The Bay Area Urban Manufacturing Initiative (BAUM) is a regional public-private effort to support existing manufacturers and their middle-income employment sector. BAUM provides training for public agency staff to help their manufacturing sector, such as specialized survey techniques and cannabis' impact on industrial real estate values. BAUM also organizes Bay Area-wide events to bring together public agencies and manufacturing businesses. The Initiative's signature event is an annual Manufacturing Summit, which will take place later this year. Cities, counties and other agencies may join BAUM at no cost, indicating support for the manufacturing sector within their jurisdictions. Further levels of participation in BAUM's collaborative programs are possibilities, such as organizing a local event on BAUM's regional Manufacturing Day (October 5).  
  
Contra Costa cities Antioch, Concord, Oakley, and Pittsburg are already BAUM members. Other public sector members are agencies with industrial real estate with which the county's unincorporated areas compete, such as Hayward, Fairfield, and San Leandro. The County's participation is consistent with policy in the Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative to support and expand middle-income employment opportunities in the County's industrial areas. BAUM is a productive vehicle to leverage regional support for growing more jobs in the industrial/advanced manufacturing sector. The BAUM registration form provides some additional information on membership benefits and expectations and is included as Attachment A.

If the County does not join the regional initiative, it will continue its independent efforts to support and promote industrial and advanced manufacturing uses within its boundaries without the benefit of the collaborative training and events, potentially becoming less competitive with the member cities that are participating.

There is no impact on children.