The Wilshire Center Business Improvement Corporation's (WCBIC) is the Advisory Board to City of Los Angeles for the Wilshire Center Business Improvement District (WCBID). The WCBID is an assessment district created by the Los Angeles City Council in 1995. We are one of over 40 BIDs in Los Angeles (visit labidc.org for more about the BIDs in LA). WCBID is a merchant based BID which is ratified or "reconfirmed" annually after each funded operating period in order to receive funds to continue operations. The WCBIC is a California nonprofit, mutual benefit corporation.

WCBIC has been working diligently to improve our community for the past 18 years. For some of WCBID accomplishments from August 1995 to August 2012 go to accomplishments.

The WCBIC's mission for the WCBID is to help Wilshire Center become a more livable and workable area, to provide for a better overall environment both socially and economically, to work towards constructive change and improvement for Wilshire Center, and to represent the WCBID assesses’ interest by advocating on behalf of its members' best interests in the area of public safety, beautification, promotion, maintenance, and economic development within the community.

WCBIC represents over 37.8 million square feet of residential, office and retail users. Click here to view the Wilshire Center B.I.D. Boundary Map (pdf).

2016-2017 Board of Directors are:

Chairman - Paul Kim, Jamison Services
Secretary - Mike Sarebanha, Seligman Western Enterprises, LTD
Treasurer - Debra Leathers, Southwestern Law School

Michael Hakim, SM Properties

Niall Kelly, Hotel Normandie LA

Jimmy Han, Beer Belly Inc., JS Han Co., Libra Co.

Dustin Storey, Century West Partners

The board meetings are held quarterly on Thursdays, from 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm at 3600 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90010 - 16th Floor Conference Room
CLICK HERE TO VIEW A SAMPLE OF THE MINUTES FROM A PAST BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

Annual Membership meeting is in late August of each year. For more information on time and location email info@wilshirecenter.com.

Our Program consist of security, maintenance, marketing, environmental awareness and advocacy. Chrysalis, a non-profit homeless support organization, are handling the steam cleaning at the major intersections. Portals, a non-profit homeless support organization, handles the general maintenance, graffiti removal and sweeping of the major sidewalks in our area.  Tru Green handles the general landscape maintenance along Wilshire Blvd. between Wilton and Hoover. Over the past few years we had well over 200 trees trimmed.  California Security provides the evening security car patrols during the week and provides security bike patrols during the day time.  The environmental awareness provide includes the Earthday/Car Free Day annual events, Green Block Parties, and we are working with the Clinton Foundation, Arup, and Greenform on environmental and energy saving solutions.  The some of the advocacy consist of our active involvement in the CRA Wilshire Center/Koreatown CAC, the Olympic Community Police Advisory Board, the Wilshire Center Business Watch, and the Wilshire Center-Koreatown Neighborhood Council.

Examples of the Maintenance Activities:
Collect and dispose of litter and debris from sidewalks and street gutters.
Remove posted advertisements from public areas.
Clean light graffiti from all surfaces.
Clear debris from public planters and flower pots.
Throw away garbage in designated trash containers.

Maintaining the Wilshire Blvd medians and pots on both sides of the street.
Repair damaged irrigation and replace shrubs and trees due to traffic accidents along Wilshire Boulevard.
Manually watering plants at several locations.
The crew pulled out weeds and added fertilizer to the flowers and shrubs in the medians between Vermont and Hoover.
The trees along Wilshire Blvd. have been trimmed and treated, and the weeds have been removed from the planters.

We have reported several tons of bulk items from various areas throughout the District for removal. We have reported Sofas, Stoves, Refrigerators, T.V's, Microwaves, Computers, Bicycles, Large Tables just to name a few. All items that are recyclable are taken to the nearest recycle center in the area.

Examples of the Security Activities:

During the day: bike patrols officers Monday – Friday from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm
Officers act as goodwill ambassadors, greeting, directing and assisting visitors, residents, workers and merchants daily
Responded to many phone calls requesting assistance from high-rise office buildings, apartment complexes and local businesses
Work with transients by providing referral to meal and shelter services
Report graffiti & other issues to the City
Officers have assisted in felony arrests, stopping crimes in progress
Officers high visibility and cooperative relationships with building security, LAPD, parking attendants, and merchants contributes to a safer environment and reduction in crime

Examples of the Marketing, Public Relations, environmental awareness & Advocacy Activities:

Outreach campaign to promote Wilshire Center by the web site, maps, newsletters and by active participation in the community

Work with City officials on the needs of our Community.

Work with the Community Redevelopment Agency and community groups to find ways to improve our Community.

Commercial and Residential building audits

Educating the building owners, the tenants, employees and visitors about environmental solutions

Carbon Master Plan -- Vision for our sustainable future

On Going Projects:

We are working to improve the traffic congestion and parking issues with CRA's traffic consultant..

Form a working committee on transportation and parking solutions using CRA consultant, David Evans and Associates, list of recommendations/strategies and other ideas such as the use of taxis and PPDs.

We are working with CRA on the use of over 50 million dollars of tax increment funds that are to be collected over the next five years for our community
Worked with LAUSD, Mayor's Office and CRA to create a new RFK public park along Wilshire at the old Ambassador site.

Work on enhancing the new RFK School as a community facility, i.e. the green lawn area in front, the pool, and other of their facilities for evening and weekend use.
We will be working with the new school to enhance its role in our community.
We are working with the LAPD to reduce crime by working with them to place 12 cameras within the WC District . .
We are working with CRA, DWP, Mayor’s office and the Clinton Foundation to encourage more energy & water saving solutions within the District, and creating of green energy block parties.
We are working with Councilman Wesson’s and LaBonge’s office to improve the area along with the Wilshire Center/Koreatown Neighborhood Council.
We updated the WC web site with a calendar section, a business assistance section, facebook, twitter, and with other new features

Get a list of sidewalk work that is needed for possible funding from the City
We successfully worked with the City's Streetlighting Dept. to install 87 new street lights along Wilshire Blvd. The quality of light during the evening is very good. The light quality is a white, brighter light; you will notice the difference if you look west of Wilton and east of Hoover along Wilshire Blvd.

For the future explore funds for 8th Street improvements

An assets value story
The Getty Oil Tower/Union Bank Bldg, south west corner of Wilshire/Western was purchased in 1995 for about $5 million, was purchased in 2003 for about $20 million, then in 2005 purchased for $60 million by Forest City Residential Group to develop condos, and when Forest City is done with the project in the next year or so the value will be $140 million. This story shows that asset property values have increased dramatically since 1995, at the beginning of the WCBIC’s work, a value change of about $135 million for this one property in just over 10 years.

Note: Membership for WCBIC is available to businesses that are within the assessment area and are current on their assessments.