New City America

NEW CITY AMERICA has thorough knowledge of the following as they relate to Business Improvement District, Neighborhood Improvement Districts, Special Service Areas and Community Benefit Districts, having formed 50 districts in the state of California since 1996:

Familiar with all aspects of organizing a drive to create Property Business Improvement Districts and Community Benefit Districts, as well as operating a dynamic business association including, but not limited to organizing, marketing, business promotion, community relations, organizational development, crime prevention programs, budget development and personnel relations.

Special skills in devising cost effective public spaces in the public rights of way, coupled with assessment districts which provide funding to maintain those spaces;

New City America has established BIDs and set them up on the Main Street organizational structure to facilitate communication among various district management corporations. New City America is extremely familiar with all aspects of Main Street organizational structures and has also developed post-Main Street organizational structures to respond to the more advanced needs of the district management corporations;

New City America President Marco Li Mandri has been a guest speaker, panelist or moderator for the following national organizations: International Downtown Association, National Main Street, Illinois Main Street, Pennsylvania Downtown Center, National League of Cities, California League of Cities, California Main Street Center, and has been a guest writer for the Downtown Idea Exchange.

Special skills in developing the significant arts and cultural district in the Little Italy district of Downtown San Diego;

Special skills in adapting to various business communities' needs through developing strategies to organize in historic, ethnic, arts and culture, institutional, transit-oriented, blighted, rural or urban as well as exclusive commercial districts.

NEW CITY AMERICA is the only consulting group nationwide, which specializes in assessment district formation, development and assessment district administration, thus having full experience on pre-formation as well as management skills.

NEW CITY AMERICA has excelled in writing local legislation to accommodate special needs of property based maintenance districts. NEW CITY AMERICA authored the ordinance allowing greater flexibility in establishing property assessment districts that has been adopted by the cities of San Diego, Oakland, Los Angeles, Berkeley, and San Francisco. The new ordinances conform to provisions of Proposition 218 as well as provide features more receptive to property owners relative to current statewide legislation. The new ordinance is modeled after state of New York, New Jersey and Maryland state laws.

New City America is the only company in the country to have carried out assessment district campaigns in many languages. New City America literature has been translated into Spanish, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese and Korean, to facilitate the work of the contracts.

New City America has, under contract or on a pro-bono basis, advised the cities of New York City, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Newark New Jersey, Bethlehem/Allentown, Pittsburgh Penn, (in California) Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland, San Francisco, Berkeley, Redwood City, San Jose, Vista others on the next wave of special benefit districts and how they accommodate the needs of new mixed use communities.

New City America has created the majority of property based Community Benefit Districts in San Diego, 1/3 of the PBIDs in Los Angeles, nine of the nine districts functioning in Oakland and seven of the seven Community Benefit District formed in San Francisco.

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE

Since 1990, Marco Li Mandri and New City America have worked for and advised the following groups in the consideration of formation of 50 special assessment districts, BIDs, PBIDs, Neighborhood Improvement Districts, Special Service Areas or Community Benefit Districts.
Thorough familiarity with all aspects of forming a BID as well as serving as consultant/staff/executive director to management corporation.

A) B.I.D., COMMUNITY BENEFIT DISTRICT AND NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FORMATION

Since 1994, New City America has worked for and advised the following groups in the successful formation of special assessment districts.

LOS ANGELES BASIN:

City of West Hollywood
Entered into contract with City of West Hollywood in March 1994 to create first of five potential BIDs within City limits. Contract was entered into with City and administered through West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. BID efforts concentrated on "Avenues of Art and Design" around Pacific Design Center. Public meeting held, public hearing held on December 4, 1995 with BID established by majority vote of City Council.

Chinatown/Los Angeles:
New City America was awarded the contract in March 2000, to lead the formation of the Chinatown Property Business Improvement District. NCA entered into a 17-week contract with the LA Chinatown Business Council to form this property-based district based upon a new ordinance written by Marco Li Mandri and adopted by the City of Los Angeles. The Alpha BID ordinance of Los Angeles creates a more reasonable petition threshold to trigger a property owner vote and allows for formation of the district for up to 10 years, based upon the district's categorization of a "special economic incentive area". Weighted 218 vote supported district formation, approved unanimously by LA City Council on August 15, 2000. First 10 year PBID in the state. First property BID formed in any Chinatown in North America.

