BID Formations & Expansions

cover of Comprehensive Guide to BID Formation and Expansion

The Comprehensive Guide to BID Formation and Expansion explains the multi-year process to form a new BID or expand an existing BID. The guide provides detailed instructions and advice for local stakeholders to progress through the planning, outreach, legislation, and start-up phases of BID formation. Forming a BID can take a long time and involves the hard work of property owners, businesses, and other local stakeholders.

After reviewing this guide, groups interested in creating a BID should contact us for more information before beginning the process outlined below.


Phase 1: Planning

After contacting us, the first step to form or expand a BID is to create a steering committee of property and business owners, residents and community stakeholders. The steering committee meets to assess the needs of the neighborhood and to draft a plan for the BID based on feedback from the community. The plan must include BID boundaries, programs and services, yearly budget, and how properties will be charged.

Phase 2: Outreach

With a draft plan in place, the steering committee begins to inform the public and build community support for the BID or BID expansion. The Committee holds public meetings, sends mailings, and collects letters of support from property owners and tenants.

Phase 3: Legislative Approval

After our agency has approved the completion of the first two phases, the formal legal process begins. This process includes review, public hearings, recommendations and votes by the local Community Board(s), Borough Board, City Planning Commission, City Council, Mayor, and State Comptroller.

To help steering committees in the creation or expansion of a BID, we offer many resources, including templates and sample documents. If you are interested in starting a BID, please submit a BID information inquiry form.

Ongoing Efforts

We are currently working with active steering committees in the following neighborhoods to create a new BID or expand an existing district. Click a borough, or press the enter key on a borough, to reveal its answer.

Bronx

No currently active efforts

Brooklyn

Manhattan

Queens

Staten Island


Contact us for more information.