SCV Business Journal February 2021

Contact: Perry Smith Business Editor Phone: 661-287-5599

S A N TA C L A R I TA VA L L E Y

BUSINESS JOURNAL BJ INSIDE SPOTLIGHTS B4 A message from the SCV

Email: psmith@signalscv.com Mail: 26330 Diamond Place Suite 100 Santa Clarita, CA 91350 SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2021 · WWW.SIGNALSCV.COM · B1

SCV COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET ON THE UPSWING

Chamber B5 SCV Chamber advocacy B9 The SCV EDC Econowatch

NEWS & FEATURES B1 Commercial real estate in

the SCV B2 A look at the SCV jobs

market B7 Local family opens COVID-

testing business B7 SCV Chamber hosts law

update

SCV BUSINESS VOICES B1 Henry Mayo B3 SCVEDC B6 M & M Fasteners B10 Audiology Associates

FROM THE EXPERTS B2 B2 Ken Keller: How to

improve profits B3 Paul Raggio: 2021 is here,

time to lead B6 Jeff Prang: The latest on

Prop. 19 B7 Paul Butler: The importance

of safety first

Managing Partner Joseph Huang stands by the Sierra Crest Center in Canyon Country, one of a number of SCV properties that have been purchased in recent months. Huang said plans to renovate the property are already underway.

PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

BY EMILY ALVARENGA Signal Staff Writer

N

early a year into the pandemic, Santa Clarita Valley businesses are continuing to adapt to the shift in the economic environment, including those in the commercial real estate market.

Amid the ups and downs in the COVID-19 economy, the SCV commercial real estate market has seen several significant multimillion-dollar transactions, a sign that while there may have been somewhat of a downturn, this local market remains strong due to a number of factors.

“Though it’s been a difficult year for a lot of things, we’re still seeing a lot of

good momentum on the commercial side here in Santa Clarita,” said Jason Crawford, economic development manager for the city of Santa Clarita.

Spectrum Commercial Real Estate Inc. has seen this momentum firsthand, with Yair Haimoff, Spectrum’s executive managing director, agreeing that the market is, indeed, recovering.

“Between March and May, it was very, very slow, but after May, our business picked up quite a bit,” he said, adding that the pent-up demand and stalled deals certainly kept them busy through the end of the year.

Even so, while the commercial market as a whole went back up, it was due in large only to certain certain sectors, as

some industries are still suffering the effects of the pandemic-induced shutdowns, Haimoff explained.

Crawford agreed, adding, “It is a combination of some businesses that are still doing well and some businesses that are having the hardest time they’ve ever had.”

AN UNCHANGED INDUSTRIAL BOOM “Industrial had a very strong year,” said Holly Schroeder, CEO and president of the SCV Economic Development Corp., adding the industrial sector has seen much activity in recent years due not only to new developments, but also, in part, due to industry shifts, such as the move to ecommerce, which has brought See COMMERCIAL, page B10

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

KIDS NEED OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ACTIVE EVERY DAY PATRICK MOODY Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

I

n many ways, physical activity is a child’s best friend. It’s good for them — and it can be a whole lot of fun. But physical activity shouldn’t be a fairweather friend. Even in the colder months, kids need to keep moving.

Luckily, there are still plenty of opportunities for kids to stay happily active, both indoors and outdoors, all winter long.

MAKE IT A REGULAR THING The amount of physical activity kids need varies by age, but most experts agree kids six and up should aim to be active for at least 60 minutes a day. That activity doesn’t have to come all at once. It can be broken into smaller bits scattered throughout the day.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), staying active may help kids: have a healthy weight; ; sleep better; focus in school; cope with stress; and have better self-esteem.

BRING ON THE WINTER FUN Kids may not be able to go for a bike ride or swim in the winter, yet there are other ways to help them burn off energy and get some exercise. For instance, they can: TRY A WINTER SCAVENGER HUNT Taking nature walks with your kids can be a good option as long as sidewalks or paths are bare. Search for winter treasures like pine cones, winter berries, bird nests and animal tracks.

VISIT A PARK Kids can bundle up and play tag or other games that keep them running, jumping and skipping.

HAVE A DANCE PARTY Turn on some tunes and dance with your kids. Or let them host a virtual dance contest with friends over video chat.

GET TRICKY Set up an obstacle course where your child can run and jump over pillows or crawl under tables. Or play indoor versions of hide-and-seek, tag or tug-of-war.

MAKE THE MOST OF TV TIME During commercials or between episodes, challenge kids to a laundry folding race or a sit-up contest.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE Perhaps the most important practice you can follow to keep your kids active is to set a good example by enjoying a wide variety of activities yourself. When your kids see you taking walks, exercising around the house and playing sports, they will be more likely to pick up your good habits. On top of that, you’ll feel better too!

Patrick Moody is the director of marketing and public relations at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. For more information about local community health programs, visit HenryMayo.com. 

B2 · SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

SCV JOBLESS RATE CONTINUES AHEAD OF THE CURVE

BY PERRY SMITH Business Journal Editor

S

anta Clarita continues to sustain a jobless rate ahead of the rest of its neighbors and the L.A. County average, according to the latest data from the state’s Economic Development Division. The relatively good news for the local job market came amid the release of a scathing report on the department for its handling of the crisis brought on

by COVID-19.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Los Angeles County increased over the month to 11% in December 2020, from a revised 10.9% in November 2020.

In Santa Clarita, the unemployment rate was 9.3%, which was helped by city support, as well as the return of filming, which plays a role in not only city revenue, but also as a part of the local economy that contributes tens of millions of dollars, per city estimates.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t all good news from the EDD in January.

An audit of the EDD — requested by state Senate Republicans, including Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita — found “The economic downturn worsened EDD’s already poor performance,” and even after adding numerous staff, EDD “only marginally improved the percentage of answered calls,” according to a statement from Wilk REGIONAL JOB MARKET PICTURE For Los Angeles County, seasonal gains retreated as every industry sector registered year-over contractions, and was above the rate of 4.3 percent one year ago, according to EDD data.

Civilian employment decreased by 67,000 to 4,365,000 in December 2020, while unemployment decreased by 4,000 to 540,000, officials noted.

Additionally, the civilian labor force decreased by more than 70,000 over the month to 4,905,000 in December 2020.

(All of the above figures are seasonally adjusted.)

Between November 2020 and December 2020, total nonfarm employment in Los Angeles County decreased by 23,900 to 4,234,900.

Also in L.A. County, an expansion in professional and business services (+8,800) and trade, transportation and utilities (+7,800) helped offset job losses.

Gains in professional and business services were centered on professional, scientific, and technical services (+5,400), while the transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+5,500) made up the bulk of the growth in trade, transportation, and utilities

Co-owner Kristy Kauk works on a customer’s hair at 8th & Main Hair Lounge in Newhall on Thursday. Locally, further reopenings should help the jobs picture further improve. PHOTO BY DAN WATASON / THE SIGNAL

LOCAL SUPPORT The city has supported small businesses through both Shop Local and Eat Local, which helps businesses operate outdoors due to current health orders with free permits to do so, according to Jason Crawford, economic development director for the city, as well as other innovations.

“Those that have already received (the

permits) are still active and can continue to operate with them, and any business that would need one is encouraged to reach out, and we will walk them through the process,” Crawford said.

The city has done what it can while local businesses have tried to do the same while constant changes in Public Health orders have made things extremely difficult.

