Partnering with Streetsense and SharedCitiesSharedSpace, Project Seeks to Enhance Ability of NYC BIDs to Serve Public and Improve the Public Realm
NEW YORK - Today, Regional Plan Association, in partnership with Streetsense and SharedCitiesSharedSpace, released Sustaining Commercial Districts, a collection of toolkits and resources for the city’s Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and a new report GO LOCAL!: Nurturing Neighborhoods & Advancing Equity, which offers a series of findings and policy recommendations on empowering small BIDs and other public space partners.
The release comes as the New York City Council and Adams Administration consider the future plans for a number of key public realm-related programs created at the onset of the pandemic, including open dining and open streets, and seek to advance key goals in the 2022 ‘New’ New York Plan. The project aims to support BIDs with annual budgets of under $1 million, which often face the greatest organizational and resource challenges.
“One silver lining of the pandemic was a reimagining of and renaissance for New York City’s public realm,” said Maulin Mehta, New York Director, Regional Plan Association. “Now, a few years onward, BID leaders–who often work with very limited resources–are still grappling with how to most effectively serve the business owners of the BID and the public in this new reality. This project aims to support their work by giving them knowledge and a set of tools to more effectively carry out their work, enhancing our shared spaces into vibrant, engaging places for everyone to enjoy. We look forward to continuing to work with them for years to come.”
The GO LOCAL! report, authored by SharedCitiesSharedSpace, included the following policy recommendations:
Reduce the pain points and trust community partners
Reduce or remove bureaucratic barriers that have historically held back community participation in less-resourced neighborhoods. Create a tiered Trusted Partner Program that extends existing tools for empowerment to more places and a New Partner Program that nurtures nascent place-based partners
Develop the City’s internal and external capacity to support place-based partnerships: Create a Public Realm Task Force to support, connect, and empower those within and alongside government agencies who are advancing public space goals. Support community partners managing streets and plazas, especially those with fewer resources and capacity and pilot an equity-driven BID creation process in less resourced areas.
Explore funding tools and templates to capture the value created by the work of place-based non-profits in lower-income areas
To leverage private and philanthropic resources in the face of ever-greater fiscal constraints, explore the feasibility of new models for value capture and community wealth building for self-levy districts like BIDs. Also, use City and other matching funds to acknowledge and incentivize investments by small BIDs, especially in neighborhoods that have lacked investment
The following toolkits were created by Streetsense and RPA for the project:
Equity Toolkit on ways to use and distribute public funds in fair and equitable ways to promote BID responsibility and accountability
Consumer Marketing Toolkit on strategies to attract and retain customers, increase retail sales for local businesses, and drive economic growth
Vacant Storefront Toolkit on transforming empty spaces into ones that improve pedestrian comfort and help fuel visitation and sales at local businesses
Branding Toolkit on attracting businesses, visitors, and investors by fostering a positive image and identity for the district
BID Event Checklist on putting together in a well-marketed and branded event promoting the businesses of a BID
“New York City’s 76 BIDs come in all shapes and sizes, and create thriving commercial corridors across the five boroughs,” said Kevin D. Kim, Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services. “Mayor Adams and SBS made a first-of-its-kind investment to help small BIDs grow and expand their work in our communities, because we know BIDs are vital to our economic future. We are thrilled to see the tangible results of Regional Plan Association’s work emerge from this investment. RPA’s toolkits and research will continue to provide a boost to small BIDs that need it most.”
“Small BIDs are increasingly being tasked to do more with less on behalf of the City’s small business community,” said Larisa Ortiz, Managing Director, Streetsense. The toolkits developed by RPA and Streetsense offer “recipes” for successful tactics that will limit the need to reinvent the wheel - saving valuable time and resources – both of which are in limited supply. Streetsense is thrilled to support efforts that will ensure that the City of New York’s Business Improvement Districts have the information and resources they need to succeed.”
“‘Help us help you!’ is literally what small BID leaders said to us when asked what they would say to the City, said Tim Tompkins, Principal at SharedCitySharedSpace. “By saying “Yes” to a handful of win-win actions the administration can more effectively partner with neighborhood nonprofits to achieve its public space and neighborhood development goals.”
“We commend RPA’s leadership on the release of the new Sustaining Commercial Districts toolkits and GO LOCAL! report,” said Melva M. Miller, CEO, Association for a Better New York. “The ABNY Foundation is proud to have supported this work that has produced policy recommendations that will help ensure the continued revitalization of our public spaces so that they continue to evolve to meet the needs of New Yorkers. We are delighted to see the impact this work has already begun having through a renewed conversation about the creation of the city’s public spaces and the strengthening of the public-private partnerships that make their maintenance and vitality possible.”
In their approximately 50 years of existence, BIDs have become integral to the fabric of the city in the following ways:
BIDs contributed $187 million per year citywide while acting as a leading voice for over 23,000 stores and small businesses
BIDs hosted over 3200 public events with 30 million attendees while also maintaining 176 public spaces and hosted 154 public art installations
Most BIDs are small and under-resourced 68% have budgets under $1 million with a median budget of $350,000. 65% of small BIDs are in low-to-moderate income areas, while one-third of all BIDs have only one employee
The project was supported by the NYC Department of Small Business Services (NYCSBS) and the Association for a Better New York (ABNY). RPA plans to continue to support BIDs with ongoing technical support in the coming month.
About Regional Plan Association
Regional Plan Association (RPA) is an independent non-profit organization that conducts research, planning and advocacy to expand economic opportunity, environmental resiliency, improved health, and better quality of life in the New York metropolitan area. Since the 1920s, RPA has produced four landmark plans for the region. The most recent was released in November 2017. For more information, please visit www.rpa.org.
About Streetsense
Streetsense is a global creative collective of placeshapers, brandbuilders, and storytellers who create places and brands people love. From vibrant streetscapes and local gathering spots to big ideas, bespoke concepts, and communities both physical and virtual, Streetsense’s consultants and creatives make space for great experiences and shape what’s next.
About SharedCitySharedSpace
SharedCitySharedSpace explores how the interaction of ideas, institutions, individuals and cultures — particularly through public, private and civic sector collaboration — creates more prosperous, vibrant and equitable cities
