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Page 3 of 9 <br />City of Redwood City 1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA. 94063 Tel: 650-780-7000 www.redwoodcity.org <br />This framework recognizes that income alone does not drive upward mobility; it requires economic <br />success, dignity and belonging, and power and autonomy. To achieve this three-part definition of upward <br />mobility, the framework suggests positive outcomes are required in five pillar areas: rewarding work, high- <br />quality education, opportunity-rich and inclusive neighborhoods, healthy environment and access to good <br />healthcare, and responsive and just governance. For each pillar, the framework provides several <br />predictors—also called indicators, ways of observing and measuring change—that are comparable across <br />counties and cities with over 75,000 residents in the United States. <br />While the Redwood City EMAP does not address all aspects of this framework, the framework serves as a <br />foundation for the EMAP. The City’s EMAP would complement Countywide efforts undertaken by the <br />Shared Prosperity Coordinating Council, a working group of leaders from county and local government, <br />nonprofit, and private sector organizations that seek to advance equity, support economic mobility, and <br />promote shared prosperity in a county that suffers from significant disparities in income and opportunity. <br />Both City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz and former Equity and Inclusion Officer Briana Evans <br />participated in the Shared Prosperity Coordinating Council and shaped their efforts to increase equity and <br />opportunity in countywide. <br />Community Engagement <br />This proposed Economic Mobility Action Plan was developed with several rounds of community <br />engagement. In 2023, City staff initiated a landscape analysis of existing services and programs advancing <br />economic mobility. This process ultimately engaged more than 40 external partners, as well as City <br />operating departments, in one-on-one interviews about the aspects of their services that advance <br />economic mobility. Data gathered in this stage clarified local challenges and yielded a long list of ideas for <br />City action. Key findings included: <br />Partners perceive a lack of local convener or centralized information on economic mobility; <br />There is limited knowledge about or access to earn-to-learn opportunities outside of the trades; <br />There are limited job and wealth-building options for mixed immigration status communities; and <br />There is a high need for hiring and onboarding support for youth and employers. <br />Next, staff convened interviewees virtually to confirm findings and identify local assets that can support <br />progress in economic mobility. The City committed to several initial strategies and identified future <br />opportunities for action at this stage. Initial commitments included: developing an economic mobility <br />webpage, finding or creating a convening space for local workforce development partners, educating <br />employers on working with marginalized populations, and promoting existing employment resources. <br />In spring 2024, in collaboration with Redwood City Together and partners, staff administered a survey and <br />series of focus groups of children and adults on barriers to children’s success, strategies for finding jobs, <br />and relationship with money. The survey received responses from 141 youth and 430 parents and <br />caregivers, with 269 responses in Spanish. Approximately 60 youth and adults participated in focus groups <br />in English and Spanish. This input affirmed that access to information is one of the gaps facing the <br />Redwood City / North Fair Oaks community in finding local jobs and economic opportunities. It also <br />affirmed that both youth and adults see financial stress as a barrier to youth success in this community. <br />10.D. - Page 3 of 13 <br />839