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Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce
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Infrastructure
Efficient and Cost Effective Government in the City of Torrance
Traffic and Transportation
International Trade
Cultural Diversity
Safe Business Environment
Information Technology & Bio-Technology
Aerospace and Defense
Healthcare
Education/Work Force Training
California Growth, Housing, Real Estate & Land Use
Issue: As Torrance seeks to reshape its economy to compete effectively in the new millennium, it must strive to constantly improve its vital infrastructure systems, particularly in the areas of water.
Importance to the business community: These systems provide the foundation for accelerated business growth, increased capital investment and improved quality of life. Such improvements require significant investment, sound management and, in an increasing number of instances, creative partnership between the public and private sectors. As government budgets continue to shrink, spending priorities will become more important to identify and the business community must emphasize the importance of infrastructure investment.
The Chamber’s position: The Chamber supports :
- The use of special infrastructure-related taxpayer funds for the expressed purpose only and questions any transfer of such funds to general fund projects.
- Policies that encourage private sector investment and participation in
- Policies that encourage research and development of new technologies and/or transportation modes designed to decrease pollution/reduce congestion and increase efficiency, including the use of market alternatives for the introduction of new technologies or processes, wherever possible.
- Funding options for capital improvements that distribute general funding costs according to benefits, but that also allow for changing priorities (e.g. gas tax, general fund).
- Legislation, policies and projects designed to establish more reliable, long term Southern California water and power supplies.
- Policies that allow for the sensible expansion of LAX while promoting regional solutions to our growing transport needs.
- Business Improvement Districts, conceptually.
- A national pollution discharge elimination system.
Efficient and Cost Effective Government in the City of Torrance
Issue: The City of Torrance is entrusted with public funds and thus has a fiduciary responsibility to employ those funds as effectively and efficiently as possible in providing services that benefit its stakeholders. Those stakeholders include residents, business vendors and other agencies that may or may not be located with the City. Although the methods for achieving the same or better outcomes with fewer resources may vary, improved productivity will not occur unless it is pursued actively.
Importance to the business community: Businesses, which pay property, sales and other local taxes and fees, depend on the City to provide certain services and to engender a climate which is favorable to the business community. Businesses have a vital interest in seeing that the City’s resources are employed to attain the greatest benefit.
The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes that the City of Torrance has made a number of improvements in their services to the public, including, but not limited to some of the following items;
- In an effort to improve the overall permit process, the City of Torrance Building and Safety has brought Internet-enable permit and development information to its citizens, property owners and developers. Thus, online access is now available to review current parcel information, check the status of a permit, review parcel information, and apply online for a permit.
- The Engineering Department now provides a full range of technical support services including:
- Right-of-Way, Subdivision & County Assessor Maps
- Sewer, Storm Water, Torrance Water & Petroleum Lines Base Maps
- Computer Generated Maps (GIS)
- Aerial Photos
- Public Works Construction Standard Plans
- Survey Information
- Flood Zone Maps
- Public Right-of-Way Permits for Dumpsters, Street Use & Construction and Excavation
- Encroachment Agreements
- Right-of-Way, Subdivision & County Assessor Maps
- The Planning Department provides information online such items as Home Occupation Permits, and the summary of development standards for single family residential areas.
- The City Library offers online catalogues, homework helpers, and various online databases for the public.
- Online City Government Information is available including City Council contacts, council and commission agendas and minutes, legislative links, online video streaming of the city council meetings (live) and the Torrance Municipal Code.
The Chamber’s position: The Chamber supports the City of Torrance’s strategic priority of “Responsive, accountable, and cost-effective government” which includes: “An organizational review of City departments which is currently underway to determine whether program responsibilities and employee deployment align with the strategic plan”. Moreover, the Chamber believes that each department should review the cost of its function deliverables. The City should encourage each department to adopt a philosophy of measurement and continuous improvement.
The Chamber notes that the City has institute operation standards for the delivery of some services. Standards should be set that ensure quality, cost and timeliness of delivered services and internal operations.
The Chamber believes that evaluating opportunities for privatization and contracting out should be an ongoing and normal aspect of City government. The Chamber supports establishing criteria for evaluating and comparing costs of services provided by City employees and outside contractors. The City employees should be aware of how their costs compare with those of the private sector for the same work, and these comparisons should be used to reduce costs regardless of what entity performs the work. Outside contractors should be used when improvements in cost, quality and timeliness can be achieved.
The Chamber encourages merit as the criterion for hiring, retention and advancement of employees.
