Hollywood Chamber Annual Report 2016-17

Annual Report to Hollywood’s Business Community HOLLYWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Working for a Better Hollywood

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hat a year for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce – working to defeat a proposed citywide building moratorium, at the same time as planning for the first major move of the Chamber offices in 25 years. Fortunately, the Chamber was successful on both fronts. The so-called Neighborhood Integrity Initiative (Measure S) lost in a landslide with 69percent of the electorate saying “no”. The Chamber was part of the broadest coalition ever assembled in Los Angeles to oppose Measure S, which many believed might have plunged L.A. into a recession. Meanwhile, the Chamber moved in December to the Sunset Media Tower at 6255 Sunset Blvd. The state-of-the art facility positions the Chamber well to represent the business community for the next decade. Of course, there were many other issues tackled by the Chamber during the year as we worked to advocate for our members. Here is a summary of some of our key activities for the year:

The Chamber is Creating a Strong Local Economy A revised process to review development projects was approved by the Chamber with the creation of a new Project Review Committee. The goal of the new process is to provide developers with constructive comments that will help them to improve their projects to get city support.

The Chamber supported action by the City to create a new Subarea F General Plan Amendment for Hollywood that allows large scale retail to be built and brings the partially-constructed Target Store at Sunset and Western into compliance with a ruling by a Superior Court judge.

Chamber representatives testified at numerous hearings in support of proposed Hollywood developments, including: Rescore, Thompson Hotel, Palladium Residences, Essex, Paramount’s 25year master plan, 8150 Sunset, R.D. Olson, Hollywood Forever mausoleum, and 5901 Sunset.

A future Hollywood/Western Business Improvement District moved closer as the Chamber worked on a signature-gathering campaign to obtain the signatures to form the district.

A proposed new 60,000-sq.ft. Hollywood Courthouse was discussed with representatives of the State Judiciary, who met with the Chamber to discuss the status of the proposal.

2016-17 Moving Hollywood’s Agenda Forward

As a native “Hollywoodian”, having been born at Kaiser on Sunset, it is an honor for me to be your new Chair of the Board. As a Hollywood hotelier for the past 37 years and at the Hollywood Hotel for the past 24 years, I have hosted millions of guests from every country around the world who remind me daily why they come to this magical place we call Hollywood.

I do what I do for the love of Hollywood. I believe it is incumbent on me to help preserve the crossroads of Hollywood ideals and the place that I call home. There is no better place to do that than to be involved in the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

We face some real challenges in this new Chamber fiscal year, but we also draw upon unequaled greatness to address them – and we have some of the most diverse, talented, creative and innovative volunteers anywhere. So I may be calling on your assistance.

As I look at the year ahead, nothing is more important than the Hollywood Community Plan Update. It has been delayed now for five years due to lawsuits. This is something really needed by the community – by both the business community and the residential community. An updated plan is needed to protect everyone’s interests. If you want to stop spot zoning, then you need a new community plan. So let’s get the job done this year!

We must still press on for CEQA reform. That is the California Environmental Quality Act for those not familiar with it. What was once a commendable and praiseworthy concept has devolved into an abusive system to kill worthy projects or to shake down developers for money. This is no way to build a great city and state. Our public officials in Sacramento need to get serious about needed reforms. The blame for the affordable housing crisis in this state lies at their feet because they have refused to address CEQA. Regarding membership, I want us to develop a way to enlarge the Hollywood tent and to bring new businesses into the Chamber fold. We represent their interests anyway, so let’s find a way to include them all.

Let me conclude by saying that I need your active support and involvement because we all believe Hollywood is worth fighting for. We are only limited by the number of volunteers we have working on issues. If you can’t offer your time, then contribute financially to our many initiatives. There is something everyone can do. I’m ready to fight for our Hollywood and its future, and so I ask you, are YOU ready to also fight for Hollywood?

I really look forward to working with you all in this new year.

I know we can accomplish a lot in moving Hollywood’s agenda forward.

