Santa Clarita is once again in the running for one of Los Angeles County’s most recognized civic honors. The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) named the city a finalist for its 2026 Most Business-Friendly City Award, according to an announcement posted by the City of Santa Clarita on October 9.
The award is part of LAEDC’s annual recognition program, which honors one “small city” and one “large city” in LA County each year for cutting red tape, streamlining permitting, and building economic development programs that make it easier for companies to start up, expand, or relocate. Santa Clarita, competing in the large-city category, has been a frequent name on this list over the past decade, having previously won the honor outright multiple times, including a stretch where it was recognized as the county’s most business-friendly city for several consecutive years.
For business owners in the Santa Clarita Valley, the recognition is more than a trophy. LAEDC’s selection criteria typically weigh things that matter day-to-day to operators: how quickly a city turns around permits, how responsive its economic development staff are to new and expanding businesses, and whether local policy actively removes friction rather than adding it. A city that performs well on those fronts tends to be an easier place to open a storefront, expand a warehouse, or navigate inspections without months of delay.
Santa Clarita isn’t the only Los Angeles-area city in the running this year. Santa Monica was also named a finalist for the 2026 award, marking its second consecutive year as a finalist, a reminder that the competition for this recognition spans the entire county, from the San Fernando Valley to the Westside to the Santa Clarita Valley. LAEDC is expected to name this year’s winners at its upcoming Eddy Awards gala, the organization’s signature annual event celebrating economic development across the region.
For now, the finalist nod is a good opportunity for Santa Clarita Valley business owners to take stock of the resources already available to them locally, from the city’s economic development office to business attraction incentives aimed at keeping growing companies in the Valley rather than losing them to neighboring counties.
Source: City of Santa Clarita
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