Newest Reno District is Committed to Keeping City Clean
Posted by Brooke Sullivan on Wednesday, March 14th, 2018 at 11:02am
The new Business Improvement District in downtown Reno will provide public safety, cleaning and marketing services.
Based on the assessed value of their property, owners in the district will be charged a fee to fund a private organization to provide these services. The new fee will replace two special property tax assessments already paid by most property owners in the proposed downtown district and will generate over $2 million for the private, non-profit organization to maintain the area.
The organization will be run by a private board of directors selected by a nomination committee. The nominating committee will be run by a group of downtown business activists. Ambassadors will be hired to greet tourists in the district and to provide public safety services on the streets. There will also be caseworkers employed to try to connect with any homeless individuals in the area.
The plan is being back by most of the major property owners in the downtown region. Those include Eldorado, Silver Legacy, Circus Circus and Harrah’s, along with Saint Mary’s Hospital and Jacobs Entertainment. The latter is planning a major redevelopment project in west downtown Reno.
"I've never seen so many businesses, even conservative businesses, so excited about taxing themselves," said Reno developer Par Tolles who has been involved in creating the downtown maintenance organization. "This is a unique situation where we are willing to dig into our own pockets."
The city and the aforementioned businesses have spent the past two years working tirelessly to create this district. They idea came after a study by Denver-based Progressive Urban Management Associates recommended the action. Other cities that are undergoing similar programs include Sacramento, Spokane and Boise.
Assistant Police Chief Jason Soto spoke positively of the district, pointing out that with these ambassadors and caseworkers in the area then his officers will have more free time to respond to serious crimes.
“It does free up resources,” he said. “This is a community-wide issue in terms of resources for people who need resources. This is a step in the right direction in terms of making our community safer.”
Mayor Hillary Schieve called the approval of the plan a historic moment and has stated that you won’t be able to recognize downtown in about three years. That’s how great these improvements will be.
The new Business Improvement District is expected to take effect on July 1, 2018.
Follow Luxury Reno Homes on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to stay up to date on all things real estate, as well as Montrêux events and what’s happening in the Reno-Tahoe area. For real estate inquiries, stop by the beautiful Montrêux Welcome Center at 16475 Bordeaux Dr. in Reno, NV or call us at 775.849.9444. The Welcome Center is open 7 days a week, from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Leave A Comment