The Chamber supports the City in its continuing efforts to integrate the actions of departments when address issues that overlap departmental boundaries.
The Chamber believes that it is very important to maintain communications with City liaison personnel and encourages participation at Government Affairs meetings.
The Chamber recommends that the City establish a Quality and Productivity Commission comprised of business and other qualified professionals. The Commission would be charged with monitoring the progress of the City in improving the quality and effectiveness of its services. The activities of the Commission would include but not be limited to meeting with City officials from time to time, receiving reports, making suggestions and fostering projects aimed at improving quality and productivity.
Issue: Safe, convenient and efficient mobility of the public, goods and services is critical for the quality of life and for the strength of our economy. This would include traffic management, reduction of highway congestion, improved mobility, enhanced safety, improved air quality and alternative modes of transportation throughout the South Bay Cities.
Importance to the business Community: The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce believes the local economic enterprise requires an efficient, state of the art transportation system and infrastructure to succeed and prosper. With a surge in growth we must keep traffic running smoothly. Everything we do, buy, and interact with requires mobility. Without the capacity to move goods, people and services our economy and lifestyle will suffer.
The Chamber’s position:
* Support City of Torrance Government plan to manage a traffic system which allows business to move their products and services in a quick and efficient manner, yet maintain the overall community quality of life.
* Support City government that enhances traffic circulation through programs such as signal synchronization.
* Support the City bus system, senior ride programs, bicycle lanes and other alternative modes of transportation.
* Support existing parking code regulations and desirable enhancements for high growth areas of the City.
* Support policies that encourage research and development of new technologies and/or transportation modes designed to reduce pollution, congestion, and increase safety and efficiency.
* Support policies that promote Los Angeles Airport’s modernization of technology and security, while considering quality of life issues.
* Support usage of the Alameda Corridor to its fullest potential to alleviate local traffic from commercial carriers and reduce pollution.
* Support legislation and projects that fund our highway infrastructure at both local and state levels which will provide for long term care of our highways and increase our mobility for both business and personal use.
Issue: The “Global Marketplace” will continue to plays an increasingly important role in our lives. This should be particularly true in the commercially active, culturally diverse Los Angeles region. We should encourage participation in the growth of international trade as a critical element of our local business community’s success.
Importance to the business community: The international marketplace has proven to be an outstanding source of market expansion / revenue and, in some cases, low cost products for a wide spectrum of industries. The future of the South Bay’s business climate will be highly influenced by the degree we successfully reach out to these new markets and/or capitalize on the low cost supply chain for supplies and services they offer.
The Chamber’s position: The Chamber makes the following observations and/or supports:
- Free Trade Agreements that create fair competition with our trading partners.
- The South Bay’s proximity to or inclusion of the Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors, Los Angeles International Airport, the Alameda Corridor and an extensive interstate highway system offers excellent avenues to foster international trade. We should encourage local businesses to utilize these facilities as commercial discriminators.
- The Los Angeles and Long Beach World Trade Centers are also nearby. The Chamber should facilitate the availability of their trade contacts and related sources to our local businesses.
- We do live in a culturally diverse environment, particularly with respect to the Latin American and Asian communities. Business people with roots in these communities are especially well positioned to initiate and expand trade into their related markets. Programs should be developed to foster this activity and to develop models for process transfer to the entire community.
- A long term commitment to international trade will involve tomorrow’s business leaders. With that in mind, we should work closely with our local schools, training center, colleges and universities to help prepare an emerging workforce with globally oriented business horizons.
- The local community at large should be encouraged to be supportive of international trade in all possible ways. The Chamber has initiated several informational and educational programs and committees, including the Cultural Involvement Task Force and the International Business Committee. We should build on those successes and expand the scope of their efforts.
- The Chamber should take the lead in organizing ‘Trade Missions’ to the nations that offer the best possibilities for market expansion and/or low cost sources of supply for our business community. These kinds of efforts should have clear goals and objectives and specific follow-up plans. A communication method/system should be created to transmit process/procedure and relationship development information to our members.
Issue: Cultural diversity’s vital to the continued prosperity of both Torrance and the South Bay.
