Creating sustainable, living-wage job opportunities in underserved communities is a cornerstone of economic development. Amped Kitchens L.A. South is a multi-tenant food production facility located south of the downtown area in Los Angeles. Civic Enterprise Development (CED), a company focused on emerging neighborhoods, created this unique solution for aspiring small food manufacturers that will generate hundreds of permanent new jobs, positively affecting the neighborhood’s economic vitality.
CED worked with financial and public agency partnerships to launch Amped Kitchens. The League-sponsored California Statewide Communities Development Authority (CSCDA) provided $14 million of New Markets Tax Credits (NMTCs) allocated to the project — crucial funding made possible through a competitive federal program. The developers also collaborated with local city and county agencies to help expedite the government approval process for small food manufacturers.
The facility provides support for fledgling small food manufacturers.
BREAKING THROUGH BARRIERS
Amped Kitchens, which opened in April 2019, blends innovation and economic development. Approximately 250 new permanent jobs are expected to result from this project — 75 percent of the new jobs will likely be filled by residents from low-income communities in and surrounding South Los Angeles. The facility also provides pre-inspected, ready-to-occupy, private kitchen spaces with access to shared amenities to help small food manufacturers scale production faster in a highly regulated industry.
