SAN DIEGO—An influx of military ships and personnel, as well as a host of new and old incentives for helping related businesses to thrive in the region, makes South County the place to be, South County Economic Development Council's Cindy Gompper-Graves tells GlobeSt.com. SCEDC is launching a Business Incentive Matrix to help defense companies grow and thrive.

The matrix outlines the major incentives SCEDC compiled while surveying cities, utilities and government entities throughout San Diego County and is intended to assist companies with expanding and hiring in the San Diego region. It includes fee reductions, rebates, financing opportunities, expedited processing, employer training reimbursements and assistance. The incentives are offered by various jurisdictions and requirements to obtain incentives vary with each incentive.

SCEDC is urging businesses throughout the region to take advantage of local incentives. The incentives listed in the matrix are part of Propel San Diego, a Department of Defense-funded grant initiative intended to develop a resilient defense supply chain in the San Diego region. In addition to the variety of incentives listed on the matrix, companies can contact Propel San Diego Partners for additional business tools, resources or information.

We spoke with Gompper-Graves about what South County has to offer defense companies and the role these companies play in San Diego's real estate market.

GlobeSt.com: Why should defense companies consider relocating to South County?

Gompper-Graves: This has to do with a pivot to the Pacific Southwest. The military is moving 13 ships and 25,000 personnel to San Diego, and the military ships are mostly in South County. Coincidentally, I just got off the phone with a company in Chula Vista that started out as welding shop in 2004, became defense contractors after the recession and got a contract to rebuild some of these ships. They're building a two-story office complex and reached out to us to get their plans expedited. That's one of the incentives.

A holistic approach is what we're offering: Do they know about all the incentives available to them, such as on-the-job training dollars or apprenticeship matching with kids who graduate from high school or college?

There's also something strategically happening that's making defense companies want to come to South County: aerospace and aviation. San Diego is one of the hubs of defense contractors. Also, the military is moving into drone usage: 300-plus acres in South County have been set aside and are being used as a drone-testing site. So, some of the military suppliers are coming to South County.

GlobeSt.com: Are there other types of companies that might do best with this type of relocation?

Gompper-Graves: We're focused on the defense-related industry: maritime suppliers, subcontractors, consultants to the military and marine field helicopters—there is a military base in Coronado and National City—any company that touches the military in any way. South County is perfectly advantaged to meet their needs.

GlobeSt.com: What role do defense-related companies play in San Diego's real estate market?

Gompper-Graves: Right now, one in five jobs in the county are somehow are linked to the military sector, and we predict 20% of San Diego's total GRP will be related to the military either directly or secondarily. About $25 billion of our economy is military related. There is a conglomeration of incentives that are new, and some have been around for a long time. I don't think it's incentives that make companies grow, but we hope to make their growth easier in South San Diego County and all of San Diego County.

GlobeSt.com: What else should our readers know about your business incentive matrix?

Gompper-Graves: The matrix shows all 18 cities in San Diego County. For us, a win in Downtown San Diego is a win in Chula Vista—we're all good with that.

I would encourage people just to call. If they're looking to expand or relocate in San Diego County, pick up the phone to call. There are numerous incentives there, well over 20, but every company is different. We're figuring out what each company needs and what we can do to assist them. Look over the matrix and see what incentives make sense. We'll get them a package that works for them.

More importantly, we need to ensure that they have constant assistance—not a one-time move or expand. We've got resources here throughout the region that can help them find the employees, etc. It's not a one-size-fits-all with incentives, but a conversation with each company to determine what they need and what we have to help support them. Some of our cities are doing out-of-the-box thinking, and a couple are being rather aggressive and entrepreneurial. People will be pleasantly surprised once they see the matrix and the resources available to them.

Instant Insights /

Defense Cos. Should Consider South County

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