Importance to the business community: Recognizing and enhancing the cultural diversity of our community is a must to:
- Improve our competitiveness in the South Bay and internationally
- Bring the community together as one team
- Develop an image of caring and inclusion
- Establish Torrance as the place businesses want to be
The Chamber’s position: The Chamber supports:
- Inclusion, recognition and integration of diverse cultures in our business community
- Local, state and national positive cultural diversity programs
- Partnering with other organizations to achieve diversity
- Cross-cultural marketing to enhance awareness in the community and increased TACC membership
- An expansion of events such as Black History Celebration, Dragon Circle Chinese New Year and the Japanese Business Reception to embrace all cultures in our community
Issue: Providing a safe and secure environment is vital to the stability and continued prosperity of both the City of Torrance and the South Bay area.
Importance to the business community: Because of our unique location – proximity to a major airport (LAX), the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, Los Angeles Air Force Base and many defense contractors – we must insure that businesses are secure and safe from any form of serious damage and loss of life caused by a local/national security breach, natural catastrophe and/or a terrorist attack.
The Chamber’s position: The Chamber supports:
- Community and business awareness on emergency/safety procedures. These may include: 1.Partnering with Police, Fire, First Response personnel, HAZMAT, Homeland Security and other organizations promoting security measures. 2.Sponsoring discussions/meetings on public safety with local businesses and other South Bay chambers. 3.Exploring the creation of a security coalition consisting of chamber members and elected officials/legislators.
- Earthquake preparedness inclusive of a South Bay communications plan.
- Active communication with all levels of elected officials and attendance at pertinent functions/meetings relating to Homeland Security.
- Active lobbying for appropriate funding and resources for First Respondents, HAZMAT, Medical, Police and Fire departments.
- Tax incentives, financial aid or grants for those businesses that create or develop computer software, communications systems or products specific to safety/security processes, procedures and/or preparedness.
- Programs to reduce vagrancy, jobless and homeless.
- Programs to reduce gang activity and juvenile delinquency, including graffiti and school absenteeism.
- Local, state and national notification/press releases of all positive aspects of local crime prevention and reduction.
Information Technology & Bio-Technology
Issue: The economy of the South Bay and Torrance area, as part of the Southern California’s economy, particularly the high-technology sectors (including the Information Technology or IT and Bio-Technology or Biotech), has been severely affected by the slowdown in California, U.S. and world economics. Although there are exceptions (such as Alpine Electronics).
Traditionally, California’s status as the nation’s top exporting state has been fueled largely by exports of high-tech goods, including aerospace, computer, electronic, and biotech products. Throughout 2001 and 2002, California’s high-tech exports have decreased more than 25 percent with the now falling behind Texas in total exports. (We should hasten to add that there are always exceptions. An example is Torrance-based Alpine Electronics which has been growing at 20% per year over the past few years).
This position paper will address the issue of high tech industries excluding the aerospace segment. In particular, the IT and Biotech segments.
Importance to the business community: While California is still the leading state in high-tech industry production and employment, it is losing competitiveness. Given the current economic situation, the Legislature and business leaders, including the Chamber, believe it is time to start looking for innovative ways to help stimulate California’s technology industry.
Although not perceived as a strong high tech area in comparison to the Silicon Valley or San Diego, the Los Angeles basin including Orange County and South Bay – Torrance area traditionally is one of the high tech centers in the State of California.
Case-In-Point:
- There are already well established “bed” of hot high tech IT and Biotech companies in South Bay – Torrance area.
- There are reputable high tech investment related firms in South Bay - Torrance area like DynaFund Ventures
- There is a very reputable IT high tech consortium based in South Bay – Torrance area, i.e., Southern California Software Council
- There is a very reputable Biotech research center based in South Bay – Torrance area, i.e., Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
- Finally, since South Bay – Torrance is the center of linkage between Southern California and Pacific Rim Countries (Japan, Taiwan and China) many major international firms are based here: Toyota Motors, Honda Motors, Nissan Motors, Giant Bicycles, just to name a few.
Given the above well established IT and Biotech segments, it is important to recognize that the IT and Biotech are key high technologies for South Bay – Torrance, and are the issues of crucial importance to the Chamber, the City of Torrance and the South Bay in general.
The Chamber’s position: In light of the importance of IT and Biotech industry segments, the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce makes the following observations and recommendations:
- Because most high-tech industries are science-based and knowledge-intensive they need a close connection to major universities and research units, as well as to a large pool of technical and scientific labor. It is imperative to keep the Harbor UCLA Medical Center in the South Bay to further our thriving Biotech industry.
- The risk (and promise) of investment in the new field of IT and Biotech requires the existence of venture capital in the region, that is both a functions of a high level of wealth and of an entrepreneurial culture oriented toward non-traditional financial markets. Any assistance to such firms in South Bay or Torrance will be very beneficial.
