The Role Of Community Context In Business District Revitalization Strategies: Business Improvement Districts in Los Angeles

摘要

Business improvement districts (BIDs) have been lauded and criticized for their special services provisions that putatively create community economic development environments in urban areas. Few studies have examined how specific BID functions operate within the larger context of community environments. This study describes BIDs in Los Angeles and examines whether their priorities align with underlying community conditions and economic development concerns. Relying on multiple sources of data, we find that there appears to be notable diversity in the budgets and expenditures of BIDs, some of which align with observed community conditions. BID operational priorities are associated with the environments in which they are situated. There is little evidence that BID priorities are universally focused on a single set of interests. The political economy of these organizations within their community context is critical to understanding their operations, appeal, and controversy.