive economic growth.

Working with and through our largest buyers

EDC’s role has always been to work with and through large employers and entities that are physically bound to our region to create change that reaches across the business ecosystem. Local anchors—including CSU San Marcos, the San Diego International Airport, Dexcom, and others—have a powerful influence on how money and opportunity flow through the region.

These anchors drive real impact in San Diego, by buying locally and contracting with small and diverse suppliers. In 2024 alone, seven regional anchors we surveyed spent a combined $763 million with local diverse suppliers and $245 million with regional small businesses, representing 16 percent and five percent respectively of their total combined spend.

Looking ahead to 2026, the collaborative will continue to help anchor institutions identify strategic opportunities to expand local impact, through shared learning, goal-setting, and data collection. By continuing to align spend toward local, small, and diverse businesses, anchors can help create a stronger, more resilient economy for all of San Diego.

Investing in San Diego’s small business economy

Small businesses remain the backbone of San Diego’s economy, now accounting for 99 percent of all businesses and 59 percent of all jobs in the region. These companies create jobs, spark innovation, and bring character to every community.

While many small businesses struggle to compete with larger firms for contracts and cannot always offer comparable wages, securing a major contract from a large buyer is often a major turning point that enables these businesses to grow local quality jobs and better weather economic downturns. Our entire region prospers when small businesses can engage, compete, and win these contracts.

While spending toward small business represents only a portion of total anchor spending in San Diego, it signals a strengthening commitment among major employers to partner locally as global supply chains continue to shift. Of the data reported by the seven anchors surveyed, the share of spending directed toward small businesses increased by an average of 19 percent from 2023 to 2024. Though significant opportunities remain for anchors to further expand local procurement (particularly with small businesses), this growth reflects a meaningful deepening of their investment in the regional economy.

Now is a prime opportunity for small businesses to take advantage of this shift—anchor institutions are continuing to evolve their supply chain strategies to include supplier diversity initiatives, streamlined procurement processes, and new tools to connect with small vendors. For example, SDG&E’s Level Up webinar series is a collaboration with the San Diego and Imperial Small Business Development Center Network to help small businesses to gain the tools and confidence to compete for big contract opportunities. And UC San Diego’s Small Business First program works to direct contracts between $10,000 and $250,000 to certified small and diverse businesses when no large sourcing agreement exists. These efforts not only expand opportunities for small businesses but also maximize our region’s shared prosperity.

What’s next for the Anchor Institution Collaborative

In the coming year, EDC will support both big buyers and small businesses through continued partnership among the Anchor Institution Collaborative.

EDC will continue to help large buyers in the Collaborative expand contracting opportunities through shared learning, goal-setting, and data collection.

In turn, the Collaborative will invest in small business growth and job creation by developing a playbook for vendors, creating a guide outlining the requirements for doing business with anchor institutions, and exploring a fund to help small businesses overcome financial barriers such as insurance premiums, certifications, and compliance costs.

The goal is simple: To make San Diego a place where large institutions and small businesses grow together—where every purchasing decision contributes to a more inclusive, resilient, and thriving local economy.

A collective effort

Economic development doesn’t happen in isolation. It requires inclusion and collaboration across sectors, shared accountability, and a long-term commitment to the region’s people and businesses. The Anchor Institution Collaborative is proof that when our largest employers work together to invest in and lift the smallest, we can collectively strengthen our local supply chain and build economic resilience.

As we look to the year ahead, EDC invites big buyers—whether you represent a healthcare system or a homegrown company, a sports team or an education institution—to join the Collaborative and share resources, expand opportunity, and work together to ensure that San Diego’s growth benefits us all.

Interested in leveraging your company’s spend to support San Diego small businesses?