Jeff Zarrinnam Chair of the Board, 2017-18

Leron Gubler doing interview

Dream Hotel Opening

Meeting with Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian

Hollywood Chamber Committee 2017-2018

Construction was completed on four new landscaped medians on Vermont Avenue that the East Hollywood BID and Chamber had worked years to achieve.

The Arts, Entertainment & Emerging Media (TEAM) Susan Cabral Ebert, Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Local 706 IATSE Larry LaBoe, New Filmmakers L.A.

The 5th annual State of the Entertainment Industry Conference was a huge success, discussing “Global Hollywood” and honoring Ted Sarandos of Netflix with the “Commitment to California” Award.

Budget & Audit Dwayne Gathers, Gathers Strategies,Inc.

“Emerging Hollywood” was the topic at the 22nd annual Hollywood Economic Development Summit. L.A. Times architectural critic Christopher Hawthorne was the keynote speaker and Kilroy Realty was honored with the Excellence in Economic Development Award.

Economic Development Timothy Grubbs, Communitas Design, LLC Marty Shelton, NAI Capital Commercial Real Estate Entertainment Conference Susanne Ault, Variety Kristin Cavanaugh, Sony Pictures Entertainment

CEQA reform remained a high priority of the Chamber with numerous meetings held on the topic as well as a meeting with Kip Lipper, one of the top experts in Sacramento on the environmental law.

Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Community Foundation Dr. Fariba Kalantari, Famous Hollywood Dental Care

The Chamber is Promoting Hollywood

Health Care Manny Rodriguez, La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center Hedyeh Khalili, AltaMed General Pediatrics

Special “Stars of Excellence” were presented to Capitol Records in recognition of their 75th anniversary and to Technicolor for their 100th anniversary.

Heroes of Hollywood Cindy Braun, Braun Consulting Carole Sarian, The CrisCom Company

The Chamber-managed Hollywood Walk of Fame was named by Business Insider Magazine as the number one most-visited icon in the United States.

Hollywood Chamber PAC Mark Edwards, MRE Communications Legislative Action Matt Fritch, MBS Equipment Company Mark Edwards, MRE Communications Licensing Mitch Nedick, The CW Network Marketing Donelle Dadigan, Hollywood Museum Project Review Committee Bill Roschen, Roschen Van Cleve Architects Tourism Donelle Dadigan, Hollywood Museum Patti MacJennett, L.A. Convention & Tourism Board Walk of Fame Vin Di Bona, Vin Di Bona Productions/Fishbowl Worldwide

Hollywood Expo

A total of 28 Walk of Fame ceremonies were organized and publicized by the Hollywood Chamber, beginning with a unique double ceremony for Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein and ending the year with a ceremony for entertainment executive Haim Saban.

A new Hollywood Guide and Hollywood Business Profile, with the latest demographic information was published and distributed to 25,000 homes and businesses.

The 15th annual Media Welcome Center was again hosted by the Chamber at the TCL Chinese Theatre for more than 75 press representatives coming to Hollywood for the Academy Awards. It allowed the Chamber to pitch stories about Hollywood to the press.

The first Walk of Fame Honors Television Special was recorded at the Taglyan Center and broadcast nationwide on the CW Network.

Chamber President & CEO Leron Gubler was the keynote speaker at a seminar on Hollywood development sponsored by Biznow.

Chamber staff participated in numerous media interviews during the year, discussing the revitalization of Hollywood and the Walk of Fame.

The Chamber Offers Opportunities to Network and Promote YOUR Business The 28th annual Hollywood Expo was held at the Avalon, with more than 80 exhibitors demonstrating why Hollywood is such a unique and energetic business location.

Entertainment Conference

Open House

Free monthly Mixers exclusively for Chamber members were held at some of Hollywood’s great hot spots, including: Sadie Kitchen & Lounge, Tin Horn Flats, 33 Taps, Wood & Vine, American Legion Post 43, Teddy’s at the Roosevelt Hotel, and the W Hotel.

Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Community Foundation

Hollywood Hot Deals, a free service for Chamber members, was emailed monthly to 5,000 contacts in the Hollywood area, while Businesses You Need to Know, another free service to members, was sent out bi-monthly.

One of the unique features of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is its efforts to support local community non-profit organizations. As a 501c3 nonprofit association, contributions to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Community Foundation are tax deductible. Checks should be written to the “Chamber Community Foundation” and sent to the Chamber. The Foundation holds two fundraising events annually – the Heroes of Hollywood Luncheon (formerly called the Women of Distinction Luncheon) and the All Hallows Eve Party at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. All net proceeds go to charity.

Since its inception in 1996, the foundation has given out more than $836,000 in grants to Hollywood nonprofits, and this past year awarded $37,500.

Ribbon-cutting ceremonies were held at numerous new Chamber businesses – another free service to members. Among the venues promoted last year were: Rooftop Film Club, Lunch Box (8621 Santa Monica Blvd.), Gold’s Gym, Which Wich, SIM Digital, Equinox, Viacom, Farmer Boys, WaBa, and Ahi Poki Bowl.

The Healthcare Committee issued its Healthy Hollywood brochure, listing the Chamber’s many members in the health care field.

Free to members Tech 101 Seminars were held on cutting- edge topics like: Uber Pool for Carpooling, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Time Savers, and Using Social Media to Market Your Business.

Speed Leads, our popular networking luncheon free and exclusively for members, was held bimonthly and helped members gain new leads and friends in a nonthreatening business environment.

Hundreds of Chamber members had an opportunity for involvement and to make new connections at the dozens of Chamber committee meetings held throughout the year.

The Chamber is Representing the Interests of Business With Government The Chamber put a full-court press on its efforts to help defeat Measure S by educating our members and the public on the harmful effects of a building moratorium, participating on panels, and raising contributions to mount a credible campaign against it.

Mayor Eric Garcetti addressed the Chamber at a breakfast meeting and stated his opposition to Measure S. A Chamber delegation participated in the regional Access DC trip to Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress and federal agencies on Southern California issues.

The Chamber conducted research and a survey of its members in order to formulate a credibly policy on the issue of short-term rental regulations by the City.

County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas met with business leaders at a Chamber-organized meeting to discuss the County’s proposed ¼ cent sales tax measure to fund homeless services.

The Chamber’s annual lobbying trip to Sacramento yielded meetings with State Senate President ProTempore Kevin de León, Senator Ben Allen, and Assemblymembers Adrin Nazarian and Richard Bloom, where the need for reform of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) was discussed.

Dr. Fariba Kalantari, Chair, 2017-2018

In our most recent fiscal year, the Chamber Foundation assisted the following organizations: Assistance League of Southern California Blind Children Centers of America Boys and Girls Club of Hollywood Covenant House Fountain Theatre Greenway Arts Alliance The Harmony Project Hollygrove Hollywood Alumni Association Hollywood Arts Council Hollywood Fringe Festival Hollywood Police Activities League Imagine L.A. L.A.C.E. The Los Angeles Center of Photography Los Angeles City College Foundation New Filmmakers L.A. The Pablove Foundation Raise-a-Child Ronald McDonald House Streetlights Theatre West Vibes 365 We Can, Pediatric Brain Tumor Network

Foundation Grant Presentations

6255 Sunset Blvd, Ste 150 Hollywood, Ca 90028 Main (323)469-8311 Fax (323)469-2805 info@hollywoodchamber.net HollywoodChamber.net WalkOfFame.com

Our Business Agenda As you review our Report to Hollywood’s Business Community, you will see that the past year has been filled with achievements for the Hollywood Chamber. Not only did we defeat a proposed building moratorium that might have plunged L.A. into a recession, but we also managed to handle the first significant move of the Chamber in more than 25 years. So far, our new offices have received rave reviews. A lot of work went into this move, so I hope we are here another 25 years! My special thanks to the committee that worked so hard to make it happen – Donelle Dadigan, Mark Panatier, Marty Shelton and Jeff Zarrinnam.

