[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6510500,"mediaKeyId","5374952-15e770aa4b36a4bf9a166f935e8006e4","parentId",5374952,"title","Small-business leaders urge expanded technical assistance, regional COLA and targeted affordability zones to stem relocations","audioSeconds",1913,"startMs",4029000,"endMs",5942000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5374952-15e770aa4b36a4bf9a166f935e8006e4&start=4029&end=5942","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5374952-15e770aa4b36a4bf9a166f935e8006e4/thumbnail_4029000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6510500/California/Small-business-leaders-urge-expanded-technical-assistance-regional-COLA-and-targeted-affordability-zones-to-stem-relocations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6510500-7e8daf546a67671fb075b1879456adca/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452659&Signature=CcM~pfxXAIe9AZ476ho~fsMkHQ1b39iQvKcyHj~5K7eD2ft027-Zc1Ms9JpGzuvAtamvB2Hm2Rn9jX2mzh8wjfKKwm~cjAn8Wqb0eEIMfHPMZQSo1~YxK~~r7Drxzfk~W8IQ7oX6S0XO~RaGixvLHqvNpCjGDLqWn8T0A2FPRcbp~Zx1YA2-cNreeK4s0Ch8HfgIGDcqVwJo9A2zUqIxuQXJCs0o8ONEcpeabyRJSXrxCY4iwDOuoYB6ANEYCRKbdrcoXPPBiyKjcfIRQshpF7-PDZoflDv0HduQDTfzU3JY-q3CsZ6JWSRcsQGjZHPcECsyIVYqDHS7sg2iHKD5xw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","California State Assembly","date","2025-07-11T00:00:00Z","article","Panelists at the Assembly Committee hearing urged the Legislature to expand technical assistance and make regional adjustments to eligibility for relief programs to retain small firms.

\"My name is Dr. Debbie Chen, and I'm the founder and CEO of HydroStasis,\" Dr. Chen told the committee, describing her San Diego‑area hydration‑monitoring wearable company and the network of local accelerators and mentors that supported product development. Chen said HydroStasis has three issued U.S. patents, completed clinical and freedom‑to‑operate work, sold out an initial consumer product (the Gekko watch) in 2024, and received about $500,000 in non‑dilutive funding from NIH, the U.S. Air Force and university grants. She urged more capital and support for women founders, noting that \"only about 2% of venture capital goes to women founded companies\" despite higher returns in some studies.

Sven Davison, cofounder and COO of Amai Inc., described manufacturing and tariff challenges while developing an edible cup product. He said his company co‑licensed a machine with Foxconn but faced stacked tariffs (he cited a combined figure of about 210% on the machine) that stalled plans to bring production onshore. He credited local resources — SBDC, Connect, Innovate 78 — with providing legal, accounting and feasibility support.

Jason Paguio, president and CEO of the Asian Business Association of San Diego, summarized a regional study showing elevated relocation intent among small firms: nearly four in 10 local businesses overall are considering or planning to relocate; 51% of Asian‑owned firms reported relocation consideration and 44% of Black‑owned firms did likewise. Paguio urged lawmakers to streamline and expand technical assistance, support regional cost‑of‑living adjustments for eligibility in assistance programs, and pilot \"small‑business affordability zones\" that could include targeted rent stabilization, tax credits or childcare subsidies for high‑cost neighborhoods. He also noted the usefulness of procurement accelerators that help minority‑owned firms qualify for government contracts.

Juan Carlos Hernandez, president and CEO of the California Southern Small Business Development Corporation, emphasized affordable capital for microloans, saying many small deals (about $100,000 or less) are the hardest to finance and that some alternative lenders charge effective annual rates that can exceed 100%. He described loan‑guarantee work his organization performs with the state iBank and community lenders and thanked Assembly members for attention to small‑business relief.

Panelists and Assembly members discussed bills and proposals cited during testimony, including AB 2019 (procurement/equity measures) and a small‑business recovery measure (referred to in testimony as AB 265 or the Small Business and Nonprofit Recovery Act). Panelists said outreach and distribution to existing on‑the‑ground providers (SBDC, CDFIs) are as important as funding increases.

