How LA leaders plan to make the city more business-friendly



A city infamous for being unfriendly toward business voted Wednesday to create a “concierge” service to help Los Angeles businesses and boost job creation.

After 15 months of talks with business groups, the City Council voted 13-0 to enact a sweeping citywide job creation plan.

Its dozens of reforms include a one-stop service to assist businesses, an open door at City Hall for business input, more streamlined regulations, business incentive zones and up to 5,000 new city jobs for workers hailing from poorer neighborhoods.

“The city needs to get out of the way,” declared Councilman Paul Krekorian, who represents parts of the east San Fernando Valley and chaired an ad hoc committee on the comprehensive job creation plan. “Too often, investors and businesses want to create new jobs, but they get mired in regulations.

“I want to make it part of L.A.’s DNA to give businesses the support they need to open and thrive in our city.”

It was 15 years ago that former Mayor Richard Riordan last hosted a Los Angeles Business Team to help businesses navigate byzantine regulations at City Hall.

But after he left, shopkeepers to corporations were again forced to deal with the city bureaucracy.

In July 2015, Council President Herb Wesson created a committee to determine how Los Angeles could draw new businesses, retain old businesses and create jobs.

A business “welcome” sign would not only reduce the city’s then 6.2 percent unemployment, which has since fallen to 5 percent. It would allow Los Angeles to better compete with other cities.

The comprehensive job creation plan will now create a permanent business advance team – or “concierge service” — to rapidly respond to local business needs.

“This is the first step,” Wesson told the council chambers before the vote. “We are a big city. We do big things. This council keeps its promise.”

The new plan would create a small business commission on public policy. It would launch a small business website with information on permits, licenses and incentives. And it would create jobs and economic development incentive zones to encourage such industries as biotech, replacing the defunct state community redevelopment agencies.

An online database of city-owned properties would encourage their use by local businesses. Business permit fees would be locked in, red tape cut.

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The city’s procurement program would also be streamlined, making it easier for minorities and local businesses to compete for $8.5 billion a year in city purchases.

The jobs plan calls for 5,000 city workers to be hired from underserved communities, including the homeless.

When Councilman Paul Koretz was elected seven years ago, it took the city a year and a half to issue a restaurant permit; it now takes nine months. Beverly Hills, he said, can issue one in 10 weeks.

Meanwhile, a recent Metro TAP card released to celebrate Latino heritage was printed in Singapore, and not Los Angeles.

“I think this is one of the biggest win-wins the city has ever seen,” said Koretz, who represents Encino and west L.A. “It’ll solve a lot of problems. I am so thrilled. It’ll make for a city with a stronger economy — and a business-friendly approach.”

Business groups from the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce to the Valley Industry and Commerce Association embraced the plan, though some suggested it ditch the homeless hiring requirement.

“We need jobs – and a strong environment to support those jobs,” said VICA Chairman Kevin Tamaki, director of internal affairs for AT&T Services in Los Angeles. “Let’s roll up our sleeves and make sure that this happens yesterday.”

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