Championing our City

Every day our members bring life to busy commercial and mixed-use areas that comprise 10 percent of DC’s land area. They collaborate to tackle pressing urban issues, including homelessness, nightlife management, mobility, safety, beautification, public art, and more. With a budget funded by property owners in each district, our members provide services and programs tailored to their neighborhoods that go beyond the municipal services the city provides.

Every day our Business Improvement Districts partner with neighbors, government agencies, and service providers to enhance vibrancy throughout twelve commercial and mixed-use areas that account for 10 percent of DC’s land area. BIDs assume a hands-on approach to tackle pressing urban issues, including homelessness, nightlife management, mobility, safety, beautification, public art, and more. Funded through a self-tax ratified and paid by the property owners, BIDs in DC. have augmented city services and provide programs tailored to their unique neighborhoods since 1997.

Programming & Activations

Our members organize hundreds of creative, free events each year to drive traffic to their unique neighborhood attractions, support businesses, and stimulate the creative economy. Festivals, films, markets, concerts, and pop-ups are all funded and organized by DC BIDs. Each year, DC BIDs organize hundreds of free events that are open to the public. These activations draw people to the city’s unique neighborhood attractions and, in turn, support businesses and stimulate the creative economy. Festivals, films, markets, concerts and ice skating are all examples of successful activations sponsored by BIDs.

Transportation & Mobility

How people get into and around the city is a key focus for our members. BIDs promote equitable mobility and access in order for residents, visitors and workers to safely and efficiently navigate the transportation network with numerous multi-modal options. These efforts support economic vitality.

Homeless Outreach

The DC BID Council is at the forefront of collaborative efforts to tackle chronic homelessness. Our members work collaboratively with DC government agencies and other social service providers to address the varied and complex needs of our unhoused citizens. In total, BIDs spend over $1,000,000 each year to help hundreds of unhoused DC residents find shelter, services, care, and permanent housing.

Parks & Public Realm

BIDs clean and maintain DC government-owned and National Park Service parks and public spaces 365 days of the year. Landscaping, twice-daily trash collection, and removal of snow and graffiti are all foundational elements of the BIDs’ role in ensuring DC’s public spaces are clean and beautiful. These efforts play a critical role in bringing stakeholders together to improve dynamic urban parks enjoyed daily by thousands of visitors and residents.

Cleaning & Managing Public Spaces

Daily management of public spaces encompasses cleaning, beautification, wayfinding, infrastructure maintenance, and green space improvements. From landscaped medians to graffiti removal and holiday decorations, BIDs in DC cumulatively invest over $2 million each year on these and other services that create inviting public spaces.

Community Building

More than 56,000 residents live within a BID and experience the benefits of a nonprofit focused solely on their neighborhood. Our members bring together business, community and government stakeholders to foster more livable neighborhoods. Annual community surveys, engagement, and outreach create a constant feedback loop to bring residents into the city building process.

Workforce Development

BID hospitality and clean teams play a foundational role within the districts they serve, creating a safe and well-maintained public environment. Many of these workers are returning citizens or formerly homeless individuals who have transformed their lives and built their livelihoods through BID workforce development programs, training, and other supportive services.

Public Art

Curating and installing public art enlivens DC neighborhoods and makes each neighborhood unique. Our place-focused nonprofits install dozens of murals and public art installations each year around the city, supporting local creatives.

Economic Development

DC BIDs represent dense, mixed-use neighborhoods that represent 159M of office space, 19,076 hotel rooms and 56,000 residents. These mixed-use areas generate 37% of the city’s gross local tax revenue while helping to attract visitors from around the world. To understand upcoming trends, potential challenges, and best practices in urban place management, BIDs conduct critical research and analysis on economic and urban planning issues.

Marketing & Small Business Support

Our organizations invest $2.5M annually on neighborhood promotions to ensure small and local business success. BIDs play a key role in business attraction and retention from corporate offices to retail storefronts.