In addition, the city is promoting its

Unemployment Area Name

Labor Force

Employment

Number

Rate

Los Angeles County

4,896,200

4,374,500

521,600

10.7%

Burbank

56,300

50,400

5,800

10.4%

Lancaster

64,400

54,600

9,800

15.2%

Los Angeles

1,987,000

1,777,300

209,800

10.6%

Palmdale

63,500

54,300

9,200

14.5%

San Fernando

11,300

10,200

1,100

10.1%

Santa Clarita

107,200

97,200

9,900

9.3%

Safer Business Commitment program, which allows restaurants and businesses in the community to make the commitment to follow safety guidelines set forth by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the L.A. County Department of Public Health.

PROBLEMS AT THE EDD The auditors’ report revealed an increase in the number of backlogged claims and that rampant fraudulent unemployment claims are now at a staggering $11 billion — and could rise as high as $30 billion, according to a statement from Wilk’s office this week.

“The concern for what is going on at EDD has no party lines. Republicans may have been first to call attention to it last spring, but there isn’t an office in the Capitol that is not inundated with constituents needing assistance,” said Wilk.

“This is truly appalling. When future generations look back on the pandemic, the Governor’s complete disregard for the dysfunction at EDD will go known as one of its biggest tragedies.” 

EXPLORING THE PROFIT ZONE KEN KELLER

P

SCVBJ Contributing Writer

rofits are much more than increasing revenue and keeping costs down.

There are ten elements in your profit zone, and I am going to address five this month and the rest next month.

The first element is having an engaged workforce. If employees have “checked out” (meaning disengaged), profits will suffer but not before everything else does, starting with quality, service, customers, and morale of other employees.

Employee engagement is determined by factors such as: feeling clear about role and responsibility; knowing the value contributed to the team; having opportunities to do what a person does best; having opportunities at work to improve; enjoying strong coworker relationships; working with a common mission or purpose; and, believing that whomever you report to cares about you.

You address this challenge by looking first in the mirror at yourself and then by taking a long, hard look at your managers. Employees leave managers, not companies.

Second, as CEO, understand your company generates revenue with three levers. First, increase the number of customers. Second, increase the number of customer transactions. Third, increase the dollar amount of the transaction.

You must proactively and regularly address these three if you want to continually and positively impact profitability.

Third, do you have a strategic plan and

If you want your employees to understand the critical importance of cash flow and cash management, you will need to teach them, writes expert Ken Keller.

MC how focused are If you fail to you on executing it? achieve goals, look Without a firm focus first to the failure on executing your to execute the plan. plan, profits may You must hold peoremain elusive. ple accountable for Execution is your getting things done. job as the leader.

Fourth, do the peoExecution is a disple in your company cipline and integral know how the comto strategy. Execupany makes a profit? tion must become If you keep this infora core element of mation secret, you are your company’s the only person trying culture. Execution is to make a profit a systematic way of when you could have exposing reality and every employee helpacting on it. ing you.

You address this challenge by looking first in the mirror at yourself and then by taking a long, hard look at your managers. Employees leave managers, not companies.

Can your employees identify and understand your COGS (cost of goods sold) or COS (cost of sales if you are a service firm)? Have you taught them about the levers of volume, price, and cost?

And, are you running your company by relying on a standard Profit & Loss statement that only tells you what happened 30 days ago? Driving ahead while looking in the rear-view mirror is a recipe for a disaster.

The fifth element is cash flow. Cash flow ≠ income. Cash flow is the relationship between when money comes in and when it goes out of your business. Since most people no longer reconcile their checking accounts, if you want your employees to understand the critical importance of cash flow and cash management, you will need to teach them.

But first, how often are you tracking cash flow? You should be tracking it as often (daily? weekly? monthly?) as you require to be comfortable. And, if you make it clear to your employees that cash is so important that you constantly have your eyes on it, they will quickly start to pay attention to their impact on it.

Your mantra needs to be “Cash is king!”

And, never lose sight of the fact that many companies have gone out of business with a strong revenue stream because they ran out of cash!

Ken Keller is an executive coach who works with small and midsize B2B company owners, CEOs and entrepreneurs. He facilitates formal top executive peer groups for business expansion, including revenue growth, improved internal efficiencies and greater profitability. Email:Ken. Keller@strategicadvisoryboards.com. Keller’s column reflects his own views and not necessarily those of the SCVBJ. 

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2020 · B3

IT’S 2021, AND YOU WANT TO BE A LEADER

BY PAUL RAGGIO Co-owner, One True North

I

t’s here … 2021. A new year and reason to be optimistic. A new outlook. A new pursuit of opportunities. Many of you aspire to be leaders, move up on the leadership ladder, or become better leaders. Here’s a new year’s tip. If followed, it will set you apart from all others! Let’s start with a reflection.

As part of my holiday downtime, I watched “Apollo 13,” Ron Howard’s dramatization of the real-life, 1970 aborted space flight commanded by astronaut Jim Lovell. This 1995 blockbuster, nominated for nine Academy Awards and winning two, was adapted from the 1994 book, “Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13,” authored by Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger.

The film easily makes the top-10 lists of movies that demonstrate the cruciality of leadership.

Not to downplay the heroic and iconic leadership shown by Commander Lovell, played by two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, my focus was on NASA Flight Director Gene Kranz. Talk about model leadership during a crisis! Mirror his actions, and you’ll have followers for life! Long-time Hollywood actor Ed Harris played real-life Gene Kranz and displayed the attributes to which every leader aspires.

Kranz unified a disparate team and brought the Apollo 13 astronauts safely home after an onboard explosion in the command module left the spacecraft incapable of delivering Lovell’s team to the moon, let alone returning them safely to Earth. What a knee-knocking and, many thought, quite an impossible task. Nevertheless, Kranz united all NASA stakeholders, internal and external, and broadcast his vision to get the three astronauts home in a crippled vessel.

To achieve such an incredible feat, Kranz clearly, directly, purposefully and inspirationally communicated orders to an orchestra of scientists, engineers, physicians and support staff to figure out a solution. It’s a gripping tale, and Harris portrays a determined, emblematic leader who quotes real-life Kranz’s memorable and often repeated phrase, “Failure is not an option.”

I’ve been a student and practitioner of leadership for over half a century, and now Lisa and I coach business owners and executives on leadership and best business practices. I’ve made a point to study the best and the worst and conscientiously evaluate my successes and failures as a leader.

Over these years, I’ve concluded, if you want to be a leader, model someone like Kranz, and be a person of character, with vision and the ability to clearly, directly, purposefully and inspirationally communicate to your followers. If you do this, you will be a highly respected and influential leader in your sphere of influence. If you are absent or weak in any one of these areas, followership will immaterialize or languish.

Character and your leadership legacy are all about

Character and your leadership legacy are all about choices and how you communicate, according to business coach Paul Raggio. choices. You can’t avoid them, and we make them throughout the day, every day. The choices you’ve made over time, good, bad and ugly, earn your character.

It’s like making deposits and withdrawals from your 401k retirement account. Choices you make that are good represent deposits and earn interest; choices you make that are bad represent withdrawals and come with penalties. At any point in time along your life’s journey, you can measure character if you have a balance in your account; a zero balance means your followers are shortlived or non-existent.

Without a vision, your followers have no place to go.

Although this concept is elemental, many leaders and business owners we encounter don’t have a vision, or if they do, the leaders and the team have a hard time reciting and acknowledging it.

The leader’s vision is what unifies the efforts of the followers. It’s directional, aspirational, affirmational and inspirational. It projects your purpose to customers and employees, draws the former to your business and inspires the latter to do your business. It’s your course setter for the mission. It stretches your team to develop the goals necessary to achieve the mission.

Most importantly, it disciplines your leadership to establish objectives, those specific tasks and milestones that consume resources like time, money, capacity, knowledge and human capital. When attended to, it creates your business success. Without vision, undoubtedly, you’ll lack followers.

