West Coast Urban District Forum 2019 Presentations

Los Angeles, CA   |   March 19-21, 2019

Selected presentations are accessible by clicking the [DOWNLOAD] button. 

 

Wednesday, March 19, 2019 | 8:30 am | Opening Master Talks

It Might Be All About Experiences, but Experiences Do Not Pay the Rent [DOWNLOAD]
Michael Berne, Founder and President, MJB Consulting (Berkeley, CA and New York, NY)

The High Cost of Parking Requirements [DOWNLOAD]
Donald Shoup, Distinguished Research Professor, Department of Urban Planning, University of California, LA (Los Angeles, CA)

Advancing Social Equity: The Movement to Create Inclusive Communities [DOWNLOAD]
Jamillah Jordan, Director of the Equity Studio at MIG, Inc, (Berkeley, CA)

 

Wednesday, March 19, 2019 | 10:30 am | Breakout Sessions 

Finding Solutions to Parking & Access Challenges in Commercial Districts [DOWNLOAD]
Parking and access challenges rank as top concerns for BID stakeholders. Many districts lack parking, and also the ability to manage the inventory they do have. Plus, parking requirements can hamper development and leasing. This session will explore strategies to improve the parking experience by engaging with public and private entities. Learn about parking requirements and how different communities are amending them. Hear BID success stories about sharing in locally-generated parkingrevenue, increasing parking inventory through innovative methods, and advocating for changes to prohibitive legislation and city ordinances.
Domain: Public Space Management and Operations
Speakers:
Dr. Donald Shoup, Published Author and Professor, UCLA (Los Angeles, CA)
Mott Smith, Principal, Civic Enterprise Associates (Los Angeles, CA)
Andrew Thomas, Executive Director, Westwood Village Improvement Association (Los Angeles, CA)

Moving from Theory to Practice: Frameworks for Defining Equity Outcomes
This panel session features innovators from across the country who are shaping equity outcomes and assessing the performance of their institutions through an equity lens. Identifying systematic ways to measure equitable progress can help cities make both incremental and large-scale change. The process of understanding and tracking the state of equity empowers civic leaders to concentrate on what’s
working, and helps them make the case for additional investment –and community buy-in– into impactful strategies. Using case study examples and an analysis of best practices, the session will equip participants with pro-equity tools to measure impact and contribute to positive social change.
Domain: Policy & Advocacy
Speakers:
Jamillah Jordan, Project Manager, MIG, Inc. (Berkeley, CA)
Austin Metoyer, Economic Development & Policy Manager, Downtown Long Beach Alliance (Long Beach, CA)
Madeline Spencer, Founder, Diamond Heart Enterprises (Santa Ana, CA)
Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, Executive Director, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (Los Angeles, CA)

Leveraging Development to Invest in Infrastructure [DOWNLOAD]
Cities aim for a thriving and vibrant downtown – one that attracts residents, companies, workers, tourists, and visitors alike. But what happens when that growth is on a fast track and infrastructure planning has a multi-decade-long runway? In this panel we’ll learn about California’s Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District legislation, how and when to use it, and what it can do to transform a district.
Domain: Planning, Design & Infrastructure
Moderator:
Josh Kreger, Director of Real Estate and Planning, South Park BID (Los Angeles, CA)
Speakers:
Jan Perry, Executive Director, Infrastructure Funding Alliance (Los Angeles, CA)
Jenna Hornstock, Executive Office of Transit Oriented Communities, LA Metro (Los Angeles, CA)
Dan Weinstein, Managing Partner, College Town International, LLC (Los Angeles, CA)

California Legislative Priorities Roundtable
Legislative advocacy is a critical benefit of membership in the California Downtown Association. Join the advocacy team for a roundtable discussion of legislative priorities and key bills for the 2019 legislative session.
Domain: Policy & Advocacy
Speaker:
Jason Bryant, Bryant Government Affairs

