Economic Development

Supporting Growth & Development

The City of Emeryville supports business growth, development, entrepreneurship and innovation. Emeryville is a City of Art and Innovation; home to both small and large businesses and the City prides itself on supporting a business-friendly culture. From retail stores to technology firms, businesses in Emeryville benefit from a small and personal city government, an creative and engaged residential community, and a thriving local business community. The Community Development Department’s Economic Development staff facilitate private development through developing partnerships with the private sector and providing financial resources for needed public improvements and brownfield remediation. Staff are available to work with businesses to facilitate site selection, business development, and business expansion.

Small Business Initiatives

Both the City Council and the Planning Commission have expressed interest in the challenges new and existing small businesses face in starting up and continuing to perform in today’s economic climate. A joint study session of the Planning Commission and City Council was held in order to reach out to small businesses and the community in general. The majority of the meeting was devoted to a “listening session” to allow City leaders to hear the community’s thoughts on how the City may help or otherwise facilitate connections to both City and outside agency resources. This meeting led to the development of the City's Economic Development Strategy and associated programs, including the City's small business rebate program and marketing program.

Economic Development Strategy

The City's Economic Development Strategy(PDF, 55KB) provides a framework and prioritization for the deployment of the City's economic development resources, with an aim to leverage Emeryville's competitive advantage as a City of Art and Innovation. The Strategy addresses a wide range of topics including Infrastructure and Transportation, Marketing and Promotion, Community Advancement, and Organization and Network Building.

Location Assistance

Staff are available to provide assistance in locating available commercial space for businesses new to, or expanding in Emeryville.  For assistance, contact Community Development Director Chadrick Smalley directly at (510) 596-4355 or csmalley@emeryville.org.  

Marketing Program

The City's Economic Development Strategy calls for the development of a marketing program, and the City's Economic Development Advisory Committee has identified this work as a top priority of the committee for the last three years.  In late 2023, the City solicited proposals from firms for marketing program implementation. A contract with the selected firm, 510Media, was executed in March 2024 and brand discovery, outreach, concept development and refinement continued through summer 2025.  The program, which consists of a purpose-built website communicating the advantages of Emeryville as a business location and a social media campaign, is expected to launch in late 2025.

Business Resources

Find resources for starting and operating a business in the Business Resources Guide.

Contaminated Property Remediation

Obtain financing for cleaning up contaminated property from the City's Brownfield program.