OUTLOOK & INSIGHTS 2 4 2 O
DowntownLA.com/DTLA2024
Photo by Kelvin Cheng
ABOUT DTLA ALLIANCE
Founded in 1998, the DTLA Alliance has been a catalyst in Downtown Los Angeles’ transformation into a vibrant 24/7 mixed-use destination for over 25 years. A coalition of more than 2,000 property owners in the Downtown Center, the DTLA Alliance is committed to enhancing the quality of life in Downtown LA.
The mission of the Economic Development team is to ensure that DTLA remains the premier choice for office, residential, hospitality, retail, and cultural investment. We provide services to support and promote investment and development in DTLA, including:
• Market & Research Reports
• Tours & Events
• Development Consulting
• Requests for Information
• Press & Media Inquiries
Whether you need information on construction and development, insights on the DTLA market, finding a location for your business, or you just want to learn more about Downtown’s market sectors and dynamics, we are your best source for information about DTLA
To learn more about the Downtown LA and the DTLA Alliance, visit DowntownLA.com
DOWNTOWN CENTER
DEFINITION OF DOWNTOWN LA
The DTLA Alliance defines Downtown Los Angeles as the area bounded by the 110, 101 and 10 freeways and the LA River, plus Chinatown, City West, and Exposition Park. The projects contained in this report are within a portion of Downtown Los Angeles, shown on the map to the left.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
VISITATION INSIGHTS
QUARTERLY MARKET STATS
A PLACE TO LIVE
A PLACE TO WORK
DTLA 2024 SURVEY
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THE ‘CITY’ OF LOS ANGELES
A PLACE TO VISIT, SHOP, AND DINE
METHODOLOGY AND SOURCES
4 5 6 8 I0 I2 I4 18 I6
METHODOLOGY AND SOURCES
Renegage Marketing
The DTLA 2024 Survey was conducted in partnership with Renegage Marketing from January 9 to 22, 2024. A 10-minute online questionnaire was completed by 1,457 respondents. The margin of error associated with this sample size is approximately 3% with a 95% confidence interval. Renegage Marketing has helped produce surveys with the DTLA Alliance for more than 10 years and is one of the partners on the Sports & Leisure Research Group’s nationwide Consumer Optimism Barometer.
Placer.ai
Placer.ai generates insights about consumer behaviors and preferences using geolocation data from mobile app usage. This technology and place-based approach allows them to produce daily data for visitors, residents, and workers that can be accessed almost immediately. Placer.ai also incorporates a range of other sources such as Experian Mosaic, a consumer lifestyle segmentation tool referenced in this report. Unless otherwise stated, all Placer.ai data in this report is based on the period of January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023.
US Census Bureau
This report includes the most recent available data from the US Census Bureau, including census-tract level breakdowns from the 2022 American Community Survey (ACS), the 2020 Decennial Census, and 2021 Longitudinal Employer Household Database (LEHD).
Esri
Esri is a market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping. Through their partnership with Data Axle, they provide business summary and business location datasets for over 13 million businesses including sales and employment information.
CoStar
CoStar is the industry leader in commercial real estate information and analytics, tracking over 135 billion square feet of commercial space at over 6.4 million commercial properties.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This is the DTLA Alliance’s third annual Outlook & Insights Report – an update on the state of Downtown Los Angeles – combining the DTLA Alliance’s signature Survey of Downtown residents, workers, and visitors with detailed economic and demographic data. The report paints a comprehensive picture of DTLA as a market – and a community – and positions it in the context of the City of Los Angeles, Southern California region, the nation, and globe.
This year’s report demonstrates both the progress made towards DTLA’s full recovery from the pandemic and the extent of work that remains to be done. This is the core message we received from almost 1,500 responses to our annual survey. Whether on general questions about Downtown’s direction or specific ones regarding issues such as public safety, the responses express understandable concern and frustration at what seem to be intractable problems and a perceived lack of progress in addressing them.
