FAQs

Tracy is a business-friendly, forward-thinking City in a superb geographical location with excellent access by road and rail, a highly skilled and educated workforce, affordable land and quality housing.

Tracy is centered in a triangle formed by the major Interstates of 580, 205 and 5 and is conveniently situated just an hour from Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Jose and just a few hours from Los Angeles.

The Economic Development Division also promotes Tracy as the premiere location in the Northern California Megaregion to do business via trade shows, business retention visits, and various marketing activities.

Targeted industries include: advanced manufacturing, healthcare, education, backroom office, and information technology.

We invite you to experience firsthand the diverse business environment and welcoming lifestyle that Tracy has to offer. Contact us today at 209-831-6490 or econdev@cityoftracy.org

Very easy. We offer a streamlined service with concurrent processing of paperwork and a single point of contact. Tracy has a business-friendly and proactive environment helping organizations realize their fullest potential.

California has a reputation for being a very expensive state for businesses. However, doing business in Tracy is much more affordable.

The City of Tracy’s Economic Development Division's role is to help your business thrive and succeed, no matter the size or scope of your work.

Our staff is here to answer your questions, and through our extensive network, connect you to the people and tools you need to grow your enterprise.

Most businesses located in Tracy or doing business with the City of Tracy are required to hold a current City of Tracy business license.

It is quick and easy to apply online through our partner website, and most businesses will find the license fee low compared to other jurisdictions in California.

The City of Tracy requires a permit to be obtained before any building, plumbing, electrical mechanical, demolition or sign work is undertaken.

Building permits can be obtained from the City’s Building Division.

Yes. California’s economy has grown to the fourth largest in the world with 4.2 million small businesses that support it. We are proud to support our small businesses and help them thrive and scale by giving them access to capital, space, and technical assistance.

Small businesses in Tracy can benefit from a variety of financial and training resources such as:

Ava Resilience Hub Initiative
This incentive program will offer community spaces the opportunity to expand clean energy, be more energy efficient, and have more reliable electricity in the face of power shut-offs, climate disasters, and other scenarios.

iHUB (California Innovation Hub) San Joaquin
iHUB San Joaquin is one of the 15 state designated iHUBs that stimulate partnerships, economic development, and job creation around specific research clusters. The iHUBs leverage assets such as research parks, technology incubators, universities, and federal laboratories to provide an innovation platform for startup companies, economic development organizations, business groups, and venture capitalists.

Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
The SBDC at San Joaquin Delta College provides free and confidential business consulting, and free and low-cost training to help existing business owners and entrepreneurs grow their operations.

The SBDC’s training focuses on three business disciplines: 

• Business Planning & Management
• Financial Management
• Marketing

San Joaquin County Economic Development Association (EDA)
The EDA is a one-stop, free and confidential business resource committed to meeting the needs of development prospects, local businesses and the community.

Focusing on business retention and expansion, EDA's goal is to encourage and facilitate business development, capital investment, job creation and the economic diversification of the County.

Tracy Chamber of Commerce
The Tracy Chamber of Commerce is a private, membership-based organization that promotes economic prosperity in our region and provides businesses with tools to grow. Tracy Chamber members enjoy many opportunities each year for networking, education and business development through the many programs and services it offers.

Sacramento SCORE
SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed nationwide. It’s a valuable network of 13,000+ volunteers who offer small business entrepreneurs confidential business counseling services at no charge.

U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps businesses across the country with accessing capital through the Small Business Loan program. They also offer counseling services to provide businesses with the tools for enhancing and growing their business.

The City of Tracy’s Economic Development Division and our partners offer local, state, and regional incentive programs to promote economic development efforts in the community. These programs help create a renowned business-friendly environment that supports continued economic vitality Inside the Triangle.

