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April 30, 2024 | ISSUE #36

NEWS & UPDATES

"Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit." - Conrad Hilton

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COMMUNITY EVENTS

UPCOMING AND A LOOK BACK

On Saturday, June 22nd, ECD will join the Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce and other community leaders for the annual FamFest event in Ashland! The festival will run from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM at the Reach Ashland Youth Center and will feature unincorporated area vendors, activities, live music, and additional entertainment. The event is free and open to the public, so please join us for this annual celebration!

Members of the ECD team celebrate the start of the 2019 FamFest

The annual FamFest event outside the Reach Ashland Youth Center

SHOWTIME IN SAN LORENZO

In July, ECD and the Chamber will once again host the Showtime in San Lorenzo event in the downtown area of the unincorporated San Lorenzo community! As in previous years, the Showtime event will feature area vendors and attractions while paying tribute to the iconic and soon-to-be renovated Lorenzo Theater. The event will end with a family movie screened outdoors in the evening. Stay tuned for an official event date and location coming soon!

The mascot from the movie Abominable poses at the 2019 Showtime

Community attendees climb a rock wall at a previous Showtime event

Learn More About These Upcoming Events

BUSINESS NETWORKING

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MIXER

On April 25th, the Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce hosted their monthly mixer at Canyons Barbeque in Castro Valley! Located at 3341 Castro Valley Blvd, this location proudly serves a wide variety of menu options for residents throughout Alameda County's unincorporated area. The event welcomed Chamber members and community representatives, and also featured a raffle that awarded prizes donated by Chamber-affiliated businesses!

Learn More About Upcoming Chamber Mixers

NEW COMMUNITY EVENT

MARKETPLACE MONTHLY MIXER

Mark your calendars for the "MMM" Marketplace Monthly Mixer on the 2nd Thursday of each month at the Castro Valley Marketplace! Each Mixer runs from 5:00 - 8:00 PM and features food samples, live music, art installations, and entertainment for kids. The event is free, but sliding scale donations from $2-$10 are encouraged.


The next Mixer will take place on Thursday, May 9th, so come join other members of the Castro Valley community for this special event!

Explore the Castro Valley Marketplace

NEW BUSINESS PROGRAM

SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

Last month, the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) launched a new $25 million Technical Assistance for Capital Readiness program. This federally-funded initiative will help facilitate over 40,000 new loans over five years for small businesses who meet the following criteria:


  • Businesses with fewer than 10 employees
  • Businesses located in underserved communities
  • Small manufacturing companies


The new initiative will also help businesses access capital through skills-building and program awareness, while supporting the deployment of $1.1 billion in federal money for capital support programs that will be leveraged by state lenders to spur $18 billion in new small business loans over the next five years.

Learn More About the CalOSBA Program

Business Spotlight | Quick Quack Car Wash

Get Your Car Nice And Clean For Spring!

LOCATION

17945 Hesperian Blvd.

San Lorenzo, CA 94580


CALL

(888) 772-2792


HOURS

Monday - Sunday

7:00 AM - 9:00 PM


WEBSITE

www.dontdrivedirty.com/location/san-lorenzo

Business Resources | Small Business Trainings

One of our amazing partner organizations - the East Bay Small Business Development Center (SBDC) - offers development trainings for current and prospective small business owners! Trainings take place every month and cover a variety of topics aimed at starting, growing, and promoting your business. Classes in May include:


  • Marketing Your Business
  • Brick & Mortar Retailing Basics
  • Legal Issues For Small Businesses
  • Digital Marketing
  • Spanish Language Business Workshop


Visit the East Bay SBDC events page to keep abreast of upcoming trainings and classes throughout the rest of 2024!

Visit the East Bay SBDC Events Page

Upcoming Public Meetings | Civic Participation

Ensure that your voice is heard by taking part in these upcoming Alameda County community meetings!

CASTRO VALLEY MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

Land Use Meeting: Monday, May 13 - Virtual

General Purpose Meeting: Monday, May 20 - Castro Valley Library

Land Use Meeting: Tuesday, May 28 - Virtual


EDEN AREA MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

Regular Meeting: Tuesday, May 14 - San Lorenzo Library


FAIRVIEW MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

Regular Meeting: Tuesday, May 7 - Castro Valley Library


SUNOL CITIZENS ADVISORY COUNCIL

Regular Meeting: Wednesday, May 15 - Sunol Glen School Cafeteria


UNINCORPORATED SERVICES COMMITTEE

Regular Meeting: Wednesday, May 22 - San Lorenzo Library

Click Here for Agendas & More Info

Community Events & Resources

Visit the CVBDSP Website

Alameda County’s Administrative Minor Use Permit program – or AiMUP – has streamlined certain permitting for eligible businesses in the unincorporated area and assists in COVID recovery efforts. This allows for the approval of business permits for uses such as:


  • Outdoor dining, retail, and personal services
  • Community facilities
  • Pop-up spaces
  • Mobile food/retail
  • Musical performances


It only takes 5-10 days for most businesses to receive their permits through this program!

Click For More Information
Apply For An AiMUP 

MOBILE CITIZEN APP


Alameda County utilizes a Mobile Citizen app that allows the public to report potholes, graffiti, and illegal dumping to the County's Public Works Agency. The app can be downloaded by searching "mobile citizen" in your phone's app store.

Visit the Mobile Citizen Page to Learn More

Click Here For More Information

The Collective Corner

Get Involved With Your Business Community



Come learn, share & network with your fellow businesses!

Curious about your Eden Area Business Community?

Join the Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce!

Contact Gary Slate | gary@castrovalleychamber.com


Is your business located in Ashland or Cherryland?

Join the Eden Area Business Collective (EABC) Next Meeting TBD | Online

Contact Gary Slate | gary@castrovalleychamber.com


How about in San Lorenzo?

Join the San Lorenzo Business Alliance Next Meeting 5/23/24 | In-Person

Contact Janella Anguiano | janella_sells@yahoo.com

Learn More About Chamber Events

Business Resources

Have You Met PAM?


PAM is an interactive public access map that allows users to check the zoning of any business or residents in the Unincorporated County.


If you own or are looking to purchase property, it's important to know what uses can and cannot take place!

Zoning Map

Sponsored By:

Our unincorporated community boundaries can be confusing! It is important to verify your location when opening or relocating a business.



Check out the Community Locator below!

Community Locator

Download Your

Business Welcome Packet



Your guide to doing business in unincorporated Alameda County.

Available in English, Spanish & Chinese!

English Packet
Spanish Packet
Chinese Packet

We are on Instagram! @Explore_UnincorpALCO


Have a great place to share? Tag us on Instagram!

Alameda County Economic & Civic Development Department

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