Waste Hauling Company

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1514988134594{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]EKA has represented several waste hauling firms that were coming up for contract renewals. By working with city staff in various cities, EKA has been successful and instrumental in helping the companies to avoid the RFP process and negotiate contract extensions.

When needed, EKA has also helped those same companies win numerous waste hauling RFPs throughout Los Angeles County. [/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/simi_factsheet_comm-benefits_release2-1-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” link=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/athensatitagain-mailer4-85×25-comp3-1-scaled.jpg” target=”_blank” align=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/simi_factsheet_comm-benefits_release2-2-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” link=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/athensatitagain-mailer4-85×25-comp3-2-scaled.jpg” target=”_blank” align=”center”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][mk_padding_divider size=”80″][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/redwood_landfill-brochure-final-12.21-1-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” link=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/athensisatitagain-mailer-1-1.jpg” target=”_blank” align=”center”][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/redwood_landfill-brochure-final-12.21-2-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” link=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/athensisatitagain-mailer-1-2.jpg” target=”_blank” align=”center”][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/redwood_landfill-brochure-final-12.21-3-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” link=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/athensisatitagain-mailer-2-1.jpg” target=”_blank” align=”center”][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/redwood_landfill-brochure-final-12.21-4-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” link=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/athensisatitagain-mailer-2-2-scaled.jpg” target=”_blank” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title color=”#000000″ size=”16″ force_font_size=”true” size_smallscreen=”16″ size_tablet=”12″ size_phone=”12″ font_weight=”bold” txt_transform=”uppercase” letter_spacing=”2″ font_family=”Montserrat” font_type=”google” responsive_align=”left”]CONTACT EKA NOW[/mk_fancy_title]

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Bundy Village

An architectural rendering of the once-proposed Bundy Village in West LA

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1631717837140{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Here is a brief case study of how EKA successfully implemented a targeted campaign using purchased voters lists, yard signs, a mailed video piece and direct mail.

The campaign was for Bundy Village. When it was over, the campaign consisted of two mailers to CD 11, the mailer to CD 5 and the door hanger. Our video can be seen here:

[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_video link=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npkYLst0who”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][mk_padding_divider][mk_fancy_title size=”30″ font_weight=”900″ font_style=”normal” txt_transform=”uppercase” font_family=”Lato” font_type=”google” align=”center”]CAMPAIGN BREAKDOWN[/mk_fancy_title][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1631718144532{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]By the time EKA was hired to kill the project, the Bundy Village project had already been approved by the Los Angeles City Planning Commission and was on its way to approval by the City Council, with the backing of Councilman Rosendahl. Link 1  Link 2

Within 4 weeks, we had over 10,000 opponents to the project within CD 11 and a small part of CD 5. Of those 10,000, we had about 4,000 agree to place a lawn sign in their front yard. Our campaign had multiple elements, including mailers, telephone calls, walkers, a video (which received 2,126 views online and was screened for various homeowner and neighborhood council groups) and emails. Link

Once this information was presented and lawn signs were distributed, Councilman Rosendahl came out again for the project and community opposition grew exponentially. First, the developer was forced to push back his City council hearing date from July until October. Link

Then, it was extended another 120 days as community pressure continued based on our mailers and email program. Link

Then, the developer filed for bankruptcy to head off foreclosure of the property because of his inability to obtain entitlements. “For his part, Lombardi blames Kilroy for the vicious and well-funded fight, saying that lenders are scared off by the controversy. “Every lender we have dealt with has seen the ‘Stop Bundy Village’ signs,” he says, referring to the signs that scattered across the entire Westside.” Link