On the other hand, when compared with the results from last year’s survey, it is impossible to deny the sense that progress is, in fact, being made. For example, while less than half indicated that situations had improved on key priorities, the number who did so was 25-50% higher than it was last year. Similarly, visitation to DTLA’s top venues and locations was up across the board, with seven locations seeing double-digit growth.
In terms of the real estate market, the residential, hospitality, and retail sectors appear to have found their footing. The beginning of last year saw residential and
hospitality stats return to pre-pandemic levels, which is where they remained through the entirety of 2023. On the retail front, a wave of new F&B operations has already more than made up for the pandemic-related closures. Of course, the office sector remains the outlier, which is why we put a special emphasis on it in this year’s survey, looking at both the evolution of hybrid work and the ways in which office workers engage with DTLA both on days they are here for work and on days they are not.
Amidst its ongoing evolution in the face of trends impacting downtowns across the nation, DTLA remains vital to the strength of the LA region – not only as its primary core of commercial activity and most significant job base but also as a vibrant local community of over 90,000 residents, a dynamic global center of arts, culture and entertainment, and the critical hub of its regional mass transit system.
By combining the dual vantage points of market conditions and public sentiments, this report illuminates the concurrent opportunities and challenges of this period and demonstrates the clear and present need for urgent action to secure Downtown’s future – not just for Downtown, but for all of Los Angeles. When the 2028 Olympic Games were awarded to Los Angeles, the hard-won progress Downtown had made over 25 years to become a truly great urban center was an important factor. When the eyes of the world are on the City of Los Angeles four years from now, what they see will largely depend on how we have met the challenges we are facing today – and whether we have seized the opportunity to reimagine DTLA once again.
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THE ‘CITY’ OF LOS ANGELES
Representing just 1.4% of the total land area of the City of Los Angeles, DTLA plays an outsized role in the city’s economy. It does this with a combination of density and diversity, creating a central meeting point for all Angelenos. While it has long served as the city’s principal commercial business district, the renaissance of the past 25 years has added a vibrant residential community, a global center for arts & culture, and a retail sector that continues to add to an already impressive roster of businesses.
1.4%
DTLA Share of the City of Los Angeles Land Area
Despite representing a tiny percentage of the land area in the City of Los Angeles, DTLA plays a significant role in every sector of the local economy.
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CITY OF LOS ANGELES
THE ‘CITY’ OF LOS ANGELES
24,798
New residential units since 2010
DTLA has delivered 26% of the new housing inventory in the City of LA since 2010.
16% of Citywide Jobs
Talent, world-class amenities and unparalleled access to transit draw employers to DTLA.
745
Retail Businesses
Per Square Mile
The density of storefronts in DTLA is a key part of its appeal to both shoppers and retailers.
7 DTLA Alliance 2 4 2 O GENERAL DOWNTOWN DTLA % OF CITY Land Area (sq. mi.) 6.6 1.4% Office square feet 40,000,000 47% Retail square feet 4,300,000 17% Hotel rooms 10,742 24% Multi-Family Residential Units 56,976 10% Units Delivered 2010-23 24,798 26% EMPLOYMENT Jobs 288,230 16% Share of city knowledge industry jobs 86,638 11% RETAIL Retail Businesses 3,797 16% Food & Beverage Establishments 1,128 9% Retail+F&B Businesses 4,925 14% Retail+F&B Sales $4,600,000 9%
DENSITY DOWNTOWN CITY Residents per square mile 11,941 8,207 Employees per square mile 43,605 3,904 Retail+F&B businesses per square mile 745 77 Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2018-2022), CoStar, Esri, Esri-Data Axle, Esri-MRI-Simmons, 2022
VISITATION INSIGHTS
AVERAGE MONTHLY VISITS MONTHLY
After a significant recovery in 2020 and 2021, monthly visits to DTLA have been stable through 2022 and 2023, ranging from 8-10 million, just slightly below pre-pandemic figures.
