Valley Industry & Commerce Association | |
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- VICA Advocates in Washington, D.C.
- VICA Supports AB 1408- Decrease Parking Requirements
- VICA Supports SB 4 - Increase Affordable Housing
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Quick Jump - Register to Attend!
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“It would be nice to have a governor say the drought is over. Are we out of a drought? Mostly, but not completely." | |
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Governor Gavin Newsom
Statement on lifting California Drought Restrictions
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This week, VICA members along with other business organizations, leaders and elected officials went to Washington, D.C. as part of Access D.C. to urge our congressional representatives to continue to support the needs of the Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley Business communities.
VICA members advocated on a wide range of topics, including economic development, education and workforce development, housing, transportation, and tourism. Members met with Congressmembers Julia Brownley, Pete Aguilar, and Tony Cardenas, as well as enjoying a lunch in the congressional dining hall, with Congressmember Brad Sherman.
The VICA Delegation was also joined by a range of our local leaders, including LA City Councilwoman Traci Park, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, LA Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins, LAWA CEO Justin Erbacci to name a few.
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VICA members with Congresswoman Julia Brownley | |
VICA Members with Congressman Pete Aguilar | |
Meet our Intern: Saul Rios | |
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Saul was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. He attained a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola Marymount University and completed a second B.A. in Business Development Management from the Universidad del Estado De Guanajuato.
Being passionate about the uniqueness of California agriculture, Saul works as a Field Representative for an agricultural advocacy organization representing farmers and ranchers across the state. He is excited to further develop skills in government affairs through VICA, as he believes in its mission and the importance of the business community in improving opportunities and quality of life for the region. Saul enjoys traveling, especially through Mexico, and is working on launching a podcast all about Mexico.
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VICA Supports AB 1308 - Decreasing Unnecessary Parking Requirements | |
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VICA supports Assembly Bill 1308 (Quirk-Silva), which will eliminate parking requirements tied to renovating, updating, and remodeling single family homes.
This bill will both lower the amount of unnecessary parking that is being built in Los Angeles, as well as lower the cost for renovating or updating existing single-family homes. By reducing the overbuilding of parking, this bill would reduce traffic, greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, reduce the cost of housing to renters and homeowners, and improve the prospects of small neighborhood businesses fighting to survive during the pandemic.
California is currently facing a housing crisis and believe we need to consider all options to reduce the overall cost of housing. There are plenty of communities in our state that have access to high-quality transit, or where cars are underutilized, that need housing far more than they need parking.
AB 1308 does not prohibit property owners from building on-site parking. Rather, it would give them the flexibility to decide on their own how much on-site parking to provide, instead of requiring them to comply with a one-size-fits-all mandate.
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VICA Supports SB 4 - Increasing Affordable Housing in California | |
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VICA supports Senate Bill 4 (Wiener), which would allow faith institutions and nonprofit colleges to build affordable housing on their property by right, even if local zoning prevents development.
California is currently facing a housing shortage of an estimated 3.5 million homes, resulting in rising housing costs. This shortage has made California one of the most expensive states to rent or buy a home.
This bill would free up church and private college land for housing development, allowing qualified institutions to build 100% affordable housing projects by right. The proposal would also apply to non-profit colleges and make it easier for campuses to offer affordable housing for employees and students.
SB 4 would also require that any organization building streamlined affordable housing must maintain the affordability of these homes for a minimum of 55 years for rental properties and 45 years for properties that can be owned. Additionally, density and height restrictions must align with what is deemed appropriate for affordable housing by housing element guidelines.
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VICA Thanks Our New and Renewing Members! | | |
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Platinum Members:
Gold Member:
Bronze Member:
Other Renewing Members:
New Member:
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LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER: VICA Congressional Luncheon
April 13 | 11:30 AM
Sheraton Universal Hotel
Our Congressional Luncheon is a unique and fun opportunity to directly engage with elected officials from Washington, D.C. who represent the San Fernando Valley in a "Fireside Chat" type format.