Finally, the project died completely in August 2011, with the denial of all entitlements for the project. Link[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][mk_fancy_title tag_name=”h1″ size=”30″ font_weight=”900″ font_style=”normal” txt_transform=”uppercase” font_family=”Montserrat” font_type=”google” align=”center”]CAMPAIGN MATERIALS[/mk_fancy_title][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title tag_name=”h1″ color=”#000000″ size=”22″ font_weight=”900″ font_style=”normal” txt_transform=”uppercase” font_family=”Work+Sans” font_type=”google” align=”center”]DOOR HANGER[/mk_fancy_title][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/bundydbldoorhanger-1-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Door Hanger (front)” caption_location=”outside-image” hover_image_overlay=”false”][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/bundydbldoorhanger-2-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Door Hanger (back)” caption_location=”outside-image” hover_image_overlay=”false”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row fullwidth=”true”][vc_column][mk_divider style=”thin_solid” thin_single_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”40″ margin_bottom=”40″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title tag_name=”h1″ color=”#000000″ size=”22″ font_weight=”900″ font_style=”normal” txt_transform=”uppercase” font_family=”Work+Sans” font_type=”google” align=”center”]MAILER – ROSENDAHL[/mk_fancy_title][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/bundyvillagerosendahl-1-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Mailer – Rosendahl (front)” caption_location=”outside-image” hover_image_overlay=”false”][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/bundyvillagerosendahl-2-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Mailer – Rosendahl (back)” caption_location=”outside-image” hover_image_overlay=”false”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row fullwidth=”true”][vc_column][mk_divider style=”thin_solid” thin_single_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”40″ margin_bottom=”40″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title tag_name=”h1″ color=”#000000″ size=”22″ font_weight=”900″ font_style=”normal” txt_transform=”uppercase” font_family=”Work+Sans” font_type=”google” align=”center”]MAILER – KORETZ[/mk_fancy_title][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/bundyvillagekoretz-1-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Mailer – Koretz (front)” caption_location=”outside-image” hover_image_overlay=”false”][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/bundyvillagekoretz-2-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Mailer – Koretz (back)” caption_location=”outside-image” hover_image_overlay=”false”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row fullwidth=”true”][vc_column][mk_divider style=”thin_solid” thin_single_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”40″ margin_bottom=”40″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title tag_name=”h1″ color=”#000000″ size=”22″ font_weight=”900″ font_style=”normal” txt_transform=”uppercase” font_family=”Work+Sans” font_type=”google” align=”center”]MAILER – MAY 2011[/mk_fancy_title][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/bundyvillagemay2011-1-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Mailer – Koretz (front)” caption_location=”outside-image” hover_image_overlay=”false”][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/bundyvillagemay2011-2-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Mailer – May 2011 (back)” caption_location=”outside-image” hover_image_overlay=”false”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row fullwidth=”true”][vc_column][mk_divider style=”thin_solid” thin_single_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”40″ margin_bottom=”40″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title tag_name=”h1″ color=”#000000″ size=”22″ font_weight=”900″ font_style=”normal” txt_transform=”uppercase” font_family=”Work+Sans” font_type=”google” align=”center”]MAILER – JUNE 2011[/mk_fancy_title][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/bundyvillagejune2011-1-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Mailer – Koretz (front)” caption_location=”outside-image” hover_image_overlay=”false”][mk_image src=”https://www.ekapr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/bundyvillagejune2011-2-scaled.jpg” image_size=”full” lightbox=”true” title=”Mailer – May 2011 (back)” caption_location=”outside-image” hover_image_overlay=”false”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Matrix Oil and The City of Whittier

An image of the Matrix Oil development in Whittier

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1586880141202{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Santa Barbara–based Matrix Oil proposed to drill fifty oil wells on a small part of the Puente Hills Landfill Habitat Preserve in the City of Whittier. The 1290-acre preserve was originally an oil field owned and operated by Chevron and Unocal. Over 500 oil wells operated for about 100 years until the land was abandoned in the early 1990s. Because of the dramatic increase in oil prices and the efficiencies that new drilling techniques employed, it was now possible to revive the oil field and about twenty million barrels of oil were expected to be produced over a twenty-five–year period. The City of Whittier negotiated a lease with Matrix that included a substantial payment of royalties—enough to cure the city’s budget problems for years to come.

EKA was retained by Matrix to educate the community about the benefits of the arrangement and to educate the public about the minimal impact of the project on both the nature preserve and surrounding neighborhoods. This was necessary to give the incumbents on the Council the political cover they needed to move forward with the deal while preparing to run for re-election.

Our communications program consisted of the following elements:

  • Targeted videos, including a seven-minute video that combined facts about the project, images from the site and interviews with community leaders. We told the history of the site framed around the history of Whitter. By tying together the fact that the land was not a natural habitat but a closed oil field with the benign nature of the proposed project, we were able to neutralize one of the oppositions main arguments against it. A second video served to debunk false claims made by project opponents regarding sound issues. We used technical experts and computer-generated graphics to refute the lies in a video the opponents had produced and disseminated.
  • A community outreach program with highly trained walkers and callers that resulted in the placement of more than 1,000 signs on household lawns throughout the city. The signs read, “Our Family Supports Whittier’s Future. www.whittieroil.com ”
  • A direct-mail program that highlighted the environmental protection features and benefits of the project. Extensive website, social media and email programs reaching thousands of Whittier residents
  • Newspaper ads that corresponded to the messages in the mail program along with television commercials on local cable
  • Local spokespeople who agreed to sign letters to the editor and comment at the public hearings of the planning commission and the city council.

 

The city council hearings stretched on for six nights. The city council voted 5–0 for the project. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title color=”#000000″ size=”16″ force_font_size=”true” size_smallscreen=”16″ size_tablet=”12″ size_phone=”12″ font_weight=”bold” txt_transform=”uppercase” letter_spacing=”2″ font_family=”Montserrat” font_type=”google” responsive_align=”left”]CONTACT EKA NOW[/mk_fancy_title]

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Legislative Advocacy

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1513877542920{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]In 2013, 63 percent of Los Angeles voters approved Proposition D, which granted limited immunity to 135 medical marijuana dispensaries. Since the passage of Proposition D, more than 1,000 illegal operators have impacted neighborhoods. Many of the illegal locations are open within close proximity to schools, churches and parks—and few, if any, illegal dispensaries pay state and local taxes.