Strategic Planning for Downtowns [DOWNLOAD]
Whether it’s preparing for P/BID formation or renewal, or to refresh a downtown management organization that needs to diversify its funding and approach, strategic planning is an essential tool to guide downtown managers and board members. This session will provide an overview on the benefits of strategic planning for downtown organizations, and then focus on two recent strategic planning efforts undertaken for the Old Pasadena Management District and the iconic Santa Monica Pier.
Domain: Organizational Management
Speakers:
Brad Segal, President, Progressive Urban Management Associates (Denver, CO)
Elana Buegoff, Pier Administrator, City of Santa Monica (Santa Monica, CA)
Steve Mulheim, President & CEO, Old Pasadena Management District (Pasadena, CA)

 

Wednesday, March 19, 2019 | 2:30 pm | Breakout Sessions 

Common Ground: Navigating Diverse Communities Within Urban Environments
This session examines the need to find common ground, facilitate understanding and manage expectations between business, residents and the unsheltered population. How do downtown organizations manage these different populations? Learn from practitioners and an expert on community engagement.
Domain: Public Space Management & Operations
Speakers:
John Caner, CEO, Downtown Berkeley Association (Berkeley, CA)
Trevor Kale, Vice President, Chrysalis Enterprises (Los Angeles, CA)
John Bwarie, Founder & CEO, Stratiscope (Los Angeles, CA)
Anthony Rodriguez, Director of Operations, LA Fashion District BID (Los Angeles, CA)

Holding Back the Tides of Time: How We Deal with Changing Retail Mixes [DOWNLOAD]
There is an ever-widening array of policy tools that cities in California and beyond have already implemented or are considering in an effort to regulate retail mixes and slow tenant displacement in rapidly-gentrifying or already-gentrified business districts. With some of these, enough time has even elapsed that we can now start to analyze outcomes. Drawing on case studies, this timely session will examine what has been and is being done with respect to commercial vacancy taxes, commercial rent control, legacy business ordinances and other such instruments, then assess whether they are doing what they were meant to do and consider what unintended consequences they might have set in motion. Finally, we will discuss, on a broader philosophical level, whether such tools are serving legitimate or worthwhile purposes of public policy.
Domain: Policy & Advocacy
Speakers:
Mike Berne, President, MJB Consulting (Berkeley, CA and New York, NY)
Brad Segal, President, Progressive Urban Management Associates (Denver, CO)

Planning for the Future of Los Angeles
How does a city transition from analog to smart? How do we prepare for changes in the way our streets and sidewalks are used? From autonomous vehicles, to an international airport redesign, to the 2028 Olympic games, learn how LA is planning for the future.
Domain: Planning, Design & Infrastructure
Speakers:
Doane Liu, Executive Director, City of Los Angeles Department of Convention & Tourism Development (Los Angeles, CA)
Marcel Porras, Chief Sustainability Officer, City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (Los Angeles, CA)
Amanda Daflos, Director, Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Budget and Innovation (Los Angeles, CA)
Tobias Person, Senior Advisor of Technology and Innovation, Los Angles World Airports (Los Angeles, CA)

Effective Leadership and the Toolkit to Get It Done [DOWNLOAD]
This workshop will explore ways to maximize your staff and productivity, manage pressure and make decisions about new projects and priority setting. We will focus on Board development, strengthening the effectiveness of committees and ways to support and bolster the Executive Director and staff of your organization. You will leave with the tools to help explain the role of the Board versus the role of the staff and discuss some of the challenges of leading in today’s business climate. The workshop is led by Steve Gibson and Kathleen Rawson who between them have more than 50 years of experience working with and leading successful downtown organizations.
Domain: Leadership Development
Speakers:
Steve Gibson, President, Urban Place Consulting Group (Long Beach, CA)
Kathleen Rawson, CEO, Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (Santa Monica, CA)

Art of the State: Leveraging Local Culture and Creativity to Enliven the Downtown District [DOWNLOAD]
This session will present a snapshot of case studies that engage makers, artists and other creatives in downtown promotions, placemaking and development projects. Great Downtowns of all sizes are identified by their cultural environment. We will explore how both large and small investments in arts and creativity can return dividends that multiply.
Domain: Economic Development
Speakers:
Chip, Executive Director, Downtown Association of Downtown Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA)
Nick Griffin, Executive Director, Downtown Center BID (Los Angeles, CA)
Steve Snider, Executive Director, Downtown Oakland Association (Oakland, CA)

 