Total workplace visitation dipped in Q4, though it was still 3.6% higher than the same period a year earlier. However, the number of people who worked in DTLA during this period actually rose to its highest level since the pandemic. At the same time, the average number of days per month spent in DTLA dipped to the lowest level since Q3 2021. Source:
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WORKPLACE
0 2,000,000 4,000,000 6,000,000 8,000,000 10,000,000 12,000,000 1/1/19 3/1/19 5/1/19 7/1/19 9/1/19 11/1/19 1/1/20 3/1/20 5/1/20 7/1/20 9/1/20 11/1/20 1/1/21 3/1/21 5/1/21 7/1/21 9/1/21 11/1/21 1/1/22 3/1/22 5/1/22 7/1/22 9/1/22 11/1/22 1/1/23 3/1/23 5/1/23 7/1/23 9/1/23 11/1/23
VISITATION
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 400,000 Q4 2019 Q1 2020 Q2 2020 Q3 2020 Q4 2020 Q1 2021 Q2 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2021 Q1 2022 Q2 2022 Q3 2022 Q4 2022 Q1 2023 Q2 2023 Q3 2023 Q4 2023 Monthly Visits Per Worker Total Workers Per Month Total Workers Per Month Monthly Visits Per Worker
2020 2021 2022 2023 2019 Monthly Visits Per Worker Total Workers Per Month
Placer.ai
VISITATION INSIGHTS
NATIONAL TRAVEL TO DTLA
In 2023, 2.4 million visitors who live more than 250 miles away stayed overnight in DTLA. The total number of visits was 4.2% higher than for 2022 and 20.1% higher than for 2021. These visitors, who come from across the generational spectrum, spent an average of 2.4 days in DTLA, with 33% staying for 3 or more days. The median income for these visitors was 22% higher than the national average.
TOP 10 DTLA TRIP ORIGINATION LOCATIONS
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MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME 22% HIGHER THAN NATIONAL AVERAGE AVERAGE STAY: 2.4 DAYS 66% 0-2 days 33% 3+ Days GENERATION Gen Alpha 19% Gen Z 15% Millenial 22% Other 5% Baby Boomers ................... 20% Gen X ................................ 19% Source: Placer.ai 1 6 3 4 7 10 8 5 2 9 Seattle: 69K Washington: 57K Chicago: 81K Atlanta: 57K Sacramento: 79K San Francisco: 276K Silicon Valley: 113K Phoenix: 98K Dallas: 57K New York: 182K
(Number of Visitors) $ 90 K
QUARTERLY TRACKING STATS
RESIDENTIAL
The residential market rebounded strongly after a short-term decline during the pandemic, with rent and occupancy returning to pre-pandemic levels. Although the first three quarters of 2023 saw the occupancy rate decline due to delivery of over 2,000 new units, it bounced back to over 90% in Q4.
OFFICE
The impact of uncertainty about return-to-work was felt across the region, with vacancy rates reaching a historic high. At the same time, asking rents have fallen each quarter of 2023, indicating that the market is adjusting.
10 DTLA Alliance 2 4 2 O 70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95% 100% $2,000 $2,100 $2,200 $2,300 $2,400 $2,500 $2,600 $2,700 $2,800 $2,900 $3,000 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Occupancy Rent Residential Asking Rent Per Unit Occupancy 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% $3.50 $3.55 $3.60 $3.65 $3.70 $3.75 $3.80 Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4 Vacancy Rent Office Asking Rent Per Square Foot Vacancy 70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95% 100% $2,000 $2,100 $2,200 $2,300 $2,400 $2,500 $2,600 $2,700 $2,800 $2,900 $3,000 Q4 19 Q1 20 Q2 20 Q3 20 Q4 20 Q1 21 Q2 21 Q3 21 Q4 21 Q1 22 Q2 22 Q3 22 Q4 22 Q1 23 Q2 23 Occupancy Rent Residential Asking Rent Per Unit Occupancy Source: CoStar
Asking Rent Per Unit Occupancy
Overall Rent Per Square Foot Vacancy 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% $3.50 $3.55 $3.60 $3.65 $3.70 $3.75 $3.80 Q4 19 Q1 20 Q2 20 Q3 20 Q4 20 Q1 21 Q2 21 Q3 21 Q4 21 Q1 22 Q2 22 Q3 22 Q4 22 Q1 23 Q2 23 Vacancy Rent Office Asking Rent Per Square Foot Vacancy Source: CBRE 2020 2021 2022 2023 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2019
QUARTERLY TRACKING STATS
RETAIL
Retail rents have remained remarkably stable, indicating that interest in urban locations like Downtown LA has stayed strong. Although vacancy rates ticked up earlier in 2023, the long-term trend is uncertain as this was at least partly due to new inventory coming online. In Q4 vacancy returned to closer to historical trends.
