Willow Glen Community Benefit Improvement District (CBID)

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October 2009

Community Benefit Improvement District Update

Dear CBID Property Owners:

As you know, in December 2008, Willow Glen property owners voted to approve a Community Benefit Improvement District (CBID) to replace the current Business Improvement District (BID), and on December 16, 2008, our CBID plan was authorized by the San Jose City Council for implementation. The Willow Glen Business Association (WGBA) will continue to serve as the district's manager and since January 2009 has been busy developing plans to roll out the services provided for in the CBID Management Plan.

Following are the items under development and/or completed:

  • A budget for services has been approved by the WGBA board of directors as part of its fiscal year which began on October 1, 2009. Highlights of the CBID services include: regular sidewalk power washing, daily sidewalk clean-up, on-going planter box landscape and maintenance, scheduled street tree trimming, holiday street lighting and decor, and website management and viral marketing.
  • A sub-committee has been reviewing proposals for work to be contracted and a selection will take place before year end for a January 2010 implementation.
  • CBID funds are projected to start coming through to WGBA by March 1, 2010 and cash flow analysis is underway to ensure services begin as we transition from BID timing to the new CBID timeline for funds distribution.
  • WGBA continues to negotiate with the City of San Jose to establish the baseline of services that will continue to be provided by the City of San Jose to ensure that the new services under the CBIID are an augmentation of maintenance and cleanliness for the district.
  • A new database is under development for the CBID membership to ensure proper communication with property and business owners.
  • WGBA has voted to ask that the City of San Jose terminate the BID assessments effective January 1, 2010 with the actual BID expiring on June 30, 2010. In other words, until December 31, 2009, BID billings will continue to be collected and enforced, however, as of January 1, 2010, the BID billings will cease and defer to the new CBID.

We have all no doubt experienced this historic economic downturn. It will not come as any surprise that the WGBA has not been able reach its revenue projections, mainly due to reduced event sponsorships and lower festival sales. In order to balance the budget for 2009-2010, the WGBA board has had to make some difficult decisions. Following are the key changes:

  • We have terminated our agreement for usage of the Bank of America parking lot, effective October 1, 2009. Since April 2004, this arrangement has provided public parking.
  • Until we are able to identify new funding or underwriting sources, our 2009-2010 budget does not allow us to fund the Founder's Day parade 2010, member socials, and some holiday activities during Nov/Dec 2009.
  • Marketing and advertising funding has also been reduced, however, we are looking at no-cost ways to promote the district, such as social networking, e-lists, blogging and proactive public relations.

The WGBA is committed to be strategic and as the economy improves, and as revenues increase, we will expand the list of programs and activities. The WGBA continues to be a critical engine to support the businesses. Staff and volunteers are hard at work creating a dynamic holiday program that will attract customers, and www.willowglen.org continues to attract new visitors and is proving to be a powerful tool for promotions.

For additional information, please visit www.willowglen.org and click on "CBID". If you have any questions, please contact Norma Ruiz, Executive Director, at norma@willowglen.org or (408)298-2100.

Thank you for your consistent support of the district and your patience as we unveil a new approach to making the WG Business District a more competitive, beautiful, and coordinated shopping, strolling and dining experience.

Sincerely,

Norma Ruiz Executive Director

Kevin Swanson
Board President

May 18, 2009

Willow Glen Community Benefit Improvement District Update

Dear Willow Glen Property and Business Owners:

As you know, this past December 16, 2008, the Willow Glen commercial property owners approved the Community Benefit Improvement District (CBID), an almost three year initiative led by the Willow Glen Business Association (WGBA). The CBID will replace our current Business Improvement District (BID) which has been in place since 1989. The CBID is a much improved assessment tool that allows us to take the good work of the BID to the next level of supporting our unique and historic business district.

Clearly, economic conditions are challenging to say the least, but as you know, real estate and business ownership is a long term endeavor. The CBID is a great way to grow property values, improve the neighborhood, build broad community appeal, and create a competitive environment to help avenue businesses face a fiercely competitive consumer market. In light of the current economic downturn, the WGBA voted this past Tuesday, May 12th to delay the billing of the CBID fees until December 2009. Essentially, this is a six (6) month delay. Following are key points related to this action:

  • The current BID assessments will continue being billed with the business license tax through December 31, 2009. BID assessments will be utilized to support BID programs.
  • The CBID assessments will arrive in October 2009 (due in December 2009) as a line item on the property tax bill. The CBID assessment will be evenly split between each of the two tax installments. If you would like to confirm your new assessment, please call Norma Ruiz at (408) 298-2100 or email her at norma@downtownwillowglen.org
  • The CBID Implementation Committee continues to develop the plan and budget for the CBID
  • Implementation is expected early 2010 when the first assessments are received by WGBA.

CBIDs have been implemented with great success across the state of California, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, and are now being employed nation-wide. The CBID is the newest tool to come along that will allow for a sustainable system to fund special benefits over and above what the City will continue providing. The City, as pledged by Mayor Reed and Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio, will not withdraw current services, and therefore, the CBID will allow us to do much more than the current BID allows.

The CBID Implementation Committee continues to meet regularly and is developing a roll-out plan that we will communicate to you in the near future. All property owners are invited to participate and you can inform Norma if you are interested. In the meantime, we strongly encourage business and property owners to dialogue about how the new assessments will be managed as each building and property owner's lease relationship and responsibilities are different. We have seen several examples of how these are working, so please let us know how we can help. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to Lincoln Avenue and the WG business district.

Respectfully,

Michael Mulcahy and Fred Oliver
CBID Implementation Committee Co-Chair Co-Chair

July 18, 2008

Willow Glen Community Benefit Improvement District Announced

Dear Willow Glen Community,

Over the past five years, the Willow Glen Business Association (WGBA) has been hard at work identifying the present and future challenges and opportunities we face as a neighborhood business district and at the same time looking for tools available to bolster our efforts to keep the district thriving. Our all volunteer board, comprised of business owners, property owners and community members, has been creative and thoughtful about solutions that will strengthen our business district and have a positive impact on our neighborhoods. We believe that creating a Community Benefit Improvement District (CBID) is critical to the ongoing success of downtown Willow Glen. The Willow Glen CBID will advance the business district and improve the quality of life for residents and customers on an ongoing basis by fostering a cleaner community, enhancing the quality and beauty, and reinforcing the viability of our economic base.

A CBID is a specific geographic area where property owners raise funds through private property assessments to pay for services that enhance, but do not replace, existing City services to the area. In our business district, these funds would be used to keep the sidewalks clean and debris free; provide landscaping including tree trimming and planting flowers; improve parking management; increase the number of trash receptacles and pickup; and enhance the overall image of the business district through events, promotions and branding.

Our planning process has been guided by our corporate purpose:

  • the maintenance and beautification of the appearance of downtown Willow Glen
  • the promotion of a positive identity for the Willow Glen business community through advertising, public relations, sponsorships, events and festivals
  • the improvement of business conditions by being a strong advocacy organization
  • the preservation of the historical and architectural character of downtown Willow Glen

Nationwide there are approximately 2,000 of these districts, 400 in California alone and dozens are in place or under consideration throughout the Bay Area. San Jose has one other such district, the Property Business Improvement District launched in Downtown San Jose in 2007. Creating a CBID in our neighborhood will ensure that Willow Glen continues to be an ideal place to live, work, shop, dine and visit..

We hope you will join us in our commitment to the Willow Glen community. For more information, please contact Executive Director, Norma Ruiz, at (408)298-2100 or visit this website for updated information.



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