This led to the creation of the United Cannabis Business Alliance (UCBA), formed with over twenty-five of the Proposition-D compliant medical marijuana dispensaries operating legally within the City of Los Angeles. Besides being the interim executive director for UCBA, EKA played a direct role in placing Proposition N on the city ballot. Our scope included rolling out a full campaign from signature gathering to fundraising. We also lobbied the city on behalf of UCBA, in order to keep the council informed of what UCBA was doing and to prepare for the city’s next steps.

Within six weeks, UCBA needed to have over 100,000 valid registered voter signatures. To ensure UCBA reached their goal. UCBA collected over 104,000 signatures and Proposition N was placed on the ballot for March 2017. UCBA ended up abandoning support for this measure to support the City’s own measure, which was placed after UCBA ended their campaign. Although Proposition M was not authored by UCBA, they believed supporting the city was important. Proposition M was passed overwhelmingly by voters. The city is now on its way to creating cannabis regulations that give priority to Prop D shops, open the industry through a licensing system, create a social equity program and increase enforcement measures against illegal shops.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title color=”#000000″ size=”16″ force_font_size=”true” size_smallscreen=”16″ size_tablet=”12″ size_phone=”12″ font_weight=”bold” txt_transform=”uppercase” letter_spacing=”2″ font_family=”Montserrat” font_type=”google” responsive_align=”left”]CONTACT EKA NOW[/mk_fancy_title]

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710 Coalition

710 Long Beach Freeway Sign

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1646503856962{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]The 710 freeway was developed over six decades ago and runs north to south from the City of Long Beach to the City of Alhambra. Plans for construction of the 710 freeway to extend north to the 210 freeway were never completed.

As a result, commuters traveling north on the 710 were forced to utilize local streets to reach their destinations. Several cities continued to be impacted by severe gridlock as commuters made their way through local arterials. EKA was retained by the Coalition formed by the affected cities to advocate and engage with relevant local agencies, officials and other organizations to pursue completion of the 710 freeway.

EKA worked with the Coalition to develop a public relations outreach plan that involved key agencies and stakeholders as well as labor and other organizations impacted by and/or involved with the issue. It was critical that we understood not only the perspective of local officials and agencies but also the sentiments of the local community. Through polling and research, we were able to identify geographic support for the Coalition’s position. Forming strategic alliances and engaging with and responding to media was also a key component of the Coalition’s efforts.

Through our program we were able to find local spokespeople who agreed to sign letters to the editor and who also agreed to comment at the public hearings. Coalition cities continue to work with local agencies to minimize gridlock and severe traffic in their neighborhoods.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title color=”#000000″ size=”16″ force_font_size=”true” size_smallscreen=”16″ size_tablet=”12″ size_phone=”12″ font_weight=”bold” txt_transform=”uppercase” letter_spacing=”2″ font_family=”Montserrat” font_type=”google” responsive_align=”left”]CONTACT EKA NOW[/mk_fancy_title]

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Ports, Commerce and Transportation

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1586880462551{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]In order to meet new federal and state mandates relating to air quality, the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles proposed a progressive ban for the 16,000 drayage trucks entering the port complex every day. The progressive ban proposal barred the oldest, dirtiest trucks from entering the port first, followed by a series of annual bans that would ultimately require the truck fleet to deploy truck models no older than 2014. Although generally supportive of the ports’ environmental goals, the local trucking industry would be disadvantaged competitively if it were forced to purchase newer, more expensive trucks to meet the ports’ new requirements.

EKA was retained by a consortium of over 100 local trucking companies (eventually forming the Harbor Trucking Association) to advocate before the Port Commissions in LA and Long Beach to find a workable solution that would allow the ports to meet their stated environmental goals while allowing smaller and mid-sized trucking companies to continue doing business.

As a result of our efforts, the Ports adopted a new environmental program that allowed for older trucks to remain competitive while incentivizing those who wanted to invest and deploy newer, cleaner truck models. As a result, the trucking industry remained strong and the Ports were able to reduce harmful air emissions (NOx and SOx) by 90%—over two years ahead of schedule. In addition, the formation of the HTA has solidified the political strength of the port trucking industry on dozens of issues in the last few years, including additional environmental regulations, new tariff provisions and the expansion of port terminal facilities.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_fancy_title color=”#000000″ size=”16″ force_font_size=”true” size_smallscreen=”16″ size_tablet=”12″ size_phone=”12″ font_weight=”bold” txt_transform=”uppercase” letter_spacing=”2″ font_family=”Montserrat” font_type=”google” responsive_align=”left”]CONTACT EKA NOW[/mk_fancy_title]

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