PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Calvin Brown, Deputy Commissioner for Neighborhood Development at Department of Small Business Services (SBS)
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5 min
Calvin Brown, Deputy Commissioner for Neighborhood Development at SBS, testified in support of laws to increase expenditures for 9 Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and amend the Madison Avenue BID's district plan. He outlined SBS's role in overseeing BIDs and the process for approving assessment increases and district plan amendments.
- Brown emphasized the importance of BIDs in fostering thriving neighborhoods and commercial districts
- He detailed the proposed assessment increases for each of the 9 BIDs
- The Madison Avenue BID's district plan amendment aims to revise the assessment formula for more equitable property assessment
Calvin Brown
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Good morning, Chair Brennan and members of the Finance Committee.
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I'm Calvin Brown.
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I'm the deputy commissioner for neighborhood development at the Department of Small Business Services.
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I'm joined today by my colleagues, Emily Edwards, the executive director of our bid program, as well as Leslie Velasquez, the director of our bid development and legislation.
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I wish to express the support that SBS has for the laws providing an increase in the amount to be expended in 9 business improvement districts, often referred to as bids, as well as the district plan amendment for the Madison Avenue bid.
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At SBS, we work hard to open the doors for New Yorkers across the 5 boroughs, focusing on creating stronger businesses, connecting New Yorkers to jobs, and fostering thriving neighborhoods.
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We oversee and support the city's network of bids and groups who wish to form new bids in their communities.
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We believe bids are central to these efforts as valuable and proven partners in fostering the vitality of the city's neighborhoods and commercial districts.
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The mayor's economic blueprint plan also places bids front and center in several initiatives to rebuild and reinvent our commercial corridors and central business districts.
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Part of our role in overseeing and supporting the city's existing network of 76 bids includes guiding them through the legislative processes, including increases to their assessment caps and amendments to their district plans.
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To propose an assessment increase or an amendment to the district plan, bids must complete a multi step review process overseen by SBS.
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The bid board of directors, which include local property owners, merchants, residents, as well as representatives from the city controller's office, the borough president's office, city council, and SBS must review and approve the proposed assessment increase or district plan amendment.
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For the assessment increases, SBS requires bids to submit an in-depth written justification, proof of board approval, and letters of support from city council members represented in the bid boundaries.
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SBS then reviews these justifications, bring it to city council and bring it to city council.
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District plan amendments go through a similar process, plus an additional requirement to host a public meeting to present the plan and allow for stakeholder comments.
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As required by law, each bid includes, in this 2 bill, published a notice of this public hearing at least once in a local newspaper having general circulation in the district specifying the time and place of today's hearing and stating the changes to their assessment amount or district plan.
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SBS collected records of these notices and confirmed that they were completed on time.
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It is SBS priority that assessment increase proposals focus on enhancing programs and services provided to the district.
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Each bid proposal proposing an assessment increase today is doing to address vital needs and changes, conditions that are happening on the ground in your district.
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The increase will further expand, reinforce, and strengthen core services currently provided in the business district.
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This may include funds for additional streetscape improvement, greening, beautification, new public events, and or add in staff capacity.
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Additionally, proportions of these increases will be used to sustain or increase current levels of sanitation, public safety services impacted by the rising costs related to inflation, and the minimum wage increases.
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The proposed increases vary according to budget size, district size, and the proposed changes in the programs and services.
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The proposed increases are the 34th Street bid from 13,000,000 to 14,300,000, dollars Times Square Bed from $14,347,293 to $17,200,000 North Flatbush Avenue Bed from 200,000 to 350,000 the Madison 23rd Flatiron Chelsea bid from 6,000,000 to 9,000,000 the Bayside Village bid from 230,000 to 430,000 the Fulton Street bid from 500,000 to 800,000 the Hudson Square bid from 3,900,000 to $5,850,000 the Atlantic Avenue bid from 390,000 to 637,000 and the SoHo bid from 900,000 to $1,757,934.
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The Madison Avenue bid is also pursuing an assessment increase from 2,100,000 to 2,500,000 and 20,000 in a district plan amendment to revise the assessment formula to more equitably assess the properties within their district.
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The proposed amendment will authorize a change in the method of assessment.
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Currently, the assessment formula is based solely on commercial square footage with variant rates depending on the property's location in the district.
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The proposed law would amend the formula to add a reduced assessment to resident properties, create a new property class to assess vacant lots, and overall decrease the rate of commercial properties.
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Representatives from each of the bids named in these laws are present to answer any questions pertaining to specific requests.
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However, I'm happy to answer any general questions.
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Thank you.