Our Confirmed Congressmembers are:
- Brad Sherman
- Katie Porter
- Mike Garcia
VICA thanks our presenting sponsors Amazon, BYD, and Comcast NBCUniversal
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VICA After Dark: Supervisor Lindsey Horvath
May 3 | 5:30 PM
Burbank Airport Marriott
Supervisor Lindsey Horvath was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in the fall of 2022 and assumed office on December 5, 2022. Sher previously served as a City Councilmember and the longest consecutively serving Mayor for the City of West Hollywood. Horvath’s career has been defined by tackling the hardest problems, building diverse coalitions, and delivering results for her community.
VICA thanks our host and Presenting Sponsor Burbank Airport Marriott and presenting sponsor EKA.
If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please contact yoko@vica.com as soon as possible to secure your sponsorship.
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San Fernando Valley Business Hall of Fame
June 8 | 5:30 PM
The Garland
Join VICA members, business leaders and officeholders as we honor members of our community during a garden reception, program, dinner and dessert.
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If you are interested in attending and want to register, email Cathy at cathy@vica.com or click the button below. | |
If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please email Yoko at yoko@vica.com. For more information on sponsorships, click the button below. | |
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee
Wednesday, April 5
Noon - 1:30
Sponsored by Ajimori Sauce Company
RSVP
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Land Use Committee
Tuesday, April 11
8:30 - 10:30 AM
Hosted by The Garland
RSVP
Government Affairs Committee
Wednesday, April 19
Noon - 2:00
At the VICA Office
RSVP
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Aviation Committee
Tuesday, April 18
Noon - 1:30
Hosted by Aerolease-Aeroplex Group
RSVP
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Newsom Rolls Back Drought Restraints
On the heels of one of California’s wettest winters on record, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced that he will roll back some of the state’s most severe drought restrictions and dramatically increase water supplies. But Newsom stopped short of declaring that the drought is over, saying some parts of his drought emergency order remain important as California adapts to volatile weather patterns and the looming possibility of another long dry spell.
TikTok CEO Faces Congress
California has enacted some of the most sweeping tech privacy laws in the country, but unlike more than 30 other states and the federal government, it hasn’t yet banned TikTok from government devices. The social media giant was not so much grilled as it was broiled by a congressional panel Thursday, wherein members interrogated CEO Shou Zi Chew about how the Chinese government might be using the app to collect sensitive data on Americans. China owns a stake in the app’s parent company, ByteDance. Nearly 150 million Americans use the short-form video platform, and President Joe Biden is demanding the parent company sell the app or face an all-out ban in the United States.
Southern California Reservoirs Refilled
Following a series of winter storms that eased drought conditions across the state, Southern Californians celebrated a sight nobody has seen for several years: water rushing into Diamond Valley Lake. The massive reservoir — the largest in Southern California — was considerably drained during the state’s driest three years on record, with nearly half of the lake’s supply used to bolster minuscule allocations from state water providers. But an extraordinarily wet winter allowed officials from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to turn on the taps in Hemet once again.
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Ro Khanna is Not Running
Rep. Ro Khanna just clarified the contours of California’s Senate race - and possibly of a future national campaign. The Silicon Valley Democrat officially pulled himself from contention on Sunday for the seat Sen. Dianne Feinstein is vacating. It was hardly a surprise. The three formidable Democrats in the race had a months long head start.
California Lawmakers Approve Oil Bill
California lawmakers on Monday approved Gov. Gavin Newsom’s legislation to increase transparency in the oil industry, ending a special session he called last year to penalize excessive profits. After months of deliberation, the final bill does not cap oil refinery profits or penalize the industry as Newsom had intended when he accused companies of intentionally driving up gas prices to boost revenue. Instead, the bill, SBX1-2, gives the California Energy Commission the power to set a cap and impose penalties through a regulatory process if it decides that oil companies are making excessive profits and that a penalty will not result in higher prices for consumers.
UC Guarantees Transfer Admissions
The University of California on Tuesday unveiled its first-ever systemwide admission guarantee for qualified transfer student applicants. To receive the guarantee, community college students would need to complete a newly unified set of general education courses required by both UC and California State University, complete specific coursework needed for UC majors, and earn a minimum GPA. Those who are not admitted to their campuses of choice would be offered a spot at UC Santa Cruz, UC Merced or UC Riverside. The intent is to simplify the transfer path so students clearly understand the requirements and don’t take more courses than needed, UC officials said.
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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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