Business Improvement District

20 SAN FERNANDO VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL FEBRUARY 1, 2021

THE LIST Improvement Districts Evolve With the Pandemic

LIST: Decline in budgets based further restrictions set in, restaurants closed, percentage. travel was only allowed for essential purpos- For staff at local BIDs, the work hasn’t on local hotel occupancy. es, so November and December were a little slowed down during the pandemic; it has difficult; we hovered a little below 50 percent,” simply shifted. By AMY STULICK Staff Reporter explained Hamzoian. “It’s really been a roll- Travel BIDs have based their marketing ercoaster and difficult to gauge where we are. strategies on who exactly can visit, with digital Tourism business improvement districts, or Instead of comparing it year-over-year, we’ve advertising and social media efforts aimed at TBIDs, face two challenges in the coronavirus been comparing it month-over-month.” domestic and in-state travel. pandemic. Ventura County Lodging Association, Traditional BIDs, such as the Downtown First, because the organizations are funded branded as Ventura County Coast and No. 1 on Burbank Partnership, found the workload by a special tax on hotel rooms, their funding the Business Journal’s list, assesses 2 percent change from marketing to helping struggling has declined. And second, since travel is re- on room rates within the cities of Camarillo, restaurants and retailers. stricted, it’s hard to market a destination, which Port Hueneme, Ventura and Oxnard. The Burbank BID holds the No. 4 spot on is their organizational mission. Its budget was slashed by $1 million, Sellling Point: Ventura County beach. the Business Journal’s list. Visit Burbank, No. 3 on the Business Jour- according to Executive Director Brian Tucker. “Once indoor dining was completely shut nal’s list of Business Improvement Districts, Hotels are hovering at 40 percent occupancy, Colonial Revival-style project will boast a 122- down, the city, through advocacy and assis- garners 1 percent of hotel room rates in Bur- a far cry from its mid to high 70s as a leisure room Home2 Suites by Hilton and a four-story, tance with the downtown board, elected to bank, according to Mary Hamzoian, executive travel destination. 155-room Embassy Suites, according to a close off all of San Fernando Boulevard to director for the organization. “Based on the numbers, we’re actually do- previous Business Journal report. vehicular traffic,” said Hamzoian, who also “Our budget runs around $1 million per ing better than most nationally and in the state “That conference center is going to allow serves as executive director for the downtown year,” she said. “Obviously with COVID, that’s of California,” said Tucker, referring to other us to hopefully book some of those small to BID. “We closed off all the streets and allowed been slashed in half. Our funding in 2020 was TBIDs. “A lot of our business comes from mid-size meetings,” said Tucker. “That’s going all our restaurants to apply for permits to move 50 percent of what we had anticipated it to be.” leisure travel. We have wide open spaces, wide to really help us. … The business segment is their indoor operations outside. Some of the Added Hamzoian: “Right now what we’ve open beaches, so we’re benefiting from that as huge for us as well. That’s a segment that has restaurants effectively doubled their occupancy been doing, as a result, is looking at our budget opposed to some of the gateway cities.” been completely shut off because we can’t have by being outside.” more on a six-month basis and trying to antic- Continued Tucker: “That’s kind of the meetings.” The BID also purchased tables, chairs and ipate what the next six months will look like secret sauce for our sustainability. I think we’re The project will directly impact Visit Ca- umbrellas, establishing “parklets” for people to based on the previous six months – forecasting going to be one of the first ones out of this.” marillo, No. 11 on the Business Journal’s list sit and eat their food. and reporting to see what our occupancy is Coupled with Ventura Coast’s weekend of BIDs and led by Yuliana Gonzalez. A holiday decoration program dressed up going to look like.” travelers, the region will soon enjoy new the closed San Fernando Boulevard with lights Average room occupancy has dropped from business thanks to the Mian Plaza and Marketing campaigns and a Christmas tree, until a surge in COVID 83 percent, well above the industry standard of Conference Center of Camarillo, a 17,500 Traditional BIDs, which rely on property cases closed outdoor dining again. 70 percent, to 40 percent as of January. square-foot, 750-seat conference center set for taxes within a given district, have fared better In the future, Hamzoian looks to establish “We were able to get ourselves situated to completion next year and situated across from financially than tourism improvement districts, a hybrid of curbside pickup, take-out and par- about 50 percent in October, and then of course the Camarillo Premium Outlets. The Spanish whose budgets are based on a certain room rate klets to assist the restaurant sector.

BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS  NEXT ISSUE THE LIST Ranked by 2021 budget Accounting Firms

Rank Business Improvement District Budget Profile Terms Areas Covered Programs and Services Top Executive • name • 2021 • members • length • name • address • 2020 • type • renewal date • title • website (in thousands) • city blocks • phone

Ventura County Lodging Association $2,000 65 10 years Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura and Port marketing program to increase hotel Brian Tucker 1 305 S. Kalorama St, Suite B $3,000 property 2025 Hueneme occupancy by promoting Camarillo, Executive Director Ventura 93001 N/A Oxnard, Ventura and Port Hueneme (800) 648-2124 venturacountycoast.com

Greater Downtown Glendale 1,778 165 10 years Brand Boulevard and Central Avenue beautification, cleaning, public space Marco Li Mandri 2 Association 1,587 property 2029 development and management, district Executive Director 100 N. Brand Blvd., Suite 508 46 identity and branding (818) 476-0121 Glendale 91203 downtownglendale.com

Visit Burbank 1,100 19 10 years hotels with 25 rooms or more in city marketing and activities promoting Danny Khan 3 PO Box 349 1,100 property 2026 limits Burbank including an enhanced Board Chair Burbank 91503 NA partnership with Universal Studios (747) 477-1462 visitburbank.com Hollywood Downtown Burbank Partnership 1,024 296 10 years Magnolia Boulevard, Olive Avenue, marketing and events, regional Michael Cusumano 4 150 N. 3rd St. 1,024 property 2028 Alameda Avenue, I-5 freeway branding, maintenance and capital Chairman Burbank 91502 40 improvements, hospitality and social (818) 238-5180 dtnbur.com services outreach, leasing support

South L.A. Industrial District 8911 NA NA Slauson Avenue, Florence Avenue, security, maintenance Susan Levi 5 13300 Victory Blvd., Suite 320 8912 property NA Central Avenue, Avalon Avenue Executive Director Van Nuys 91401 22 (818) 780-9100 slaitbid.com North Hollywood BID 715 120 5 years Lankershim Boulevard, Magnolia safety ambassador program, Steve Gibson 6 5026 Lankershim Blvd. 683 property 2024 Boulevard maintenance, marketing Executive Director North Hollywood 91601 40 (818) 761-8230 nohobid.com

1 Business Journal estimate. ensure the accuracy and thoroughness of the list, omissions and typographical errors sometimes occur. Please send 2 Provided by the Los Angeles City Clerk. corrections or additions to [email protected]. ©2021 San Fernando Valley Business Journal. This list may not be NA - Not Available N/A - Not Applicable Note: The information on this list was provided by representatives of the districts reprinted in whole or in part without prior written permission from the editor. Reprints are available from Wright’s Media and cities. To the best of our knowledge, this information is accurate as of press time. While every effort is made to (877) 652-5295. Researched by Joshua Niv

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BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS

Conejo Valley Tourism Improvement $600 16 10 years lodging properties in Agoura Hills and multiplatform destination marketing, Danielle Borja 7 District $870 merchant 2027 Thousand Oaks meeting, wedding, sports and travel CEO, President 600 Hampshire Road, Suite 200 NA conferences, familiarization tours and (805) 370-0035 Thousand Oaks 91361 strategic partnerships conejo.com

Santa Clarita Tourism Marketing 589 5 NA hotels in city limits marketing, event attraction Jason Crawford 8 District 612 merchant NA Economic 23920 Valencia Blvd., Suite 100 NA Development Santa Clarita 91355 Manager teamsantaclarita.com (661) 255-4347