Assembly members asked about concrete policy levers and praised internship and workforce pathways that connected students to local employers. Entrepreneurs recommended greater clarity in program delivery, more multilingual assistance, and faster access to capital to reduce the risk of business closures and relocations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact","oneSentenceSummary","Entrepreneurs and small-business advocates told the Assembly committee that language‑appropriate technical assistance, access to affordable capital and targeted local relief are necessary to stop businesses from relocating and to help owners survive rising costs.","taxTitle","California State Assembly, House, Legislative, California","taxId",17099,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6510504,"San Diego economy strong in life sciences and defense but faces permitting, housing and federal funding headwinds, panelist says",563,2703000,3266000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5374952-15e770aa4b36a4bf9a166f935e8006e4&start=2703&end=3266","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5374952-15e770aa4b36a4bf9a166f935e8006e4/thumbnail_2703000.jpg","/articles/6510504/California/San-Diego-economy-strong-in-life-sciences-and-defense-but-faces-permitting-housing-and-federal-funding-headwinds-panelist-says","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6510504-e70d30fb6a3643fb54b555afd4742c38/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452659&Signature=FDX1qV5AhwzpSRzo8b92812jW~~iEAXP-Ph2oXf19foCAsmN70~1olH7lcJrB0m4tlkdkEGFvXUbctPNh88MXHg9RLsxFpdDxvyQRUvsNYmIOf-zi-Dlsyx7NzyCjkn-DZPK-AgSi3Cf9b16Ne~hvz3rxzYzWlycZoISLRVMu1G1R268O7M3AhFWpl195H8BF-nIyIibx8izEkgjb3Jbrk4sdGb7rluHFfh-rgyXKX~ZOTpwCZbAzPzAEqM-X7MVsqqdn9tnARJqR--7uqWeaTU1y7QnqHAS4WOogNy9BwD9n2K5q8bfULWJPgXptf-xoFwXa2T~6itBKHVAo8~-Tg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Eduardo Velasquez, senior director of research and development at the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, presented a data‑driven overview of the region's economic assets and risks to the Assembly Committee on Economic Development. \"As one of California's most globally connected regions, our economy is also fueled by world class universities, a highly skilled workforce, and those binational ties,\" Velasquez said.

Velasquez highlighted key industry clusters: aerospace and defense (\"over $27,000,000,000 in Department of Defense contracts in the last fiscal year\"), life sciences (\"more than 60,000 jobs tied to that industry\"), high‑tech and semiconductors (including ASML, Qualcomm and Viasat), fusion energy research and advanced manufacturing (about 240,000 manufacturing jobs, roughly 10% of the private workforce). He also noted $1.2 billion in venture capital funding in San Diego during 2024.

Velasquez warned of several headwinds. He said proposed federal research funding cuts and changes to indirect rates could create a roughly $500,000,000 economic impact in the region. He identified permitting delays, cross‑border trade uncertainty and grid‑resiliency permitting as persistent barriers that increase time‑to‑market and raise costs for local businesses. \"We hear from companies that time to market is more important than any financial incentive that can be provided,\" he told the committee.

Housing affordability emerged as a central constraint on talent retention and attraction: Velasquez said only one in nine households can currently afford the median‑priced home in the region, making recruitment and retention the top concern employers report. Velasquez urged state‑level collaboration on stabilizing research investment, accelerating site approvals for biomanufacturing, supporting cross‑border logistics and investing in housing affordability to retain workers.

Committee members responded that the data and regional context underscore the link between state budgeting decisions and local economic outcomes. Velasquez said the San Diego region has submitted recommendations to state initiatives including the California Jobs First effort and suggested pilot regulatory sandboxes to test ways of reducing permitting friction without producing unintended consequences.