Clear, direct, purposeful and inspirational communication is a skill few people possess, and fewer leaders

practice. Good ideas are lost because they are poorly communicated. Misunderstandings occur because the communicator creates confusion resulting from their lack of clarity and directness in their message.

Many regrets are expressed by leaders who wish they could retrieve a poorly communicated message because it caused an unintended outcome counter to the vision, mission, goals and objectives they are trying to achieve. There is no level of leadership immune to poor communication.

Like any other critical skill, clear, direct, purposeful and inspirational communication, whether written, spoken, or nonverbal, requires considerable effort on each of our parts to get it right. If you lack this skill, you lack followers.

Set your one true north course for 2021. If you aspire to be a leader, move up on the leadership ladder, or become the best leader you can, mirror Flight Director Gene Kranz and be a leader of character, with a vision, who clearly, directly, purposefully and inspirationally communicates pathways through the impossible.

When you follow this new year’s tip, you will be a highly respected and influential leader in your sphere of influence. Your absence or weakness in any one of these areas will be consequential to your followership.

This is how you lead, think, plan and act. Now let’s get after it.

Paul A. Raggio is co-owner, with his sister Lisa, of One True North INC Leadership and Business Coaching Solutions. One True North is located at 28494 Westinghouse Place, Suite 209, Valencia 91355. The phone number is (661) 309-9048. 

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

INDUSTRIAL MARKET IN SCV NEVER MISSED A BEAT HOLLY SCHROEDER President & CEO of SCVEDC

W

hile the COVID-19 crisis initially gave many companies pause for good reason, 2020 was an exceptionally good year for industrial real estate across the board, the Santa Clarita Valley included.

In 2020, the SCVEDC was pleased to announce that several new companies chose to locate in the SCV, including two Amazon fulfillment centers, DrinkPAK, a beverage manufacturer, and a state-of-the-art medical testing lab. Several SCV companies expanded, as well, including P3 Inc., LA North Studios, Lief Labs, 24/7 Events and Mellady Direct Marketing.

Commercial real estate researchers predict that this growth trend in the industrial sector will continue, especially in communities with a fast-growing population like the SCV. COVID-19 has altered the way we live and the way we shop, and while that has been problematic for the retail sector, it has meant big gains in e-commerce. As consumers have come to expect faster and faster deliveries, big players in the fulfillment world have been taking on vast amounts of square feet to meet that demand.

Smaller logistics companies like AMS Fulfillment in the Commerce Center, which typically focuses on businessto-business fulfillment, quickly changed channels to meet existing demand and consequently have also seen sales increase this year.

Beyond e-commerce, the SCV has seen expansion in the film industry. After an industrywide shutdown affecting film and television productions and thousands of workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, filming is finally back and SCV sound stages are filling up quickly. LA North Studios, one of Santa Clarita’s newest and largest soundstage facility and studio operators, signed a five-year lease in November at The Center at Needham Ranch to expand their soundstage capacity.

Another big growth area nationwide and in the SCV is in the food and beverage industry. We announced late last year that DrinkPAK, an alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage manufacturer signed a lease at Needham Ranch. The location will house the company’s procurement support, complex batching and processing, filling, packaging, on-site storage and distribution. Earlier in the year, another large-scale food manufacturer signed a lease at IAC Commerce Center and another foods business closed escrow on a site in the Valencia Industrial Park. Is the SCV on the verge of a new cluster?

Holly Schroeder is president and CEO of the SCV Economic Development Corp., a unique private / public partnership representing the united effort of regional industry and government leaders. For more information about the SCVEDC, visit SCVEDC.org, or call (661) 288-4400. 

ACCESS THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY'S

TALENTED WORKFORCE Post job openings online for free at

LiveWorkSCV.com POST A JOB LIVE WORK SCV POWERED BY SCVEDC

2021 DIRECTORS

B4 · SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2021 · THE SIGNAL

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT DRIVE-THRU EVENT As California Stay at Home Order is lifted, the Los Angeles Small Business Development Center (LA SBDC), Los Angeles County’s Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS), and the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce team up with PPE Unite to launch a Personal Protection Equipment distribution mobile PPE-Up in Santa Clarita Valley.

The one-day drive-thru event takes place on Saturday, February 6th, 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Westfield Valencia Town Center.

CHAIR OF THE BOARD JOHN VANCE

Vance Wealth

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HUNT BRALY

Poole, Shaffery & Koegle, LLP

MARISOL ESPINOZA

Southern California Gas Company

KEVIN HOLMES

Martini Akpovi Partners, LLP

TROY HOOPER

Kiwi Hospitality Partners

DR. CHRIS RAIGOSA

Kaiser Permanente

CHRIS SCHRAGE

LBW Insurance Financial Services

NANCY STARCZYK

Realty Executives

BOARD OF DIRECTORS KAREN BRYDEN

SCV Locations

ANDREA CARPENTER

Logix

STEVE COLE

SCV Water Agency

JASON CRAWFORD

City of Santa Clarita

ANDREA DE LA CERDA

Scorpion

MATT DIERCKMAN

Colliers International

JEFFREY FORREST

College of the Canyons

ALEEN MANCHESTER

California Resources Corporation

MARAL MATOSSIAN

Westfield Valencia Town Center

PATRICK MOODY

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

DR. IZU OKPARA

Omni Wound Physicians

DAN REVETTO AT&T BECKI ROBB Princess Cruises HENRY RODRIGUEZ

State Farm Insurance

SANDY SANCHEZ FivePoint LINDSAY SCHLICK

SchlickArt Photography & Video

LIZ SEELMAN

Southern California Edison

G. JESSE SMITH

California Institute of the Arts

DR. DIANNE VAN HOOK

College of the Canyons

DENNIS VERNER Burrtec KARINA WINKLER

Holiday Inn Express

BUSINESS COUNCILS Government Affairs

The Government Affairs council meets to discuss policy decisions on a local, county, state and federal level. As a member, you are encouraged to attend a meeting and have your voice heard throughout the SCV and take a stance on pertinent issues relative to the business community or your industry in particular.

The Mobile PPE-Up event is the latest effort by PPE Unite and partners to support small business owners and their employees by providing them with a FREE 30day supply of personal protection protective gear for all eligible small businesses in Los Angeles County.

“We are pleased to be partnering with PPE Unite, LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Princess Cruises and Westfield Valencia Town Center to bring our business community free protective equipment to ensure they continue to operate safely and within regulations,” stated Ivan Volschenk, Managing Partner at Evolve Business Strategies, which manages the SCV Chamber of Commerce. “With the regional stay-at-home order lifted, and LA County following state guidelines, this event comes at a perfect time as our business community is once again allowed to reopen and need to ensure business owners, their employees and customers are all safe during this time.”

The Santa Clarita event will take place outdoors and adhere to LA County health and safety guidelines that include no contact PPE car loading and social distancing. This is a collaborative effort between the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce and PPE Unite that focuses on engaging hyper-local communities and their small businesses in need. Private partners include Princess Cruises and Westfield Mall, who were generous to donate their site and volunteers for the event.

PPE Unite is the result of an unprecedented partnership between local, state, and private entities. One of the largest in the country, PPE Unite’s expansive distribution program through these mobile drive-thru events helps support small business owners and provide them with the critical supplies they need to create a safe environment for their workers and staff. To date, over 30,000 small businesses have signed up to receive their free PPE materials.

This PPE Unite program for the Los Angeles Region is made possible through a partnership between the Los Angeles SBDC, Los Angeles County’s Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS), the County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA), the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), the Office of Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (Go-BIZ), the Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation (VSEDC) and Logisticom.

The Santa Clarita PPE-Up mobile outdoor event adheres to LA County health and safety guidelines by ensuring no contact PPE car loading and social distancing. To sign-up your business for free PPE, visit the PPE Unite website at www.ppeunite.org.