Chinatown Expansion/2008:
In 2007, the Chinatown BID Management Corporation approached New City America about expanding the district to its peripheral areas. After a very lengthy process of review, it was determined that the entire district would have to be put to a vote of the expansion area and current BID property owners. On July 29th, 2008, the Chinatown expansion and existing property owners voted by a 70% margin to expand the district.

Encino Property Business Improvement District/Los Angeles
NEW CITY AMERICA awarded contract to complete final phase of petition drive for bring Property Business Improvement District to vote in Fall 1999. Weighted 218 vote support district formation, approved unanimously by LA City council on August 15, 2000.

Lincoln Heights Industrial Zone/Los Angeles
Marco Li Mandri, in working with Council District 1 Office, and the Los Angeles Mayor's office worked to create a hybrid "Security/Assessment District" for the historic industrial zone in Lincoln Heights. Fifty four acres of land are included in the industrial zone. Weighted 218 supported district established, approved unanimously by LA City Council on August 15th, 2000.

Leimert Park/Los Angeles
Leimert Park is a predominantly African American residential community in the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw District of Los Angeles. Leimert Park has the distinction of having the highest income African American residential community in the U.S. as well as being one of the first planned residential and commercial districts in the U.S. Built as a "neo-traditional" community, Leimert Park Village business district serves as the focal point of the overall community. New City America was awarded a contract in July 2001 to establish a PBID in the district. Approved overwhelmingly by property owner 218 vote in December 2002.

Lincoln Heights/Los Angeles
Worked with Councilman Mike Hernandez and staff (District 1) on formulating BID for Lincoln Heights north of Downtown. Lincoln Heights was the first and only BID operating under "BID Free Zone" concept in which business receive credit from gross receipts tax in the amount paid into the District. Approved in Feb. 1997.

Lincoln Heights Community Benefit District:
After four years of work led by New City America, a new Lincoln Heights Community Benefit District was formed by vote of the property owners. Lincoln Heights one of the original suburbs of the City of Los Angles, and home to the first nighttime lit commercial district in Los Angeles. On July 29th, by a two to one margin, Lincoln Heights property owners voted to establish a new property business improvement district.

Highland Park/Los Angeles
New City America was awarded a contract to investigate the establishment of a property based BID for the historic Highland Park commercial district along Figueroa Street between Pasadena and Downtown Los Angeles. The Highland Park district is one of many "historic preservation overlay zones in the City of Los Angeles. The area is distinguished by its tremendous architecture, rich history and current predominantly Latino population. District approved by overwhelming support of property owners in 218 vote in September 2001.

Byzantine Latino Quarter -Pico Blvd./Los Angeles
New City America was hired by major property owners representing the historic religious institutions along Pico Boulevard. This is the first faith based PBID in North America. Approved overwhelmingly by property owners in the Proposition 218 mail balloting procedure and adopted by the LA City Council on July 30th, 2003.

Chatsworth/Los Angeles
New City America was awarded a contract to investigate the establishment of a Property Based or Business Based BID for the Chatsworth business community in the City of Los Angeles. District was approved unanimously by LA City Council on September 7, 1999 with no public opposition.

Brentwood/Los Angeles
New City America was awarded the contract to establish the first property owner BID in Berkeley west of Interstate 405. This west LA Property BID received overwhelming support of the property owners in its 218 vote in September 2002.

Historic Downtown Los Angeles:
New City America was awarded the contract to renew the Historic Core now the Historic Downtown Los Angeles PBID in September 2002. Approved overwhelmingly by property owners in the Proposition 218 mail balloting procedure. Ordinance forming district adopted unanimously by the LA City Council on July 30th, 2003.

Reseda/Los Angeles
New City America was awarded the contract to re-establish the Reseda BID due to its impending sunset clause. The district was approved unanimously by the LA City Council for the public hearing in September 2002.

