Funds Allocated to Study Improvements

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved three motions setting aside a total of $225,000 to explore the possibility of establishing Business Improvement Districts in Chatsworth, Northridge and Granada Hills.

“We could only do this in three communities and we picked the three that were most impacted by the earthquake,” said Lee Hintlian, legislative deputy to area Councilman Hal Bernson, who co-sponsored the motions with Councilman Mike Hernandez and whose 12th District contains the three communities.

The council’s action sets aside $75,000 each in Community Development Block Grant funds for Chatsworth, Northridge and Granada Hills to pay for consultants who will assist in the planning of Business Improvement Districts.

Ultimately, Hintlian said, the decision to hire consultants and go ahead with their recommendations will be left to coalitions made up of members of the chambers of commerce in those areas.

Dick Hardman, executive director of the Northridge Chamber of Commerce, lauded the council’s action.

“It will make businesses here more attractive to their customers,” Hardman said.

“It’s not like a tax, it’s an investment that will continue to pay dividends for a long time.”

Business Improvement Districts--in which business or property owners assess themselves fees to pay for improvements to commercial areas--are viewed by many as an impetus to economic revival.

A BID board of directors, usually composed of area property owners, approves expenditures for landscaping, lighting, painting, security, marketing campaigns and other improvements designed to make their area more appealing.