Williamsburg is home to a vibrant community of small businesses, but some residents are hoping we can do more to support them.
Locals are teaming up to explore the formation of a Business Improvement District, or a BID for Williamsburg’s Northside, defined as Grand Street to North 15th/ McCarren Park, and the waterfront to Roebling Street).
A BID can help shore up issues that the city or North Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce can only go so far to address, such as sanitation, street safety, and marketing and events for local businesses. A BID is maintained by local stakeholders and funded through a tax assessment of property owners.
The group launched the survey in November 2023, the results of which will help determine the BID’s next steps. Whether you’re a resident of the area, or just someone who frequents it, you’re invited to take the survey.
Brooklyn Paper notes that the formation process can take years. The City’s Department of Small Business Services will analyze the results and hammer out the specific details:
“Once all of that is done, the Steering Committee will have to gather notices of support from the community, host public meetings, and create a draft district plan — then present that plan to SBS, the local community board, the city’s City Planning Commission, and the City Council. If and when the plan is passed by the council and signed into law by the mayor, the BID can officially get started.”
Northside BID is a revenue stream for North Brooklyn Parks Alliance and North Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce (affiliated with giant Two Trees Development). We do not need an increase in rents for residents and small business (Commercial Spaces) in our community. North Brooklyn Parks Alliance and their North Brooklyn Open Streets Community Coalition just signed a letter to DOT saying they aren’t getting enough money from Open Streets at the same time they are pushing for a BID. NO BID in NORTH BROOKLYN!