HOTEL
Both occupancy and RevPAR made significant gains in 2022 and ticked up even further in 2023, now sitting roughly 10% below where they were in 2019.
11 DTLA Alliance 2 4 2 O 60% 70% 80% 90% $120 $140 $160 $180 Hotel YTD RevPAR Occupancy 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% $0 $20 $40 $60 $80 $100 $120 $140 $160 $180 Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4 Occupancy YTD RevPar Hotel YTD RevPAR Occupancy 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7% 8% 9% 10% $2.50 $2.75 $3.00 $3.25 $3.50 Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4 Vacancy Rent Retail Average Rent Per Square Foot Vacancy
Source: CoStar
Average Rent Per Square Foot Vacancy
CoStar
Source:
YTD RevPar Occupancy 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7% 8% 9% 10% $2.50 $2.75 $3.00 $3.25 $3.50 Q4 19 Q1 20 Q2 20 Q3 20 Q4 20 Q1 21 Q2 21 Q3 21 Q4 21 Q1 22 Q2 22 Q3 22 Q4 22 Q1 23 Q2 23 Vacancy Rent Retail Average Rent Per Square Foot Vacancy 2020 2021 2022 2023 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2019
CoStar
Source:
A PLACE TO LIVE
DTLA residents are significantly younger and more ethnically diverse than the city and region and have a slightly higher rate of postsecondary education. Although the residential population has grown by 41% overall from 2010 to 2023, that growth has been concentrated in certain census tracts – primarily in South Park, the Historic Core, and the Arts District – where new residential development has been most heavily concentrated.
RESIDENTS
41% Residential Population Growth from 2010 to 2022
$93,000 Average DTLA Resident Household Income
67% Residents with Postsecondary Education
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DOWNTOWN CITY REGION Population 80,011 3,849,306 12,997,353 Per Square Mile 11,941 8,207 2,706 YOY Growth 3.0% 0.7% 1% Growth 2010-2022 41% 2% 2% AGE <18 7% 19% 20% 18 to 24 9% 9% 9% 25 to 34 31% 18% 15% 35 to 54 30% 28% 27% 55 to 64 11% 12% 12% 65+ 11% 15% 16%
< $15K 25% 11% 9% $15K - $40K 15% 14% 12% $40K - $75K 17% 24% 23% $75K - $100K 9% 12% 12% > $100K 34% 39% 45% EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT High school or less 33% 39% 38% Some college or Associate 22% 23% 25% Bachelor's degree 28% 25% 24% Graduate or higher 17% 13% 14% Source: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2018-2022)
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
A PLACE TO LIVE
DTLA is the “first choice” for Angelenos who want an active urban lifestyle. As such, Downtowners are much more likely to use alternative modes of transportation and tend to work closer to where they live. Because the DTLA housing market is predominantly rental and its demographics skew towards young and single, it is also more transitory than the rest of the region. At the same time, it attracts a significant share of long-term residents, as demonstrated by our survey.
