The economic development strategy will be comprised of a series of initiatives and actions to be undertaken by various stakeholders in the following two categories:
1. Industry cluster development
The Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce will take the lead in organizing, facilitating, and monitoring the implementation of private sector-led initiatives that emerge from the industry cluster groups in some of the following:
These industry cluster working groups will involve representatives of companies, educational institutions, and representatives from government and labor organizations relating to each industry. Each group will focus on identifying opportunities and overcoming obstacles to growing that particular industry in Oakland and the East Bay. Each group will meet 3-4 times to identify a series of discrete, actionable initiatives that will be spearheaded by “champions” identified from the cluster and supported with staff assistance from the Chamber and their facilitators. These meetings will begin this Spring (June, 2007) and continue on a monthly basis (following a summer recess) into the fall with the expectation that all initiatives will be finalized and begin implementation in the late Fall/Winter 2008.
2. Improving economic foundations (or enablers)
The Mayor’s Office (and city departments) will take the lead in organizing, facilitating, and monitoring the implementation of public-sector led initiatives around the four enablers cited below as well as the continued work of other, related task forces:
