West Valley : Business Improvement Districts Proposed

In an effort to spruce up Ventura Boulevard, Los Angeles City Councilman Marvin Braude has proposed business improvement districts for Encino, Tarzana and Woodland Hills.

Such districts generate money by assessing businesses and using the funds to pay for new landscaping, bus benches, trash cans, street lighting and sidewalk cleaning, among other improvements.

Braude has already introduced motions to spend $200,000 to set up the improvement districts. The money would pay for the bureaucratic and legal expenses of establishing the boundaries and the assessments fees.

At least 51% of the businesses in the district must agree to participate before the city can impose the assessment.

The money would also be used for programs to generate support for the districts.

Business owners in Woodland Hills and Tarzana have already formed improvement associations but they do not have the power to collect money from business to make the improvements.

“Using these funds to help form a business improvement district is one of the best examples I know of the public and private sectors working together for the good of our community,” Braude said.