All supplies are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last.

Industry & Technology

The Industry and Technology council works to improve and enhance a strong business climate for Santa Clarita Valley based industry, manufacturing, processing and technology companies through pro-business advocacy to develop balanced laws, effective regulations and sound public policies to stimulate economic growth and create new jobs while safeguarding environmental resources.

Small Business

Small Businesses are at the core of our Chamber’s membership and are the backbone of our economy. The Chamber offers a variety of educational and networking programming to help your small business thrive. The council focuses on three main objectives: Advises the SCV Chamber on small business related issues, programming and networking opportunities; Supports the Chambe’s “Retail Walks” with elected officials; and helps promote the nationwide “Small Business Saturday” program which highlights small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Non-Profit

The SCV has a strong philanthropic community with more than 100 locally-based non-profit organizations that help our community thrive. Our non-profits are a key reason why Santa Clarita is a great community and always looking towards a better future. The council provides business resources for our local non-profit leaders to help them connect, grow and learn about valuable information so they can successfully meet their organizations mission and goals.

Latino Business Alliance

Our LBA council works to promote Latino-owned business as well as relevant issues facing our Latino business community. In addition the LBA helps to educate businesses on how to enhance a company’s business efforts with Latino customers and other Latino-owned businesses.

NextSCV

NextSCV is our next generation of leaders and the group aims to develop the next leaders of the Santa Clarita Valley through personal and professional development, civic engagement, and network building opportunities that ultimately stimulate local businesses and support the mission of the SCV Chamber.

To find out more about the Chamber, the benefits of membership, its business councils and all its resources please email hello@scvchamber.com or visit

SCVChamber.com

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2021 · B5

COMING UP Feb. 2 at noon

Empowered Women Network with Dinorah Perez, News Reporter-Anchor for Telemundo

Feb. 3 at noon

Pathway to Economic Health - COVID-19 Vaccine: Facts and Myths/FAQ

Feb. 6 at 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Free PPE Pickup Event

Feb. 11 at 8 a.m.

Coffee & Pan Dulce — with Mayor Bill Miranda

Feb. 12 at 7:30 a.m.

Small Business Roundtable: Understand Your Tax Return

Feb. 17 at 5 p.m.

Business After Hours Virtual Mixer hosted by Southern California Gas Company

Feb. 18 at 4:30 p.m.

Hindsight is 2020. Set your Business up for Success in 2021 | Achieving More

To find out more about the events and to register go to

SCVChamber.com

B6 · SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2021 · THE SIGNAL

DEADLINE LOOMS FOR NEW LAW THAT CHANGES INHERITANCE

BY JEFF PRANG Los Angeles County Assessor

T

his month, I come to you about the recent change in property tax law that governs, among other things, inheritance and subsequent limitations over the old law.

As you may know, Proposition 19, the Family Home Protection and Fairness in Property Tax Reassessment Act, sponsored by the California Association of Realtors, was approved by voters last November. Prop. 19 is a Constitutional amendment to Prop. 13, the landmark proposition that attempted to stabilize property taxes back in 1978.

In order for you to understand the changes that are coming, it is important to have a basic understanding of Prop.

13 and Property Tax Administration. Allow me to break it down a little. When you buy a home in the State of California, the price for which you purchase your property is typically at market value.

Prop. 13 requires that such market value is assigned as the home’s base-year value when determining the assessment of real property. Prop. 13 also caps property taxes at 1 percent of the assessed value with an increase of not more than 2 percent annually.

The passage of Prop. 19 now marks significant changes to property tax law, especially regarding inheritance and families. That is because, for many years, homeowners, in particular, parents, have been able to pass down their Prop. 13 assessed value onto their children as a way to generate wealth.

Others, such as seniors or people affected by wildfires and natural disasters, have also benefited from the transferring of their Prop. 13 assessed value when needing to relocate.

Proposition 19 impact these two policy areas: • One is effective Feb. 16 of this year, which will impact family transfers and inheritance; • The second part goes into effect April 1, which will expand benefits for those who are at least 55 years of age (or affected by natural disasters)

With Proposition 19’s passage, there have been some important changes to how we look at property that’s passed down, according to L.A. County Assessor Jeff Prang. PHOTO BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL Let’s look at the first part because the deadline is fast approaching and it does significantly change how your property transfers between parents and children without being hit with a huge, unintended tax liability.

Current law, that is Propositions 58 and 193, allows family members to transfer a property and its assessed base value without reassessment, even if those who inherit do not end up using the property as their primary place of residence. For example, they could inherit the property and use as a rental property. Current law also allows $1 million in additional property to be transferred without assessment, such as rental homes or commercial property. A married couple can transfer up to $2 million.

Under Prop. 19, the home that is transferred must serve as the primary residence of the parent or grandparent — no other property can be considered.

The child (or grandchild) must make the home their primary residence within one year of the transfer.

Prop. 19 provides a formula to calculate the new assessed value that’s

somewhat complicated and I’m not going to try and break it down here. I am posting on my website, assessor.lacounty. gov/prop19, examples of the new requirements.

As I mentioned, the implementation date of this provision is Feb. 16.

The second component of Prop. 19 pertains to allowing homeowners who are at least 55 years of age, disabled or victims of natural disasters and expands benefits when they transfer their property tax base when they sell their home and purchase a new one.

Eligible homeowners will now be able to transfer their assessed value anywhere within the state and allow the tax-baseyear assessed value to be transferred to a more expensive home with an upward adjustment.

The number of times that an assessment can be transferred increases from one under current law to three under Prop. 19 for those meeting the eligibility requirements. The effective date for this portion is April 1.

At this juncture, I offer this word of caution as I realize these dates are fast

approaching. There are many instances when the benefits of transferring property to their children or transferring their tax-base might actually be financially harmful because of capital gains taxes or other unintended consequences. Please consult professionals in financial planning, especially when rushing to beat these deadlines.

We will continue to aggressively educate the public about the changes occurring in Prop. 19. For more information about Prop. 19, please go to assessor. lacounty.gov/prop19.

For more information on Prop. 19 or other tax savings programs, visit assessor.lacounty.gov or call (213) 974-3211. Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang has been in office since 2014. Upon taking office, Prang implemented sweeping reforms to ensure that the strictest ethical guidelines rooted in fairness, accuracy and integrity would be adhered to in his office, which is the largest office of its kind in the nation with 1,400 employees and provides the foundation for a property tax system that generates $17 billion. 

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

M & M FASTENERS SUPPLY OFFERS SUPPORT FOR RETURN OF FILMING, CONSTRUCTION GROWTH

F

or years, the Santa Clarita Valley has been a home to feature films, TV shows, commercials and now streaming productions, as the SCV sits in the northern half of the Thirty-Mile Zone, or TMZ, an area created to encourage filming through tax breaks.

But what a lot of people might not realize is how many local companies, businesses like M & M Fasteners Supply Inc., play a vital role, so to speak, in making sure productions have the right parts.

While M & M has been known as a reliable name in commercial, aerospace and construction for four decades, after relocating to the SCV in January 2019, M & M CEO Eunice Hajek quickly realized that while she might be moving away from Hollywood, she was moving her company to a place where its ability to provide quality, reliable tools and fasteners would be hugely important for the filming industry.

Known as “Hollywood’s backlot” and “Hollywood North,” the SCV relies on countless local businesses like M & M to keep things running smoothly on the sound stages, on scene and anywhere else that complex, expensive film equipment or set building needs support tools and technology.

