Shafter, California

AT A GLANCE SHAFTER, CALIFORNIA WHAT: Known as a business-friendly city; population 20,000 WHERE: Kern County, California WEBSITE: www.shafter.com T he city of Shafter, California has an interesting history, beginning as a loading dock along the Santa Fe Railroad right-of- way. In 2013, this small, yet intrepid, community named for General William Rufus Shafter, who commanded U.S. Forces in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, honored the 100th year of its founding. And there continues to be much to celebrate. Today’s Shafter is alive with hometown spirit and strong community values. Its business-friendly philosophy and visionary outlook on workforce education is attracting second looks and investment from an array of economic sectors. Shafter is the fastest-growing city in Kern County and the fourth-fastest growing city in California, by percentage. The only city sharing a border with Bakersfield, the county seat, which has a population of over 400,000, Shafter (at 20,000 and growing) is often referred to by county leaders as the crown jewel in the Kern County economic world. Forty percent of Shafter jobs are in agriculture. Local crops include almonds, pistachios, cotton, grapes, alfalfa, and a variety of vegetables. Cotton and potatoes have a special historical significance as leading industries in different periods of the town’s development. While the farming industry will always be prevalent, there is now rising employment in distribution centers on the east side of town. Shafter Planning Director, Wayne Clausen, notes, “Down in the Wonderful Industrial Park (WIP), they’re employing about 4,000 folks in the distribution centers. With the current industrial land base down there, if it’s built out in the next 10 to 15 years, there will be 20,000 jobs just in that one portion of the city.” Economic Development Director Bob Meadows, adds, “Various national companies currently occupy about seven million sq. ft. of usable space for distribution centers, and Ross Dress for Less just put up another two-million-sq.-ft. distribution center. Like many small cities, our major source of income is sales tax from the businesses that are located here. We do have some call centers, like Williams Sonoma, and we’re trying to diversify. Our target is more retail business, not just distribution centers. Even so, Wal-Mart is opening their first-ever fresh/frozen distribution center in Shafter in 2020.” B U S I N E S S - F R I E N D L Y P H I L O S O P H Y