Organized urban property owners in contexts throughout the globe are using state authority to create a new form of government to protect their interests. With the power to impose taxes and provide collective services, proponents claim that business improvement districts (BIDs) effectively clean and secure outdoor public spaces. In contrast, it is important to examine the proliferation of such publicly endowed and privately managed organizations and question the extent to which they contribute to the political, economic, social and spatial fragmentation of the urban realm.
To fully explore this topic, this course consists of three distinct parts. First, we will use policy network theory as a framework by which to assess the emergence, success and implications of BID organizations in different contexts. To begin, we will ask the following questions. Why and how do such organizations develop? What conditions best explain the emergence and success of the BID policies? Which policy network actors are particularly instrumental in the process of policy transfer? To formulate explanations, we will rely on case studies, detailing the experiences of three cities, Toronto, Philadelphia, and Cape Town. Additionally, we will observe how divergent histories and institutional arrangements of the contexts foster specific types of BID programs and hinder others.
At the start of the second part of the course, we will pause to examine the rationale underlying this popular approach to urban revitalization. This will include a brief review the sociological theories related to the implications of the urban environment. With a better sense of why BID organizations develop and the types of programs they support, we will critically evaluate their potential advantages and disadvantages. This portion of the course ends with a review of similar schemes in Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Part three provides an opportunity for students to consider the issues associated with the application of the BID concept. As Boston's central artery corridor project becomes a reality, a variety of leaders have publicly declared an interest in implementing a BID to fund and oversee the maintenance and operation of the proposed public spaces. Based on lessons learned in other cities, students will evaluate the Commonwealth's pending legislation and craft a report containing specific recommendations for consideration by the Artery Business Committee (ABC). You should know in advance that your recommendations will be posted on boston.com (http://www.boston.com/beyond_bigdig/), and have the ability to alter the outcome of this world renowned project. Finally, the course will conclude with a discussion on the future of BIDs as well as the emergence of their residential and industrial counterparts.
