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Draft EDE Implementation: 
How partnerships are helping to grow our local workforce - and our economy
Highlights of Some Accomplishments Thus Far

A computer science degree in three years. Increased opportunities for a college education. These are two examples of the power of partnerships in growing our economy - specifically, by growing the skills of our workforce.

Offered by Hartnell College and CSUMB, CSin3 helps low-income students complete a bachelor's degree in computer science in just three years, so they can spend less time getting an education - and more time working in a good job. Recently, 22 students from the first cohort of the CSin3 program graduated from CSUMB. They finish college ready for careers in technology, particularly in the growing Salinas agtech industry.

Each CSin3 student receives a full scholarship from the Matsui Foundation so they can focus on their schoolwork, without having to worry about tuition costs. Coursework is completed at both CSUMB and Hartnell College.

Of the 34 students who enrolled in fall 2013, 22 finished their degree in three years and six more are set to graduate during the 2016-2017 school year. Three other cohorts are currently going through the program.

You can learn more about CSin3 in this San Jose Mercury News story or this Monterey Herald story.

Making College More Accessible
CSUMB is working to make a college education more accessible to people in Salinas.
CSUMB at North Salinas will open in the fall of 2016 at the former site of Heald College on North Main Street. CSUMB acquired the property in February.

Classes offered will be part of the Extended Education program. Future offerings may include courses in computer science, nursing and agtech, developed in partnership with Hartnell.

This new site is in addition to CSUMB at City Center at 1 Main St., which was purchased last year and recently reopened after undergoing renovations. It too will offer Extended Education programs, along with faculty lectures, exhibits and performances. CSUMB at City Center will also continue to house the National Steinbeck Center.

Partnerships like CSUMB and Hartnell are central to Salinas' economic development strategy, as envisioned in the draft Economic Development Element (EDE) of the City's General Plan.

The draft EDE is an award-winning strategy for economic growth. It identifies the goals, objectives and policies needed to guide future public and private sector actions in pursuit of a more prosperous and healthy Salinas. The EDE has three main focus areas: Workforce and Education, Land Use, and Quality of Life and Public Services (see figure to left). The potential outcome from investment in each of the areas is economic prosperity for Salinas through safety, jobs, and health.

Current Status of EDE

The draft version of the EDE was accepted by the Salinas City Council in January 2015. While some aspects of the plan are subject to an environmental review, there are many elements that do not require review and are being implemented now. Following is a list of some of the EDE programs and projects that are currently underway:

Land Use, Circulation and Infrastructure
  • Downtown Vibrancy Plan implementation: Awarded contract for Target Housing Market Study to guide the re-zoning of public parking lot for residential and mixed-use development
  • Initiation of Alisal Vibrancy Plan/Alisal Marketplace: Reviewing four proposals received to prepare the Plan
  • Analyzing creation of Enhanced Infrastructure Finance District for the Salinas Ag-Industrial Center (Uni-Kool property)
Workforce and Education
  • Investment in the agtech ecosystem by attracting and supporting entrepreneurs and startup firms in agtech and related industries through partnerships with Western Growers Association and the THRIVE Accelerator
  • Provided over $1 million in funding through the Grow Salinas Fund to assist the expansion of four businesses that resulted in the creation of 55 jobs
  • Hartnell College Career Pathways in health care, computer programming and agtech
  • CSUMB and Hartnell College: 2+2 Agri-business & 2+1 Computer Technology degrees
  • CSUMB purchase of Steinbeck Center & Heald College
Quality of Life
  • Public Works projects
  • Monterey County Health Department Nutrition Education Obesity Prevention program conducted Train the Trainer workshops for participants to learn and provide nutrition and physical activity education to community residents
  • The County Health Department also partnered with Building Healthy Communities to conduct surveys of East Alisal businesses about improving safety through environmental design (ie: visibility into storefronts, lighting, murals, etc; aka CEPTED).

What's Next?
A public review draft of the environmental impact report will be available late 2016. The Salinas City Council will consider adopting the draft EDE in early 2017. EDE programs and projects that do not need environmental review will continue.

For more information, or to read the whole EDE Implementation update, please click here.

City of Salinas | 200Lincoln Ave, Salinas, CA 93901 | Email | Website
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