Whether helping a company expand its local operations or assisting a new business looking to call San Diego home, San Diego Regional EDC works with companies to navigate the complex regulatory processes they may face at the local, state, or federal level.
With a highly skilled workforce, collaborative business culture, and unparalleled quality of life, San Diego and California remain among the most desirable places in the world to live and do business. But in a shifting global economy, regional conversations have increasingly centered around the rising costs of doing business, including overcoming regulatory hurdles in permitting.
You’re not alone in facing regulatory challenges
Though specific regulatory experiences and challenges vary by company and sector, we continue to hear a few common themes from regional businesses.
In interviews conducted during EDC’s 2024 study, “Manufacturing in San Diego: Local Impact Global Reach,” multiple San Diego business leaders shared that the time and complexity involved in securing various permits—sometimes requiring multiple signatures and lengthy review processes—can cost their companies thousands of dollars.
Another common concern: Duplication of effort across agencies. Companies report finding their teams submitting the same information to multiple government offices or undergoing repetitive inspections that slow down operations without meaningfully increasing compliance. Streamlining these processes—through improved digital platforms or inter-agency coordination, for instance—could significantly reduce the time and costs incurred.
Finally, manufacturing and innovation-related businesses are grappling with a regional regulatory framework that has not kept pace with modern advancements. Rules designed decades ago often fail to account for new materials, technologies, and production methods now driving growth in advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and life sciences. For example, firms working with sustainable composites or additive manufacturing techniques are frequently required to navigate approval processes built around older, conventional materials. Not only does this mismatch create unnecessary delays, but it can discourage adoption of cutting-edge solutions that might improve efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness.
Yet: We also hear that businesses are not inherently opposed to regulation. Many San Diego business leaders we speak with emphasize the importance of maintaining high standards for safety, labor, and sustainability. What they ask for, however, is greater consistency and transparency. When rules change frequently or processes differ across jurisdictions, it becomes difficult for companies to plan and make confident investments. Predictability is often just as valuable to both small business owners and multinational corporations as cost savings.
Ultimately, regulatory reform shouldn’t be about weakening protections, but about making them work better. And especially now, San Diego has an opportunity to lead the way in building a modernized regulatory system that emphasizes efficiency and clarity. It’s a chance for us to preserve what makes our region an attractive place to live and work, while also ensuring that businesses—especially small and growing ones—have the flexibility to innovate and expand.
EDC is here to drive solutions
EDC continues to be your partner in strengthening your connections with industry, education, and public institutions, but we can only do it with your partnership. When regional companies like yours take the time to speak candidly with our team about challenges, we’re better able to relay information and work with elected officials and government agencies to build solutions that responsibly ease the time and cost burdens of doing business.
We invite companies across the region to participate in our ongoing survey and share their experiences with regulatory barriers. Your input will help us communicate the need for smarter, more streamlined regulatory processes and ensure that San Diego remains a place where both businesses and people can thrive.
