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Information for New Businesses

Starting a new business, or a new location of an existing business, is an exciting and sometimes overwhelming task. The Downtown Association of Santa Cruz is here to help connect you with resources and answer questions that may come up about doing business in Downtown Santa Cruz.

Start Here

 

A great place to start is with the City’s Business Roadmap Tool, which will guide you through the steps of starting a business in any location in Santa Cruz and connect you with the knowledgeable staff at the City Of Santa Cruz Economic Development Office.

You’ll also find a number of great resources including a comprehensive database of available commercial space.

Membership

The good news is that you don’t need to become a member of the Downtown Association. Downtown Santa Cruz is a Business Improvement District (BID), therefore, every business operating within the boundaries of the District pays an assessment that is used by the Downtown Association to carry out its mission. If you operate a business in the district, you are a member of the Downtown Association.  Click here to see how fees are assessed.

If you’re not sure if you’re taking advantage of the many great programs that the Downtown Association offers, we encourage you to reach out to Sonja, our Business Membership Coordinator and Operations Director. Plus, make sure to sign-up above for the business members e-mail news.

We hope you will take advantage of the great community, and the resources, the Downtown Association has for you as a new business Downtown. Let us help you have a great experience doing business in Downtown Santa Cruz.