There is much to admire about the City of Santa Rosa. Located in the heart of Sonoma County, the city’s vibrant culinary scene, stunning natural landscapes and rich cultural history are a few of the many reasons that make it not only a prime destination for visitors, but for residents and communities to live and thrive for generations.
Above all else, the city’s supportive local government, educational programs and large, diverse workforce make it the optimal place for businesses to launch, expand and prosper.
Being declared the Best Business-Friendly City in the North Bay indicates that public-service providers’ hard work is paying off, according to Deputy Director of Financial Development Raissa de la Rosa. “It’s gratifying to have this acknowledgment that our efforts are landing—that we’re hearing the needs and responding with a degree of success. And it’s also a positive reminder to always keep trying to do better,” says de la Rosa.
Though it may have a small-town vibe, Santa Rosa is the fifth largest city in the Bay Area—and the largest of the region north of San Francisco—with a population nearing 180,000. The city is a North Bay hub for a range of industries including technology manufacturing, retail, banking and wine.
Santa Rosa’s commitment to education and workforce development also contributes to its business-friendly reputation. The city is home to Santa Rosa Junior College, which offers career and technical education programs designed to prepare students for the local workforce. Another education institution within the city, Empire College, offers further vocational training.
“Regionally, Santa Rosa has the greatest capacity for a sustainable cycle of economic activity where businesses continually feed off one another and grow as the economy grows,” says de la Rosa. “From a policy and operations standpoint, the city understands this and is forward thinking about enabling and accommodating this.”
De la Rosa explains that the city’s adaptive management approach was particularly helpful as the pandemic took its toll on local businesses. The city looked back to a previous emergency, the 2017 fires, to determine how they could improve in terms of services and support. “The city had the muscle memory and instinctive senses to respond and to continue to iterate from a program and policy perspective in partnership with our business community,” says de la Rosa. “We’re witnessing the continued resiliency of Santa Rosa businesses and their ability to adjust, accommodate or modify within the ever-changing landscape of these past few years.”
As it has always done, the City of Santa Rosa will evolve with its community. Supporting businesses of any and all sizes to encourage growth and success is what the best business-friendly city in the North Bay will continue to do.
