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Serving the San Fernando Valley cities of Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, San Fernando, and Santa Clarita
Valley Industry & Commerce Association vica.com
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- VICA Wishes You a Happy Holiday Season and Happy New Year!
- Looking for Board and Committee Sponsors
- 2024 Legislative Priorities
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"Working with our local law enforcement partners and utilizing the CHP's extensive statewide resources, we are cracking down and stopping organized retail crime. These early results, which are a team effort, show California is headed in the right direction."
CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee
Statement on CHP Increasing Operations to Combat Organized Retail Crime
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Out with 2023, In with 2024: Happy Holidays and New Year! | |
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Dear VICA Members,
As we wrap up 2023, VICA extends sincere thanks for your dedication to our dynamic business and San Fernando Valley communities. Your commitment has been crucial to our advocacy efforts and the achievements we've accomplished as a business community.
This holiday season, we wish you and your loved ones moments of joy and thoughtful reflection. Looking ahead to 2024, we're eager about the opportunities for growth and collaboration. Together, let's continue making a positive impact on our shared future and the greater San Fernando Valley.
Wishing you and your loved ones a season marked by cheerfulness and comfort.
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VICA is Looking for 2024 Board and Committee Sponsors | |
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VICA is looking for members to host or sponsor our board meetings and committee meetings in the upcoming year. If your company can accommodate 20-40 individuals and provide breakfast or lunch, we have a committee opportunity for you!
As a host, you'll have the chance to extend a warm welcome, promote your organization and site, and be featured on each agenda with table cards throughout the meetings.
Unable to host? Please consider sponsoring a meeting at the VICA office. As a sponsor, you'll provide meals for committee meetings while having your logo displayed on the meetings' agendas and table cards.
For details and available committee meetings, please visit the link below.
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VICA 2023 Scholar Accepted to Harvard, Class of '28! Congratulations! | |
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We'd like to acknowledge Makyla Cervantes, recipient of the 2023 VICA 8th Annual Melvyn A. Kohn Memorial Scholarship, for her early admissions acceptance to Harvard University, Class of 2028.
Makyla, an entrepreneurial senior from Granada Hills Charter, founded the Baila Conmigo Dance Experience at the age of 14 and co-founded the Women in Business Association. She currently serves as the President of Granada Hills Charter DECA Organization. Actively engaged in the community, Makyla also volunteered at this year's VICA Business Forecast Conference.
Congratulations to Makyla on this outstanding achievement! We eagerly anticipate witnessing her future accomplishments and contributions.
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Powerful and Effective Advocacy Isn't Cheap | |
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As the preeminent business advocacy group in Southern California, VICA is steadfast in its commitment to advancing its members' economic interests and opportunities. This dedication is manifested through effective legislative correspondence, civic leadership representation, and conscientious community engagement. However, sustaining this critical advocacy work comes at a cost, prompting the need for a dues increase.
We understand that increasing rates may pose challenges, so we want to provide an option that accommodates your preferences. If you wish to maintain your 2023 level dues for an additional year, you can pay the full amount before December 31, 2023. If you choose to capitalize on this option or ask more about the 2024 rates, please contact Yoko@vica.com whenever you get the chance.
Your continued support ensures the uninterrupted progress of VICA's essential advocacy efforts.
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Membership Levels
Basic Membership:
Circle if Influence:
Business Leader:
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2023 Rates
$ 750
$1,300
$1,850
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2024 Rates
$ 850
$1,400
$1,950
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Tell VICA Your 2024 Legislative Priorities! | |
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It's always important to ask what the next legislative session's agenda might look like, and how that affects your business and the greater San Fernando Valley-Los Angeles business community.
VICA will begin discussing next year's legislative priorities this month, and we want to know what you think will be important for 2024. Please click the "Notify Now" button below to communicate your ideas and priorities to our Legislative Affairs team!
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VICA Thanks Our New and Renewing Members! | |
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Sacramento Advocacy Days
Tuesday, January 30 | All Day
Tuesday, February 27 I All Day
VICA's regular advocacy trips to the State Capitol are crucial for ensuring that the voice of the business community is heard by legislators.
These members-only trips allow attendees to interact directly with statewide elected officials, discussing the issues that are vital to our members. Join VICA in Sacramento for one of our monthly advocacy trips, and don't miss this opportunity to have your voice heard on how legislation affects your company/organization!
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LA County Officeholders Breakfast
Wednesday, January 31 | 8:30 AM
The Garland
VICA's LA County Officeholders Breakfast is a unique and fun opportunity for our members to directly engage with elected officials representing LA County in a “Fireside Chat” type format.
VICA thanks our Presenting Sponsors Amazon, EKA, and SoCalGas.
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Women in Leadership Breakfast
Friday, April 26
Noon - 1:30 PM
RSVP
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Transportation Committee
Tuesday, January 9
8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Hosted by The Garland
RSVP
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Ambassador Committee
Wednesday, January 10
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
At the VICA Office
RSVP
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Aviation Committee
Tuesday, January 16
Noon - 2:00 PM
Hosted by Aerolease Group
RSVP
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Government Affairs Committee
Wednesday, January 17
Noon - 2:00 PM
At the VICA Office
RSVP
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Iconic Hospital Turns into Housing
The LA County Board of Supervisors has granted approval to Centennial Partners to transform the LA County General Hospital in Boyle Heights into a mixed-use development. The project is set to include 800 to 1,000 housing units, new retail space, a hotel, medical offices, laboratories, and more in the surrounding 25 acres. A year ago, the county hosted 55 developers at the site to attract a private partner. The selected developer, with a track record of over 50 completed urban impact projects, was chosen based on the county's Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) evaluation.
More Housing, More Homelessness
In 2023, a slew of state legislation aimed at removing local construction restrictions and reducing the risk of anti-development lawsuits was passed to boost development. This pro-housing shift in the Legislature was driven by the severity of the housing crisis and supported by a coalition of developers, YIMBY activists, and the state's unionized carpenters. However, the surge in evictions, particularly in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, has escalated. Despite this, many tenants who sought state assistance are still awaiting aid.
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Turning Wastewater to Tapwater
California regulators approved new rules on Tuesday allowing water agencies to recycle wastewater directly into drinking water pipelines. This step is crucial amid the challenge of finding reliable drinking water sources for the state's 39 million residents, especially given the impact of multiple extreme droughts on reservoir levels. The new rule permits, but does not mandate, water agencies to treat wastewater and reintroduce it into the drinking system. This marks a shift in public opinion from the backlash experienced two decades ago, and California becomes the second state, after Colorado, to introduce such regulations.
Federal Government Accelerates Use of Artificial Intelligence
Chief data officers (CDO) throughout the federal government view their role as pivotal in expediting the integration of artificial intelligence tools. According to a survey by the Data Foundation and Deloitte, over half of CDOs report currently utilizing basic or advanced AI tools, and nearly all of them anticipate that their agencies with adopt such tools in the coming year. This marks a significant increase from a 2022 survey, where 45% of CDOs claimed no responsibility for AI tools within their agencies.
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Member Messages
Get Your Message in VICA Weekly!
VICA members can promote their business, events and news in VICA Weekly. Member messages are available for $50 per week or $175 for four weeks. Messages are text-based and may not contain more than 70 words. A logo may be added for an additional $5 per week. For more information or to schedule your member message, contact yoko@vica.com or call (818) 817-0545.
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ABOUT VICA
Presenting the business perspective on behalf of employers in the
San Fernando Valley cities of Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale, Calabasas,
Hidden Hills, San Fernando and Santa Clarita.
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