Co-Chair: Shiraz Tangri – Partner, ALSTON & BIRD
Co-Chair: Con Howe – Managing Director, CITYVIEW LOS ANGELES FUND

CCA has been the business community’s leading advocate on issues of land use, development, and housing for over 20 years. Comprised of L.A.’s most influential real estate leaders, this active and powerful committee regularly takes the lead on issues that impact real estate investment in Los Angeles as well as advocates against local and state legislation that may discourage critical investment in housing, commercial, and industrial development.

• Advocates against local and state legislation that may discourage critical investment in housing, commercial, and industrial development
• Leads the business community’s efforts to increase affordable housing in the Los Angeles region
• Drafts policy papers tackling difficult real estate-related issues such as Los Angeles’ affordable housing crisis, development reform, industrial land use, and condominium conversions
• Current and past issues include: Downtown Development Code, Comprehensive Zoning Code Reform, Downtown Events Center/Farmers Field, Sign Ordinance, Minimum Parking Requirement Supplemental Use Districts, Low Impact Development, SB1818, SB375, Downtown Housing Ordinances, Community Plan Updates, CEQA & development reform, CRA/LA policies and dissolution, recreation & open space creation, Housing Element, and Green Building

Chair: Bill Delvac – Partner, ARMBRUSTER, GOLDSMITH & DELVAC

The Redevelopment Working Group consists of land use attorneys, developers, and others affected by the historic dissolution of California’s redevelopment agencies. The Group meets with key decision-makers and closely monitors the fast-changing and uncertain landscape that is unfolding in this legal area. Set against this backdrop, it has become an important source of information-sharing for our membership.

• Developed a set of immediate issues affecting redevelopment-related projects in Los Angeles in the weeks following the state’s landmark decision to abolish redevelopment agencies statewide, then met with key officials to advocate for the resolution of these priorities
• Hosts meetings with the decision-makers tasked with navigating the redevelopment landscape
• Advocated for business-friendly appointees to Los Angeles’s city and county CRA/LA oversight panels
• Pushes for the orderly transition of land-use powers from the CRA/LA to the appropriate municipal departments

Co-Chair: Hilary Norton – Executive Director, F.A.S.T.
Co-Chair: Linda Bernhardt – Partner, DLA PIPER LLP

As mobility and infrastructure are key elements to the continued success of Los Angeles, this committee reviews and recommends major transportation policies, public infrastructure projects and transit systems. These projects include the Metro Exposition Light Rail, Regional Connector, Downtown Los Angeles Streetcar, Downtown Los Angeles Mobility Partnership, LAX enhancements and LADWP policies and programs. In addition, the committee works with other committees on developments that support the principles of transit-oriented development and the creation of pedestrian-friendly communities.

• Works to promote transit-oriented development that will leverage and enhance Downtown’s unique position as the transportation hub of the Los Angeles region
• Acts as a forum by organizing stakeholder input on existing and proposed transportation policies that affect Downtown and Los Angeles
• Takes positions on regional transportation initiatives
• Reviews projects presented to committee members by representatives from Metro, LADOT, Caltrans, Metrolink, Alameda Corridor, California High Speed Rail Authority, Port of Los Angeles, Department of Water & Power, Department of Public Works, and other transportation- and infrastructure-related agencies
• Initiates new public-private partnerships to alleviate traffic congestion and increase mobility, such as the Downtown Los Angeles Mobility Partnership and a modern streetcar system for Downtown

Chair: Randal Hernandez – External Affairs Executive, UNION BANK
Vice Chair: Phil Recht – Partner, MAYER BROWN

Business and politics intersect at CCA’s Government Relations Committee. This committee promotes open and constructive dialogue between the business community and government, providing a platform for CCA members to voice concerns about policy issues critical to the private sector.

• Leverages the power of CCA’s membership to provide legislative advocacy on behalf of the business community
• Meets regularly with elected and appointed officials, key department heads, and strategic administrative personnel at the City, County and State level to analyze public policy that may impact the business community
• Reviews local and state ballot propositions and makes recommendations to CCA’s Executive Committee.

Chair: Sean Foley – Regional Chairman, Executive Vice President Southern California Commercial Banking, U.S. BANK

Limited to Executive Committee Members only. Executive Committee members lead the organization by making final decisions on major legislation, policies and initiatives affecting business. This committee oversees all standing CCA policy committees.

• Takes positions on public policy issues that affect the business, economic and social climate in Los Angeles
• Meets privately with key Federal, State, County and City decision-makers

Co-Chair: Paul Audley – President, FILM LA
Co-Chair: Keith Weaver – Executive Vice President, External Relations and Public Policy, SONY
Co-Chair: Sharon Keyser – Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Development, PARAMOUNT PICTURES

Recognizing the importance of the film industry to L.A.’s economy, this committee tackles many of the major concerns facing the entertainment industry, such as production incentives, parking needs and building cooperative relationships with area residents.

