Do Business Improvement District Organizations Make a Difference?

The business improvement district (BID) is an international, yet controversial, model for urban revitalization. This article contributes to the BID debate by identifying the theories that underpin the model, developing a conceptual framework that examines the linkages between crime theories and BID services, and—through the use of spatial and statistical methods of analysis—measuring the impact of BID organizations on criminal activity in and around commercial areas. Results show that lower property crime rates differentiate commercial areas with BID organizations from those without BIDs and that the lower rates are not matched by higher crime in surrounding blocks.