One of the blessings we have at the chamber is that we have so many volunteers with expertise on whom we can call when needed – whether it is to defeat an anti-business measure or to move the Chamber.

In our new fiscal year, I anticipate that we will be calling on our volunteers again. I expect that two particular issues will rise to the top of our agenda – the approval of a new updated Community Plan for Hollywood and Homeless challenges.

Hollywood is currently operating under a plan that is 29 years old. The City Planning Department worked for eight years on the last update of the plan that was approved in 2012, only to be thrown out by a court on a technicality. Now, the Planning Department is finally ready to begin the renewal process again.

We expect the new proposed plan to begin hearings sometime in the spring, with adoption later this year. It is important that we find common ground and get a plan adopted to protect neighborhoods and to also give businesses more certainty so that developers don’t need to seek variances. We will need a strong turn out from the business community at hearings in support of a new plan.

The issue of homelessness is challenging because there are no easy answers. It is tragic to see so many homeless on our streets. The problem is worse today than when I first came to Hollywood 25 years ago. Voters approved two measures this past year to build more housing for the homeless and to provide services to them. As a Chamber, we must monitor and be sure that Hollywood is receiving its fair share of those funds. And we must encourage enforcement of existing laws and regulations so that the public feels safe walking our streets. At some point, we may need to call on our members to write letters and help us to lobby for greater attention in Hollywood.

There will be many other issues that surface during the coming year. Know that the Chamber is here to represent your interests. Every day we work for a better Hollywood – and we’ll look forward to working with you to achieve our goals in 2017-2018.

Leron Gubler President & CEO

Since 1921... Promoting and enhancing the business, cultural and civic well-being of the greater Hollywood community.

An energy efficiency briefing for local studios to discuss ways to decrease energy and water usage was hosted by the Chamber.

Chamber staff testified at hearings by the City on a proposed Street Vending Ordinance and urged that an “opt-out” clause be adopted for Business Improvement Districts that manage the sidewalks within their boundaries.

Important luncheons were sponsored by the Chamber including the State of the State with Senate President ProTempore Kevin de León, State of Hollywood with Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, and an introductory luncheon with Councilmember David Ryu.

The Chamber is Taking Political Action The Hollywood Chamber Political Action Committee endorsed Laura Friedman (Assembly District 43), Richard Bloom (AD 50), Adrin Nazarian (AD46), Mayor Eric Garcetti, City Attorney Mike Feuer, Controller Ron Galperin, and Los Angeles Councilmembers Mitch O’Farrell, Paul Koretz, Curren Price, Mike Bonin, and Joe Buscaino.

The Chamber opposed Measure JJJ, the Build A Better L.A. Initiative; opposed Measure S, (the building moratorium); supported Measure HHH, the bond to build permanent supportive housing for the homeless; supported Measure H, the County sales tax measure to fund homeless services, and supported Measure M, the sales tax measure to increase funding for mass transit in Los Angeles County.

The Chamber is Giving Back to the Community The 6th annual Heroes of Hollywood Luncheon was held at the Taglyan Cultural Complex to raise funds to support Hollywood nonprofit organizations. Honorees included Anastasia Mann, Jeff Briggs, Jackie Lawson, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, the Gilmore Family and Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols, who received the Mary Pickford Award.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Community Foundation awarded $37,500 in grants to 21 Hollywood community nonprofit organizations.

Flowers were placed on the stars of past Walk of Fame honorees who passed away during the year.

The 22nd annual Hollywood Police and Firefighters Appreciation BBQ was held, where several hundred of Hollywood’s public safety officials received a show of strong Hollywood appreciation for the work they perform daily on our behalf.

New Members Welcomed

An enthusiastic crowd attended the Chamber Foundation’s annual All Hallows Eve fundraiser at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, which raised thousands of dollars for the Foundation’s grant program.