South Park Community Benefit District:
Formed around the Staples Center, the LA Convention Center, the LA Live and Nokia Center, New City America worked with the South Park Stakeholders group to form the first of many "Community Benefit Districts" in the City of Los Angeles. South Park represents perhaps one of the most dynamic entertainment districts under construction in the world today. The South Park CBD was approved by nearly a 9 to 1 margin by area property owners and approved by the LA City Council on August 15th, 2007.

VENTURA COUNTY:

Thousand Oaks Boulevard/Thousand Oaks:
New City America was hired to form the first PBID in Thousand Oaks centering on Thousand Oaks Blvd. District successfully passed with majority vote of property owners on January 11th, 2005.

BAY AREA:

Fisherman's Wharf:
New City America was awarded a contract to investigate the formation of a new Community Benefit District in the historic Fisherman's Wharf District of San Francisco in October 2004. The Fisherman's Wharf CBD was approved overwhelmingly by a mail ballot voting margin of 9 to 1 by the Fisherman's Wharf property owners on July 26th, 2005. Such a level of support is unprecedented in the state of California.

Noe Valley:
New City America was awarded a contract to investigate the formation of a new Community Benefit District in the 24th Street corridor/Noe Valley Retail District of San Francisco in October 2004. The Noe Valley CBD was approved with an overwhelming vote of the weighted property owners on August 2nd, 2005.

Castro District:
New City America was awarded a contract to investigate the formation of a new Community Benefit District in the Castro District of San Francisco in August 2004. The Castro District is internationally known for its concentration of Gay/Lesbian/Bi-sexual and Transgender businesses. The new Castro CBD was approved by a 2 to 1 vote of the property owners on August 2nd 2005. It is the first district of its kind in North America.

Tenderloin:
New City America was awarded a contract to investigate the formation of a new Community Benefit District in the Tenderloin/North of Market community of San Francisco in August 2004. This community is more impacted by homeless issues than any other district in the country. Yet it contains some of the greatest mix of buildings and people to be found anywhere in the country. The Tenderloin/North of Market CBD, against all odds, was overwhelmingly approved by the property owners in a mail ballot on August 2nd, 2005. The Tenderloin district will be known nationwide as a model of community based special benefit district organizing, pulling together a vast array of businesses, tenant groups, homeless advocates and institutions around a common goal to clean up their neighborhood.

Fillmore Jazz District:
New City America was awarded a contract by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency in 2004 to investigate the formation of a new Community Benefit District in the historic Fillmore Jazz District of San Francisco. District established by an 8 to 1 ratio of support of voting property owners, August 15th, 2006.

Central Market Street:
New City America was hired by the Market Street Association in 2005 to form a new Community Benefit district in the core of the historic Market Street district in San Francisco. The Central Market CBD district was approved by over a 2 to 1 majority of the voting property owners on October 31, 2006.

Portside Community Benefit District:
As the second component of the Fisherman's Wharf CBD, New City America was hired to create a very complicated "business license based district" which was related to Port tenants gross receipts reported to the Port of San Francisco. This Portside CBD would complement the Fishermans' Wharf CBD and allow both the land side and Port side to be assessed, albeit on different variables. The Portside CBD was approved with a 94% ballot support of the affected business owners, an amount not matched in any other formation process in California. The district was approved unanimously by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on December 12th, 2006.

Yerba Buena Gardens:
New City America, working with the Yerba Buena Alliance, successfully established a new 2. 4 million dollar Community Benefit District in the City of San Francisco. Yerba Buena is home to the world famous Yerba Buena Gardens, the Moscone Convention Center and a large cluster of museums in the City of San Francisco. After 3 years of work, the Yerba Buena CBD was approved overwhelmingly by area property owners and established by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. This the 8th Community Benefit District formed by New City America since 2005 in the City of San Francisco.

JapanTown:
New City America was awarded a contract by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency to investigate the formation of a new Community Benefit District in the historic Japan Town community of San Francisco.

Downtown Oakland Community Benefit District/Oakland
New City America successfully formed a new Community Benefit District in the Downtown Oakland district. Downtown Oakland is home to tremendous architectural buildings, is the County seat and is perhaps the best location for regional transportation and employment in the east Bay Area. Property owners voted by a weighted margin of 77% to support formation of this new CBD on July 15th, 2008.