Another growth area for M & M has been in the support of essential construction. This progression was also a natural growth area for a company that’s long prided itself on supplying parts to keep us safe in the sky for the aerospace industry. Moving to a hotbed of growth has allowed M & M to become an authorized distributor for other trusted names, such as DeWalt, Senco, Elco, and Grabber Construction Products for hardware, tools, adhesives and more . Whether the need is a concrete anchor, an eyebolt, tek screws or nails, M & M prides itself on the motto, “Where quality meets customer service.”

“We have the tools and the hardware available not only to support the filming industry but also the construction industry,” Hajek said. “We’ve always provided quality customer care and the best parts available, but these recent economic conditions have really allowed us to demonstrate the ability and value of working with a local business as our economy begins to open up again.”

M & M Fasteners Supply is a stocking supplier of quality fastener products and accessories specializing in OEM, MRO, electrical and aerospace markets. M & M can also supply parts from a blueprint or technical specification. For more information, visit mmfastsupply.com or call (818) 767-8833.



THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2020 · B7

HEALTHY, SAFETY MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER IN WORKPLACE PAUL BUTLER Signal Contributing Writer

G

oing the Extra Mile The primary purpose of government is to protect life and property. To enable a government to do this, it must ensure its income is greater than its expenses. Likewise, by having laws, a government enables people to prosper economically and otherwise enjoy life with a degree of safety but it is never able to guarantee personal prosperity or absolute protection from every conceivable danger.

I see so many parallels with the rules and regulations a government must set with those we see in the workplace. Just as government has laws at the federal, state, county and city level, a place of work often has to adhere to the same edicts of law.

In addition, an organization may have policies, processes and procedures in place it must follow. Depending on the size and nature of the organization, these may have been agreed and written at the headquarters, the district office or from the desk of the owner or individual leaders. Either way, they’re in place to protect life and property while ensuring the economic stability of the enterprise.

We are therefore a nation of law and order — may we never lose sight of the fact that at the heart of the matter is a desire to protect life and property, while enabling people to prosper and enjoy that life.

I wonder therefore what is so deep down within our DNA which causes us to want to rebel against authority? Yes, I know this Great Experiment called the United States was born out of rebellion, but why do so many of us think the rules

don’t apply to us? It is true — we are an exceptional nation, but does that justify why many of us think we’re an exception to the rules?

Let’s look at how this all manifests itself within our places of work and our health and safety record. Are we becoming a safer nation at work or not? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the most common causes of workplace injury are lifting, poor lighting, violence, trips/falls, stress, fatigue, shortcuts, overconfidence, poor housekeeping, lack of preparation and mental distractions.

When we dig a little deeper into these trends, what we see is a significant degree of responsibility clearly at the door of the employer who chose not to follow guidelines. Even more disturbingly we see an alarming proportion of the statistics concluding upon investigation, that the fault lay solely at the feet of the employee who chose to reject the required restrictions.

We are therefore a nation of law and order—may we never lose sight of the fact that at the heart of the matter is a desire to protect life and property, while enabling people to prosper and enjoy that life.

Why do I raise this rather grim information? Well, in 2020 we are all buckling under the burden of some rather onerous government restrictions on what we can and can’t do because of ever-increasing COVID-19 numbers. We know a vaccine

If everyone does their part, we can come through this pandemic victorious and minimize the number of deaths and non-fatal infections, business expert Paul Butler writes. (MC) is imminent and if we all do our part we can come through this victorious and minimize the number of deaths and nonfatal infections. Yet, for some reason a significant proportion are letting the Old Rebel within them rise up and show itself with physical dissensions against such “Draconian measures”.

Determined to believe they’re personally being persecuted they want to throw off the face covering, shake hands with many and get as close as can be, to others just like it was 2019. I get it. We all want things to go back to normal as soon as possible but in the meantime by rejecting authorities above us, we risk burying others below us and seeing others fall seriously sick around us.

According to the 2019 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) report, 100% of workplace accidents that resulted in fatality or serious injury were actually preventable upon

OSHA’s analysis of each case. It was the rejection of the governing authority and their related guidelines that was found to be the root cause of all 3,409 workplace fatalities and 2.8 million non-fatal workplace injuries last year.

I have many hopes for 2021 and one of them which I hope is not just a dream is that as Americans we would rewrite our internal scripts to self-declare that authority, (be it government or leadership at work) is not inherently evil and is in place for our good, in this more perfect union.

Paul Butler is a Santa Clarita resident and a client partner with Newleaf Training and Development of Valencia (newleaftd.com). The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Signal newspaper. For questions or comments, email Butler at paul. butler@newleaftd.com. 

HUSBAND-AND-WIFE TEAM OPEN RAPID COVID-TESTING COMPANY

BY PERRY SMITH Business Journal Editor

A

fter Harleen Grewal became one of the 1 million Los Angelenos to be diagnosed with COVID-19, she realized there’s a better way for people to find out whether they have the virus, or whether they need to isolate because they potentially could make someone else sick.

“People are not getting tested — people don’t have the ability to go get an appointment right away,” Grewal said.

People are missing work, chances to meet with loved ones and just the ability to get on with their lives because they‘re in fear of not knowing whether they had a virus that’s been wreaking havoc around the world.

The recent numbers of COVID-19 diagnoses countywide continue to alarm L.A. County Public Health officials, with the available ICU capacity still at 0% for the region and more than 10,000 new cases identified daily.

But as a board-certified pediatric dentist who also has a husband who’s a board-certified neurologist, once she beat COVID-19, she also realized she was in a position to help others.

That’s why Harleen Grewal and her husband, Yuvi, who works at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, decided to

Harleen Grewal, DDS, and her husband, Dr. Yuvraj Grewal, stand in front of their Mind-Body Infusion Center, which is under construction as part of the Skyline Ranch development. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL create SCVRapidTest.com.

The website allows Santa Clarita Valley residents to schedule a test between 7 a.m and 7 p.m., and Harleen will bring her mobile testing unit, as well as a medical professional to administer the test, to the home or

office, for a $150 fee. The best part for many is the convenience, Harleen Grewal said, because it takes only about 15 minutes to get the result.

“If you don’t know right away or not, you could be going out in the community and risking the health of others,” said Dr. Yuvi Grewal. “I think the rapid testing is really important and, surprisingly, there aren’t really that many options right now for rapid testing.”

While right now the fastest way to sign up is online at SCVRapidTest.com, the husband-and-wife team are also opening Mind-Body Infusion Center in Skyline Ranch very soon, where they plan to offer tests, as well as a number of holistic remedies. By spring, the pair also expect to have Skyline Smiles, Harleen Grewal’s dentistry practice, up and running next door to their wellness center, also on La Madrid Drive in the Skyline Ranch Plaza.

“If we don’t have a plan of action, we’re not going to be able to go do anything,” Harleen said, sharing the frustration she’s heard so many express over potential virus concerns, and her motivation for starting this effort. “If I can help someone, I really want to do it. This is the time.”

For more information on scheduling a test, visit SCVRapidTest.com. 

SCV CHAMBER HOSTS EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE

BY PERRY SMITH Business Journal Editor he Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce presented its 2021 employment law update with attorneys Brian Koegle and Michael

T

Fostakowski from Poole, Shaffery, & Koegle in January.

The attorneys have an expertise in employment and labor law, and the discussion has become an annual event for the local business community, but one that’s

New laws affecting businesses in 2021 COVID-19 RELATED SB 1159 establishes a rebuttable workers’ compensation presumption for workers that contract COVID-19 under certain conditions and requires employers to report COVID-19 cases to their workers’ compensation carriers.

AB 1867 also took effect immediately upon being signed, which was September 9, 2020. That bill expands supplemental paid sick leave for COVID-19-related reasons for certain employers not already covered by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

AB 685 establishes stringent COVID-19 recording and reporting requirements when employers receive notice of a potential COVID-19 exposure at the workplace.

