Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties have a lot of economic links, from sharing agriculture and tourism as major industries to having people cross county lines to work.
Now, for the first time the two counties are developing a joint economic strategy. The Resilience Roadmap is intended to be a five year plan setting the stage for federal and philanthropic funding for projects benefitting the region.
One of the big goals is creation of pathways for careers in relevant local fields like aerospace, and renewable energy. Another focus is establishing a regional coalition to expand the supply of affordable housing.
The plan is being developed by a regional economic coalition called REACH. A draft version of the strategy has been released for public review and comment.
