Q&A
Commercial District Needs Assessments (CDNAs) and arts integration
0:36:37
·
3 min
Council Member Rivera inquires about how SBS has worked with organizations to implement arts and culture in public spaces based on Commercial District Needs Assessments (CDNAs).
- Calvin Brown explains that SBS currently has 39 CDNAs, with more in progress
- The assessments provide rich information about assets and challenges in commercial districts
- SBS works with local organizations to develop action plans based on CDNA findings
- Brown emphasizes that public space activation directly benefits local businesses by increasing foot traffic
- Rivera also asks about coordination with DOT on Open Streets, to which Brown responds that SBS regularly meets with DOT to align priorities and initiatives
Carlina Rivera
0:36:37
When we look at the commercial district needs assessments, the CDNA's organizations have clearly identified an interest in infusing arts and culture in public spaces.
0:36:48
And commercial corridors to enrich the pedestrian experience and support local business.
0:36:55
How has SBS worked with organizations to put these interests into action?
0:37:01
And I also just wanna bring up DOT was mentioned by chair of Elise, but we also have sort of this other intersection of of Open Streets, which we've really relied on cultural organizations to activate these spaces, and some of them are along streets that have small businesses.
0:37:23
So if you could just talk a little bit about the CDNAs and how SBS has worked with organizations to put the infusion of arts and culture in public spaces.
0:37:33
And does SBS monitor or collect best practices for arts and culture programming by local business districts, for example, for business districts who are conducting a CDNA.
0:37:46
So there's that.
0:37:46
And then I don't know if you have any information on sort of how you're working with organizations on on Open Streets because we've seen that's a direct benefit to small businesses.
0:37:57
We love more information on that.
Calvin Brown
0:37:59
So, yes, so as noted in the testimony, we have currently 39 CDNAs.
0:38:04
We're happy to announce that we'll have 8 more that will be published soon, and we have 6 that's already in the works.
0:38:11
So it's definitely a lot of rich information that we get from the data that's collected from these local organizations about some of the assets in their commercial districts, but also some of the challenges.
0:38:21
So once we get that information, that information is then put into a report that my team works with these organizations to kind of come up with a deliverable or scope of work that can sort of address some of the concerns that were raised in the CDNAs.
0:38:36
We know from the CDNAs and the information that we collected that activation of public space does directly benefit the businesses that are within those districts by bringing more people to the corridor, by bringing that foot traffic.
0:38:50
So we get a lot of data from the CDNA that helps supports us in terms of identifying what works, what are some of the things that we need to tweak, how we can better engage our SPS with our interagency partners to support the local organizations that we are supporting.
0:39:07
And then there was a There was another question.
0:39:10
Sorry.
Carlina Rivera
0:39:11
It was about you just open streets and whether you work with DOT or in DCLA to see how you can improve the program and better support the organizations than activate the space.
Calvin Brown
0:39:22
So we do regularly meet with DOT and a public space division to make sure that our priorities and some of our initiatives are aligned.
0:39:31
At one point, we were funding organizations that were designated as Open Streets, but we don't have that funded anymore, but we still provide support, capacity building support to any of the organizations that DOT are working with We sometimes, during these open streets, bring out our best team that can go out and provide any support to those businesses along those corridors or even adjacent corridors who may not be participating in open street.
0:39:58
So we do have regular meetings to see where our priorities are aligned.
