Plan & Project Implementation
About the Division
The Plan & Project Implementation Division supports and coordinates City and Department Initiatives to implement the General Plan and the Draft Economic Development Element (EDE). This includes facilitation of the Salinas Downtown Vibrancy Plan, initiating the Alisal Vibrancy Plan, and the coordination of internal and external stakeholders and community partners to accomplish General Plan and EDE policy actions. This Division also provides administrative support and oversight to the Department by supervising, monitoring, and controlling the Department’s operating budget and activities.
Accomplishments
In 2015 the Division:
- Initiated the formal adoption process for the Economic Development Element
- Secured funding to initiated preparation of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan
- Provided small business support by assisting SUBA and processing twenty (20) Grow Salinas Fund loan applications
- Initiated implementation of Salinas Downtown Vibrancy Plan
What We're Working On
Advancement of our Economic Prosperity through:
- Work with business organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Salinas United Business Association (SUBA) to create a shop local initiative and adopt official local preference policies for City procurement of all goods and services.
- Development of a campaign to promote local businesses and products (e.g. “Made in Salinas”) including a “Buy Local”/“Made in Salinas” website/mobile app.
- Establishment of locations for small business incubation and acceleration that feature low cost, flexible space, with the availability of business support services on-site or through referral.
- Utilization of the Grow Salinas Fund to foster at least one business expansion that results in job retention or creation each year.
- Development and implementation of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan.
- Completion of a target housing market analysis for Downtown, the Alisal, and Chinatown to inform the various planning processes underway.
- Establishment of a façade improvement program next year.
- Revision and implementation of the Alisal Marketplace Plan.
What's Happening for Plan & Project Implementation
City Launches Text Message Platform for Business Support
The City of Salinas' Business Support Team expanded their outreach efforts by launching their new texting application. Salinas businesses can now subscribe to receive text message notifications from the City’s Business Support Team!
If you would like to get notifications on small business assistance you can now text Biz831 to 474747 from your mobile device.
Para notificaciones de texto en español sobre la asistencia para pequeñas empresas, puede enviar un mensaje con el texto Negocio831 al número 474747 desde su dispositivo móvil.
Welcome to Salinas' New Business Navigator
Please join the City of Salinas in congratulating Community Development Analyst Crystal Casillas who will serve as the City's Business Navigator. Supporting our local businesses is a necessary service, even more so as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the Business Navigator, Crystal will assist with the implementation of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan, focusing on Economic Development goals for the East Alisal area and act as the staff lead for the City’s Small Business and Economic Recovery programs.
Crystal has been with the Community Development Department since 2018, previously serving as a Community...
VISTA Team Delivers Día del Niño Gifts to Warming Shelter
April 29, 2021
The City of Salinas’ AmeriCorps VISTA team and Homelessness Intern delivered summer gift bags and soccer balls to the warming shelter for Día del Niño 2021 (Pictured left to right: Homelessness and Preservation Coordinator VISTA Kathleen Casey, Homelessness Intern Maya Benitez, and Small Business Support Coordinator VISTA Adolfo Ruelas). The VISTA team assembled 200 summer gift bags and inflated 200 soccer balls to distribute on Friday, April 30, 2021, for children in the Alisal and Salinas warming shelter.
The City’s five (5) VISTA members support Alisal Vibrancy Plan (AVP) ...
City Awards Total of $400,000 in COVID-19 Relief Grants
April 22, 2021
A total of 24 small businesses located in the Alisal Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area (ANRSA) will receive one-time Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. The City of Salinas is awarding a total of $400,000 to these businesses as part of the Grow Salinas Fund (GSF) Round 2 COVID-19 Relief grant program. The emergency grant awards range from $10,000 to $30,000 for small business impacted by COVID-19.
The GSF Round 2 was created to support businesses in the Alisal after COVID-19-related disruptions and to support job retention. The application opened February 22nd and the deadline...
AmeriCorps VISTAs Volunteer for Community Clean-Ups
April 15, 2021
The City of Salinas Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA) team is leading the way in the spirit of volunteerism. AmeriCorps VISTA is a volunteer-based program that helps local organizations build capacity through the volunteer work of their members. Radha Dahanukar, Youth Development and Volunteer Coordinator (pictured second from the right) and Capri Downs, Healthy Lifestyles Coordinator (pictured fourth from the left) have been working on expanding the City’s volunteer programs, as well as the expansion of community gardens and promoting healthy lifestyles in the City. Our VISTA team makes time to volunteer in clean-up...
Visit the plan's website, alisalplan.org to learn how to get...
Salinas Downtown Vibrancy Plan
Learn more about the City's new community-based vision plan for pedestrians, bicycles, traffic flow, sustainable parking and attractive sense of place.
