“ WE STARTED OFF WITH A VISION THAT HAS WORKED. THIS IS WHAT WE HAD HOPED FOR IN THE WAY OF AN ECONOMIC VOICE.”
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE SACRAMENTO RIVER DISTRICT over the extra money, says Gary Hursh, secretary treasurer of the Carmichael Improvement District, which was created in 2016. It took four months for him to get the necessary signatures for approval( at least 50 percent of property owners), the first step in a two-step formation process.
“ Many of the property owners said,‘ I’ m already paying property taxes, the city should be paying for services you’ re providing,’” Hursh says.“ That’ s a valid argument, but the government doesn’ t have the money or means to accomplish this.”
Ultimately, nearly 70 percent of property owners— fed up with the homelessness, crime, graffiti and trash— voted“ yes” for the Carmichael Improvement District. In the past year, Hursh says the homeless issue has improved. With a contribution, he says, the district supported what’ s called a“ winter sanctuary,” where 80 people in need of shelter could spend nights in local churches. Monthly security meetings allow law enforcement to share information about hotspots that need to be addressed.
Rebekah Evans, who came aboard this year to head the 80 Watt District, watched older videos of the neighborhood before the PBID existed. It wasn’ t exactly a pretty picture, with drugs and prostitution and various disturbances. But since
Cyclist sitting along Two Rivers Bike Trail at Township 9 Park in the Sacramento River District.
“ WE STARTED OFF WITH A VISION THAT HAS WORKED. THIS IS WHAT WE HAD HOPED FOR IN THE WAY OF AN ECONOMIC VOICE.”
- Michael Ault, executive director, Downtown Sacramento Partnership
the PBID was established in 2015, the district has seen a drop of about 35 percent in crime-related calls in the district, which Evans attributes to the PBID hiring private security and its partnership with the Sacramento County Sheriff’ s Department, California Highway Patrol and other specialized teams.
With security and maintenance progressing, Evans now wants to focus on beautification projects, including bringing in flowers, new trash cans, banners, lights on poles and a monument sign with new branding. A long-term goal for Evans is to build a community garden in honor of the area’ s first responders.
In a four-mile stretch of south Sacramento, Franklin Boulevard Business District doesn’ t have much greenery to speak of.“ We are 10 miles outside of downtown,” says the district’ s executive director Nathan Ulsh.“ Infrastructure lags in this mid-century corridor. We don’ t have a park, don’ t have a plaza, don’ t have a bank. We have one city tree.”
The district does, however, have a plan to grow its reputation. It serves 600 businesses and 160 property owners. In addition to its clean and safe initiatives and a push for housing, Ulsh has started public events that highlight the district’ s large Latino population.
In partnership with Sacramento Regional Transit District, the district launched an on-demand microtransit route this summer for better connections since no bus lines were running from 21st to 47th streets.
“ That’ s where our markets and services are,” Ulsh says.“ But for people that walk from the bus stop to any given location it’ s brutal. When the sun’ s beating down or it rains, to walk a half a mile feels like a mile.”
In the city’ s industrial core, Power Inn Alliance is the largest PBID geographically, overseeing some 1,300 acres. The district has about 29,000 jobs attributed to the area, says Tracey Schaal, the district’ s executive director. In January, the district launched its inaugural partnership with the Sacramento State Art Department to promote“ art in public places,” a project that, like PBIDs themselves, recognizes collaboration as the key to improvement.
“ While each district has its own niche,” Schaal says,“ we recognize that collectively our voice is stronger.” •
Russell Nichols is a freelance writer who focuses on technology, culture and mental health. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Governing Magazine and Government Technology. On Twitter @ russellnichols.
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