Contact: Jennifer Cooper, City of Oakland Community and Economic Development Agency,
(510) 238-6250

The District serves as the "town center" for the Temescal Neighborhood, providing a post office, branch public library, drug store, cleaners, produce market, grocery, bank, numerous restaurants, a district fire station and other essential services. With the increasing number of businesses, the opportunities to draw neighborhood residents as well as regional customers are expanding.

Many successful businesses draw customers from the entire East Bay, including Genova's Delicatessen and the Asmara Restaurant. New businesses to the area include Walgreens, a deli/bistro, a new Mediterranean cafe, and a fitness center. The popular Sunday Temescal Square Farmers' Market draws many customers and operates from spring through fall at 49th Street, off of Telegraph Avenue.

The Temescal District offers new businesses these major assets:

• A growing commercial neighborhood center with several new major renovation and development projects

• A highly visible location with convenient highway and transit access

• A good range of available commercial space, in new developments with off-street parking and charming older, well-maintained buildings, at affordable rents
  

• An existing base of successful, neighborbood-serving businesses, such as Walgreens, Genova's Delicatessen, Asmara Restaurant, Reed Brothers Security, Hooper's Chocolates and Sanwa Bank
  

• Median Income of over $47,000 in a 3 mile radius; adjacent to a large, well-maintained residential neighborhood

• Day-time workforce of over 2,000 employees nearby at Alta Bates Medical Center, Children's Hospital and the DMV
  

• Active support and advocacy from the Temescal Merchants Association

• The City of Oakland investments in revitalization projects, including improvements and streetscape improvements

President Clinton Selects Oakland as an EEC

In 1994, President Clinton designated the City of Oakland as an Enhanced Enterprise Community (EEC) as part of his economic revitalization strategy. As one of the "Big Twelve" cities in the nation to be designated either an Empowerment Zone (EZ) or EEC, Oakland also received the covered designation as a "One Stop Capital Shop" (OSCS) which is supported by resources from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

The City of Oakland proudly partners with the SBA, several private institutions, and other service providers to collectively offer an integrated network of business support and leading assistance under one roof, centrally located to downtown Oakland.

OSCS Mission Statement

The OSCS will contribute to the success of the City's economic revitalization efforts by attracting, strengthening, nad retaining Oakland's base of small businesses by creating employment opportunities for Oakland's residents through its support of sustainable and viable business ventures.

Client intake and Referral Services

Client intake and referral services are located on the sixth floor, along with the Financial Resource farmers. Technical Assistance Resource Partners are located on other floors. Clients who need financial assistance will be referred directly to a lender, others will participate in an assessment process to determine what additional assistance, training or services an required. Referrals will also be made to service organizations not housed in the OSCS facility who are part of the OSCS Resource Partner Network.

OSCS Financial Resource Partners

• CITIBANK
  Citibank is truly "One Stop Capital Shop" in that the bank offers a broad range of products and services for small businesses and individuals.

• BANK OF OAKLAND
  The Bank has been heavily involved in SDA lending since 1989 and, over the past six years, has been ranked as one of the top eight lenders in the San Francisco District of SBA.

• BANK OF AMERICA
  Community Development Bank
  The Bank provides a wide variety of government -assisted small business loans to support job creation and economic development, with a special focus on loans of under $100.000 and businesses owned by minorities and women.

• OAKLAND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (OBDC)
  OBDC provides direct financing to start-up or existing small businesses located Oakland with a particular emphasis on businesses located within the Seven Community Development Districts of Oakland.

• SBA FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
  The SBA has a variety of lending programs, and information on them can be accessed at the One Stop Capital Shop.

• OSCS Technical Assistance Resource Partners
  Technical assistance service providers will provide business counseling, entrepreneurship training, loan packaging, and many other necessary services needed by the business community. Technical assistance partners, of the OSCS are:

• BUSINESS INFORMATION CENTER
  The SBA Business Information Center is a multi-media library, designed to assist you in the research and preparation of a workable business plan which links computer technology with one-on-one counseling from small business experts.

• SCORE
  Receive free, confidential one-on-one counseling from business experts. These business experts also offer a monthly workshop on How to Start and Manage a Small Business.

• EAST BAY SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SBDC)
  Established business owners can receive advice consulting from experts with experience in business management, international trade, and minority certification program. The SBDC also offers regular workshops.