Business improvement districts: ranked by 2003 budget.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

THE aggregate budgets of the 25 largest business improvement districts in Los Angeles County reached $25 million last year, a 5.8 percent increase over the year earlier.

The Downtown Center BID retained its No. 1 status as more than three-fourths of the largest BIDs held their budgets steady or reported increases.

BIDs are funded by levying fees on either landlords (for property-based groups) or tenants (merchant/tenan0 and provide extra-governmental services like cleaning, security and promotions.

Downtown Long Beach Associates, a property-based BID, had the largest year-over-year percentage gain in its budget. Its $1.6 million annual budget is up $350,000, or 28 percent, from the year earlier. The BID was renewed earlier this year and its term expanded to 10 years from five. The renewal is made up of a new management plan and a different assessment methodology, which includes building square footage in the calculation, according to Kraig Kojian, its chief executive. Downtown Long Beach also expanded its area, adding the Pike at Rainbow Harbor complex.

The Downtown Burbank BID debuted at No. 13, with an annual budget of $720,000.

THE PACESETTER

DOWNTOWN CENTER BID

THE Downtown Center Business Improvement District tops the list for the fifth consecutive year, solidifying its place with a 3.3 percent increase to its annual budget of $4.7 million.

The increase came from a 2.3 percent increase to the assessment on property owners in its area, the first increase since the BID was founded in 1997. The extra funds are slated for additional maintenance services, according to Carl Clauson, its chief financial officer.

Downtown Center continues its push for more residential development.

"We know you can't create a vital downtown unless you have a strong residential base," said Chief Executive Carol Schatz. "When you have people downtown you have to provide amenities to serve them."

Schatz expects 3,000 residential units to come onto the downtown market by the first half of 2005, and she said the Ralphs supermarket currently under construction should be ready in 2006.

Public safety remained the largest part of the Downtown Center's budget, accounting for a third of 2003 expenses. The BID is also working closely with county and state officials to help homeless citizens get off the street and into existing programs.

For 2004, Schatz will head to New York to pitch investment opportunities in downtown L.A.

"We need to make sure BID dollars are spent to locus attention on investment in downtown, to stoke that momentum," said Schatz. "We need as much outreach to potential investors while things are moving."

Rank    BID Name (Ranking in 2003)                    Annual
        * street                                    Budget (1)
        * city                                      (thousands)

   1    Downtown Center BID (1)                       $4,650
        606 S. Olive St., Suite 1000
        Los Angeles 90014
   2    Fashion District BID (2)                       3,300
        110 E. Ninth St., Suite A-1175
        Los Angeles 90079
   3    Hollywood Entertainment District (3)           2,250
        1680 N. Vine St., Suite 216
        Los Angeles 90028
   4    Downtown Long Beach Associates (4)             1,600
        100 W. Broadway, Suite 120
        Long Beach 90802
   5    L.A. Downtown Industrial District (6)          1,297
        744 S. San Pedro St.
        Los Angeles 90014
   6    Old Pasadena Management District (5)           1,221
        88 N. Fair Oaks, Suite 104
        Pasadena 91103
   7    Hollywood Media District (7)                   1,026.3
        1304 N. Highland Ave., Suite 200
        Los Angeles 90028
   8    Historic Downtown L.A. BID (10) (3)             997
        707 S. Broadway, Suite 1234
        Los Angeles 90014
   9    Chinatown BID (8)                               950
        727 N. Broadway, Suite 208
        Los Angeles 90012
  10    Third Street Promenade (11)                     897
        1351 Third St. Promenade, Suite 201
        Santa Monica 90401
  11    Figueroa Corridor Partnership BID (12)          887.4
        3982 S. Figueroa St., Suite 207
        Los Angeles 90037
  12    Downtown Long Beach (13)                        750
        100 W. Broadway, Suite 120
        Long Beach 90802
  13    Downtown Burbank BID                            720
        275 E. Olive Ave.
        Burbank 91502
  14    Gateway to L.A. (14)                            710
        6151 Century Blvd., Suite 121
        Los Angeles 90045
  15    Wilshire Center BID (15)                        600
        3600 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1032
        Los Angeles 90010
  16    Pasadena Playhouse District Association        $566.7
        695 E. Colorado Blvd., Suite 103B
        Pasadena 91101
  17    Huntington Park BID (16)                        480
        6550 Miles Ave., Room 145
        Huntington Park 90255
  18    Toy District (17)                               331.6
        744 S. San Pedro St.
        Los Angeles 90014
  19    Whittier Uptown Association (18)                300
        7028 Greenleaf Ave., Suite J
        Whither 90602
  20    Studio City BID (19)                            300
        4024 Radford Ave.
        Studio City 91604
  21    Encino Commons                                  275.9 (5)
        17547 Ventura Blvd., Suite 106
        Encino 91316
  22    Highland Park BID                               255
        115 N. Avenue 53
        Los Angeles 90042
  23    Canoga Park Improvement Association (21)        226
        21500 Wyandotte St., Suite 120
        Canoga Park 91303
  24    Village at Sherman Oaks                         211.3 (5)
        14622 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 404
        Sherman Oaks 91403
  25    Belmont Shore Business Association (22)         210
        200 Nieto Ave., Suite 208
        Long Beach 90803