• Reviews and takes positions on state and local legislation that impact the film industry
• Works with stakeholders to maintain Downtown as the “Most-filmed Location on Earth”
• Facilitates constructive dialogue among the entertainment industry, Downtown property owners and residents on key issues affecting filming

Co-Chair: Peter Devereaux – Principal, President and CMO, HARLEY ELLIS DEVEREAUX
Co-Chair: Jacob Lipa – President, PSOMAS
Co-Chair: Melani Smith – President, Principal, MELENDREZ

This committee is tasked with creating a strategic plan for Downtown Los Angeles to help guide future legislative, policy, and development decisions. The committee developed the plan Downtown 2020: Roadmap to L.A.’s Urban Future, outlining the action steps necessary to ensure that our city center will continue to evolve into a vibrant and dynamic district in the year 2020 and beyond.

• Outline quantitative and qualitative goals for Downtown in the next ten years, in terms of economic development, land use, education, transportation, and public safety
• Implement a workable action plan to realize the 2020 vision for Downtown. These steps will include pursuing legislative change at the local and state levels to stimulate more infill redevelopment, manage the growing homeless population in Downtown, and enhance transportation connectivity to alleviate traffic congestion and increase mobility

Co-Chair: Cedd Moses – President/Founder, 213 VENTURES
Co-Chair: Jerry Neuman – Partner, SHEPPARD MULLIN

CCA is committed to the long-term health and viability of Los Angeles and Downtown. Building on Downtown’s ever-increasing list of entertainment venues and internationally-renowned tourist destinations, this committee is focused on attracting and enhancing amenities that will serve the fast-growing residential population, as well as keeping the area’s nearly 500,000 employees in Downtown after work.

• Builds on Downtown’s momentum as the center of culture, entertainment, retail and sports for the entire Southern California region
• Promotes dialogue among the various entertainment, retail and hospitality venues by ensuring that individual projects are woven into the overall fabric of Downtown, e.g., through better transportation connectivity and synchronized hours of operation
• Works in collaboration with local elected officials on big picture projects like the Bringing Back Broadway Initiative, which will breathe new life into a historic part of Downtown with modern entertainment, dining, cultural, and retail options
• Identifies opportunities to leverage Downtown’s unique offerings and packages them in ways that are more consumer-friendly
• Considers individual Downtown projects — from the revitalization of historic theaters, to the expansion of cultural and retail opportunities, to the development of a new football stadium — and makes strategic recommendations

Co-Chair: Joel Miller – Vice President, PSOMAS
Co-Chair: Jeff Badertscher – Vice President, LBA REALTY

One of CCA’s most dynamic committees, this committee is currently developing, in conjunction with the DCBID, a business retention and attraction strategy for Downtown Los Angeles that will be implemented over the next three years.

• Gives CCA members the opportunity to stay abreast of the latest and most important real estate development projects being planned for Downtown and across the city
• Works closely with real estate brokers, hoteliers, developers and representatives from various City departments and agencies to attract business and visitors to Downtown
• Designs programs and initiatives to bring more commercial, retail, housing and cultural development Downtown

Chair: Orlando Ward – Director of Community Affairs, VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA
Vice Chair: Alex Moradi – Managing Partner, ICO DEVELOPMENT

This committee consists of local service providers and key Downtown business stakeholders, and is focused on improving the quality of life in Downtown Los Angeles by enhancing public safety and public health for all those who live, work or visit Downtown. Works closely with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office, LAPD, LAFD, and local, state, and federal elected officials to identify and implement practical policies that will reduce homelessness and alleviate human suffering across the Los Angeles region.

• Leads the Los Angeles business community in addressing the regional issue of homelessness in Los Angeles County
• Works closely with state and local legislators to develop, introduce, and implement specific strategies aimed at reversing the policies that have conspired to create the nation’s largest homeless population on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles
• Provides an important forum for open and constructive dialogue among diverse stakeholders — elected officials, business, law enforcement, and social service providers — on a critical area of common interest and concern
• Supports the Los Angeles Police Department’s Safer Cities Initiative, which tasks 50 extra police officers with developing and implementing enforcement, enhancement, and outreach strategies to reduce crime and eliminate urban blight and decay in the Skid Row area of Downtown
• Drafts policy papers including “Downtown’s Human Tragedy: It’s Not Acceptable Anymore — A Public Health and Safety Plan” as a practical solution to Downtown’s homelessness crisis

Co-Chair: Simon Ha – Managing Partner, TSK
Co-Chair: Apurva Pande – Board Secretary, Metro Charter