The City of Santa Clarita was incorporated on December 15, 1987. Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County with a population of about 177,000 and is the 24th largest city in the State of California. Santa Clarita is located 20 minutes north of Bob Hope Airport in Burbank and offers convenient access to all Southern California business centers.

Santa Clarita is a premier community for raising families and building businesses. Santa Clarita is comprised of four distinct communities, which include Canyon Country, Newhall, Saugus, and Valencia. Since the City’s inception, Santa Clarita has made a name for itself as a community offering an unmatched quality of life. The balance of quality living and conscientious growth is carefully maintained through long-term planning, fiscal responsibility, community involvement, respect for the environment, and strong support for business development. Santa Clarita’s successes are evident in its residential neighborhoods, recreational attractions, businesses, cultural activities, commercial, educational, and health care centers.

Santa Clarita's unemployment rate is 7.5 percent, compared to 12.2 percent for LA County and 12.0 percent for the State of California. Santa Clarita has the fourth largest labor force in LA County among cities in LA County with a 50,000 to 100,000 population labor force.

In 2008, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) named Santa Clarita the “Most Business Friendly City in Los Angeles County.” This recognition was given to the City for creating a business friendly environment that encourages businesses to locate or expand within the City. The community’s top employers include Six Flags Magic Mountain, Princess Cruises, HR Textron, and College of the Canyons, the U.S. Postal Service, Specialty Laboratories, Advanced Bionics, and the local school districts.

The City is home to 26 parks (this includes both dog parks, Veterans Plaza, and Central Park) (11 constructed since 2000), and the 60-acre Santa Clarita Sports Complex, with a skate park, sand volleyball court, aquatic center, gymnasium, and activities center. Our park system includes Central Park, Valencia Heritage Park, and the Veteran’s Historical Plaza.

Based on FBI statistics, the City of Santa Clarita is one of the safest cities of its size (population over 150,000) in California and recently saw a double digit drop in part one or serious crimes.

City of Santa Clarita wins California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) Award

"Santa Clarita- LA's Most Business Friendly City" - YouTube

Santa Clarita Named A “City of the Future”

CNN Money Magazine “Best Places to Live” Santa Clarita, CA

Why do Business in Santa Clarita - Los Angeles Times

Santa Clarita ranks in the top ten of least expensive cities to do business

Meet Me in Santa Clarita – Southwest Spirit Magazine Article

Valencia Town Center 40 store expansion – Daily News

CITY BRIEFS

In 2008, the City of Santa Clarita launched its own online blog, City Briefs. The City currently has more than 200,000 views and is currently generating more than 10,000 hits a month. City Briefs covers a variety of subjects including new store openings, art displays, City parks, local charity events, Open Space Dedications, Arts & Events programs, traffic improvements, and emergency information.

Santa Clarita Budget Philosophy

When it comes to budget, the Santa Clarita City Council’s mantra has always been, “The decisions we make during the good times are more important than the decisions we make during the bad times.” Today’s budget reflects the City’s ability to stay true to our day-to-day business practices and values that help to make Santa Clarita a special place for doing business, raising a family, and enjoying a superior quality of life.

Santa Clarita treated the good times as an opportunity to be proactive and strategic because history has shown that the economy has its ups and downs. During the good years the City was mindful of spending levels and made decisions to keep a lean and flat organizational structure. Prior to the recession, Santa Clarita maintained 2.2 staff per 1,000 residents, which is one of the lowest ratios when compared to other cities with a similar population. Santa Clarita also has the lowest number of executive team members, six (6), when compared to other cities of the same size. This flat and lean structure has positively affected Santa Clarita’s bottom line and prevented layoffs and furloughs during dire times. It is true, revenues have dropped sharply since 2007, but Santa Clarita is not facing painful cuts and service reductions that have become realities in other cities.

Since incorporation in 1987, the City of Santa Clarita has always maintained a balanced budget, and once again the Fiscal Year 2011-2012 Operating Budget is balanced, and on-time, and with ample reserves.

The City’s 2011-12 budget is $159.4 million, which includes a public safety budget totaling $20.5 million, one of the largest public safety contracts in Los Angeles County. Public safety is the largest General Fund budget item and reflects the City Council’s deep commitment to making sure Santa Clarita continues to be one of California’s safest cities. The City budgeted $25 million in capital improvement projects, inclusive of landscaping projects, traffic improvements and art projects. The City also budgets a 15-percent operating reserve of approximately $11 million.

To this day, Santa Clarita continues to maintain a balanced budget without having to dip into its healthy (15%) operating reserve. The City’s inclusive and conservative approach to balance its budget has resulted in no layoffs, furloughs, drastic cuts to services, or closing down public facilities.

Through the leadership of the Santa Clarita City Council and professional City staff, Santa Clarita is in excellent financial condition and continues to thrive, while residents enjoy a high quality of life for which the City is known.