Thursday, March 20, 2019 | 8:30 am | Breakout Sessions 

Bringing Back Main Streets
A look at historically popular areas that went through an idle period, but have since seen a resurgence through a combination of means (space management, economic development, etc).
Domain: Public Space Management & Operations
Moderator: Joella Hopkins, DTLA Director & Strategic Media, Council District 14 (Los Angeles, CA)
Speakers:
Savlan Hauser, Executive Director, Jack London Improvement District (Oakland, CA)
Daniel Zack, Assistant Director of Development and Resource Management, City of Fresno (Fresno, CA)
Marsha Rood, Principal, Urban Reinventions (Los Angeles, CA)

The Value of U.S. Downtowns: Informing of Downtown Vitality Index [DOWNLOAD]
The Value of U.S. Downtowns and Center Cities is a data-driven examination of downtowns’ role as engines of citywide vitality. This project is in its second iteration of a new, repeatable formula for calculating the value of downtown and makes the case that investing in downtown delivers powerful citywide and regional benefits. Urban centers are productive, exciting and full of potential – learn how IDA actually measures this.
Domain: Policy & Advocacy
Speakers:
David Dixon, FAIA, Vice President and Planning & Urban Design Leader, Stantec’s Urban Places (Boston, MA)
Kris Larson, President & CEO, Hollywood Property Owners Alliance (Hollywood, CA)

Curb Appeal: Advocacy Tools for Prioritizing Curb Uses [DOWNLOAD]
Innovative disruption in mobility and economic development have created new demands on curb space in dense urban places. Traditional uses like metered parking and valet stands are often in conflict with new uses like food delivery, rideshare, and dockless mobility services. Learn how to quantify and analyze competing curb uses in existence today and gain tools to advocate for the reallocation of curb space to serve new priorities in your community.
Domain: Planning, Design & Infrastructure
Speakers:
Juan Matute, Deputy Director, UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, UCLA (Los Angeles, CA)
Stephen Smyth, CEO, Coord (Los Angeles, CA)

Engage and Grow Your Audience with Digital Marketing [DOWNLOAD]
The customer journey has transitioned to a mobile first, content driven, digital ecosystem. In this new digital landscape, it can be daunting to plan, execute, maintain and evaluate a digital marketing plan. This session brings together best practices to identify and engage your audience, amplify your reach, bring visibility to your businesses and drive foot traffic to your district. Listen to and collaborate with experts in the fields of influencer marketing, website marketing, event marketing, and analytics and loyalty. Learn simple tactics that can be implemented right away, even if you’re digitally challenged.
Domain: Marketing, Communication & Events
Speakers:
Kevin Herrera, Sr. Marketing & Communication Manager, Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (Santa Monica, CA)
Jennifer Arenas, Social Media and Digital Marketing Manager, Downtown Long Beach Alliance (Long
Beach, CA)
Jason Gilbert, CEO, Saltwater Software (Santa Monica, CA)

 

Thursday, March 20, 2019 | 10:30 am | Breakout Sessions 

Social Service Outreach & Ambassador Services: How to Effectively Address Homelessness With Existing Ambassador Services [DOWNLOAD]
This “how-to” session explores strategies and tactics that have worked in cities like Reno, NV and San Francisco, CA. Learn how one downtown designed their ambassador services to effectively deal with homelessness, and discover and effective model to communicate and work with multiple city departments and community benefit districts that was developed by one city’s Police Department.
Domain: Public Space Management & Operations
Speakers:
Alex Stettinski, Executive Director, Downtown Reno Partnership (Reno, NV)
Davin Cole, Sergeant, San Francisco Police Department (San Francisco, CA)
John Caner, CEO, Downtown Berkeley Association (Berkeley, CA)
Steve Hillard, President & Principal, Streetplus (Los Angeles, CA)