Lake Merritt-Uptown Community Benefit District/Oakland
New City America successfully formed a new Community Benefit District in the Lake Merritt/Uptown district of Oakland. Home to tens of thousands employees, Lake Merritt/Uptown is the a critical area in the Oakland economy - as well as an area with tremendous natural assets. Property owner voted by a weighted margin of 85% to support this new CBD on July 15, 2008.

Koreatown-Northgate Community Benefit District/Oakland:
New City America successfully formed the first Korean-American Community Benefit District/BID in North America. On July 17th, 2007, the Korean-American and other property owners voted overwhelmingly to support formation of this district. The Oakland City Council voted unanimously to adopt this new district during a public hearing. This represents the seventh district formed by New City America in the City of Oakland.

Rockridge Business District/Oakland
In December 1999, NEW CITY AMERICA was awarded the first contract ever issued for the formation of a BID under the City of Oakland's Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization BID Grant Program. BID election held in August and numerical and weighted votes supported BID formation by large margin. BID approved unanimously by Oakland City Council on November 28, 2000.

Montclair BID/Oakland
New City America was hired by the Montclair Business Association to establish a BID in this mountain business district of Oakland. District approved with overwhelming support of business community and ordinance creating the district was unanimously approved by the Oakland City Council in November 2001.

Lakeshore Drive PBID/Oakland:
New City America was awarded the contract to renew the Lakeshore Property Business Improvement District. The new district was expanded and formed under the new enabling ordinance allowing for 10-year districts, written by Marco Li Mandri and adopted by the Oakland City Council in 1999. The district was approved by 75% of the property owners in the 218 balloting in July 2002.

Temescal/Oakland:
New City America was awarded a contract from the City of Oakland to investigate and form a new Property Business Improvement District along Telegraph Avenue in the Temescal section of town. Passed overwhelmingly by vote of the property owners and adopted by Oakland City Council on July 20th, 2004.

Laurel District/Oakland:
New City America was awarded a contract to investigate and establish a new Property Business Improvement District for MacArthur Blvd. in the Laurel District of Oakland. Approved by an overwhelming vote of the property owners on July 19th, 2005.

Fruitvale District/Oakland:
New City America successfully established the renewed Fruitvale Property Business Improvement District. Working in conjunction with the Fruitvale Unity Council, property owners increased their special benefits services budget and approved the renewal of the district by nearly a two to one margin. The district was approved by property owners on July 18th, 2006. This represents New City America's sixth district formed out of sixth total districts in the City of Oakland.

North Shattuck Avenue/Berkeley
New City America was retained by the North Shattuck property owners in the summer of 2000 to investigate the formation of a Property Business Improvement District. Proposition 218 vote was approved by property owners in July 2001 at public hearing and unanimously approved by Berkeley City Council.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY:

Little Italy/City of San Diego
San Diego's Little Italy is the only Italian American business district in North America to operate with a Business Improvement District in place. The "Little Italy" business district on India Street in San Diego is the premier functioning historical neighborhood commercial district in Downtown San Diego. It was the point of entry for Italian immigrants in San Diego and to the international tuna fishing industry. The Little Italy Association is a successful 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation which administers various revenue streams and assessment districts to improve the Little Italy neighborhood. The district has been managed by New City America staff since the adoption of the small BID in 1996. The original BID was approved without any public opposition by San Diego City Council on December 10, 1996.

Little Italy Property Assessment District/San Diego
New City America currently administers the Little Italy BID and was awarded the contract for the formation of a new Maintenance Assessment District in San Diego's historic Little Italy area. District plan was overwhelmingly approved by majority of property owners in 218 vote and approved unanimously by San Diego City Council on August 8, 2000. This represents the first property based assessment district for any Little Italy in North America.

The Maintenance assessment district assessment formula was re-balloted for new services including nightly security and district identity in summer of 2004. New district included "condo overlay assessment" to fund daily services in the public rights of way. Approved with three to one level of support on July 27th, 2004.