GET INVOLVED

To learn more, contact:

Lindsey Silvia
Lindsey Silvia

Sr. Manager, Economic Development

Advancing San Diego summer internships bridge education and industry

By Emily Chowaniec,

Advancing San Diego: Building talent pipelines

EDC’s Advancing San Diego (ASD) internship program, run in partnership with the Border Region Talent Pipeline K-16 Collaborative and Imperial Valley EDC, has transformed how students across San Diego gain early career experience, while helping local businesses address talent needs. In Summer 2025, the ASD program placed 210 interns at 110 companies across San Diego and Imperial Counties, creating an invaluable bridge between education and industry in high-growth, high-wage fields like engineering, computing, and business. This program plays a crucial role in addressing regional talent shortages, helping local companies access vetted, diverse talent and offering students paid, hands-on learning opportunities in high-demand industries.

Summer 2025 by the numbers

*Priority populations include low-income individuals, first-generation college students, current community college students or community college transfers, veterans and active-duty military students, and students with disabilities

Addressing the talent gap with community impact

At the heart of ASD’s mission is a commitment to reaching under-resourced communities, ensuring that students from diverse backgrounds gain valuable career experience while helping local businesses address critical talent needs. Companies apply each year by early spring to host students from Advancing San Diego Verified Programs to be interns. These Verified Programs are selected based on industry-determined criteria, including industry engagement, diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as curriculum that teaches the most in-demand skills in computing, engineering, and business. This approach ensures that students’ skills align with evolving workforce demands, enhancing the overall impact of the internship experience.

EDC recruits local small to medium-sized businesses to host interns, and once companies are selected, students from Verified Programs apply for available internship roles. With more student applicants than available positions, students from priority populations receive preferred access to internship positions. In Summer 2025, 82 percent of interns identified with one or more priority populations, up nine percent from 2024. Importantly, the program provides financial support covering intern wages at a competitive rate. In 2025, local companies saved more than $1 million in payroll costs, ensuring businesses can prioritize mentorship and on-the-job training over recruitment logistics.

Real-world experience and career advancement

Each year, the internship program provides students with valuable work experience directly linked to their academic pursuits, equipping them with practical skills and career confidence. At the same time, companies benefit from student contributions. Surveyed companies shared that hosting interns improved their outlook on early-career talent: 91 percent agreed or strongly agreed that the program increased their likelihood of hiring a university student, and 82 percent said the same for community college students. For employers, this means a pipeline of highly motivated, well-prepared candidates who bring immediate value.

Day in the Life of a San Diego Intern video campaign

During the 2025 summer internship program, ASD launched its first “Day in the Life of a San Diego Intern” video campaign, inviting interns to share a glimpse into their internship experience through short videos. Thanks to generous donations from the San Diego Padres, San Diego FC, San Diego Wave FC, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, and SeaWorld San Diego, ASD was able to give five lucky winners tickets to signature San Diego experiences. The video campaign gave ASD interns the opportunity to share their professional experiences with the local business community and increase exposure of careers in San Diego to diverse groups of local young talent.

“After our sixth year partnering with this valuable program, Left Coast Engineering has hosted more than a dozen interns across electrical, mechanical, and aerospace engineering, plus computer science majors. As a small business here in San Diego since 1999, we see this as an opportunity to help develop and equip these engineering students with both the skillsets and mindset for successful product development. Our goal is to help engineers graduate with more experience and more value to benefit any hiring company.”

—Anita Baranowski, CEO, Left Coast Engineering

Is your company interested in hosting summer interns in 2026?

Apply now

Learn more about San Diego’s workforce trends and insights

Explore the talent dashboard

To learn more and get involved in EDC’s work, contact:

Emily Chowaniec
Emily Chowaniec

Coordinator, Talent Initiatives

Inclusive Growth Spotlight: San Diego State University

By Enya Castañeda,

EDC’s Inclusive Growth blog series highlights and celebrates San Diego companies and organizations helping drive economic growth and progress toward San Diego’s 2030 Inclusive Growth goals, launched in 2018 and informed by a partnership with the Brookings Institution.