Studio City BID 564 224 5 years Ventura Boulevard from Carpenter improvement projects, sidewalk Vicki Nussbaum 9 12198 Ventura Blvd., Suite 207 450 property 2024 Avenue to Coldwater Canyon Avenue, sweeping, tree trimming, pressure Executive Director Studio City 91604 Studio Ventura Place, Laurel Canyon washing, removed graffiti, daily (818) 821-3820 studiocitybusinessdistrict.com City Boulevard, Radford Avenue security patrols

Destination Lancaster 495 9 5 years hotels in city limits with AAA rating of marketing, partnerships, branding, Sandy Smith 10 554 W. Lancaster Blvd. 535 merchant 2023 three stars or greater visitors center Executive Director Lancaster 93534 N/A (661) 400-0342 destinationlancasterca.org

Visit Camarillo 430 11 10 hotels in city limits marketing programs designed to Yuliana Gonzalez 11 4001 Mission Oaks Blvd., Suite B 580 merchant 2019 increase tourism and overnight stays Executive Director Camarillo 93012 NA in Camarillo Hotels (844) 775-2533 visitcamarillo.com

Visit Simi Valley 3301 5 5 years hotels in Simi Valley marketing Layma Askarzoi 12 40 W. Cochran St., Suite 100 330 merchant 2024 Executive Director Simi Valley 93065 NA (805) 526-3900 visitsimivalley.com The BLVD Association 3071 NA NA Lancaster Boulevard from 10th Street clean and safe, marketing, advocacy Araxie Kahramanian 13 44933 Fern Ave. 3071 merchant NA West to Sierra Highway, Kettering Executive Director Lancaster 93534 9 Street to Milling Street (661) 723-6074 theblvdlancaster.com Montrose Shopping Park Association 305 170 3 years 2200-2400 blocks of Honolulu Avenue marketing, promotions, events, clean Dale Dawson 14 P.O. Box 782 550 merchant 2023 and peripheral streets and safe Business Montrose 91021 8 Administration shopmontrose.com (818) 541-0699

Historic Old Town Canoga Park BID - 2491 NA 10 years Wyandotte Street to Gault Street, landscaping and maintenance, Mary Paterson 15 Canoga Park Improvement 249 property 2029 includes Historic Old Town Sherman security, marketing, promotions and Executive Director Association 15 Way Corridor from Glade Avenue to public relations, admin and operations (818) 346-7480 21822 Sherman Way, Suite 106 Canoga Avenue Canoga Park 91303 canogaparkcal.com Village at Sherman Oaks Business 162 350 10 years Van Nuys Boulevard from Hortense sidewalk pressure washing, Leslie Elkan 16 Improvement District 148 property 2030 Avenue to Ventura Boulevard and landscaping, sweeping, trash removal, President 14528 Ventura Blvd. 8 Ventura Boulevard from Van Nuys graffiti removal, image enhancement (818) 326-0273 Sherman Oaks 91403 Boulevard to Cedros North villageatshermanoaks.com

Encino Commons BID 1481 NA 5 years Ventura Blvd. from Balboa Blvd. to marketing, landscaping Susan Levi 17 17547 Ventura Blvd., Suite 106 1482 property 2020 White Oak Ave. Executive Director Encino 91316 9 (818) 780-9100 encinocommons.org

Old Granada Village BID 1401 NA 5 years Chatsworth St. from Encino Ave. to marketing, landscaping Susan Levi 18 17723 Chatsworth St. 1402 property 2020 Lindley Ave. Executive Director Granada Hills 91344 5 (818) 780-9100 granadahillsbid.com

Chatsworth BID 1161 NA one year Devonshire St.- Topanga Canyon to marketing, security, landscaping Marian Gorman 19 2391 Tapo St. 1162 merchant January Mason Administrator Simi Valley 93063 8 (818) 678-4969 chatsworthbid.com

Tarzana Safari Walk BID 83 180 5 years Ventura Blvd. from Reseda Blvd. to marketing, beautification & streetscape Kathy Delle Donne 20 18653 Ventura Blvd., Suite 323 792 property 2022 Burbank Blvd. improvements President Tarzana 91356 4 (818) 394-6601 tarzanasafariwalk.com

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