RENT VS. OWN
38%
COST OF LIVING
Sources: DTLA Alliance, CoSTAR WALK, BIKE, AND TRANSIT SCORES
46% Walk/Bike/Transit or Work from Home
Source: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2018-2022)
93 Downtown Average Walkability Score
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Percentage of Income: DOWNTOWN CITY REGION Housing + Transportation 38% 50% 55% Source: Center for Neighborhood Technology (2022) COMMUTING PATTERNS Bikes 1% 1% 1% Transit 11% 6% 3% Carpool 6% 9% 10% Walk 11% 3% 2% Other 3% 2% 2% Drive alone 45% 59% 65% Work from Home 23% 20% 17%
RENT OWN Share of Population 92% 8% Median Rent/Price $2,733/month $690/per sq. ft. Rent/Price Increase 2010-19 68% 109%
DOWNTOWN CITY Avg Bike Score 79 59 Avg Transit Score 98 53 Avg Walk Score 93 69 Source: Walk Score (2023)
vs 50% Citywide
Combined cost of Housing + Transportation
A PLACE TO WORK
Downtown LA is the largest employment cluster in the region and the overwhelming majority of those jobs pay above the “Living Wage” for the region. Despite its reputation as a home for “traditional” office tenants, the area has seen significant growth in the “knowledge” industry, including professional, scientific, and technical services and information. These non-traditional office tenants are drawn to the area by a range of factors including its central location in the region and access to talent and transit.
605
19%
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
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Square Mile
43,
Downtown Employees Per
Knowledge Industry Jobs from 2010 to 2021
,000 DTLA Worker Average Household Income TOP 5 INDUSTRIES FOR EMPLOYMENT DOWNTOWN CHANGE 2010-2021 Public Administration 94,495 17% Professional, Scientific, Information, & Technical* 43,514 24% Health Care & Social Assistance* 21,054 88% Finance, Insurance, & Real Estate* 22,070 -6% Wholesale Trade 16,837 -19% *Knowledge Industry Jobs 86,638 19%
LEHD On The Map (2021) TOTAL EMPLOYMENT DOWNTOWN CITY REGION All Jobs 288,230 1,832,721 6,057,433 Employees per square mile 43,605 3,904 1,249
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% <$10K$10K$20K$20K$30K$30K$40K$40K$50K$50K$75K $75K$100K$100K$150K$150K$200K >$200K Share of Households
Growth of DTLA
$95
Source:
Source: Placer.ai, 2023
A PLACE TO WORK
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RACE/ ETHNICITY 61% Workers Aged 30-54 57% Workers with Postsecondary Education 57% of DTLA Workers Commute Less Than 7 Miles from Their Home
Placer.ai 7 mile Radius
Source:
A PLACE TO VISIT, SHOP, AND DINE
Total visitation to DTLA is returning to pre-pandemic levels and will continue to grow as business and convention travel continue to return. DTLA visitors are a diverse group and include everyone from national and international tourists to locals coming for dinner or to serve on jury duty, and everyone in between. Locally, Downtown is one of the premier “day trip” destinations due to its density of attractions and amenities. For those coming from outside of the region, Downtown is both an attraction unto itself and an ideal base from which to explore the rest of the region.
171
Food & Beverage Businesses per Square Mile
VISITATION HEAT MAPS
This heat map shows the most popular locations for DTLA’s 17+ million visitors in 2023. Several noteworthy areas, identified in dark yellow, had between 1.2m and 2.5m visits during the year, while the top three locations in red each saw over 2.5m visits.
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DOWNTOWN CITY Total Retail+F&B Businesses 4,925 36,206 Retail Businesses Per Square Mile 574 51 F&B Businesses Per Square Mile 171 26 Total Retail+F&B Business Per Square Mile 745 77 Sources: Esri, Esri-Data Axle, Esri-MRI-Simmons, Esri-U.S. BLS, 2022
RETAIL VITALITY
Crypto.com Arena/L.A. LIVE
Grand Ave. Arts
Financial District
Figueroa St. and 7th St.
Santee Alley
Historic Core
ROW DTLA
Little Tokyo/Arts District
Source: Placer.ai
A PLACE TO VISIT, SHOP, AND DINE
17+ million Visitors in 2023
DTLA TOP CONSUMER SEGMENTS
Based on: Mosaic USA Consumer Lifestyle Segmentation by Experian
$4.5+ billion Retail sales in 2023
“These young professionals report above average incomes topping $50,000 a year, and they seem to be thoroughly enjoying their unattached status.”
