Nearly 150 people converged at Bishop Ranch in San Ramon for the 2026 Economic Outlook & Annual Membership Meeting held on May 14, 2026. The first portion of the event featured a welcome from Contra Costa County Supervisor and East Bay EDA Chair Candace Andersen. Supervisor Andersen shared information about East Bay EDA events, the organization’s recent legislative and policy work, its Resilient East Bay initiative focused on East Bay manufacturing, and, in a nod to Small Business Month, highlighted East Bay EDA’s business resource map.
Guests heard a moderated conversation between Sunset Development President and CEO, Alex Mehran, Jr., and Riaz Taplin, Founder and CEO of ArtHaus Partners, on the challenges and opportunities for mixed-use development and placemaking in the current environment. Each talked about the unique challenges and opportunities they face in their respective development plans and projects, as well as the overall investment climate. East Bay EDA Vice Chair and TRI Commercial Executive Vice President Ed Del Beccaro moderated this conversation before turning things over to JLL Senior Director of Research, Northwest Region, Alexander Quinn (Quinn).
Quinn opened his presentation by asking the 150 people in attendance: What is NorCal, and what is SoCal? The question is an important one for the $4.25 trillion California economy. In Northern California, venture capital investment is reaching record levels, largely driven by the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) companies. And while AI may (appropriately) be grabbing many of the headlines, there were several other highlights in Quinn’s presentation about the regional economy and labor market:
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Employment growth in the East Bay has been lagging behind the Bay Area and California since before the pandemic
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Housing costs continue to create challenges, making renting nearly twice as affordable as owning in San Francisco and Silicon Valley
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Industrial space demand has been accelerating as AI permeates hardware and production, driving substantial growth in leasing for spaces being used for manufacturing and robotics
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Monetary policy has been and will likely stay in a holding pattern, though bond yields are rising, reflecting concern about higher future inflation
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Tech layoffs have been grabbing headlines, but wages in that sector have been rising
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The Bay Area has captured 79% of global 2026 venture capital investment, fueled by the concentration and rapid growth of AI in San Francisco
We’re grateful to our event sponsors—John Muir Health, the Oakland Roots and Soul Sports Club, Southwest Airlines, and Sunset Development—for making this event possible.
If you missed it, watch the recording on our YouTube channel or catch it on Contra Costa Television (CCTV) throughout May and June. You can also view the photo gallery and download the keynote presentation slides.
East Bay EDA appreciates our partnership and support from all our members, partners, and other community stakeholders. If you would like to learn more about the benefits of East Bay EDA membership, please complete an application, and a member of our team will get back to you.