Thriving households in San Diego

Decreasing affordability in San Diego threatens progress toward all the goals and disproportionately impacts communities of color. Household incomes have not kept pace with the cost-of-living reflected in basic household needs such as transportation, grocery expenditures, and childcare, leaving only one in 10 households able to afford the median-priced home in the region. As of 2023, San Diego has added 49,916 newly thriving households (chart below) bringing the total number of San Diego’s thriving households in the region to 610,983—51.7 percent of total households.

Read the latest Update

 

Meet SDSU’s Mission Valley Innovation District

San Diego State University (SDSU) is a top-tier public R1 institution that provides transformative educational experiences for more than 43,000 students in person and online, ranking among California’s leading public research universities. Building on this foundation, the SDSU Mission Valley Innovation District extends the university’s mission by fostering collaboration between academia and industry. The 1.6 million square-foot hub for office, technology, and research space creates new career pathways for students, drives regional economic growth, and advances innovative solutions to pressing societal challenges.

Promoting thriving student and faculty households

A significant challenge that SDSU faces in supporting thriving households is the rising home prices and rental costs which far outpace income growth—making it increasingly difficult for students, faculty, and staff to live near campus. For students, housing insecurity can affect academic success and well-being; for employees, it can hinder recruitment and retention, particularly among early-career professionals and those with families.

As SDSU expands through projects like SDSU Mission Valley, the university continues to explore partnerships, policy solutions, and innovative models that increase access to attainable housing while maintaining the quality and sustainability of the surrounding community. Maintaining affordability is a central focus so that students and employees can live and thrive where they learn and work—all essential to advancing SDSU’s mission of opportunity, equity, and regional impact.

Addressing affordability on multiple fronts

SDSU’s Mission Valley Innovation District is designed to advance economic opportunity and improve regional affordability through intentional planning and partnerships. Recognizing housing costs as a primary barrier to thriving households, SDSU Mission Valley will include more than 4,600 residential units, with 10 percent designated as affordable housing. The project’s transit-oriented design connects directly to the trolley, reducing transportation costs and improving access to employment and education. In addition, SDSU continues to explore partnerships that expand childcare options and support working families within the Innovation District.

Hear from SDSU:

“SDSU and EDC have a shared commitment to advancing economic growth, regional talent development, and innovation. SDSU continues to invest in EDC, because EDC serves as a vital convener of regional stakeholders, bringing together leaders from government, education, and the private sector who also share common priorities and challenges. Through EDC’s programs, roundtables, and trade delegations, SDSU gains valuable connections and insights that strengthen collaboration across sectors. EDC’s data-informed approach supports evidence-based decision-making, helping partners align strategies to address regional needs in workforce development, housing, and economic growth. This collective effort directly advances SDSU’s mission of driving opportunity and innovation across the region.”

Join the movement

Progress on EDC’s 2030 Inclusive Growth goals is only achievable with and through the region’s employers scaling innovative and intentional solutions. Anchor institutions like SDG&E are helping to collectively pave the way toward a more inclusive regional economy. Join us:

To learn more and get involved in EDC’s work, contact:

Lauree Sahba
Lauree Sahba

Chief Operating Officer

Inclusive Growth Spotlight: SDG&E

By San Diego Regional EDC,

EDC’s Inclusive Growth blog series highlights and celebrates local companies and organizations helping drive economic growth and progress toward San Diego’s 2030 Inclusive Growth goals.

Among the regional goals, EDC identifies increasing quality* small business jobs in San Diego as an economic imperative, with small businesses representing 99 percent of all firms in the region and accounting for 60 percent of total employment—outpacing the national average. Despite significant contributions, small businesses struggle to keep up in an increasingly expensive market.

Small, localized investments can drive quality job growth in small businesses

With a goal to add 50,000 new quality jobs in small businesses by the end of the decade, the latest data shows a surge in progress after years of steady recovery. In 2024, the region added 43,449 new quality small business jobs, marking an increase of about 3,000 jobs since 2023 and the closest we have ever been to reaching the goal.

While the significant rise in quality jobs is reassuring, employer-led efforts to support small businesses remain critical to the future of the region’s economy, and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is among the local institutions contributing to the progress.