- The process of production in high-tech industries in general, and in microelectronics in particular (such as GCS in Torrance), is highly discrete and can be easily separated in time and space between its research and design, fabrication, assembly and testing functions. There is a hierarchical division of labor across space, and the need for all activities to be located in a good position in a communications network. It will be important to involve the SDRC to participate training and developing employment forces of such high quality technical skills.
- Finally, the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce shall be given the role to serve as the catalyst to link and promote business interests of High Technology companies by:
- Providing a vehicle to meet and understand our customers, partners and competitors.
- Providing a forum to surface issues and advocate positions that are friendly to High Technology companies.
- Encouraging other technology companies to establish business in South Bay – Torrance area.
- Educating the community working with other technology organizations about technology issues.
(Non-Aerospace) High Tech Industry in South Bay – Torrance and Nearby Areas
Information Technology – Hardware
- Global Communications Semiconductor (World Leading Wafer Foundry for GAS and communication RF chips, Torrance)
- Alpine Electronics (Consumer Electronics, Torrance)
- Aetas (Laser Printer Engine, originally in Torrance, later moved to Irvine)
- MEMGen (Micromachine Processing Technology, Torrance)
- Optinetrics (Electro-Optical Communication Components, Torrance)
- Franklin Technology Systems (Fixed Wireless Networking Service Provider in Torrance, where a TACC member among its executive team)
Information Technology – Software
- Southern California Software Council (Torrance)
- Computer Science Corporation (El Segundo)
- Micro-Trend Corporation (Anti-virus Software, originally in Torrance, later moved to Japan
Bio-Technology
- UCLA Harbor General Hospital (Torrance/Carson)
- Southern California Biomedical Council (Los Angeles)
- Bachem (Production of peptides, research and GMP grades, Torrance)
High Tech Venture Capital Investment Related Firms
- DynaFund Ventures (Professionally managed VC fund, $230MM under management, based in Torrance)
- LandHo Ventures (a private angel fund, based in Torrance)
- NewCap Partners (a professionally managed high tech Investment Banker, based in LAX area, very close to South Bay – Torrance
Issue: Aerospace and Defense has been and should be one of America’s and the South Bay’s leading economic sectors for year to come. Superior technological commercial and defense products play a significant role in the continuance of the U.S. economy and political agenda as a world leader. Given the number of South Bay businesses and workers in these technology intensive industries, the region should continue to support and capitalize on this sector.
Importance to the business community: Many major aerospace and defense companies have their roots in this region and/or have established a significant presence. In addition, Los Angeles AFB provides a major economic boost to the area. The companies, LAAFB and it’s companion company, The Aerospace Corp., have helped to form a highly educated and highly skilled workforce with jobs ranging from research and development engineer and scientists to manufacturing line workers. These companies require a large group of diverse businesses to support their activities. This industry will spawn a transformation of technology to a wide range of industries and should power a high growth – high technology regional economy.
The Chamber’s position: The Chamber believes it is vital for the South Bay that the aerospace and defense industries continue to prosper and retain their leading roles, and, therefore, supports:
- Policies that encourage the growth and development of science and technology.
- Appropriate levels of government funding for research and development of emerging technologies.
- The modernization and retention of the Los Angeles LFB as headquarters for the Space and Missile Command.
- Improvement of the export licensing process to have a good balance between protection of our national security interests and a desire to keep our industry competitive in the global marketplace.
- Continued development of a highly educated workforce, particularly in math, science and engineering and policies that support, recognize, reward and encourage scientists, engineers and technology developers.
- Legislation and incentives that reduce the cost of doing business in California.
Issue: Adequate healthcare insurance coverage in the United States has become critical. Contributing to the problem is the soaring cost of health care. Rising health care costs are attributed to the increasing elderly population as well as new and improved technology and pharmaceuticals. The unfortunate paradox of American healthcare is that while we have created state-of-the-art technology and excellent care for some, millions are not assured access.
Based on a report from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, over six million children and non-elderly adults in California were uninsured for all or part of the year 2001. Having health coverage is largely a result of access to employer-sponsored health and Medicare benefits. Employment-based health insurance coverage is critical in covering almost two-thirds of all non-elderly adults and children in California. In contrast, among adult employees who were uninsured all year, 68% work for employers who offered no health benefits.
The uninsured are overwhelmingly low and moderate income working families and individuals without access to affordable coverage or coverage through their employer. More than eight in ten uninsured adults and children are in working families.
