Before Our Organization
Security:
Before the implementation of our BID, there were two to three street crimes a day within our boundaries; there were pick pocket teams regularly operating among the crowds; and there were three-card-monte games being conducted on our sidewalks.
Sanitation:
Before our Clean Team began their daily rounds, our streets and curbs were a mess. By 11 AM each morning, every trash receptacle in the District was overflowing with no relief in sight until after most of our stores and businesses had closed. Sometime after that, the Sanitation Department’s truck would come down the Avenue and empty NYC wire mesh baskets.
Today
Security:
Today, we experience only one street crime a week (over a 90% drop compared to pre-BID numbers); pick pocket crimes are rare; and encounters with three-card-monte games has dropped from 113 instances in our first few months of operation to 2 or 3 per year!
Sanitation:
Today, seven days a week, our Clean Team is on the job from dawn to dusk. They sweep, they empty trash receptacles, they put the trash in plastic bags and haul away any excess bags to a City transfer station.
In addition, we have been effective in controlling illegal activities such as "Going Out of Business" scams. BEFORE, there were half a dozen of these operating during the year-end holiday season. Unsuspecting customers would believe they were getting bargains at "up to 70%" off. When the sales season was over, the retailer would simply remove the sign and continue to operate; months later the "Going Out of Business" sign would go up again and the cycle would start over. These activities existed for many years before we documented these deceptive practices and pursued enforcement with the Department of Consumer Affairs. TODAY, those offending businesses are truly - "Out of Business."
