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Union Square BID leads the way

8 new Community Benefit Districts (CBDs) now in process

per leadership provided by downtown San Francisco group

21 March 2006 - San Francisco, CA: Like urban flowers after a spring rain, the City's new spate of Community Benefit Districts (CBDs) are beginning to transform how neighborhoods and communities are taking responsibility for cleanliness and quality of life issues that sometimes have overwhelmed traditional City services.

“It's so gratifying when a concept like the BID really takes hold,” said Leigh Ann Baughman, Union Square BID Executive Director. “Well, this concept has not only taken hold, but now a whole new group of BIDs/CBDs have been established and are just beginning to deliver their services.”

In 1994, California joined most states in the country and passed enabling legislation for property based business improvement districts (PBIDS). The Union Square BID was established in 1999. There are currently over 1,000 BIDS in the United States and Canada. Community Benefit District (CBD) enabling legislation approved last year paved the way for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to unanimously approve and implementation of four CBDs and one BID began in January of this year.

“Union Square is in the middle of an incredible and positive growth spurt,” said Baughman, noting that a recent San Francisco Business Times article cited the Square as the City's # 2 tourist destination, right after # 1 Fisherman's Wharf. “With Westfield's new Centre anchored by Bloomingdale's coming on line, plans for a re-designed Hallidie Plaza underway and several new hotels such at The Fusion and upscale boutiques set to open, the time has never been better for the BID community. We're thrilled that our example has helped pave the way for a new community of CBDs.”

The Union Square Business Improvement District (BID) is a 10-block area where property owners assess themselves to make their community cleaner, safer and more vibrant. The BID assessment is used to purchase services that supplement those provided by the City. The Union Square BID contains 95 properties and is roughly bounded by Sutter Street to the North, Stockton and Grant Streets to the East, Market Street to the South and Cyril Magnin to the West. Similarly, Community Benefit Districts (CBDs) have been set up in four San Francisco neighborhoods: Castro, Noe Valley, Fisherman’s Wharf, North of Market and one BID in the Mission. Other neighborhoods such as Mid-Market, Maiden Lane, Yerba Buena, Haight Ashbury, Western Addition, Greater Nob Hill and Fillmore are all exploring the CBD trend. Like the Union Square BID, the new CBDs undertake sidewalk cleaning, beautification projects, and assist in helping identify individuals who might be in need of social services.

“Residents and visitors already see a difference in the Castro and Noe Valley being cleaner and more inviting,” said Bevan Dufty, District 8 Supervisor. “I am proud to have led this expansion effort and other neighborhood commercial districts are understandably clamoring to create CBD's.”

About the Union Square BID's programs:

A unique program of the Union Square BID are the BID“Ambassadors” -- a visible presence for safety and maintenance in the BID’s ten-square-block borders. Easily identifiable by their red and blue uniforms, the Ambassadors provide visitors and tourists with a variety of services including directions, transportation information, emergency response, and even help elderly shoppers with their bags as they cross San Francisco’s busy streets. Also part of the Union Square BID’s success are the “TAGGers.” “TAGGers” (an acronym for Take Away Graffiti and Grime ) are the primary caretakers for Union Square and the whole BID district. Every morning they sweep the sidewalks, pick-up and dispose of trash and debris, and remove graffiti from storefronts, buildings, area light poles and street furniture. Sidewalks are steam cleaned twice a month.

Another important program of the BID is the “Code Adam” Program to help find lost children.

“Our ambassadors and sweepers are always on hand for big public events like the Lunar New Year Parade and the annual Macy’s Holiday Tree Lighting to help tourists with directions and make sure that any lost young ones are quickly and safely re-united with their loved ones,” said Baughman. “During big events, with so much hustle and bustle, we want to make sure that visitors to the area keep especially tight watch over their personal belongings, purchases, and their young children who might become separated in large crowds. Our 'Code Adam' program -- which operates all year long -- is an intense, immediate and highly successful program to match lost children with their parents. If a BID Ambassador spots a child that is alone, the child is approached to get a description of their guardian or parent. While police and other Ambassadors are alerted about the situation, the Ambassador stays with the child until their guardians are located. It also works in reverse as sometimes Ambassadors are approached by parents who have become separated from their little ones.”

For more information on the Union Square Business Improvement District, access their website at www.unionsquarebid.com, or call (415) 421-3135.