ECONOMY, JOBS & COMMUNITY ON THE REBOUND Santa Monica relishes its robust and diverse local economy. Established companies and unique startups are attracted here for our energetic workforce, resilient business environment, available venture capital and overall quality of life. The unexpected events of 2020 change none of that. In fact, the enthusiasm and creative stamina that is Santa Monica’s mainstay remains intact. Santa Monica’s Deputy City Manager and Director of Policy Anuj Gupta acknowledges the scope of recent events. “Our community at large and I think, in particular, our business community has faced an unprecedented challenge through the (new coronavirus) pandemic and closures,” Gupta says, “Certainly, the events of May 31st added a whole new dimension of challenges particularly for those impacted businesses, and I think also for the community overall. But I think it’s also an opportunity for us to demonstrate together the resilience and the strength of Santa Monica.” Gupta says the attitude and drive for recovery kicked in immediately. “Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis we have seen really a new level of partnership and of collaboration; of our partners stepping up and all of us working together in new ways and with all the logistical challenges the new coronavirus entails. We quickly established as a city an economic recovery task force to get them the guidance they need.” Gupta says it’s been a joint effort with
Established companies and unique startups are attracted here for our energetic workforce, resilient business environment, available venture capital and overall quality of life.
20 I
SA N TA M O N I C A C H A M B E R O F CO M M E R C E
I
2020-2021 B U S I N E S S , R E LO C AT I O N & CO M M U N I T Y G U I D E
YOUR CHAMBER IS HERE FOR YOU As our city, county and state reopen, the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce is here to assist in helping you make the best out of these unprecedented times. Recommended protocols and procedures relating to COVID-19 are dynamic so it remains crucial to stay informed. Please visit the Chamber website to find local resources and webinars to assist you. Links to city and state-specific details can also be found via the Chamber website. Above all, stay calm, stay informed and stay healthy. Remember, we are all in this together.
