UpTown North Sacramento

Building a Strong Local Economy
Point West, Del Paso Heights, North Sacramento and the Uptown District all present good investment opportunities as growing and thriving commercial areas of the Capitol City of the State of California.

The North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce works to enhance these areas by supporting property owners, businesses and developers to reinvest in our commercial and residential neighborhoods. The Chamber has championed many projects and programs below to help with incentives to attract investment.

Prinicipals of Building a Strong Local Economy:

Retain and expand office employment.
Encourage a successful mix of retail, artistic uses, and service businesses.
Promote homeownership, and rehabilitation of existing housing.
Advocate for better transportation, mobility, and transit services.
Reduce hurdles to investment and infill development.

North Sacramento: Location, Location, Location...
Location: Point West is home to the California State Fair, Arden Fair Mall (Sacramento's best!), and many large offices and hotels, supported by a rich concentration of restaurants and commercial uses. In fact the Convention Center depends on Point West's hotels to support events. Just 5 minutes to downtown and the Capitol, and close to south Placer County and it's incredible job growth and adjacent to the Capitol City Freeway, Point West is one of Sacramento's pedigree business addresses.

Location: The Uptown District is located advantageously only 5 minutes from Downtown Sacramento and the Capitol, and conveniently between Interstate 5 and the Capitol City Freeway. Del Paso Boulevard, it's main street is part of Historic Highway 40, and boasts many art galleries, furniture stores, and unique dining venues. Bolstered by a Redevelopment Area and State Enterprise Zone, Uptown is a great place to relocate or launch your business venture - especially for arts related uses or creative professionals.

Location: Del Paso Heights is located only 10 minutes from Downtown Sacramento and the Capitol, and conveniently between Interstate 80 and the Capitol City Freeway. Marysville Boulevard, it's main street is part of Historic Highway 40, and boasts a new streetscape and a re-emerging business district. Bolstered by a Redevelopment Area and State Enterprise Zone, Del Paso Heights is a great place to relocate or launch your business venture with good opportunity sites available.

Support you can count on...
North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce leads a spirit of partnership among all of its stakeholders by providing a range of enhanced management programs, marketing, business networking and advocacy. When you locate or expand in North Sacramento, the Chamber will fight your battles, market your business, build your community, enhance your relationships and save you money!

The Chamber serves as an advocate for policies and programs that promote a strong local economy and business environment. Learn more about how to invest in this vibrant business community, with these economic development and business tools:

Special Planning District | Design Review
The North Sacramento design standards and Special Planning District Ordinance are intended to preserve architectural elements still in existence and discourage the removal or alteration of historic or distinctive architectural features. The standards retain some flexibility while recognizing building structures and sites are products of their architectural style.

All four sides of the building should contribute to the architectural unity of the building. The use of large, unbroken masses is discouraged. Solid or permanently enclosed storefronts are not permitted. All windows and building fronts shall be fully exposed. Exposed service or storage areas and utility structures shall be located and screened with plantings to blend in surrounding properties.

For more information, contact Luis R. Sanchez, AIA, Associate Architect (916) 264-5957 with the City of Sacramento's Planning & Building Department

The City of Sacramento's City Code is available online at: http://ordlink.com/codes/sacramento/index.htm
Del Paso Boulevard Special Planning District
Del Paso Boulevard SPD Map

City's Development Services Department Frequently Asked Questions are answered:
http://www.cityofsacramento.org/dsd/help/faqs/general.htm

City's General Design Guidelines our now on website at:
http://www.cityofsacramento.org/dsd/ forms_and_publications/publications/planning.htm

Financing Options

Grow Sacramento Financing
SBA Guaranteed Loans for Sacramento's Growing Small Business Entrepreneurs (A joint program of SHRA and SMUD) was created in 1996 to be a lender with a difference. While its mission is to provide market rate financing for expanding businesses located in the City and County of Sacramento, the Fund is a non-profit lender that offers more technical assistance and flexible underwriting criteria than a traditional financial institution.
For More Info go to: http://www.shra.org/Content/BusinessAssistance/GrowSac/GrowSacToc.htm

SBA Financing
SBA 7(a) Program is available for the following: the purchase of land and improvements; the purchase of existing building(s) and improvements; the construction of buildings(s); the purchase of machinery/equipment; working capital; the purchase of inventory; and business buy-outs. The maximum guarantee loan amount is $750,000.

SBA 504 Loan Program was developed to assist communities in stimulating growth and expanding existing businesses. The 504 program offers long term fixed asset financing with a below market fixed interest rate, and as little as 10% down. SBA finances a maximum of 40% of a project (up to a maximum of $1,000,000), the private lender finances approximately 50% of the project via a separate loan to the small business, and the small business injects a minimum of 10% of the total project cost. The program also provides financing for the expansion of existing buildings and the acquisition of equipment.
For more information on this program please contact:

United States Small Business Administration (SBA)
Sacramento District Office
660 J Street, Suite 215
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: (916) 498-6410
Url: http://www.sba.gov/ca/sacr/indexabout.html

The Greater Sacramento Certified Development Corporation (GSCDC) is a private nonprofit corporation established in 1985 to increase small business opportunities and to stimulate employment. Our role is to be a catalyst within community economic development programs in securing the resources necessary to assist small businesses in obtaining financing. The company is authorized by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to offer 504 loans to small businesses in Sacramento, El Dorado, Yolo and Placer counties. The 504 loan program is SBA's principal economic development tool to assist communities in stimulating expanding businesses through the utilization of the program. The 504 program offers long term fixed asset financing with a below market fixed interest rate, and as little as 10% down.

Economic Development Treatment Capacity Bank Credits

The City of Sacramento's Economic Development Treatment Capacity Bank program can assist commercial and industrial users in reducing their sewer connection fees. This program is available to those users who meet the City's guidelines and criteria for receiving credits via the Economic Development Treatment Capacity Bank. Depending upon the area in which a project is located, commercial and industrial users who qualify for the program will save between 59% and 79% on their sewer connection fees. For more information

Click here for an application

For more information on this program, please contact: Aaron Anderson, Economic Development Specialist City of Sacramento Economic Development Department, 1030 15th Street, 2nd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814-4009
(916) 264-2796 Email: akanderson@cityofsacramento.org

Business Environmental Resource Center (BERC)

BERC's consultative services help businesses understand and comply with air quality, hazardous materials/waste, wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste regulations. In addition, general help and agency contacts for questions regarding zoning, planning, building inspection, and fire code requirements can be provided. If you are uncertain which regulations apply to your business, or if your operations require permits, BERC can provide you with the information needed to make these determinations. In addition, BERC can provide the names of pertinent contacts at those agencies likely to be involved with your operations, saving your business the time and expense of contacting extraneous agencies.

To date, over 7,700 businesses that are located in, doing business in, or seeking to locate to the Sacramento area have benefited from BERC's economic development services.

Home Project - Need a Permit for that?
The Development Services Department is pleased to announce that we have a new Guide to Residential Permits. This 17 page, tabbed guide book will assist our customers with why and what permits they need to get. These booklets are available at our Downtown and North Permit Public Counters as well as on - line. Please cut and paste the following address to your web browser to see the new guide book.
http://www.cityofsacramento.org/dsd/documents/Residential-Guide-to-Permits.pdf

For more information on Economic Development and Housing, please see our Economic Development Links.