Last quarter, the security team assisted the City in getting over 889 bulky items picked up, made 53 calls to the City for street services, assisted in getting 423 graffiti tags cleaned up, and 30 potholes were reported and fixed. The team responded to 98 calls for assists to the LAPD and others. They issued 5 illegal vendor warnings and assisted 61 homeless individuals; 492 illegal signs were removed. The team addressed the subject of 12 belligerent transients and 2 drinking in public. The team captain attended 4 LAPD crime control meetings and attended the quarterly WC/K Business Watch meeting.

Last quarter, the sidewalk maintenance team collected 2,310 bags of trash (53,130 lbs.), dispensed approximately 4,000 doggie bags, picked up 41 bulk items, and removed 107 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 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 installation the drip irrigation system and new plants, the removal of the damaged tree wells along Wilshire, and the planting and maintaining of new street trees has begun as part of the Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program Grant partnership with KYCC.

Last month the Wilshire Center BID trimmed (pruned) approximately 20 overgrown trees that were blocking streetlights and street signs and hitting buildings. You can always tell when the WCBID has trimmed (pruned) the trees, because you can see that the tops are nicely rounded and the branches have been thinned out professionally.

In partnership with L A Sanitation we have now installed 25 new trash receptacles throughout the Wilshire Center BID. If you see a receptacle that needs service please call 1-800-773-CITY to report it.

The WCBIC is applying for the 2016 Great Streets Challenge Grant. The Great Streets Challenge is a program of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Great Streets Initiative, in partnership with the Departments of City Planning and Transportation to envision, collaborate on, and build transformative street infrastructure projects.

The WCBIC is looking at pedestrian improvements for the 8th Street Corridor between Vermont and Western. The application deadline is next month; project could begin as early as January 2017. The grant provides $13,000 for outreach and up to $2 million in project funding. The grant also provides technical consultant assistance, permitting support, creative assistance, and consulting services to help increase economic activity along your corridor, along with implementation.

The WCBIC is still working with the RFK Community Schools and People For Parks on the possibility of opening selected areas of the RFK Community Schools Campus (lawn, basketball courts, track, etc.) on weekends to be used by the community as a Public Park.

The WCBIC continues its efforts to work with the LAPD Olympic Station, The City Attorneys Office, LAHSA, DMH, CD10, CES, and others to continue addressing homelessness in the District.