News/Blog

January 04, 2023

MOHI Farms makes top (12) list

By Brittney Sherman

The Mercury News recently announced the top (12) most anticipated restaurant openings in the Greater Bay Area. Among those listed was Morgan Hill’s own MOHI Farm, a product of entrepreneur Frank Leal and the Live+Leal+Leal Hospitality brand. Read the full article HERE.

MOHI Farm is scheduled to open Spring 2023, at the corner of E. Third and Depot St in Downtown Morgan Hill. The restaurant will feature fresh and locally sourced ingredients, resulting in healthy and sustainable menu offerings. Learn more about MOHI Farm HERE.

Have questions? Contact City of Morgan Hill Economic Development Director Matt Mahood at Matt.Mahood@morganhill.ca.gov

December 17, 2022

Safer air in, COVID out!

By Brittney Sherman

The County of Santa Clara Public Heath recently published three ways for small businesses to improve the quality of air inside their stores. Airborne viruses spread more easily indoors. Protect your employees and customers from the spread of viruses like COVID and the flu by taking these simple steps:

1. Open doors and windows- fresh air entering your store directly is best. Increase the circulation of air by placing a fan in an open window pointed outside to shift old air out and new air in.

2. DIY a filter-fan in just 10 minutes- all supplies can be purchased at a local hardware store for around $50. Follow the tutorial HERE.

3. Check and maintain HVAC systems- make sure air filters are clean and pointed in the right direction. Don’t forget to check that restroom and kitchen exhaust fans are operable.

Visit the SCCPHD website HERE to learn more about how you can protect yourself, your employees, and your customers during the winter months.

December 16, 2022

Seismic retrogrades to Anderson Dam are well underway

By Brittney Sherman

Progress is now visible at Anderson Dam, where crews have been digging a 24-foot high and 1,700-foot-long tunnel as part of an earthquake safety project estimated to cost $1.2 billion.

Federal dam safety regulators ordered Santa Clara County’s largest reservoir drained in 2020 for the purpose of reducing the risk of failure due to a major earthquake. The tunnel is projected to be completed in 2024 and will be followed by the construction of a new dam and spillway with the capacity to withstand a 7.2 magnitude earthquake.

When Anderson Dam’s reservoir is full, it holds approximately 89,278 acre feet of water — more than the combined water storage of all other nine reservoirs in the district. For the past two years, the reservoir has been drained to 3% during a time when water is an expensive and scarce commodity. The retrofit project is estimated to be fully completed by 2032.

Read the Mercury Times article HERE.

December 15, 2022

2022 Economic Development Year in Review

By Brittney Sherman

Happy Holidays Morgan Hill Business Community! In lieu of a December eNewsletter, we have decided to produce a Year in Review. In this message you will find an overview of key Economic Development efforts, actions, and projects spanning the 2022 year. Thank you for your commitment to "Choose Morgan Hill!" We look forward to working with you and supporting your business in 2023.

Read the Year in Review HERE!

Matt Mahood and Brittney Sherman

Economic Development Team

City of Morgan Hill

December 12, 2022

Microenterprise home kitchens foster food entrepreneurship

By Brittney Sherman

Residents of private homes will soon be able to operate mini restaurants from their own kitchens through Santa Clara County’s Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (MEHKO). This (3) year pilot program, expected to launch in Spring 2023, will allow residents to prepare, cook, and sell food from a private home kitchen, without many of the challenges and cost associated with cottage food and catering licenses.

MEHKOs are only allowed to produce a maximum of (30) meals per day and (60) meals per week, employ one full-time employee besides the owner, and can earn no more than $54,310 in annual gross sales. Meals can be either donated or sold, and are approved for pick-up, delivery, and on-site consumption. MEHKOs are subject to one scheduled annual inspection and cannot operate concurrently as a caterer, cottage food operator, or wholesaler. The County hopes that the MEKHO program will open new pathways to food entrepreneurship, especially for underserved populations.

The creation of the MEHKO pilot program is in accordance with the passage of Assembly Bill 626 in 2018, authorizing California counties the option to allow MEHKOs in their jurisdiction. Learn more about the MEKHO Pilot Program HERE.

Have questions? Contact City of Morgan Hill Economic Development Director Matt Mahood at Matt.Mahood@morganhill.ca.gov

December 09, 2022

San Francisco's slow burn to full hotel recovery

By Brittney Sherman

In 2019, San Francisco was ranked one of the top two hotel markets nationwide, falling just behind New York City. However, when the pandemic hit it knocked San Francisco to rock bottom. Group travel and international travel, especially from China, generated over 60% of San Francisco hotel stays, two travel sections that were decimated in 2020.

There are approximately 230 hotels and upwards of 34,000 hotel rooms in San Francisco. In 2019, the average hotel occupancy was (82.9) percent and the average daily rate (ADR) for a room was $275.79, the highest ADR ever recorded in the City’s history. Of the recorded 26.2 million visitors to the City in 2019, roughly (40) precent stayed at least one night. Overnight visitors were responsible for producing (87) percent of the total direct visitor spending for the year and hotel transient occupancy tax (TOT) represented (50) percent of the City’s General Fund.

As people adjust to the new normal, San Francisco hotels continue to experience a slow burn of recovery, projecting to end the 2022 year with a (64) percent occupancy rate. Although industry leaders do not expect full hotel recovery of pre-pandemic occupancy and ADR until early 2025, Visit San Franciso will launch a campaign in 2023 to change the narrative on how people view the City to foster a quicker return of international and group travel to San Francisco.