“Tend to live in multi-ethnic and multi-lingual neighborhoods, some speaking Spanish in shops and cafes, driving used American compact cars and minivans, and filling their homes with food and decorations that remind them of their roots.”
“These self-described workaholics share a desire to move up in status and they realize that every career journey starts with a first step.”
“Despite their limited budgets, these households enjoy shopping and like to experiment with styles, and they like stores that offer lots of brands.”
“Reflect the recent trend of Americans staying single longer. Most enjoy an active singles scene with plenty of nightlife, progressive values and robust leisure lives.”
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% OF US POPULATION HOUSEHOLD INCOME $50K+ MARRIED KIDS UNIVERSITY DEGREE Young City Solos 1.7% 74% 14% 12% 56%
Family Union 7.7% 67% 92% 84% 15%
Singles & Starters 7.0% 41% 32% 46% 20%
Cultural Connection 3.9% 31% 43% 77% 10%
Significant Singles 3.2% 51% 34% 29% 25%
Source: Experian Mosaic USA Handbook (2022)
Source: Placer.ai
Young City Solos 43% Singles & Starters 18% Thrifty Habits 12% Power Elite 11% Golden Year Guardians 8% WORKERS Cultural Connection 23% Family Union 16% Significant Singles 13% Singles & Starters 9% Flourishing Families 9% VISITORS Cultural Connection 19% Family Union 18% Significant Singles 12% Singles & Starters 10% Young City Solos 8%
Source: Esri
RESIDENTS
Source: Placer.ai
The DTLA Alliance has been conducting surveys of Downtown residents, workers, and visitors since its inception in 1998. Early surveys sought to capture the rapid growth of Downtown’s residential population and its emergence as a dining and nightlife hotspot. More recently, our surveys have focused on the sentiments and behaviors of the diverse mix of people who engage with Downtown. These surveys showcased the increasing appeal of the urban experience in Los Angeles.
Beginning with last year’s survey, conducted in February 2023, we again shifted our focus. Downtowns across the country were impacted by the pandemic shutdowns and work-from-home practices, and DTLA was no exception. That survey reflected the cumulative effects of a three-year pandemic and provided some indications of how its sustained social and economic impact had affected Downtown. For this year’s survey and going forward, one of our main goals is to assess the pace of progress towards a full recovery and to measure how sentiments are adapting to changing realities. We also added new questions intended to better understand the shifting realities of office work and measure office worker engagement with Downtown. 2 4
67% of survey respondents said that they love Downtown LA but only...
44% said that they think Downtown LA is moving in the right direction
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2 O SURVEY
DTLA 2024 SURVEY
DTLA RESIDENTS
The growth of the residential community over the past two decades has reshaped Downtown’s identity. DTLA is unique among all residential neighborhoods in the region in offering a true urban experience, which our survey indicates is one of the top reasons people choose to live here. That is likely also why so many have stayed for as long as they have and why more than 25% hope to stay here for 6 years or more.
Top reasons for living in DTLA:
68% Centrally located
LENGTH OF TIME LIVING IN DTLA
Less than a year
One year to less than 2 years
2 to less than 3 years
3 to less than 4 years
4 to less than 5 years
5 to 10 years
11 to 19 years
20 or more years
67% Urban lifestyle
44% Close to work
48%
Have lived in DTLA for 5 or more years
43%
Plan to live in DTLA for 4 or more years
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0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5 years
years or more
6
PLAN TO LIVE IN DTLA FOR HOW LONG
DTLA 2024 SURVEY
CHALLENGES
While illustrating that DTLA’s persistent post-pandemic challenges remain a major concern, this year’s responses demonstrated notable progress compared to those from one year ago. In all four areas we asked about, more people responded that the situation had improved, while fewer responded that it had gotten worse.