Read the latest Update

SDG&E’s commitment to supplier diversity in procurement spending

SDG&E has been proudly powering the regional economy for more than 140 years. The company was founded in 1881 to supply gas for streetlights when the City of San Diego had a population of just over 3,000. Today, SDG&E serves 3.7 million consumers spanning 25 communities in San Diego and southern Orange counties. As an anchor institution in the region, SDG&E is committed to delivering clean, safe, and reliable energy while fostering inclusive economic growth through its supply chain.

In 2024 alone, SDG&E had nearly $3 billion in procurement spending and billions more in economic impact, fueling local businesses, creating jobs, and strengthening the regional economy. Nearly 45 percent of the utility’s total procurement spend in 2024 was with diverse suppliers, including enterprises owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ individuals. Notably, $632 million of SDG&E’s spend in 2024 was in San Diego County.

Every year, SDG&E works with hundreds of suppliers of all sizes, with a wide range of offerings to meet the needs of its diverse customer base and achieve local and statewide goals for clean energy, safety, and reliability. SDG&E’s impact extends beyond energy infrastructure; its employees give back to the community through thousands of hours of volunteerism, and donations to local nonprofits to advance economic prosperity, STEM education, and other causes. Interested in doing business with SDG&E? Fill out the Supplier Interest Form here.

How SDG&E supports job creation and growth in the region

Recognizing that local, small, and/or diverse businesses face challenges in navigating procurement processes and requirements in the energy world—including prerequisites such as insurance and safety certifications—SDG&E has a dedicated responsible sourcing team to support suppliers through that process. The team focuses on supplier engagement and development, supply chain sustainability, and supplier risk management, with the goal of creating a more competitive, innovative, and resilient supply chain.

Supplier diversity from multiple lenses

Having a diverse set of local firms varying in size and location brings different ideas to the table, which helps mitigate risks associated with group think, supplier over-consolidation, and over-concentration. SDG&E’s responsible sourcing team has contacts in industries beyond energy—so even if the utility doesn’t need your good or service, the team may know someone else who does.

“As much as possible, we try to buy local to help create jobs and support our regional economy. Our team has long prioritized an inclusive and diverse supply chain, including spending more than $1 billion last year with certified diverse businesses,” said Dan Skopec, SDG&E Senior Vice President and Chief Regulatory Officer, and EDC Board Member. “Growing our local supplier base has also become more important because of global supply chain disruptions stemming from geopolitical events and tariffs.”

Direct outreach, programs, and local partnerships support small businesses

SDG&E conducts extensive outreach to local small and/or diverse suppliers and provides technical support, often on a one-on-one basis. The team also connects suppliers with resources provided by other partner organizations to develop and support suppliers, including the Small Business Development Center (housed at Southwestern College), The Veterans In Business (VIB) Network, Women’s Business Enterprise Council (WBEC)-West, Building, and DisabilityIN, to name a few. These organizations help address challenges such as insurance barriers, access to capital, and cybersecurity requirements.

As an active participant in the company’s competitive solicitations, the responsible sourcing team conducts research to identify qualified small and diverse suppliers for consideration by primes and SDG&E business units. The effort also makes procurement opportunities more accessible to smaller suppliers, working with project teams which break large projects into smaller segments to bid them out.

Outside of its responsible sourcing program, the utility also offers support to small businesses looking to electrify their fleet or seeking energy management coaching.

SDG&E small business support:

Continued investment in EDC is an investment in our community

SDG&E has been a supporter of EDC for the past 25 years. This long-standing collaboration is the result of a shared commitment to advancing economic prosperity and inclusive growth in the region. SDG&E supports EDC’s mission to mobilize business, government, and civic leaders around strategies that enhance San Diego’s global competitiveness and economic resilience. The utility proudly engages with EDC as an investor and member of the board of directors, and involves senior officers in various programs and initiatives, bringing SDG&E’s top talent to the table.