Among other things, AB 685 requires employers to provide a number of notices to different groups of employees within one business day after receiving notice of a potential COVID-19 exposure.

NON-COVID-19 LAWS AB 979 requires that publicly held corporations with principal executive offices in California have a minimum of one director from an underrepresented community no later than the close of the 2021 calendar year.

AB 1947 extends the time an individual can file a complaint of discrimination or retaliation with the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), also known as the California Labor Commissioner Early in this year’s legislative session, roughly 30 bills were introduced to either repeal or revise AB 5. In the end, only one bill survived and was signed into law, AB 2257, which discusses a number of exemptions for AB 5. For the complete list, visit bit.ly/AB2257info.

— Information courtesy of the CalChamber website: advocacy.calchamber.com

gained a special focus this year with all the numerous changes prompted by legislation and, of course, COVID-19.

“We are always pleased to partner with Poole, Shaffery, & Koegle for the only full employment law update for the Santa Clarita Valley,” stated Nancy Starczyk, immediate past chair of the SCV Chamber board. “Each year, the chamber provides the platform for our community to familiarize themselves with upcoming law changes for the year and ensure their business is following best practices.”

Fostakowsky and Koegle led a virtual discussion on a number of topics, including an update on COVID-19 regulations in the workplace, changes to employee classifications and a talk about additional new laws scheduled to take effect in 2021 prior to the pandemic, as well as a question-and-answer session.

The information focused on impact for business owners, such as new requirements for companies with more than five employees to provide family and baby bonding leave for workers.

Previously, this requirement only applied to companies with 50 or more employees, Fostakowsky noted, a policy shift that impacted millions of businesses overnight starting Jan. 1.

“This one keeps me up at night. As you know, the prior standard was 50 employees. Now it’s down to five and there’s still some additional requirements in there,” Fostakowsky said. “This is something that I fear I’m going to be very, very busy in 2021 and moving forward as a result of this law.”

PHOTO BY TAMMY MURGA / THE SIGNAL Koegle discussed some of the specifics with respect to what is and isn’t a legal policy for an employer to have, as well as some of the more common issues.

“The other thing about the new law is that an employer may not deny any reasonable request of the employee to use qualified sick time ...” Koegle explained noting also the employee is not required to provide a note “whatsoever.”

Fostakowsky also discussed certain changes that, if they didn’t know about them, could end up costing a fortune.

Regarding companies able to hire last year, he offered them congratulations, and then a caution: If you’re not using the right I-9 form, the penalty could be significant: “(If) you’re out of compliance, that I-9 you obtained from the employee is invalidated, and it $1,000 per employee per I-9,” he said. “That is the penalty.”. 

B8 · SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2021 · THE SIGNAL

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VALLEY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION 28368 Constellation Road | Suite 360 | Valencia | CA 91355 | 661.294.8088 | www.via.org

A D V O C A T E . E D U C A T E . I N N O VA T E .

HAPPY 40TH ANNIVERSARY VIA! 40 Years of Serving SCV Businesses

G

S ESS

BUIL

CC

D

I

N

BUSINESS

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The Valley Industry Association celebrates its 40th Anniversary in 2021. And what an amazing 40 years it has been! VIA has a rich history of serving business in the Santa Clarita Valley and as we enter our 40th anniversary year, we wanted to share the story of our humble beginnings along with the growth we’ve experienced that make us the organization we are today.

Several factors contributed to VIA’s original formation. By the late 1970s, it had become apparent that a special group was needed to center their attention solely around businesses in the Valencia Industrial Center. Other organizations existed, but they largely represented retail businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley. The Industrial Park had rapidly become a major industrial base, but was not able to get the full services it needed. Traffic problems already existed and a large area fire in 1979 drove home the need for action.

HR Textron and Lockheed were the companies who had the most clout so it was not surprising when Sam Garcia, President of HR Textron, and his assistant at the time, Connie WordenRoberts, initiated talks with other businesses about how to structure an organization that could address the needs of industry in the Industrial Park.

Up until this time, the political power of individual businessmen was fragmented. An organization that would enable companies to speak with a unified voice was sought and VIA was born.

The group’s preliminary focuses centered around roads, transportation, maintenance, education and basic services for employees. The Association was intended to be a vehicle for conveying information between businesses and allowed for participation by groups of all sizes. Discussions grew from the initial topics to include issues such as workers compensation, medical services and real estate.

VIA was officially formed as a 501(C)(6) corporation on February 9, 1981. First known as the Valencia Manufacturers Association, the original corporate officers were Craig Johansen, President (representing HR Textron), Jim Pugh, Vice President (representing Foxboro), Ross Hopkins, Secretary (representing Lockheed) and Lou Garasi, Treasurer (representing Gruber Systems).

Since that time, VIA has grown in leaps and bounds.

Originally organized with just 20 company members, today VIA represents hundreds of businesses from wide reaching industries.

VIA is a strong pro-business advocate for its members with local, state and federal legislators, helps member business grow by building new clientele and relationships with other SCV and

YEAR S

adjacent area companies, and works in conjunction with the City of Santa Clarita and other like-minded organizations in attracting new business to the area, while retaining its existing business base.

Through bi-annual CEO Forums, annual survey projects, monthly luncheon meetings, the VIA BASH, Leadership Program, Breakfast Club, summit meetings on urgent topics and continuing one-on-one communication with its membership, VIA continues to offer value to its membership and to provide a large, collective voice for the Santa Clarita Valley.

VIA is proud of its history and its growth and we are delighted to be celebrating 40 years of success. Thank you for your support – here’s to the next 40!

VIA 2021 VIRTUAL SERIES

BILL MIRANDA MAYOR, CITY OF SANTA CLARITA TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2021 | 11:00 AM

Reservations www.VIA.org/Calendar or call 661.294.8088

VIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Hillary Broadwater Chairwoman of the Board QM Design Group Teresa Todd Immediate Past Chairwoman Point of View Communications Tim Burkhart Vice Chair, Programs Six Flags Magic Mountainw

Michael P. Garrison CPA Treasurer KKAJ, LLP Kim Thomson Corporate Secretary SCV Relocation Services Steve Nunez Director at Large Mission Valley Bank

Sue Tweddell Vice Chair, Education Primerica Financial

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Nola Aronson Advanced Audiology

JC Burnett Vice Chair, Advocacy Courier-Messenger, Inc.

Monica Fawcett City of Santa Clarita

Ed Materson Vice Chair, Workforce Development SOS Entertainment

David Cantrell American Family Funding

Patti Handy Vance Wealth

Mark Young Donahoe & Young

Laura Kirchhoff Circle Of Hope

Jill Mellady Mellady Direct Marketing

Mike Kuhlman William S. Hart UHSD

Jorge Lopez J & M Events

Kim Kurowski A-1 Party

Paul Raggio One True North

Kathie Martin SCV Water Agency

Justin Veyna Barkley Risk Management & Insurance

Myles McNamara Comfort Keepers In-Home Care Ted Sirotta Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

CEO/PRESIDENT Kathy Norris Valley Industry Association

Omar Torres College of the Canyons

Visit via.org for more information or call 661.294.8088 VIA.SCVBJ.Feb2021.V1.indd 1

1/15/21 8:59 AM

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2021 · B9

The List: Oldest Businesses In The SCV NAME

TYPE

YEAR

# OF EMPLOYEES

NAME OF TOP EXECUTIVE

ADDRESS

PHONE #

Saugus Café

Restaurant

1888

22

Yecenia Mercado

25861 Railroad Avenue

(661) 259-7886

Halfway House Café

Restaurant

1906

9

Sally Moore

15564 Sierra Highway, Canyon

(661) 251-0102

The Signal

Newspaper

1919

34

Richard Budman

26330 Diamond Place #100, Santa Clarita

(661) 259-1234

Mikes Diner

Restaurant

1947

20

Mike Harutunian

31537 Castaic Road, Castaic

(661) 257-3233

Santa Clarita Concessions

Vending Machine Supplier

1955

12

Lisa Burke

21554 Golden Triangle Rd., Saugus

(661) 259-7310

Valencia Country Club

Golf Club

1965

100

Mike Nix

27330 Tourney Rd., Valencia

(661) 254-4401

B & B Manufacturing

Contract Manufacturing Services

1961

270

Fred Duncan, Jeff Lage

27940 Beale Ct., Valencia

(661) 257-2161

Newhall Escrow Inc.

