The Future of BIDs

Despite the criticisms mentioned on the critical issues for discussion page of this website, there is widespread support for BIDs and belief that this useful mechanism can be translated for use in other types of districts. But the critics complaints also need to be taken very seriously in order to improve the BIDs of the future.

Because many large cities already have BIDs, the next decade’s growth will probably include:

  • more nontraditional settings, such as small towns, nonprofit clusters, industrial areas and strip shopping centers
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  • small BIDs--New York City and Philadelphia each already have half a dozen small BIDs with yearly budgets of under $100,000
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  • more partnerships with residents, more concern for public open space and more programs to serve residential properties--since most BIDs will have more experience and expertise dealing with their core functions that serve the businesses that fund them, BIDs will be able to focus on including these new activities
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  • Lawrence Houston, a BID expert, has termed these efforts, “civic improvement districts,” since they are more inclusive of all community stakeholders.   In addition,
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  • more hybrid financing between big institutions and smaller businesses--the model is University City, Philadelphia, where University of Pennsylvania has teamed up with other universities and hospitals in West Philadelphia to try to improve the neighborhood for its customers.
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    Planners' Role

    Due to the unique structure of BIDs that fosters cooperation not only between the public and private sectors but also among business people and residents and other users of downtown, BIDs present an opportunity for planners to bring together diverse interest groups who share common goals.

    Initiating and fostering these partnerships may be one of the most important roles for urban planners in the next century as more and more communities seek new strategies to help them remain vital.


    Fostering Discussion on Good Urban Form

    Despite the questions surrounding whether BIDs should be responsible for managing public space in many of our nation’s cities, overall BIDs have brought new economic opportunities to many declining sections of downtown.

    Since effective revitalization strategies for inner city neighborhoods are rare, it is hard to realistically condemn the proliferation of BIDs despite the questionable philosophy on which their formation is based.

    Most importantly, BIDs have revived the debate about what we as citizens want our cities to look like in the future and who they should be serving.  By focusing the attention of policymakers, elected officials and the public on the tenuous ability of cities to provide public space and access to all members of society, BIDs have refocused attention on the importance of the values inherent in good urban form.


     
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