*Based on finding from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey through the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the Public Health Institute.
Importance to the business community: Soaring healthcare costs are passed on the businesses that provide insurance for their employees. Large employers are better equipped to absorb these ever growing cost increases however, healthcare costs are an extreme burden for the small business owner making it difficult to remain viable and provide employees with needed healthcare coverage.
Lack of insurance adversely affects the health and well being of adults and children. In times of economic downturn, the increased number of those lacking healthcare coverage places unbearable strains on the entire healthcare system of private hospitals, community based organizations and other government funded healthcare programs. Without insurance, people delay in obtaining care for a variety of health issues from preventive care to chronic or long term illnesses. The cost of businesses is missed work time or productivity.
The Chamber’s position: California currently faces a difficult fiscal challenge. California, especially Los Angeles County, has an increasingly large number of people who lack health insurance, at the same time the state has a large shortfall in tax revenues.
The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce acknowledges the importance of adequate health care coverage for all Californians. However, California businesses already face additional costs for increased worker’s compensation insurance, unemployment insurance and paid family leave. When healthcare insurance is added, small businesses may become unable to absorb these fees. Policies, which support public health coverage, need to address the issues facing small businesses.
The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce opposes legislation that mandates employers to provide health care coverage or to pay a state fee to subsidize insurance for workers whose employers do not provide the benefit. Rather than force small businesses to pay, the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce supports the position taken by the California Chamber of Commerce for the state to offer financial incentives to small businesses that provide insurance for their employees. We do believe that universal health care coverage is important for the health and well being for all adults and children, and we encourage that the State work together with business leaders and healthcare experts to examine ways to insure all Californians.
Issue: The Torrance Unified School District is the public school system responsible for educating students in grades kindergarten through twelve within the city of Torrance. Their primary goal is to provide a high quality instructional program to an economically and culturally diverse population in a safe and secure environment. The learning opportunities are extended through close working relationships with Southern California Regional Occupational Center (SCROC), Harbor and El Camino Community Colleges, and Cal State Dominguez Hills. We should encourage/support their efforts whenever possible in the attainment of their primary goal and extended opportunities.
Importance to the business community: Public school systems play an important role in the preparation of future workers and consumers in the community. It is in the best interest of the business community to be involved in setting expectations and assisting in the development of high quality individuals who will enter the workforce upon high school graduation or will be prepared to succeed in higher education.
The Chamber’s position: The Chamber supports the efforts of TUSD in fulfilling its responsibility to the community. The Chamber believes the public schools should set high standards of student achievement and develop programs, provide training, and secure materials to assist in attainment of goals. Through the efforts of the Chamber’s Foundation, events such as Educator Recognition Programs, Business for a Day events, and the highly successful Adopt-A-School programs are possible.
The Chamber understands public schools operate under funding and program mandates instituted by Federal and State agencies. The Chamber believes in local control and supports a strong Board of Education advocating for students in their community. The business community must support local control of the public school system in order to be assured of the production of a high quality workforce.
The Chamber encourages creative thinking in the school district’s fulfillment of its objectives. In addition to instruction, facilities and assets must be maintained and kept current. The Chamber also believes it is important to stay connected to local education systems with school district participation in the Chamber structure.
California Growth, Housing, Real Estate & Land Use
Issue: California’s population growth, adequate housing, the real estate market, and land use decisions will be interlocked major issues at the state and local level for at least the next decade. The projected population growth of California through 2025 and the recent historical limited increase in housing supply is expected to create extreme pressures on adequate housing supply and land use decisions. This in turn will put significant political pressure on our state, county and city governments to address conflicting priorities and political opinions. The policies that are set and decisions that are made by these three levels of government will affect the character, economy, and business environment of the city, region, and state. The preservation of the free market of real estate with minimal regulations and taxes will be essential to provide adequate housing and commercial real estate uses.
Importance to the business community: The population of California is expected to grow to 50 million by 2025. This is the equivalent of adding the entire population of Iowa, approximately 3 million people, every five years. Further, the growth of the population by natural increases will exceed that of immigration. This will require 250,000 new jobs, 200,000 new housing units, and 1,700 new classrooms each year. If current trends in housing and land use continue, California will not meet the needs of the population for adequate housing. An extreme shortage of housing will exist and affect the market and supply of the workforce for employers. In addition, the local and regional availability of housing for employees will be limited which will significantly affect transportation infrastructure, traffic congestion, and hence pollution. Finally, land use policies for businesses and schools will be affected.
