GoBiz office hours: Business Ready Sites program expands to 19 listings and adds coordinator role

Jolia Jackson, regional engagement development manager for the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GoBiz), told attendees the Business Ready Sites program has expanded its portfolio and support as part of the California Jobs First initiative.

"At this point, we have 19," Jackson said of the sites posted to the tool, up from three at launch. She described the program as a proactive effort to identify and promote shovel‑ready parcels across California’s 13 economic regions for headquarters, research and development hubs, and advanced manufacturing.

Jackson said the program vets candidate sites against a clear set of criteria—zoning, infrastructure and workforce access—and that the list is curated to help the Cal Biz team respond quickly to site inquiries from site selectors, investors and companies. "We prioritize parcels with the right infrastructure, zoning, and workforce access," she said.

To expand capacity, Jackson announced GoBiz is hiring a Business Ready Sites coordinator to help with site review and technical assistance. "This person is going to be able to support you directly along with myself and our Cal Biz team," she said, adding the role is intended to improve response times and user experience.

Jackson also previewed a webinar series designed to help partners prepare sites for investment: an infrastructure session titled "Building the backbone," a zoning and permitting session called "Zoning for growth," a session on environmental considerations including CEQA certification, and a final session addressing site safety, grading and physical readiness.

GoBiz will distribute a program guide, a two‑page submission checklist, an account registration guide, an FAQ, and recordings of webinars and office hours. Jackson said materials and follow‑up emails will be sent to attendees and posted on the GoBiz website and YouTube channel.