The proposed Northside BID has reached the outreach phase. This is when they gather support from businesses, property owners, and tenants within the area of the BID.
The Northside BID will cover from Grand Street to North 15th Street and Bedford Avenue to the East River. Its purpose is to improve quality of life by expanding services like sidewalk sweeping, street cleaning, public safety, and business initiatives. In addition, this BID will have a special focus on the improvement and maintenance of parks and open spaces, including the future 27-acre Bushwick Inlet Park.
If the BID receives enough support, the next phase is legislative approval. This phase includes review, public hearings, recommendations, and votes by the local community board(s), borough board, NYC Planning Commission, NYC Council, the NYC mayor, and the NYS comptroller.
It’s necessary to get community approval within the BID’s area as the community will pay for the BID. There is an assessment calculator on the Northside BID’s website: https://www.improvenorthsidebk.org/assessment-calculator#calculator to give you an idea of what the cost will be.
As an example I picked a mixed-use building (commercial and residential) with a Market Assessed Value of $1,649,700 and 2400 commercial square footage. The initial yearly assessment was calculated at $2984 and the maximum yearly assessment of $4201. The maximum yearly assessment is an estimate of the most that can be charged under the founding laws of the BID. The BID cannot increase its maximum budget without undertaking an extensive legislative process including stakeholder feedback, board approval, and a NYC Council vote.
As property owners of market rate buildings may raise the rent to supplement the cost of the BID, tenants also have a say in supporting the BID.
NYC Council Member Lincoln Restler’s January 20, 2026 newsletter stated, “The Northside proposal is for commercial property owners and local businesses to contribute over 70% of the budget, but residents and businesses alike will see a marked improvement in our quality of life if we can get this done. We have expansive outreach efforts to residents and business owners planned for this spring about the BID and look forward to working together to improve the neighborhood for all.”
The Greenline 