Q&A
Funding and support for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)
0:30:49
·
3 min
Council Member Feliz and Commissioner Kim discuss funding and support for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs). Commissioner Kim outlines the various programs and investments supporting BIDs.
- Over $27 million has been allocated to over 100 organizations, including many small BIDs, over the past two years
- Specific programs include a $1.5 million lighting grant pilot program, Avenue NYC ($1.5 million), and Neighborhood 360 ($2.5 million)
- SBS provides support for BID formation and smaller BIDs through programs like Neighborhood 360 and Avenue NYC grants
- These grants help with activities such as conducting Commercial District Needs Assessments and supporting the BID formation process
Oswald Feliz
0:30:49
So a few more questions, and then I'll pass it on colleagues who have questions.
0:30:54
Few questions related to our business improvement district.
0:30:58
We know our small businesses work hard to generate economic activity, keep neighborhoods vibrant, and our local business improvement districts help our businesses support our community.
0:31:08
By making sure that our commercial corridors are corridors that people wanna come to, to shop, to eat, and to support our small businesses.
0:31:17
So a few questions about funding related to talk for for our bids.
0:31:22
How much of the department's preliminary budget is dedicated to supporting our business improvement district.
Kevin Kim
0:31:29
So we were, as you know, the neighborhood development division, NDD division, does a tremendous job working with the 75 bids throughout the city.
0:31:37
Over the past 2 years since the administration began, we had allocated over $27,000,000 to over a 100 organizations, and that includes a lot of the smallest of the bids We knew that coming out of the pandemic, how effective bids were and what important role they played in helping the commercial quarters survive and even some of them thrive through the pandemic.
0:32:00
So the one time investments that the blueprint for economic recovery laid out was an important piece in getting them through the most challenging times.
0:32:11
And so that one time investment, you're seeing many of the payoffs now in the programmings that they're doing.
0:32:18
One of the things we did last year as a pilot program was the lighting grant at 1,500,000.
0:32:24
And if you go up to Harlem on 125th Street, I was up there with Barbara Skins, the bid director, and you know, that's there's a singing tree there that has lights coordinated with the song.
0:32:36
And she was telling me how people have started to come in front of it just to take photos and there's been not quite full blown viral videos, but many videos and how people are starting to come out there and do proposals and have having fun, and it's drawing people into the district.
0:32:51
So we know all the creative things and all the important public safety and sanitation services that bids provide.
0:33:00
So we continue to support them.
0:33:01
We have our avenue NYC and neighborhood 360 program that will be there next year as well.
0:33:07
The neighborhood 360 has $2,500,000.
0:33:10
The avenue in YCA is $1,500,000.
0:33:12
And so we look forward to our continued partnership with our bids that way.
Oswald Feliz
0:33:17
Yep.
0:33:18
And by the way, it was great joining you on Harlem to see that streamlining program in action.
0:33:22
Yes.
0:33:23
Very nice.
0:33:25
Do you believe that the budget includes sufficient resources to support bid formation and also our smaller bids?
0:33:32
And if yes, what type of resources are included for these smaller business?
Kevin Kim
0:33:35
So that's where I do wanna emphasize the neighborhood 360 and Avenue NYC program that's been ongoing.
0:33:42
One of the examples of Cypress Hill, for example, up there, they're looking to create their own bid, and we were able to use their avenue and avenue NYC grant to get them help to be able to do a CDNA, a commercial district needs assessment.
0:33:58
So once they created that report with the money, we we're able to grant them.
0:34:02
Then they're now in the big formation process and with our neighborhood 360 grants, they're able to try to further along and get that across the finish line.
0:34:12
But those are the exact types of programs that we continue to provide at NDD along with all the capacity building and and as you, as city council members, and as SBS, and other elected, we sit on the class d of all these bids where they're on on-site, on the ground, working with them to make sure that they can support the businesses that they were intended to do.
Oswald Feliz
0:34:35
Thank you.
0:34:35
Thank you.
0:34:36
I have many more questions about bids and other topics, but I'll take a break now.
0:34:40
I'll pass it on to council member Zuluang, who has a few questions.