Prosperous and Just Economy

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Our Approach

Santa Clara County is the heart of a vibrant, prosperous, and just regional economy. The County cultivates green industries and jobs that produce goods and provide services that benefit the environment or that involve making production processes more environmentally friendly. The County aims to:

Address economic insecurity, a cornerstone of community resilience and climate adaptation;
Prioritize local hiring, small businesses, and living wage economies;
Invest in youth and historically marginalized communities, building pipelines out of poverty and matching County residents with high-quality employment opportunities;
Prioritize purchasing that advances environmental, social, and economic sustainability; and
Promote leadership and learning among County employees and community members, cultivating a culture of sustainability and transforming the systems and structures that perpetuate inequities.

Projects that the County of Santa Clara is undertaking to correct these inequities include:

Establishment of a cross-system Reentry Network and development of the Santa Clara County Adult Reentry Strategic Plan;
Creation of the Reentry Resource Center that provides services to formerly incarcerated Santa Clara County residents;
Establishment of an Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement to promote and establish a fair and healthy economy for workers, businesses, and residents through the enforcement of local, state, and federal labor laws and ordinances;
Juvenile justice fee elimination;
Development and adoption of a Sustainable Purchasing Policy to promote sustainable procurement and investment; and
Implementation of a Countywide Race and Equity Initiative, including establishing an umbrella Division of Equity and Social Justice to include Offices of LGBTQ Affairs, Immigrant Relations, Women’s Policy and Cultural Competency.

Current Efforts

Santa Clara County has often been touted as one of the most desirable places to live and work, with a wide diversity of cultures, backgrounds, and talents working together to build a strong local economy. The benefits of this thriving economy, however, are not felt by all equally. For example, the average Latino household in Santa Clara County earns approximately half ($60,000) of what Asian households earn in a year ($114,000; bit.ly/racecounts). Likewise, the historically marginalized communities end up carrying most of the burden that comes with this prosperity. Instances of wage theft and unfair labor practices continue to occur, and limited opportunities for prosperity are available to minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ communities. Furthermore, high housing costs and limited housing stock has translated to long commutes for workers, additional road congestion, and increased pollution from motor vehicles.

The Issue

Builds financial security and prosperity for all

and promotes leadership and collaboration.

Goal #7. Prosperous County

Cultivate a prosperous and economically vibrant County

that builds career pipelines to match County residents

with job opportunities through education, training, and resources.

Goal #8. Lead by Example

Leverage the County’s resources and influence to advance sustainability,

strengthen internal operations and responsiveness, and lead by example.