The testimony framed the discussion for later panels on small‑business concerns, workforce development and local procurement, and the panelists asked lawmakers to consider targeted policy actions to reduce delays and preserve the region's competitive clusters.","The San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation told the Assembly Committee that the region's strengths in life sciences, defense and advanced manufacturing are threatened by permitting delays, housing unaffordability and potential federal research cuts.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6510509,"Cal State San Marcos outlines expanded housing, engineering and workforce programs to feed San Diego economy",871,1827000,2698000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5374952-15e770aa4b36a4bf9a166f935e8006e4&start=1827&end=2698","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5374952-15e770aa4b36a4bf9a166f935e8006e4/thumbnail_1827000.jpg","/articles/6510509/California/Cal-State-San-Marcos-outlines-expanded-housing-engineering-and-workforce-programs-to-feed-San-Diego-economy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6510509-74cd6baeefd39c1d8359eb9f77f18172/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452659&Signature=KyruvAP-2ho3mDvKRPXpfc6NTa7wYbe7VvCyNK3WbfD8O0uUQu0DEO-lusEo2uB7ViHepc3eLkcp2brA5QnuRhrJeQd~Ds99eXD6p5e6J~kjboEfCn8m3lpK0pj9~tZoxv4PEdc8htp7sZRRVRA5-xvy0jnCqZzoGfIQgcLvqKtcYmax0qIOTE~4Bon1ggbQq5EkPNZku3sxdQ~-DkghHsuPWol4mTJTUhrjzVk7AxwrEQdfk-HgM3vfrZEK4AyKgydjz5YLcHA-WR7E-sKVNWQnEP5OSKPDzoir~B~n7z~DejelwVrx8PAj3B7DD3Au2qIPs~kw7ugkkmjeDGxtgg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Ellen Neufeld, president of California State University San Marcos, told the Assembly Committee on Economic Development that the university is expanding housing and degree programs to support social mobility and regional workforce needs. \"We were founded only 35 years ago...we are ranked in the top 1% in the country in advancing social mobility,\" Neufeld said, adding that the campus enrolls almost 17,000 students and houses about 2,200 people today.

The university said it currently provides about 1,800 on‑campus beds and expects to open 550 new beds next fall through state affordable housing funding, a step Neufeld described as critical for making college more accessible. \"Sixty‑five percent of our students graduate with no debt,\" she told the committee, and she said for students with debt the average is less than $15,000.

Neufeld and Dr. Carl Kamnitz, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Cal State San Marcos, emphasized several workforce initiatives tied to local industry. The campus has launched engineering programs in partnership with industry (including Viasat) with currently high veteran and Hispanic enrollment in software and electrical engineering. Kamnitz described the campus Innovation Hub and the Infinity Lab biotech incubator as places that connect students with internships, startups and industry projects. \"Each startup that rents space in the lab is required to involve our students as assistants, interns or with other learning and research opportunities,\" Kamnitz said.

Officials said program design is intentionally coordinated with employers and regional partners. Neufeld cited a San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation projection that the region must double postsecondary completions by 2030 — adding roughly 20,000 degree- or certificate-holders a year — to sustain local growth. The university described dual‑enrollment and accelerated tracks such as the SWIFT (Scholars and Wellness and Innovation Fast Track) three‑year program, which bundles college credit, internships and embedded certificates to speed graduation into high‑demand fields including mental‑health services.

University leaders told the committee they aim to increase engineering majors from roughly 300 to about 2,000 and stressed that most graduates remain in the region: \"Eight out of ten of our graduates tell us they stay in the region,\" Neufeld said. They said those local retention rates underpin the case for continued state investment in higher education and campus‑adjacent housing.

Members of the Assembly said the campus expansions and workforce partnerships demonstrate how state funding for the California State University system translates to regional economic benefits. The university asked lawmakers to sustain investments and highlighted existing partnerships with community colleges, K‑12 districts and military installations (Camp Pendleton) that supply students, interns and working‑age adults with nondegree pathways.

Cal State San Marcos also described plans for an Integrated Science and Engineering Building and stressed partnerships with employers to align curriculum to employer needs. The campus said many programs — from nursing to cybersecurity and renewable energy — have been launched or expanded in the past three years based on employer advisory input.

Looking ahead, university leaders urged continued collaboration with state policymakers on housing and workforce supports that they said will increase social mobility and help supply local employers with job‑ready graduates.","California State University San Marcos told a California State Assembly hearing that new campus housing, engineering capacity and workforce-aligned programs are intended to keep more graduates in the San Diego region and support local employers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Small-business leaders urge expanded technical assistance, regional COLA and targeted affordability zones to stem relocations

San Diego economy strong in life sciences and defense but faces permitting, housing and federal funding headwinds, panelist says

Cal State San Marcos outlines expanded housing, engineering and workforce programs to feed San Diego economy