CONDITIONS GOT WORSE
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0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% Residents Workers More Safe 2023 2024 MORE SAFE 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% Residents Workers Less Safe 2023 2024 LESS SAFE
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% HomelessnessCleanlinessCrimeTransportation Conditions Improved 2023 2024 CONDITIONS IMPROVED 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% HomelessnessCleanlinessCrimeTransportation
2023
Conditions Got Worse
2024
DTLA 2024 SURVEY
A positive shift can be seen in terms of overall safety ratings for DTLA, with more respondents giving higher ratings than last year. These ratings also highlight that respondents broadly felt safe in Downtown during the daytime.
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0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Daytime Safety Rating 2023 2024 DAYTIME SAFETY RATING 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Nighttime Safety Rating 2023 2024 NIGHTTIME SAFETY RATING
Not Safe Very Safe Not Safe Very Safe
DTLA 2024 SURVEY
RETURN TO THE OFFICE
The shifting nature of office work remains one of the crucial elements of DTLA’s recovery. This year’s survey indicates a growing consensus towards a work schedule of 3-5 days per week spent in the office. This is reflected both in terms of the actual days worked and employers’ long-term plans.
DAYS/WEEK
65% Currently work 3-5 days per week at their workplace outside the home
79% Employers plan for at least 50% or more in the office
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0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 0 1 2 3 4 5
Worked Outside The Home 2023 2024
Days/Week
WORKED OUTSIDE THE
HOME
0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40% 100% in the office Majority in the office Equal time in the office/home Minority in the office 100% work from home Employers' Long-Term Plans 2023 2024 EMPLOYER’S LONG-TERM PLANS
DTLA 2024 SURVEY
OFFICE WORKER ENGAGEMENT
The value of having office workers maintain their connection to DTLA can be illustrated by their level of engagement with the area on days they are not at work. Moreover, while the balance of activities differs on days in DTLA when working versus not working, all the main categories of activities are strongly represented. Engagement in these activities has also increased over the past year, with 3x to 7x as many DTLA workers saying they are engaging more often compared to those engaging less often.
ENGAGEMENT IN ACTIVITIES
91% Workers visit DTLA at least once on days when they are not working
ENGAGEMENT INCREASING VS. PRIOR YEAR
25% Workers regularly visit DTLA on days they are not working
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0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Goouttoeat GoshoppingGotothegymGotobars/nightlifeAttendaneventWatchlivesportsAttendaconcert/performance
Days Working in DTLA Days Not Working in DTLA
Visitamuseum/attraction
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Less often More often
Goouttoeat GoshoppingGotothegymGotobars/nightlifeWatchlivesportsAttendaconcert/performanceVisitamuseumorattractionAttendanevent
DTLA 2024 SURVEY
DTLA ENGAGEMENT
The increased engagement trend can also be seen more broadly in visitation to major DTLA venues and locations, with 18 of 22 of the locations on which we surveyed showing year-over-year increases, with seven of those seeing doubledigit percentage increases.
BIGGEST YOY INCREASE
RETAIL
Survey respondents have consistently asked for more supermarkets, clothing/ apparel stores, and books/music stores. In terms of specific retailers, Trader Joe’s topped our survey as it has in previous years, with 33% of respondents desiring one in DTLA. Interestingly, no other retailer was mentioned by more than 12% of respondents. This may be because many of the retailers that have been requested in prior surveys have since opened locations here, such as Whole Foods, Sephora, and H&M.
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2023 2024 CHANGE Crypto.com Arena 20% 25% 24% The Broad 17% 21% 21% The Music Center 24% 29% 20% L.A. LIVE 30% 35% 16% LA Public Library 23% 30% 13% Supermarkets ......................................................................................................................... 67% Clothing/Apparel 49% Books/Music 45% Pharmacy/Drug 32% Mid-Level Department ......................................................................................................... 32% MOST REQUESTED RETAIL CATEGORIES
Grand Central Market, making it the top destination in DTLA
Respondents who visited Crypto.com Arena, the largest YOY increase Most Requested
Grand Central Market 58% Arts District 58% Little Tokyo 55% FIGat7th 54% The BLOC ................................................................................................................................ 48% MOST POPULAR LOCATIONS
58% Regularly visit
+24%
Retailer
DTLA 2024 SURVEY
METRO
With the opening of the Regional Connector this year, we asked a series of questions about the experience of using Metro and how it has changed since the pandemic. While a majority indicated that the experience overall has improved, especially in terms of convenience and dependability, concerns about safety and cleanliness remain a priority. Comments indicate that, while improvements in these areas have been made, they have not gone far enough.
