Last quarter, the sidewalk maintenance team collected 3,073 bags of trash (70,679 lbs.), dispensed approximately 4,000 doggie bags, picked up 30 bulk items, and removed 306 graffiti tags on sidewalk pots, poles, and news racks. The crew is out every Monday and Thursday sweeping the sidewalks, picking up trash, clearing gutters and painting out graffiti from street poles, news racks, and flower planters. The team empties 59 trashcans throughout the District due to the City's reduced efforts, which had led to an overflowing of the cans. The maintenance team completed over 50 hours of pressure washing and gum removal at all four corners of Wilshire and Normandie.

Last quarter, the security team assisted the City in getting over 733 bulky items picked up, made 13 calls to the City for street services, assisted in getting 495 graffiti tags cleaned up, and 17 potholes were reported and fixed. The team responded to 192 calls for assists to the LAPD and others. They issued 27 illegal vendor warnings and assisted 192 homeless individuals; 9 illegal signs were removed. The team addressed the subject of 3 individuals drinking in public and 10 belligerent transients. The team captain attended 3 LAPD crime control meetings and attended the quarterly WC/K Business Watch meeting.

The landscape crew for the District's Wilshire streetscape continues to maintain all 15 medians and about 160 flower pots along Wilshire Blvd. The work consists of removal of trash, trimming of plants, watering of plants, repairing the sprinkler system, and replacing damaged plants. The crew repaired damaged Backflows and passed the periodic testing and maintenance reports for 2015.

Last quarter, the landscape crew trimmed (pruned) approximately 30 of the most overgrown trees throughout the District. These overgrown trees were blocking streetlights, damaging sidewalks, and obstructing the view of businesses and buildings. You can always tell when the WCBIC has trimmed the trees, because you can see that the tops are nicely rounded and the branches have been thinned out professionally. This way all the trees and their root systems stay healthy.

Wilshire Center Business Improvement District News & Information

The WCBIC staff has been working with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health the Coordinated Entry System, Homeless Health Care Los Angeles, People Assisting The Homeless, The Mayor's Office, Council District 10, the LAPD Olympic Station, the City Attorney's Office, and others to continue addressing homelessness in the District. Our team will continue to provide outreach and resources to help assist those who are stuggling with homelessness.

The WCBIC staff has been working with the Red Cross and Herb Wesson's Office to develop the Prepared LA – Wilshire Center/K-Town community emergency plan. This plan will help ensure that our community can be stronger and more resilient during and after a disaster. For more information please visit redcross.org/ca/los-angeles or contact Julie Thomas, Executive Director of the American Red Cross at (424) 203-1102.

The WCBIC staff has been working with Koreatown Youth & Community Center on securing a $235,000 Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program Grant from the California Natural Resources Agency. The grant application made it through the first round (site visit). We will find out in March/April if the grant will be awarded. These funds can be used for removing tree well covers where they are damaging tree growth, planting new trees, installing a more efficient drip irrigation system in the Wilshire medians, and more.

The WCBIC staff has been working with LA Sanitation to make sure that new trash cans are added to the Wilshire Center District.

The Halal Guys are coming to Wilshire Center/K-Town later this Spring. Expect long lines of visitors, tourists, and curious locals interested in giving the NYC chicken and rice concept a try. The new address (3432 Wilshire Blvd.), at the corner of Wilshire and Mariposa, will be the most heavily-trafficked store the company has opened yet. Located in the former Numero Uno pizza shop, with plenty of frontage to the street and building parking in the rear. The restaurant will have both indoor and outdoor seating and will be open in the evenings.

Check out the new mural box at Shatto & Wilshire by local artist Ann Bridges.

For more info about what the Wilshire Center BID is up to please visit us at facebook.com/wilshirecenter.

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Video highlighting much of the work that the Wilshire Center Business Improvement District does on a daily basis was presented at the last Annual Membership Meeting.

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