At the same time that population growth has increased demand for housing, political decisions and factors have developed which have restricted the growth in supply of housing to meet the demand. Local governments have authority through various commissions, including planning and building and safety commissions; general plans; zoning regulations; real estate regulations; and taxes to affect and influence the appearance of the community, land use, and the real estate market. However, over the last decade, a trend has developed which has begun to limit the ability of local governments make land use decisions and hence provide adequate housing and balanced real estate uses. Three factors have influenced this trend.
First, popular political opinion has settled on limiting urban growth, both in outlying areas of cities and in-fill or redevelopment of mature communities. This has resulted in market forces relegating new growth to outlying areas even more remote to socio-economic centers and hence increased traffic and pollution. The growth limits affect all areas of real estate use, including residential and commercial. These are often seen in the form of urban growth boundaries, slow opposition to approval of any real estate project at local government hearings.
Torrance has been no exception to this trend. The city is a mature community with an aging housing supply and commercial district that will, over the natural course of time, require continuing redevelopment. To a large extend, City of Torrance has a good plan and a number of ordinances that will preserve and grow, within some timeframes, the housing supply and real estate redevelopment. However, vigilance will be required to preserve this given the no-growth trend, as evidenced by local opposition to a number of recent projects such as mixed uses in the Del Amo business district. Torrance will need to continue to protect and update its plan in order to prevent an overall loss of housing units.
Second, certain political groups within the state have come together to create land use policies and a general business climate that limits real estate development in favor of so-called environmental preservation. While there is a need for real and balanced environmental preservation and laws, the current situation in California has severely limited the development of projects across all areas of real estate use, again including residential and commercial.
Third, the state government, in response to political opinion of limited growth and the agenda of the environmental lobby and facing housing shortages, has attempted to craft laws and regulations to address these conflicting issues. The practical effect, however, has been an increase in laws and regulations that affect the desirability and ease of real estate development and redevelopment. This combined with policies and ordinances in some cities has resulted in new multi-family construction approaching a historical low. These laws and regulations have also moved the decision-making process from local government to state government, a loss of local control seen in many other areas of state and local policy.
For example, in 2001, 2002 and 2003 legislation was proposed requiring every city, county, or local agency to adopt urban growth boundaries and zones and plan for development only within those boundaries. Various versions of the legislation also required cities to fix certain percentages of housing to be affordable to low-income households. As is typical of legislation that has conflicting priorities, the effect is the opposite of its intended result. In this case, not every city is in the same stage of development and requiring every city to adopt growth boundaries is not effective policy. In addition, limiting the free market of real estate by fixing low income housing costs through rents or sales prices will likely further suppress growth in supply.
In the final analysis, the real estate market is a free-market that can self-correct with minimal regulation. The lack of affordability in both home prices and rents in the California housing market has been due to increasing demand and the inadequacy of growth in supply through political opinion and regulations. This has put tremendous political pressure on state and local governments to address the issue; hence the voice of business needs to be heard.
The Chamber’s position: The character and hence the desirability of the community for businesses and residents alike is dependent on policies that affect the development of real estate. A mix of residential, commercial, and industrial land uses is favorable to a desirable community and health economy. In addition, land reuse and land redevelopment are essential to a continuing healthy economy.
Balanced land use policies combined with a free and open real estate market with minimal regulations are essential to the success of any community and local economy. Limits on the rights of property owners and investors to own and develop real estate in uses that support their business goals can have a negative impact on the local economy and business prosperity. Regulations and taxes that impede the free and open real estate market can hinder and raise the costs of transactions that enable businesses and employees to locate locally. An adequate supply of safe and varied housing is essential to support a diverse workforce.
The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce supports:
- The preservation and protection of private property rights.
- Balanced land use and zoning laws that promote the ability of property owners and investors to develop and redevelop their land.
- A free and open real estate market with minimal regulation and taxation.
- Incentives and market forces instead of mandatory regulatory controls including low income housing targets and price and rent controls in order to achieve desired land use objectives such as affordable housing.
- Policies that encourage land redevelopment, land reuse, and urban in-fill development consistent with economic vitality.
- Policies that promote private home ownership.
- The preservation of the mortgage interest deduction and Proposition 13 for all property owners including commercial residential, corporate and individual interests.
- The preservation of local control in land use decision-making.
- The preservation of general plan law.
- Greater certainty in project approval process and land use policies.
- Streamlined permit processes.
- An end to environmental litigation abuse.
- Policies that promote adequate transportation infrastructure.