Palo Alto Economic Development Strategies

Source: Vacant to Vibrant (vibrantsf.org)
BEST PRACTICE: VACANT TO VIBRANT
PROGRAM, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Vacant to Vibrant, is a city-funded program of SF New Deal
and in partnership with the San Francisco Office of Economic
and Workforce Development. It aims to bring economic
recovery to downtown San Francisco through pop-up
activation of vacant spaces with small local businesses and art.
SF New Deal will provide activators with grants ranging from
$3,000 to $8,000 and technical, marketing, permitting,
compliance, and operations assistance. Activators also receive
three months of free rent through the program. Participating
property owners will be provided up to $5,000 from SF New
Deal to cover tenant improvements and utility expenses,
marketing material, permitting assistance, and one primary
tenant.
BEST PRACTICE: DOWNTOWN POPS!, SANTA
CRUZ, CA
As a pilot program through the Santa Cruz Economic
Development Department, Downtown Pops! aims to lower the
barrier to entry for businesses looking to open in brick-andmortar
locations and reduce risk for property owners to lease to
new tenants during this time of economic recovery. The program
involves the City entering a master lease with a commercial
property owner experiencing vacancy, provides a guaranteed
minimum rent, and sub-leases the space temporarily, up to six
months, to a business with a lease term set at 5% of monthly
sales.
Source: Map data ©2022 Google, Childish, Downtown Pops! Recipient
Source: Urban Village Farmer’s Market – Starter Bakery
Source: Cult-favorite pastry purveyor finally
opens first Oakland bakery (sfgate.com)
BEST PRACTICE: UVFM LOCAL BUSINESS
RETENTION, STARTER BAKERY, OAKLAND, CA
Starter Bakery launched in 2010 from UVFM’s Temescal
Farmer’s Market in Oakland. With UVFM support, the business
successfully expanded in 2023 into a brick-and-mortar space
within one mile of the market in which it formed.
PALO ALTO, CA —————————— ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
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