Escrow

1963

11

Steve Corn

24010 Lyons Ave., Newhall

(661) 259-3450

Santa Clarita Swap Meet

Swap Meet

1963

34

Doug Bonelli

22500 Soledad Canyon Rd., Santa Clarita

(661) 259-3886

Best Western Valencia Inn

Hotel

1964

31

Neil Patel

27413 Wayne Mills Pl., Valencia

(661) 255-0555

Chi-Chi's Pizza

Restaurant

1967

76

Paul Miccolis

23043 West Soledad Canyon Rd., Saugus

(661) 259-4040

Backwoods Inn

Restaurant

1968

29

Carol Ohler

17846 Sierra Hwy, Canyon Country

(661) 252-5522

Gallions Corner Market

Market

1969

10

Sam Elhilu

31515 Parker Rd., Castaic

(661) 257-3523

Pleasantview Industries

Work Activity Program

1969

20

Gerry Howard

27921 Urvabdale Ave., Saugus

(661) 296-6700

Green Thumb Garden Center

Nursery

1970

25

Bud, Steve & Nancy Bergquist

23734 Newhall Ave., Newhall

(661) 259-1071

Stay Green

Landscape Services

1970

280

Rich Angelo

26415 Summit Circle, Santa Clarita

(661) 291-2800

Magic Mountain

Amusement Park

1971

3,000+

Tim Burkhardt

26101 Magic Mountain Parkway

(661) 255-4100

Way Station Coffee Shop

Restaurant

1971

12

Eric Leeser

24377 Main Street, Newhall

(661) 255-0222

AV Party Rentals

Event/Party Supplies

1973

37

Rusty Parr

23800 Newhall Avenue, Newhall

(661) 259-2151

Douglas Furniture

Furniture

1974

12

Doug Green

23661 Newhall Avenue, Newhall

(661) 255-8421

Maria's Deli

Italian Delicatessen

1973

5

Maria & Bruno

22620 Lyons Ave., Newhall

(661) 259-6261

Condie, Thomas & Harbo, CPAs

Certified Public Accountants

1975

10

Gary Condie

28490 Westinghouse Pl. #140, Valencia

(661) 257-2900

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

Hospital/Trauma Center

1975

1,580+

Roger E. Seaver

23845 McBean Pkwy., Valencia

(661) 200-2000

The Werner Law Firm

Law Firm

1975

4

L. Rob Werner

27257 1/2 Camp Plenty Rd., Canyon Country

(661) 252-9022

Economic Development Corporation Santa Clarita Valley

26455 Rockwell Canyon Road | UCEN 263 | Santa Clarita, CA 91355 | (661) 288-4400 | www.scvedc.org

SAVE THE DATES FOR THE 2021 ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FORECAST

BY HOLLY SCHROEDER President & CEO of the SCV Economic Development Corp.

A

re you wondering how the COVID-19 crisis has impacted the economy of the Santa Clarita Valley, the state of California, the United States and the world?

Does your company rely on accurate and up-to-date demographic data for the region? Are you interested in how growth and development will shape Santa Clarita in 2021 and beyond? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to attend our 2021 Economic Outlook Forecast events.

Designed to provide attendees with an economic analysis and outlook, the conference will include national, state and global perspectives.

In 2021, the Economic Outlook Forecast will be presented in two parts: a spring virtual-only event, and a fall hybrid event with planned in-person* attendance only for sponsors and sponsor guests.

General admission to the fall event will be livestreamed with opportunities for virtual networking.

We kick off the dual events with our Spring 2021 Virtual Economic Outlook Update: • Mark Vitner, senior economist at Wells Fargo, will give a global economic

The SCV EDC’s annual Economic Outlook Conference will offer important information about a number of different economic sectors, such as the housing industry. update and discuss impacts of and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Economist Mark Schniepp, California Economic Forecast, will release a preliminary Economic Outlook report

focusing on data from the Santa Clarita Valley.

This event will be held as a virtual, livestreamed event on Friday, March 26, from 8:30-9:30 a.m.

In September, we will release the full Economic Outlook Forecast at a hybrid event (in-person* for sponsors only): • A panel of Santa Clarita Valley business leaders will discuss issues around corporate resilience, agility and innovation in the face of unique challenges.

• Economist Mark Schniepp, California Economic Forecast, will release the full Economic Outlook Forecast for the Santa Clarita Valley, California and beyond.

This event will be held on Friday, Sept.

17 from 8:30-11 a.m. Sponsors and their guests will be able to attend at the venue* (TBA), and those with general admission tickets will participate virtually.

To learn more about the 2021 Economic Outlook, visit scvedc.org/outlook. *SCVEDC will strictly adhere to any and all public health orders and protocols issued by Los Angeles County.

The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corp. (SCVEDC) is a unique private / public partnership representing the united effort of regional industry and government leaders. The SCVEDC utilizes an integrated approach to attracting, retaining and expanding a diversity of businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley, especially those in key industry clusters, by offering competitive business services and other resources.. 

Econo Watch Santa Clarita Valley

Q4 2020

Q3 2020 Q4 2020 Sq Ft

Commercial Vacancy Rates Office Space 14.42% 12.49%

2,817,393

Industrial Space

25,045,859

6.10%

Total Marked Sq. Ft. Vacancy Percentage: Office Space - as a % of Vacancy Industrial Space - as a % of Vacancy

Building Permits New Commercial/Industrial Building Permits Commercial Tenent Improvements/Alterations Local Company Stock Prices Bank of Santa Clarita (BSCA) California Resources Corp (CRC) Carnival Corp. (CCL) FivePoint (FPH) Mission Valley Bank (MVLY) Six Flags * (SIX) Woodward (WWD)

Unemployment Rates Santa Clarita Palmdale

7.10% 27,863,252

10.11% 89.89%

10.11% 89.89%

N/A N/A

Dec ’20

Nov ’20

Dec ’19

25 7

9 33

2 44

Dec ’20

Nov ‘20

% Change

10.17 23.59 21.66 5.46 10.55 34.1 121.53

Dec ’20

10 21.8 19.98 5.64 9.36 30.73 111.83

Nov ‘19

1.7% 8.21% 8.41% -3.19% 12.71% 10.97% 8.67%

% Change

9.3% 10.7% -12.15% 14.5% 15.6% -5.77%

Lancaster

15.2% 15.9% -2.52%

Glendale

10.2% 12.3% -17.07%

Los Angeles County

10.6%

State

9.0% 8.2% 9.76%

Housing Stats

Dec ’20

12.0%

Nov ’20

-11.67%

Dec ’19

SCV Average Home Price

747,400

747,300

643,500

SCV Average Condo Price

478,100

463,700

432,500

SCV Home Sales

310

256

200

SCV Condo Sales

120

87

59

SCV Avg. # of Days on Market (SF)

32 24 87

SCV Single Family Home Inventory

140

188

75

B10 · SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2021 · THE SIGNAL master planning and development taking place.”