Central Commercial Business District Maintenance Assessment District/San Diego
New City America was awarded a contract to form a property assessment district in August 1999 for the business community in the historic Sherman Heights area of San Diego. District to be directly impacted by new ballpark scheduled for Downtown San Diego. District plan was overwhelmingly approved by majority of property owners in 218 vote and approved unanimously by San Diego City Council on August 8, 2000.

Diamond BID/San Diego
Diamond District was the first predominantly African American BID formed in the state of California. The area has the highest concentration of African American owned businesses in San Diego County. The district was established unanimously by City Council action without any business community opposition on February 6, 1996.

San Ysidro/San Diego
New City America was selected to investigate establishment of a Business Improvement District for the San Ysidro business district. San Ysidro has more annual border crossings than any community in the world. This was the first BID in San Diego to be promoted with bilingual campaign. Election held among business owners in May 1998. The BID was approved by weighted vote of 4 to 1 over opposition. Approved unanimously by San Diego City Council on December 11, 1998.

North Bay Business Improvement District/San Diego
New City America was awarded contract to establish BID in the Midway Business district. The district has over 600 businesses and is perhaps the largest street-based regional big-box center in San Diego County. The North Bay BID was approved unanimously by San Diego City Council, without any public opposition, on July 18, 2000.

College Heights Property Owners/San Diego
The City of San Diego hired New City America to investigate and form a property based assessment district under the new enabling ordinance in the business district adjacent to San Diego State University. The district was overwhelmingly approved by a 75% weighted vote of support of the property owners on April 27, 2004.

Downtown National City:
New City America was hired in March 2004 to investigate and form a PBID for Downtown National City within 4 months. The formation task was approved by a 2 to 1 vote of property owners on August 3, 2004.

City of Imperial Beach/San Diego County
New City America was retained by the City of Imperial Beach in July 1995 to review the general business community in Imperial Beach. A BID was recommended by the business community and New City America was awarded a contract to form the district. The Imperial Beach BID was approved unanimously by City Council and without any formal opposition on December 20, 1996.

Downtown El Cajon/San Diego County
New City America was hired by the Downtown El Cajon Inc., in the Fall of 2000 to run their PBID re-certification campaign. During the process of the effort, the district was increased to nearly double its size and the budget was increased by nearly 60%. The Proposition 218 vote was approved by property owners by 2 to 1 margin in June 2001 and approved unanimously by the El Cajon City Council. Received contract to renew district and this was overwhelmingly approved by property owners in June 2006.

Mile of Cars Association/National City
The historic auto row in San Diego County is run by the Mile of Cars Association based in National City. The MOCA hired New City America in the summer of 2000 to create a BID based upon new car dealers. The district raises over $1,000,000 per year to promote the auto row. The Mile of Cars BID was approved unanimously by the auto dealers and National City City Council in November 2001.

RECENT CONTRACT AWARDS

Investigation and formation of a new San Francisco Tourism Improvement District, hired by San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau;
Investigation and Formation of the Greater Downtown San Francisco Community Benefit District in San Francisco;
Investigation and formation of the Downtown Los Angeles Garment District BID;
Investigation and formation of the Willow Glen CBD, San Jose California;
Investigation and formation of a Downtown Tracy Business Improvement District, Tracy California
Expansion of LA Chinatown Business Improvement District;
Renewal of the Historic Core BID in Downtown Los Angeles;
East Liberty/Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, Neighborhood Improvement District formation;
Investigation of two new Neighborhood Improvement Districts in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania;
Main Street, Chula Vista Property Business Improvement District Investigation and Formation;
Economic Development strategy for Neighborhood Improvement in Wheatridge Colorado.
Investigation of Rockridge Community Benefit District, Oakland
Investigation of the Downtown Lodi Community Benefit District, Lodi, California;

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES FOR
MARCO LI MANDRI AND NEW CITY AMERICA, INC.