7 Things You Can Do to Strengthen Your BID Through Branding
How do you brand something as complex as a city? Two BIDs talk through how their successful rebrands not only modernized and unified their identities, amplified the effectiveness of all of the organization’s endeavors, increased the recognition the BIDs got from stakeholders, and saved time and money – but also accomplished something larger. Rebranding positioned both BIDs to move from identifying their communities as a “place” to representing a “destination” – answering the questions “Why visit here?” “Why live here?” and “Why invest here?” No matter the size of your BID, these branding insights will make your work more effective.
Domain: Marketing, Communication & Events
Speakers:
Miranda Edwards, Deputy Director of Marketing & External Relations, LA Fashion District BID  (Los Angeles, CA)
Devin Strecker, Director of Communications & Social Media, Hollywood Property Owners Alliance (Hollywood, CA)
Genevieve Haines, President, Haines & Co. (Los Angeles, CA)
Clare Sebenius, Executive Creative Director, Haines & Co. (Los Angeles, CA)

Women in Leadership [DOWNLOAD]
Effective downtown leaders must continually refine their skills to maintain their competitive edge and enhance their district’s assets. Regardless of age, experience or gender, studies have shown that successful urban district leaders exhibit key behavioral traits that allow them to succeed in this unique environment that is so dependent on collaboration and partnerships. This session will examine the findings from the “High Performing Urban District CEOs,” a behavioral competency leadership study completed by HRS, Inc. and Somverville Partners, Inc., in partnership with IDA. This study analyzes the competency requirements and inherent behavioral traits that best serve an urban district leader. The session will also consider the needed characteristics and skills that help urban district CEOs navigate turbulent times, weather political changes and manage the balance needed in their high-profile positions.
Domain: Leadership Development
Moderator: David P. Smith, Founder and President, HRS Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA)
Speakers:
Karin Flood, Executive Director, Union Square Business Improvement District (San Francisco, CA)
Estela Lopez, Executive Director, Downtown Industrial District BID (Los Angeles, CA)
Kate Joncas, Director, Urban Strategy and Development, MIG (Seattle, WA)
Tina Winner, Partner, HRS Inc. (St. Petersburg, FL)

BIDs and CBDs 2.0: Working Collectively to Tackle Bigger Challenges [DOWNLOAD]
As the challenges facing our cities evolve, place management organizations are taking on more complex roles and responsibilities, and rethinking our relationships with each other and our government partners. In California and elsewhere, BIDs/BIAs within a single jurisdiction have formed associations to share knowledge and be more effective advocates. Other times, a governmental agency provides technical support. Come discuss how these entities are evolving: what forms they take, what tools they use to develop solutions, and what new organizational and legal structures need to be created.
Domain: Organizational Management
Speakers:
Tim Tompkins, President, Times Square Alliance (New York, NY)
Elizabeth Studebaker, Neighborhood Investment Manager, City of San Diego Economic Development Department (San Diego, CA)
Kraig Kojian, President & CEO, Downtown Long Beach Alliance (Long Beach, CA)
Kathleen Rawson, CEO, Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (Santa Monica, CA)
Rena Leddy, Executive Director, LA Fashion District BID (Los Angeles, CA)

DTLA // IRL: A Pop-Up Case Study [DOWNLOAD]
In December 2018, the Downtown Center BID launched DTLA // IRL – a multi-faceted pop-up activation showcasing Downtown’s culture, community, and commerce. The project comprised three main elements: a visitor’s center, retail store, and event space, and served as a promotional vehicle for the Downtown retail market and a variety of local businesses, highlighting local art and culture, and engaging the local community of residents, workers, and visitors. The panel will discuss the project’s genesis and objectives, production and promotion, impact and lessons learned.
Domain: Marketing, Communication & Events
Speakers:
Nick Griffin, Executive Director, Downtown Center BID (Los Angeles, CA)
Tre Borden, Placemaking Consultant (Sacramento, CA)
Michael Ashkenasi, Economic Development & Marketing Manager, Downtown Center BID (Los Angeles, CA)
Phillip Dane, Founder, Handcrafted LA (Los Angeles, CA)
Carrie Cheung, Founder, DTLA Rendezvous (Los Angeles, CA)

 

Thursday, March 20, 2019 | 12:30 pm | Closing Master Talks

Consumer Trends & Patterns in Retail  [DOWNLOAD]
Emilie Lewis, Events and Marketing Director, California Market Center (Los Angeles, CA)

How Cleaning a Street Can Be the Pathway to Self-Sufficiency  [DOWNLOAD]
Mark Loranger, CEO & President, Chrysalis (Los Angeles, CA)