Laurel District Association

DISTRICT IDENTITY (DISI) PUBLIC EVENTS - The Laurel holiday campaign, included a Santa Stroll, Halloween Trick-or-Treating, and Live in The Laurel- Coordinated 2022 Lion Dance Parade and Blessing of Businesses - A monthly event, Live in the Laurel activated music in multiple venues in the district to drive foot traffic to the commercial corridor- Continued Small Event Grant Fund to support merchant activities and Oakland artists LAUREL STREET FAIR- The Laurel StreetFair World Musical Festival returned in 2022, attracting over 10,000 attendees to this free community arts and culture event - Continued a tax-deductible donation fund in support of Laurel Small Businesses, and the cultural artists that have been traditionally involved with the Laurel StreetFair. Donations have been received from past festival attendees and Laurel area residents DIGITAL MARKETING AND NEW LDA WEBSITE FEATURES - Updates and Additions to district Website Driving traffic to the district website.. District website has comprehensive and updated merchant directory, community calendar, and Facebook integration. Built out a comprehensive small business resources repository.- Reconstituted the digital billboard campaign with local tech firm Digifli - Local List serves - Monitor the daily digests for Laurel, Maxwell Park, Redwood Heights, and Allendale list serves. Post as needed in reply to LDA related issues and submit posts in promotion of Laurel events, activities, new businesses, and business announcements- Maintained The Laurel merchant database of business - Published News Briefs article in partnership with Bay Area News Group to share business news - Distributed a recently developed Guidebook for Board of Directors- Launched a public facing electronic newsletter, built initial subscriber list to over 1,000 PRINT ADVERTISING- Actively work to position Laurel for positive press in area media outlets.. Facilitated a series of merchant profiles in Oaklandside. Items were also covered in the East Bay Times and multiple Bay Area News Group properties- Extended District Marketing Campaign promoting The Laurel and its events and local businesses through Facebook and Instagram.Placed digital and print advertising in East Bay publications

Community Oversight, Development and Support MERCHANT TRAININGS AND COMMUNICATIONS- Monthly Merchant Meetings - The LDA continues to conduct monthly Board meetings, transitioned to Zoom video conference, and assist merchants through information sharing, project facilitation, and event support- Held monthly meetings where merchant members and the members of the public could comment, share partner opportunities, and ask questions - Board participation and merchant participation in ad-hoc committees and working groups- Maintained/updated database of District merchants, property owners/managers- Involved (4) high school and college interns to learn about community organizing and business support- Implemented the recommendations from a strategic planning consultant for early steps toward the long term LDA strategic plan. Currently underway - Responsiveness to Board Direction - Prepare and properly notify board meetings with appropriate guest coordination and supporting materials. Finalize and post meeting minutes as submitted by Secretary Wong-Lam. Ensure LDA is in compliance with the Sunshine Ordinance and Brown Act- Attending community meetings and building/maintaining positive and collaborative relationships with neighborhood associations (Laurel Village Association, Redwood Heights Neighborhood Association, Beat 25Y Crime Prevention Council, Maxwell Park Neighborhood Association)COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT- Community Collaborations Assisted with the outreach and connectivity to property owners with land use issues, code compliance, and business attraction- Expand salesforce database of businesses and property owners for improved communication through a stakeholder newsletter- Attend monthly BID managers meeting, actively supporting the coordination of best practices and improved access to City staff and resourcesCAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS- The LDA installed and maintains additional decorative lighting for year-round ambiance and improved visibility after dark- Worked with public utilities to address old infrastructure issues affecting the quality of the MacArthur roadway- Helping to ensure the planned addition of 4,000 square feet of workforce housing development at Hight Street and MacArthur Boulevard MAINTENANCE AND LANDSCAPING- Implemented the public art restoration and installation plan- Coordinated district wide sidewalk steam cleaning with identification and focus on hotspots.- Worked with City of Oakland Department of Transportation to further next steps in traffic calming along MacArthur Boulevard - Worked closely with subcontractors and service providers (Peralta, Urban Shield, First Building Maintenance, City of Oakland) to ensure high-quality deliverables on core services and contracted responsibilities. Reviewed all existing contracts with a performance assessment for continuous quality improvement and adaptation to current district needs- Facilitated volunteer and community workdays with volunteers to address litter and improve landscaping - Updated sidewalk planters signage for an improved streetscape aestheticSECURITY- Collaborated with Oakland Police to respond to and provide security camera evidence for crimes committed in the district- Added new License Plate Recognition security camera systems to the commercial district- Adjusted private security response to address spike in protest related looting and vandalism- Secured a Safety Ambassador grant through the Department of Violence Prevention to provide technical services and address safety issues to support small businesses along the MacArthur Corridor - The Laurel District Association works through a technology application as a direct tool for communication and documentation of security staff- Handling Community Concerns - The Laurel District Association acts as a community liaison to property owners for assistance with business attraction and/or property sale. The City of Oakland Planning Department works closely with the LDA when reviewing applications. Formal board positions of support for well-designed projects help ensure projects keep moving and the district vision of growth is achieved. The LDA often works to assist in monitoring problem properties in support of the property owner, helping to prevent incidents of illegal dumping, vagrancy, and vandalism and theft- Partnered with OPD walking officer and merchant watch to educate merchants and utilize CEPTD tactics for crime deterrence- Obtained $10,000 in funding from the City of Oakland to provide a professional and visible security presence in the commercial district for an inviting and safe holiday shopping season. The Safety Ambassador Program provided streamlined communications between merchants, the general public and seven days per week for one month.

PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY (PROW)Maintenance and Landscaping- Maintain the Maintenance and Landscaping Program- Service street treesCapital Improvements- Faade Improvements Continue to assist and facilitate faade improvement projects on the commercial corridor - Leveraging City Resources Seek ways for existing efforts (Laurel Design Guidelines, Litter Studies, Business Attraction Studies, etc.) to be implemented and supported by the City in zoning and business attraction efforts- Continue to share Design Guidelines with prospective and existing business and property ownersSecurity- Maintain 5 day-per-week Security services - Continue to expand license plate recognition capable camera installations- Work with property owners and merchants to enhance existing security camera coverage in high-crime areas