1.	Steve Galasso, Chairman of the Board Little Italy Association Phone: (619) 234-6767

2.	Mr. Hank Cunningham Former Community and Economic Development Director/Assistant City Manager City of San Diego, (619) 446-9680

3.	Mr. Jose Gardea Chief of Staff, Councilman Ed Reyes/District 1 City of Los Angeles (213) 485-3451

4.	Ms. Jeanne Myerson CEO, Swig Company (415) 291-1137

5.	Mr. Rich Hillis Mayor’s Office of Workforce and Economic Development Director Mayor Gavin Newsom, City of San Francisco (415) 554-4082

6.	Honorable John Russo, City Attorney of Oakland C/o Alex Nguyen, Chief of Staff, (510) 238-6628

7.	Honorable Supervisor Aaron Peskin Board of Supervisors, City of San Francisco (415) 554-7452

8.	Mr. Lou Palestini, Chair Little Italy Property Owners Committee, (619) 280-8500

9.	Mr. Rodney Fong, San Francisco Port Commissioner Fisherman’s Wharf Association, (415) 307-6106

10.	Ms. Lori Moran East Liberty (Pittsburgh) Neighborhood Improvement District contract (412) 566-1993

11.	11. Mr. Rob Osborn President of the Wheatridge 2020, Wheatridge Colorado (720) 259-1030

BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY ON MARCO LI MANDRI,
PRESIDENT, NEW CITY AMERICA, INC. – JULY 2008

Marco Li Mandri has been involved in business district revitalization efforts since 1988. As a former President of a (BID), Marco entered the Business Improvement District arena as a stakeholder first, and later as a professional consultant. In 1992, Marco formed the Marco Group, a business dedicated to the formation and administration of Business Improvements Districts in Southern California. In 1997, the Marco Group evolved into New City America, Inc. and established itself as the premier company dedicated to business district revitalization throughout the country.

Since 1995, New City America has established 50 BIDs and Community Benefit Districts. New City America is currently under contract to manage or form 20 districts in the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, San Diego, Berkeley, San Jose, Wheatridge Colorado as well as Pittsburgh, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and multiple contracts pending on the east coast.

New City America has established the first assessment district in any Little Italy or Italian district, in North America (San Diego), the first in any Chinatown in North America, (Los Angeles) the first Korean American business district in North America (Oakland); and the first ecumenically based district in North America, (Los Angeles). We have created at least 4 districts in primarily Latino business districts and completed the formation process with bilingual newsletters. In 2002, New City America formed the first predominantly African America PBID in the state of California, (Leimert Part Village/Crenshaw in Los Angeles) and later the Fillmore Jazz District in San Francisco. New City America's work has included running multi-lingual campaigns in Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese; no other business district revitalization company in North America can make such a claim.

In addition, New City America formed the first Gay and Lesbian Community Benefit District in North America by successfully creating the Castro/Upper Market CBD in San Francisco in the summer of 2005.

Marco and his wife Laura live in San Diego with three of their five children in the San Diego community of Kensington. Marco has been interviewed numerous times by major network television affiliates in San Diego, as well as the following newspapers:

the LA Times,
the LA Business Journal,
the Chicago Sun Times,
the Chicago Gazette;
the Chicago Fra Noi,
the Oregonian Newspaper (Portland Oregon),
the National Downtown Idea Exchange,
the San Francisco Chronicle,
the San Francisco Independent,
the San Francisco Examiner,
the San Francisco Sentinel,
the San Francisco Business Times,
The Downtown Idea Exchange;
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,
the San Diego Union-Tribune,
the San Diego Business Journal,
San Diego Magazine,
San Diego Daily Transcript,
the Santa Monican.

Marco is frequently called upon to discuss business district revitalization efforts with the local NPR affiliate in San Diego - KPBS public radio, Public Radio in Los Angeles and KPFK in the Bay Area. Marco has been interviewed by National Public Radio/Washington, KCBS in San Francisco and appears frequently on all major TV news channels in San Diego.

Marco has spoken at national conferences including panel presentations at the National League of Cities, the National Main Street Annual Conferences, the International Downtown Association, National LISC Urban Forum, the International Economic Development Council, the California Downtown Association and the California League of Cities.

For more information on the many services offered to cities, City Redevelopment Agencies, BIDs, Community Benefit Districts, property owners associations, or district management corporations, please call (888) 356-2726. We can also be reached by e-mail at mail@newcityamerica.com or at our website: www.newcityamerica.com.