City seeks feedback on Community Improvement Districts

CID survey available through Aug. 28

The City of Kansas City, Missouri, is looking at ways to improve policy related to Community Improvement Districts and wants to hear from you.

“Community Improvement District (CIDs) are designed to help improve the community by bettering conditions for existing businesses and attracting new growth,” said Beth Breitenstein, public information officer for City Planning and Development.

“Community safety, beautification, business retention, economic growth, and capital improvements are all ways that CIDs can help improve communities,” she explained. “Such improvements are funded by imposing a sales tax and or a special assessment within the district.”

The Downtown and River Market CIDs have helped transform Downtown KC with a simple but ambitious mantra: clean, safe, and attractive. Each of the nonprofit CID’s thrives under the umbrella of the Downtown Council.

In light of a recent influx of applications for single property CIDs in KCMO, the city is asking for your input on policy related to transparency, reporting requirements and more.

Currently, the City has generally two types of CIDs that serve different purposes:

(1) a larger multi-property district that provides various services to the businesses and residents in the district, such as additional security, marketing, maintenance, trash pickup and landscaping, etc.

(2) smaller, sometimes single property CIDs with a primary purpose to provide an economic development source to enhance and redevelop property.

The current state statute allows for overlapping CIDs to exist at the discretion of City Council approval and established CIDs must submit an annual budget as part of their reporting requirements.

You have until Friday, Aug. 28, to complete the survey and weigh in on the future of CIDs in KCMO. Your feedback will be part of the recommendations that go to the City Council for a final decision about potential changes in CID policies.