Rank      Profile           Term           No. of
          * year          * length       Members (2)
        established    * renewal date
          * type

   1       1997          five years          480
         Property        Jan. 2008
   2       1996          five years          575
         Property        Jan. 2009
   3       1996          five years          210
         Property        Jan. 2009
   4       1999           10 years           375
         Property           2013
   5       1999          six years           360
         Property        Dec. 2009
   6       2000          five years          220
         Property           2005
   7       1999          five years          250
         Property        Jan. 2005
   8       1999          five years          150
         Property           2009
   9       2001           10 years           178
         Property        Jan. 2011
  10       1984             N/A              700
         Merchant/          N/A
          Tenant
  11       1998          five years          115
         Property           2008
  12       1973           one year          1,250
         Merchant/       Oct. 2004
          Tenant
  13       2003          five years          133
         Property           2008
  14       1998          five years          31
         Property        Dec. 2005
  15       1995           one year           350
         Merchant/       Dec. 2005
          Tenant
  16       2001          five years          396
         Property         May 2006
  17       1995           one year           630
         Merchant/       July 2004
          Tenant
  18       1999         three years          143
         Property        Dec. 2004
  19       1954           one year           575
         Merchant/       Oct. 2004
          Tenant
  20       1999          five years          130
         Property        Aug. 2004
  21       2000          five years          75
         Property           2005
  22       2001         eight years          100
         Property           2009
  23       1999          five years          206
         Property        Aug. 2004
  24       1999          five years          WND
         Property           2004
  25       1948           one year           243
         Merchant/        Oct 2004
          Tenant

Rank                   Coverage Area                    Total
                                                         City
                                                        Blocks

   1             First Street, 110 Freeway,               65
                   Main and Hill streets,
                     Olympic Boulevard
   2          Seventh Street, Spring and Main             90
            streets, Crocker Street, 10 Freeway
   3         Hollywood Boulevard, Vine Street,            35
                 Highland Avenue, Cahuenga
                         Boulevard
   4             Eigth Street, 710 Freeway,               90
              Alamitos Avenue, Shoreline Drive
   5          Third Street, San Pedro Street,             44
             Alameda Street, Eighth Street and
                     Olympic Boulevard
   6        Walnut Street to Del Mar Boulevard,           21
             Pasadena Avenue to Arroyo Parkway
   7     Santa Monica Boulevard between Vine Street       40
            and Highland Avenue, Highland Avenue
            between Melrose and Fountain avenues
   8         Broadway, Spring and Main streets            24
              between Fourth and Ninth streets
   9         Broadway, Hill and Spring streets            19
  10         Ocean Boulevard to Seventh Street,           28
           Santa Monica Boulevard to northside of
                     Wilshire Boulevard
  11        Figueroa and Flower streets, Vermont          60
                 Avenue, Washington, Adams,
            Jefferson and Exposition boulevards
  12         10th Street, 710 Freeway, Alamitos          180
                   Boulevard, waterfront
  13            Glenoaks Boulevard, Burbank               38
                 Boulevard, Verdugo Avenue,
                         5 Freeway
  14       Century Boulevard from La Cienega and           7
          Sepulveda boulevards, Airport Boulevard
           from 96th Street to Century Boulevard
  15        Wilshire Boulevard, Wilton Street to         150
             Alvarado Street, Olympic Boulevard
                      to Third Street
  16         Corson Street, Los Robles Avenue,            34
                Lake Avenue, Cordova Street
  17         Pacific Boulevard between Florence           20
                Avenue and Randolph Street,
                   Rugby and Rita avenues
  18            Third Street, Werdin Place,               13
               San Pedro Street, Fifth Street
  19           Hadley Street to Penn Avenue,              58
             Pickering Avenue to Painter Avenue
  20    Ventura Boulevard between Carpenter Avenue,        6
        Ventura Place and sections of Ventura Court,
          Redfrod Avenue, Laurel Canyon Boulevard
  21          Ventura Boulevard between White             NA
                 Oaks and Balboa boulevards
  22          North Figueroa Street, downtown             11
                       Highland Park
  23            Topanga Canyon Boulevard to               12
               Canoga Avenue, Gault Street to
                      Wyandotte Street
  24          Van Nuys and Ventura boulevards              6
  25         Second Street from Bayshore Avenue           14
           to Livingston Drive including 14 side
                      streets to alley

