If you’ve driven down Pacific Avenue lately—from 1st Street to 14th—you’ve probably felt it.
The empty storefronts. The worn facades. The graffiti that pops up almost daily, gets removed, and is back again before the paint dries.
For many of us who live, work, play, and raise our families here in San Pedro, it’s been hard watching one of our main streets slowly lose the energy it once had. But this week, something changed.
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a motion that officially designates Pacific Avenue as a JEDI Zone—a “Jobs and Economic Development Incentive” zone. That means a real chance to revitalize our downtown corridor, bringing back businesses, jobs, and life to the heart of San Pedro.
The motion was introduced by our Councilmember Tim McOsker, a lifelong San Pedro resident and someone who’s been pushing to breathe new life into this area from day one.
“Pacific Avenue is home to many great businesses and also so much unrealized potential,” McOsker says. “It was once a thriving hub where people shopped, dined, and gathered. This JEDI Zone gives us the tools to bring that vibrancy back.”
What This Means for San Pedro
The JEDI Zone designation isn’t just a title; it comes with real, tangible support for our local business community. That includes reduced permit fees for new developments, help navigating city red tape, expert consulting for small business owners, and funding for sprucing up storefronts through a Façade Improvement Program.
This initiative will be overseen by the city’s Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD), which studied the corridor extensively before recommending it for designation. Their findings confirmed what many of us already knew: While Pacific Avenue has over 170 active businesses, ranging from restaurants to barber shops and auto repair services, the area has been struggling.
Unemployment here is higher than the city average. Many families are living on limited incomes. And too many buildings show signs of neglect or stand vacant altogether. This JEDI Zone aims to change that—and do it in a way that centers our local community.
A Victory for Local Collaboration
This didn’t happen in a vacuum. McOsker’s Economic Development deputy, Amanda Enriquez, had countless conversations with neighbors, business owners, neighborhood councils, and the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce.
“The JEDI Zone for Pacific Avenue is a true game-changer,” says Elise Swanson, president and CEO of the Chamber. “It brings new investment and powerful tools to uplift this historic corridor. We’re so grateful to Councilmember McOsker, our Chamber members, the Business Improvement District, and all three San Pedro neighborhood councils who made this happen.”
It’s worth celebrating that Council District 15, which includes San Pedro, Wilmington, and Watts, is now the only district in the city with three JEDI Zones. That is a direct result of McOsker recognizing the deep need for investment in our neighborhoods and taking real steps to meet that need with action.
What’s next for Pacific Avenue?
If all goes well, the JEDI Zone will be in effect for five years, with a possible five-year extension. During that time, EWDD will coordinate resources and programs to benefit our local businesses directly.
Improvements won’t happen overnight, but they will happen—especially with input and involvement from the community. There are 171 identified businesses and storefronts along this corridor, and they may each be eligible for up to $75,000 in funds for business and façade improvements. From helping longtime shops update their facades to supporting new entrepreneurs ready to set up shop, the zone creates opportunities we haven’t seen here in decades.
It’s a step forward. One that feels like it honors our past while preparing us for the future. Because at the end of the day, San Pedro is more than just a dot on the map. We are a community of artists, longshore workers, small business owners, families, dreamers, and folks who love our town. And with this new JEDI Zone, we’re planting the seeds to bring Pacific Avenue back to life—block by block, business by business. spt
