Q&A
Council Member Zhuang inquires about BIDs and Merchant Associations in her district
0:34:58
·
146 sec
Council Member Susan Zhuang discusses the potential for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and Merchant Associations in her district with Commissioner Kevin Kim. They explore funding opportunities, existing partnerships, and the process of BID formation.
- Kim assures Zhuang that SBS has funding available through programs like Neighborhood 360 and Avenue NYC
- The commissioner emphasizes the importance of landlord buy-in for successful BID formation
- Kim promises to have the Neighborhood Development Division team contact Zhuang to discuss specific opportunities in her district
Susan Zhuang
0:34:58
I want to want ask, do you do you think you have enough funding for the bid and also merchant association?
0:35:07
And then if you do can you bring more resources to My Districts?
0:35:13
And now currently, in My District, we don't have any Beto Merchant Association.
Kevin Kim
0:35:18
Yes.
0:35:19
So our NDD team that you've met, I think, we will work with you very closely because Our belief is that the more bids, the better in the city.
0:35:29
And so the and merchant associations as well, they're very important in providing work that in areas where it might be very difficult and challenging to actually form a bid.
0:35:40
So we'll be there with you to coordinate and discuss on how to support And
Susan Zhuang
0:35:45
then I also want to know, do you have enough funding for
Kevin Kim
0:35:48
that?
0:35:48
Yes.
0:35:49
Our team has the support went through the neighborhood 360 and Avenue NYC of dollars that I had mentioned, the 2.51,500,000 respectively.
0:36:02
Big formation takes a long time.
0:36:04
I think the key critical factor that a lot of people underestimate is you need to get the landlords, the 51% of the landlords in the district to sign on.
0:36:13
And so what we try to do with all of our partnership with the community based organizations and the community boards and everybody else if and the elected with your partnership.
0:36:23
Before all onboard that a bid can be formed there, then we'll work together.
0:36:28
To contact the landlords and to show them why and how valuable it is to actually have a bid in their district and it's At the end of the day, when you talk landlord language, I think it's about increasing their property value.
0:36:40
And if you show that you can create a safer commercial corridor, a commercial corner that tracks more people and that their businesses can thrive, then their property values go up.
0:36:50
I think you can persuade a lot of people to do
Susan Zhuang
0:36:52
that.
0:36:53
Currently, in my district, do you have any partner already?
0:36:57
You can help us moving forward.
Kevin Kim
0:37:00
I will have our NDD team contact you right after this meeting to specifically talk about your district.
0:37:07
But Again, we can provide and and this is where we add a lot of value where it doesn't cost additional dollars is we have the technical assistance and the experience of big formation in house, and they can work with you.
0:37:20
So they'll come and talk to you right after this.
Susan Zhuang
0:37:23
Okay.
0:37:23
Thank you.
Kevin Kim
0:37:24
Thank you.