Proposed SoHo Business Improvement District

A new article from The New York Times takes a closer look at the proposed business improvement district — a public-private partnership that collects assessments to pay for local improvements like better sanitation, marketing and beautification — in SoHo, and the debate surrounding it. The SoHo business improvement district (or SoHo BID) mission states that the proposal seeks to encourage members of the District to be "good neighbors", making "mixed-use" work for everyone, and seeks to foster a unique, vibrant, mixed-use district with enhanced maintenance and public safety, effective advocacy and administration, technical and professional services for its members, and strategic capital improvements. According to the Times, this plan to bring in a business improvement district — a public-private partnership that collects assessments to pay for local improvements like better sanitation, marketing and beautification — has not received a warm welcome in the neighborhood.

"In SoHo, there's always a concern that this neighborhood built by pioneers will be further eroded," said State Senator Daniel L. Squadron, a Democrat who represents the area and opposes the plan. "I can recall few issues where there has been as much vociferous opposition as the SoHo BID," added Brad Hoylman, the chairman of the local community board, which also opposes the plan.

Brian Steinwurtzel, a member of the district plan's steering committee, explained that his group had been reaching out to residents along Broadway and indicated that the plan has slowly but steadily won broad support. "This is about sweeping the sidewalks, cleaning the intersections and crosswalks, especially when it's snowing, and it's about taking the garbage and providing more garbage cans," said Steinwurtzel. "The people who are part of 'SoHo No BID,' I would love it if they would help participate in this."

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