Programs and Services

Business Financing

The City of Berkeley may be able to assist you in obtaining financing for business expansion and other business needs.  The City's Revolving Loan Fund can provide limited financing in situations where private financing is unavailable and when the loan will result in increased jobs.  For details, visit Business Finance.  

Civic Arts

Civic Arts supports the Berkeley arts community in partnership with the Civic Arts Commission.  Areas of interest are cultural tourism, art marketing, and community development.  Two key initiatives are the Civic Arts Grants and the Public Art Program which includes the Addison Street Windows Gallery and other City galleries. For more information visit Civic Arts.

Commercial District Revitalization and Development

We work with a number of merchant associations to develop and revitalize commercial districts.  We also administer several Business Improvement Districts (BID's).  BID's are special assessment districts where businesses and property owners pay annual assessments for improvements to their district.

Economic Analysis

Our staff compiles, maintains and analyzes data on Berkeley’s economy.  Staff tracks and reports key indicators, such as retail vacancy rates or sales per square foot, on a regular basis. To obtain these reports, please visit our Presentations and Reports section. 

Our community is committed to combining economic development goals with the goals of improving environmental performance and social equity. In order to achieve these objectives, our green business initiatives have two focus areas. We sponsor a number of programs that improve the environmental performance of businesses and reduce their operating costs. We also market Berkeley as a place to grow and locate businesses that put environmental quality at the core of the firm’s mission and provide quality jobs. Visit our Green Business section for more information.

Location Assistance

We assist businesses who want to move to or expand in Berkeley find suitable locations. Staff works closely with commercial brokers and property owners to monitor available sites suited for particular business types. Contact us at 510-981-7530 or ecodev@cityofberkeley.info.

Our staff is available to help troubleshoot the permit process as issues arise. For more information on requirements for a specific location, visit the City's Permit Service Center at 2120 Milvia Street in Berkeley. Additional information can also be found at the City of Berkeley's Planning Department at: www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/planning.