About the Project
From 2024 to 2026, Gaby Seltzer—a community resilience practitioner serving as an Economic Recovery Corps Fellow—and Bret Sweet —an ecosystem builder serving as Economic Development Program Manager with the City of Antioch—partnered through the Economic Recovery Corps Fellowship to address longstanding economic disparities in East Contra Costa County, California. Historically shaped as a bedroom community, the region offered affordable housing and access to major job centers, yet lacked the local employment base needed for residents to thrive where they live.
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Together, Seltzer and Sweet applied an ecosystem-building approach to help shift Antioch’s economic trajectory. By strengthening collaboration among city departments, local businesses, and regional partners, they worked to generate quality jobs, attract investment, and build capacity for continued economic growth. This case study documents the strategies, projects, and outcomes of that effort—serving as a resource for other communities navigating similar challenges.
Antioch, CA - Heart of Innovation
Nestled at the confluence of the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers, Antioch sits at the heart of Northern California’s economic engine. Within a short commute lie the region’s key population and innovation centers:
San Francisco for marketing and global connections, Berkeley for research, Palo Alto for venture capital, San Jose for advanced manufacturing, Stockton for ports and logistics, Modesto for agriculture, and Sacramento for public policy.
Together, these cities form a vibrant megaregion powered by Antioch’s skilled and diverse workforce.
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Commuter Strain = Community Strain
Yet, despite its advantageous location and rich human capital, approximately 90% of Antioch’s working residents travel outside the city each day for employment. This extensive out-commuting contributes to conditions that collectively limit the city's ability to build a strong, sustainable local economy:
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Economic Impacts: Talent drain, reduced spending at local businesses, productivity decreases
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Environmental Impacts: greenhouse gas emissions, worsening air quality, noise and light pollution
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Community Impacts: Less time at home, low civic engagement, diminished sense of place
Interventions
The fellowship’s work aimed to change that pattern by transitioning Antioch from a bedroom community to a connected employment center. The project focused on creating pathways for quality local jobs, expanding business support networks, and unlocking redevelopment opportunities through coordinated systems thinking. Core initiatives included:
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Antioch Business Collaborative: Aligning business support organizations to better serve entrepreneurs and employers.
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Business Associations: Strengthening connections within commercial districts and shared industry clusters.
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Procurement Excellence: Using local government purchasing power to expand opportunities for Antioch-based firms.
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Medical Innovation District: Building a bridge between local talent and healthcare industry growth.
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Industrial Zones and Brownfield Redevelopment: Preparing sites for employment-generating reuse.
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Clean Technology Hub: Equipping city leaders with a roadmap to grow the clean energy and green infrastructure sectors.
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Together, these efforts represent a coordinated approach to ecosystem development—designed not only to attract outside investment, but also to empower local businesses and residents to drive Antioch’s future economy.
Economic Recovery Corps
The Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) Fellowship, which made this partnership possible, was launched to build capacity in communities disproportionately affected by the COVID‑19 pandemic. Funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration through the CARES Act and managed by the International Economic Development Council, ERC places mid-career professionals in communities across the country to accelerate inclusive economic revitalization.
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Through the fellowship, Antioch gained access to a nationwide network of practitioners, research, and best practices—connecting local innovation to a broader movement toward equitable recovery and regional collaboration. The outcomes of this project reflect both the city’s commitment to inclusive growth and the fellowship’s mission to strengthen community capacity from within.
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