There are several incentives offered for existing and new businesses expanding in Tracy, including:

• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
• California Small Business Loan Guarantee Program
• Statewide Community Infrastructure Program (SCIP)
• San Joaquin Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)
• Grow Tracy Fund Loan Program
• Small Business Administration 504 Loan
• Industrial Development Bonds

Yes. We encourage you to explore California’s scope of business incentives and resources and take advantage of the opportunity to save your business time and money, including:

Alternative & Renewable Fuel & Vehicle Technology Program
California Air Resources Board Air Quality Improvement Program
California Capital Access Program
California Competes Tax Credit
California Industrial Development Bonds
New Employment Credit
Net Operating Loss Carryover… and more. 

Our economic development representatives are always available to answer any questions or provide additional information on any of the incentive programs listed on our website

Yes. The City of Tracy has emerged as a major industrial and distribution hub in the Northern Central Valley and Bay Area supply chains.

From its ideal geographic location and convenient transportation infrastructure to an abundance of industrial land, it serves as a critical point in the east-west and north-south logistics network.

As the hub grows, there’s also an incredible need throughout our region for skilled industrial workers.

There are a variety of workforce support programs available to students of all walks of life in Tracy who want to upskill or reskill, including:

VOLT-on-the-Go
A mobile, hands-on training program that comes directly to the student, helping prepare more skilled workers for industrial, technical, and logistical jobs, making the Northern San Joaquin Valley even more attractive for prospective and growing businesses.

San Joaquin County WorkNet
Specialists are available to assist businesses with recruitment and screening of potential employees based on a company’s specific needs.

Included in this program is the ability to conduct vocational and customized tests, such as typing words-per-minute, mathematics, necessary physical capabilities and more.

Employment Development Department
As the designated State agency for employment services, the Employment Development Department (EDD) is the nation’s largest employment agency. The EDD is host of the California Job Openings Browse System (CalJOBS), a sophisticated, internet-based job listing and self referral system.

San Joaquin Delta Community College Training Programs
San Joaquin Delta College offers a variety of technical certificate programs created in conjunction with local industry and creates additional, specialized training, both for credit and non-credit, tailored to the specific needs of the individual employer.

Our business-friendly city government and lower costs of doing business provides companies with a competitive edge we like to call the Tracy Advantage.

Our strategic location provides direct access to customers in several major markets such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley.

We know that location directly affects profitability. Tracy’s land and educated labor supply, along with our proximity to suppliers reduces your costs.

Available properties in Tracy range from freeway frontage commercial land to retail space in high traffic areas.

We’ve streamlined the permitting process, eliminating as much red tape as possible.

It is quick and easy to apply online through our partner website, and most businesses will find the license fee low compared to other jurisdictions in California.

Building permits can be obtained from the City’s Building Division. The City of Tracy requires a permit to be obtained before any building, plumbing, electrical mechanical, demolition or sign work is undertaken.

We are a community where neighbors and local merchants greet you by name and the welcoming never stops. Where tradition, charity, and prosperity abound. Where Fortune 100 companies can thrive while their employees enjoy quality schools, a variety of recreational amenities, great restaurants, and shopping in a safe community.

Elected officials, employees, and residents partner together to preserve Tracy as a well-maintained and safe community where opportunity, growth, and success prosper.
We invite you to visit Tracy, open your business here or settle down to raise a family.

Think Inside the Triangle. You’ll be happy you did!

Yes. It’s around 12-16% less than the California state average.

The City of Tracy is conveniently situated an hour from Sacramento, San Francisco and San Jose and just a few hours from Los Angeles. Tracy is also convenient to the Bay Delta, Yosemite, Tahoe, and the San Francisco Bay.

Homes in Tracy are generally considered to be more affordable than other nearby Bay Area cities. According to Zillow, median home prices are around $681,000.

Locals know the secret: the opportunity to live the good life still exists here. As one of the friendliest cities in California, Tracy is a place to focus on family and recreation, while value in the arts flourish in the community. This is a town where tradition and diversity are constantly reinvented and serve as the foundation forming the fabric of our community.