In addition to some of the muchneeded renovations and modernizing the center’s facade, Huang wants to work with tenants, both present and future, to help them thrive.

“We’re trying to figure out who really wants to stay, who wants to align with our strategy and then working to find other tenants that want to be part of this center … maybe with a better synergy to make it a little bit more family friendly, so that it would blend in better to what Santa Clarita has in mind,” he added.

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big-name companies, like Amazon, to the SCV, or the growing demands of the film industry.

Filming activity has completely rebounded since its total shutdown last year, Crawford and Schroeder agreed.

This, combined with the influx of streaming services, has brought forth a demand for soundstage space, as well as other film support-type companies that work with productions.

In addition, Haimoff has seen a lot of companies show interest in leasing additional warehouse space to store their inventory in case there’s another shutdown that affects supply chains.

“The only problem right now is inventory; so, now there’s interest, but there’s lack of inventory of industrial properties,” Haimoff added.

It’s for these reasons that Haimoff believes the industrial market is the one driving market now, and essentially picking up the slack for all the other industries who are suffering.

THE UNKNOWNS IN THE RETAIL INDUSTRY Experts agree that it’s been the retail industry that’s taken the biggest hit this past year, and it remains rocky due to the current stay-at-home order.

“I think there’s a bunch of unknowns about the future of retail,” Schroeder said. “This is in part corollary to what we’re seeing in industrial, where people have shifted to online shopping so ecommerce has been some of the biggest new tenants coming in.”

This shift is sure to have a lasting impact, though Schroeder doesn’t expect to fully know what the long-term fallout will be until some of the health restrictions on this sector are lifted.

Restaurants are some of those most impacted by the shutdown, with many suffering without in-person dining. Even so, others who’ve either been successful at offering take out or have the benefit of having drive thrus are continuing to prosper.

“A lot of family entertainment businesses, like Scooter’s Jungle or Pump It Up, are closed, and they’re probably not going to come back … and are going to be the ones that open up last,” Haimoff said.

However, because those spaces were often operating out of warehouses, those buildings are now simply expected to be used as warehouse space instead.

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES Others, like the consortium of developers led by Synergize Ventures from

The lot pictured, located off 13th Street in Newhall, was evaluated at the request of the new owner, Blackhall Studios, which submitted plans for city review that called for a 93-acre facility major motion picture studio. PHOTO BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL Danville, Lotus Equity Partners from New York and Ambassador Equities from Cleveland, which recently purchased the Sierra Crest Center, located at 27125 Sierra Highway in Canyon Country, hope to continue to revitalize retail centers in the SCV, according to Joseph Huang, managing director for the group.

“We’re a group of developers that look for distressed properties like this one,” Huang said. “We like to work in areas that are growing and certainly Santa

Clarita is a great boomtown (and) probusiness, which we like.”

Huang, who’s from L.A. originally, recalls passing through the SCV and wondering about the area’s promise.

“When this deal fell into our lap, we saw a lot of potential,” he added. “It’s very well-situated off (Highway) 14, has a lot of car traffic and a lot of good foot traffic, as well, so I think there’s a lot of catalyst to what’s going on in Santa Clarita with population growth and all the

Commercial market active in the SCV June 19 Yair Haimoff and Randy Cude of Spectrum Commercial Real Estate Inc announced the sale of a half-acre commercial property with 180 feet of frontage along heavily trafficked Soledad Canyon Road, across the street from Edwards Cinema. The price was $1.5 Million.

July 29 The SCV Economic Development Corp. announced Riedel Communications is relocating its North American headquarters to the SCV, securing 14,000 square feet of industrial space located at 25700 Rye Canyon Road.

Aug. 5 Dedeaux Properties, in a joint venture with Stockbridge Capital Group, acquired a vacant 214,436-square-foot warehouse and distribution center. The property is on 11 acres at 24903 Avenue Kearny in the 1,100acre master planned Valencia Industrial Center. $28.4 million.

Aug. 20 The city of Santa Clarita announced a proposal to purchase Valencia Ice Station, which sits on about 4.39 acres of land, for approximately $14.5 million Sept. 18 Yair Haimoff, Andrew Ghassemi and Matt Sreden announced the sale of a 6,077 square foot office condo at 28212 Kelly Johnson Parkway.

Nov. 2 The city confirms an application was received for a major motion picture studio development on a 93-acre lot considered to be the “gateway to Placerita Canyon.”

THE IMPACT OF THE HOME OFFICE As many continue working from home, it’s to be expected that the office-space industry has seen some change, with the SCVEDC’s economist projecting a current vacancy rate of around 11%.

While many were worried about this sector as the year went on — many still are — analysts expect most companies are likely to end up in some sort of hybrid model, as they try to figure out a good balance, Schroeder said.

“The synergies and the sort of serendipity opportunities that arise (in the office) are very real, and I think companies want to get back to having some of that happen,” she added. “At the same time, they’ve recognized some of the benefits of working from home, in terms of people’s ability to sometimes be more focused perhaps or some people not having to commute.”

THE HOTEL INDUSTRY’S SAVING GRACE “They were hit incredibly hard, and there was a while in spring of last year where there was no activity out of hotels, but our hotels have started bouncing back,” Crawford said, adding that hotel occupancy numbers bottomed out in April 2020, as they dropped to 21.3%, but slowly started to come back since to 62.4% in November. “Our latest occupancy numbers are better than other areas, so we’re pretty happy about that.”

For the hotel industry, who’ve seen travel rates drop dramatically last year in the midst of stay-at-home orders, it’s been the film industry that’s allowed them to continue prospering.

“We have seen some interest from film productions (who are) creating their own bubble, like they talk about with sports teams where they rented out the entirety of a hotel for a couple of weeks … so the fact that we have proximity to Los Angeles, and we have a strong film sector here, that’s a benefit that we have here in Santa Clarita that it doesn’t exist in other parts of the country,” Schroeder said, with Crawford adding that a show rented out the Hyatt for a couple of weeks to house their crew. 

SCV BUSINESS VOICES BETTER HEARING SHOULD BE YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION Year’s resolution.

DR. KEVIN BOLDER AuD, Audiology Associates

T

his past year has been full of many challenges, and if you have been spending a lot of time social distancing, you may not have noticed any changes in your hearing. During the holiday season, you may have noticed that it was difficult to understand the conversation around the dinner table, or you couldn’t hear your family on the other end of the phone. Don’t continue to let hearing loss keep you disconnected from the ones you love. Discover why you should make better hearing your New

YOU CAN HEAR WHAT MATTERS Better hearing means you can join the conversation again. Your hearing is a key factor in how you connect with other people. With hearing aids, you can get back missing sounds and enjoy the voices of your friends, children, and grandchildren.

YOU’LL FEEL MORE ENERGIZED Studies show that hearing loss makes the brain work harder to understand sounds. This can leave you feeling exhausted after any social interactions. People who manage their hearing loss with hearing aids have reported to feel more energized and have better mental clarity as well.

TRY HEARING AIDS THIS YEAR Hearing aids have advanced immensely over the

recent years and now offer incredible features that can make your life easier. Many hearing aids now have Bluetooth connectivity, automatic directionality, and rechargeable options. These features can provide you with a seamless listening experience and come in a variety of discreet or nearly invisible options.

The best thing you can do to make sure you are maintaining your overall health and well-being is receive regular hearing screenings in addition to your other doctor visits. To schedule a hearing aid consultation today, please call Audiology Associates at 661-284-1900. Kevin Bolder, Au.D, Patrice Rifkind, Au.D. and John Davis, Au.D. are three of the best in Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valley. Visit our website at AudiologyAssociates. net or stop by our office located at 23838 Valencia Blvd, Suite 100, Valencia. We are hearing health care excellence! 