A BID for Central Square

Central Square is the neighborhood where I work and spend most of my time, whether it’s in City Hall, meetings at WorkBar, or working my non-profit job at Food for Free. I love Central Square – its unique small businesses, restaurants, and location make it poised for the urban revitalization it so deserves.

At the Council meeting on January 29th, I introduced a Policy Order to ask the City Manager to explore establishing a Business Improvement District in Central Square. When businesses form a BID, they pay an extra fee which goes into a resource pool, allowing them to collaborate on projects like street maintenance and beautification, planning events and concerts, joint advertising, connecting people with social services, hiring tourism ambassadors, and decorating our streets for the holidays.

Massachusetts already has five BIDs in Amherst, Hyannis, Taunton, Springfield, and our closest neighbor, Downtown Boston. I am excited to be working with Michael Monestime, the Executive Director of the Central Square Business Association, to take on this project and establish Central Square as our City’s pre-eminent arts and culture district.