EDC’s standout programs/services for SDG&E include the Anchor Collaborative, Advancing San Diego, Community Explorer data tools, and the MetroConnect export accelerator, which provide critical infrastructure for regional growth.

Join the movement

Progress on EDC’s 2030 Inclusive Growth goals is only achievable with and through the region’s employers scaling innovative and intentional solutions. Anchor institutions like SDG&E are helping to collectively pave the way toward a more inclusive regional economy. Join us:

*A quality small business job is defined as one provided by a company with fewer than 100 employees and that pays at least $24.48 per hour and provides healthcare benefits.

To learn more and get involved in EDC’s work, contact:

Bree Burris
Bree Burris

Sr. Director, Communications & Community Engagement

Inclusive Growth Spotlight: Neighborhood House Association

By San Diego Regional EDC,

To celebrate and inspire the efforts of regional employers, EDC’s Inclusive Growth blog series highlights San Diego companies and organizations helping to drive progress on the 2030 Inclusive Growth goals. Below we feature San Diego’s comprehensive human services provider Neighborhood House Association (NHA).

Launched in 2018 and informed by a partnership with the Brookings Institution, the Inclusive Growth initiative sets 2030 goals including increasing the number of thriving households locally, and making the business case for economic inclusion. Decreasing affordability in San Diego threatens progress toward all of the goals and disproportionately impacts communities of color. Household incomes have not kept pace with the cost-of-living, leaving only one in 10 households able to afford the median-priced home in the region. As of 2023, San Diego has added 49,916 newly thriving households (chart below) bringing the total number of San Diego’s thriving households in the region to 610,983.

Read the latest Update

 

Supporting households through a continuum of education and wellness

The Neighborhood House Association (NHA) was founded during the settlement house movement in 1914 to assist immigrants as they transitioned to living in the country.

NHA today

As a major employer and one of the largest nonprofit social services agencies in San Diego, NHA works through its Continuum of Care Model, a wrap-around service delivery model supporting households from prenatal to senior care. Its mission: To enrich lives through a continuum of education and wellness services, nurturing children and families from the earliest stages of life through adulthood, providing youth development and career exploration opportunities that allow them eventually to join the region’s workforce with a direct pipeline to workforce opportunities within NHA.

Challenges in grant-funded household support

Currently, NHA supports more than 5,000 community members by advocating for additional funding that addresses household affordability and accessibility challenges to realize dreams for as many households as possible. Because healthy and educated communities are where dreams become reality.

With federal and state grants, each program participant is assisted through a two-year enrollment period with direct support from an NHA family service worker outlining goals and needs, often including early childhood education programs and childcare services. Funds allow for more classrooms slots for children meaning that parents in households and members of the NHA workforce can go to work and school. With this, NHA sustains competitive pay with cost-of-living adjustments alongside annual merit increases to attract the best teaching and support staff for households.

Most of NHA’s programs are funded by federal and state grants, and as funding for programs like Head Start is challenged at the federal level, NHA continues to actively work with regional, state, and national leaders to ensure that program participants and employees are self-sufficient in supporting themselves and their families.

In addition to visiting state and national offices, NHA invites lawmakers to visit NHA to see programs at work in-person with the goal of increasing visibility and understanding of how the agency impacts the local economy. With an economic impact of more than $200 million each year, NHA operations are making a difference in the lives of team members, program participants, and the entire San Diego region.

As a large local nonprofit, NHA often highlights its value in San Diego’s economic development as a major local employer that allows pathways to education and workforce development. NHA President and CEO Rudy Johnson and have both served on the EDC Board of Directors and strongly believe in EDC’s work. NHA has found great value in joining EDC’s leadership trips and is a proud endorser of the Inclusive Growth initiative.

Join the movement

Progress on EDC’s 2030 Inclusive Growth goals is only achievable with and through the region’s employers scaling innovative and intentional solutions. Organizations like NHA are helping to collectively pave the way toward a more inclusive regional economy.

To learn more and get involved in EDC’s work, contact:

Bree Burris
Bree Burris

Sr. Director, Communications & Community Engagement