51%
Say the overall Metro experience has improved
WHAT RIDERS ARE SAYING ...
“I really appreciate the increased number of Metro Ambassadors and also security in the stations and on the buses/trains.”
“Heading in the right direction but we still need to increase safety. Ambassadors have been a great addition.”
“Ambassadors need to be more proactive when assisting unhoused passengers and reporting dirty trains/stations.”
“I see an effort being made, but it’s not nearly enough. If the Metro was safer and cleaner it could transform life for millions of Angelenos.”
“Metro PD should be more present on all lines and stations. Foot patrol on trains is essential.”
25 DTLA Alliance 2 4 2 O
METRO EXPERIENCE IMPROVED DECLINED Overall Experience 51% 23% Safety 28% 35% Cleanliness 23% 35% Convenience 47% 5% Dependability 32% 12%
DTLA ALLIANCE
This survey is the final one conducted under the banner of the Downtown Center Business Improvement District (DCBID). One of the main reasons for changing our name to the DTLA Alliance was to help raise awareness of the organization as a resource to stakeholders. As we see in our survey, despite virtually all respondents learning about the survey through one of our services, only 44% were able to identify the organization by name. While both familiarity and ratings of our services were mostly unchanged, one notable difference was for the Safety Patrol, which saw a 16% increase in positive ratings.
65%
Respondents who gave the DTLA Alliance a positive overall rating (7/10 or better)
26 DTLA Alliance 2 4 2 O
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 12346789 10
Alliance Overall Rating 2023 2024
ALLIANCE OVERALL RATING
DTLA
DTLA
Poor Excellent
DTLA ALLIANCE
27 DTLA Alliance 2 4 2 O 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Safety Patrol Trash Collection 24/7 Safety & Maintenance Line Graffiti Removal Homeless Outreach Sidewalk Washdown Gum Removal Tree Trimming DowntownLA.com Website DowntownLA.com Social Media 2023 2024
DTLA ALLIANCE SERVICES - % POSITIVE RATING (7 OUT OF 10 OR BETTER) 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90% Safety Patrol Trash Collection 24/7 Safety & Maintenance Line Graffiti Removal Homeless Outreach Sidewalk Washdown Gum Removal Tree Trimming DowntownLA.com Website DowntownLA.com Social Media 2023 2024 % FAMILIAR WITH DTLA ALLIANCE SERVICES
Downtown Los Angeles is the primary hub of commercial activity for Los Angeles. It is the most significant job center in the region, a diverse collection of thriving urban neighborhoods, and a popular destination with national and global recognition.
A PLACE TO VISIT, SHOP, & DINE 2 4 2 O A PLACE TO WORK 745 41% Population Growth 2010 - 2022 46% Walk/Bike/Transit or Work from Home 90,000+ RESIDENTS 61% 25 - 54 Years Old 67% Postsecondary Education $95,000 Average Household Income 61% 30 - 54 Years Old 57% Postsecondary Education 65% Currently work 3-5 days in DTLA 90% Residential Occupancy 93 Walkscore 171 Food/Beverage Businesses per Square Mile Retail+F&B Businesses per Square Mile A PLACE TO LIVE $93,000 Average Household Income 79% Expect to be in the office at least half the time 24% Less Income Spent on Housing + Transportation than LA Average 17+ million VISITORS per year 288,000+ JOBS 26% All new residential in the City of LA since 2010 DowntownLA.com/DTLA2024 $4.5+ billion retail sales per year
