Committee recommends special ballot to renew and slightly expand Ocean Avenue Community Benefit District

The Government Audit and Oversight Committee voted unanimously on May 1 to send to the full Board of Supervisors a resolution of intention to renew and expand the Ocean Avenue Community Benefit District (CBD) and to begin a property assessment balloting process.

"This item is authorizing the special balloting procedure, not the CBD itself," said Jackie Hazelwood, community benefit district program director at the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), who presented the proposal on behalf of the bill's sponsor. Hazelwood described outreach efforts, a management plan and an engineer's report included in the committee packet.

If the ballot measure meets the required support, ballots will be mailed May 23, 2025, starting a 45‑day balloting period that concludes with a Committee of the Whole on July 8, when ballots will be counted, Hazelwood said. If approved by the property owners, services for the renewed and slightly expanded district would begin in January 2026.

The renewal would establish an initial district assessment budget of $479,581 and a total budget of about $515,000. Hazelwood said general benefit revenues (money the CBD must raise outside of assessments) are estimated at 6.88 percent. Examples of proposed services include litter removal, sidewalk and gutter sweeping, pressure washing, graffiti abatement, streetscape beautification, marketing and economic development support.

Hazelwood reviewed recent organizational history: the Ocean Avenue Association (OAA) formed a strategic plan in January 2021, underwent management change in December 2022 when Christian Martin became executive director, and was audited by the Controller’s Office in fiscal year 2022–23. The Controller's report issued 19 recommendations; Hazelwood told the committee OEWD provided training, technical assistance and regular check‑ins and that the Controller's Office confirmed closeout of the audit and its recommendations in July 2024.

Two speakers from Lakeside Village addressed the committee in favor of the expansion. Kath Sakalakis, a local volunteer, said volunteers partnered with OAA in July 2023 and helped raise funds for murals and other work, but that cleaning and maintenance were the priorities identified by merchants. "The impact has been huge. If you walk through the corridor now, instead of seeing tumbleweeds of litter, you see clean and welcoming sidewalks and streets," Sakalakis said.

Christian Martin, executive director of the Ocean Avenue Association, told the committee he worked with supervisors' offices, OEWD and community volunteers to assemble the renewal and expansion proposal and said the association looks forward to continuing services.

After the presentation and public comment, Chair Supervisor Jackie Fielder moved to send the resolution of intention to the full board with a positive recommendation. The clerk called the roll; Supervisors Sauter, Cheryl and Fielder voted aye and the motion passed 3-0.

The resolution authorizes the special assessment balloting procedure only; actual renewal and expansion would require a favorable result in the property owner ballot and subsequent Board action. Detailed management plans, a boundary map showing a small westward expansion to include a portion of Lakeside Village, and the engineer's report are in the committee packet and will guide implementation if the ballot passes.