Rank        Improvements/Programs        Top Administrator
               (partial list)            * name
                                         * title
                                         * general phone number

   1     Safe & Clean Program, BID       Carol E. Schatz
         ACTION Program, marketing,      ceo, president
        economic development, 24-hr.     [phone]
               service center
   2       security, maintenance,        Kent Smith
             marketing, advocacy         exec. director
                                         [phone]
   3       security, maintenance,        Kerry Morrison
           marketing, streetscape        exec. director
                improvements             [phone]
   4       Clean & Safe Program,         Kraig Kojian
        marketing, public relations,     ceo, president
            economic development,        [phone]
          advocacy, administration,
              special projects
   5         security, sidewalk          Estela Lopez
        maintenance, communications,     exec. director
            legislative advocacy         [phone]
   6        parking management,          Maggie Campbell
        marketing, advocacy, safety,     ceo, president
           maintenance, economic         [phone]
                 development
   7       Safe & Clean Program,         Mary Lou Dudas
          marketing, streetscape,        exec. director
                  advocacy               [phone]
   8       Safe & Clean Program,         Michael Delijani
          marketing, community and       president
              visitor outreach           [phone]
   9     marketing and promotions,       George Yu
            events, maintenance,         exec. director
            security, cleaning,          [phone]
            streetscape, lighting
  10      operations, maintenance,       Kathleen Rawson
        marketing, security, parking,    exec. director
             long-term planning          [phone]
  11       Clean & Safe Program,         Darryl Holter
        marketing, Angels Walk L.A.,     chairman
        signage, community medallions    [phone]
  12     marketing, special events,      Kraig Kojian
         public relations, economic      ceo, president
           development, advocacy,        [phone]
               administration
  13       Smart Parking Program,        Gail Stewart
         signage, paseo and street       downtown manager
        upgrades, street maintenance,    [phone]
            holiday decorations,
          security, promotions and
                   events
  14    bike patrol, street cleaning     Laurie Hughes
           and trash pickup tree         exec. director
         trimming, free shuttle to       [phone]
          Manhattan Beach Pier and
           Village Shopping Center
  15       security, maintenance,        Gary Russell
                  marketing              exec. director
                                         [phone]
  16      maintenance, Ambassador        Catherine H. Hany
        Guide, economic enhancement,     exec. director
           physical amenities and        [phone]
          streetscape enhancement,
          marketing and promotions
  17    joint advertising, promotions    Olivia Segura
         and special events, street      business devel. Supervisor (4)
             cleaning, holiday           [phone]
            decorations, security
  18       sidewalk maintenance,         Estela Lopez
            security, marketing,         exec. director
          promotions, legislative        [phone]
                  advocacy
  19     consumer events, lighting       Ernest Esquer
            concept, maintenance         president
        lobbying, travel and tourism     [phone]
        programs, co-op promotions,
           beautification projects
  20    maintenance, security, alley     Lorena Parker
         repaving, construction of       exec. director
         center median, Studio City      [phone]
                Walk of Fame
  21     streetscape improvements,       Richard Leyner
         greening project, farmer's      president
                   market                [phone]
  22     streetscape, maintenance,       Misty Iwatsu
             security, economic          exec. director
               revitalization            [phone]
  23      landscape, maintenance,        Mary Paterson
            security, marketing,         exec. director
          promotions, new business       [phone]
            attraction, advocacy
  24     streetscape improvements,       Leslie Elkan
                 maintenance             president
                                         [phone]
  25    18 events throughout the year    Tori Busch
          to promote, protect and        exec. director
             maintain community          [phone]

N/A--Not Applicable NA--Not Available WND--Would Not Disclose

(1) Gross funds from all sources unless otherwise noted.

(2) For property BIDS, total number of property owners. For Merchant/
Tenant BIDS, total number of businesses.

(3) Formerly named Historic Core.

(4) City of Huntington Park.

(5) Assessment for fiscal 2003-04 by the city of Los Angeles, obtained
from the Office of the City Clerk.

Note: The information on this list was provided by representatives of
the BIDS themselves unless otherwise noted. To the best of our
knowledge, this information is accurate as of press time. While every
effort is made to ensure the accuracy and thoroughness of the list,
omissions and typographical errors sometimes occur. Please send
corrections or additions on company letterhead to the Research
Department, Los Angeles Business Journal, 5700 Wilshire Blvd.,
Suite 170, Los Angeles 90036. [c] 2004 Los Angeles Business Journal.
This list may not be reprinted in whole or in part without prior
written permission from the editor. Reprints are available from
Wright's Reprints, [phone].

Researched by Nicole Taylor