Who Will Replace Green?

Stakeholders in Midtown are one step closer to establishing their own Business Improvement District (BID). The hotspot has continued to grow, and so has the appeal of creating a local BID to help fund the maintenance, improvement, and promotion of the area.

“After a year of work from a neighborhood-led steering committee, I'm honored to carry legislation forming the Midtown Business Improvement District (MBID),” Councilmember Jacob Kupin told us. “This entity will provide community-directed self-assessed funds to enhance beautification, safety, and so much more in this growing neighborhood.”

Much like the legislation that merged the Gulch’s Business Improvement District with downtown’s district earlier this year, Kupin ran into some questions regarding Metro oversight and concerns over the treatment of homeless people by BID-funded security enforcement officials during last Tuesday’s council meeting.

During discussion, Councilmember Sean Parker said he would have “a difficult time supporting” what he called “a carbon copy of the downtown Central Business Improvement District (CBID) legislation, sort of minus some of the oversight and accountability.”

Parker also revived a previously touted accusation that a “shadow police force”—funded by the CBID—forcefully displaced homeless people in Nashville. “At the same time, we've got a private police force aggressively policing unhoused neighbors,” said Parker when opposing both Kupin’s resolution and bill to establish the MBID.

In reply, Kupin explained that much of the BID origination is driven by state law, “so there are things that are going to be exactly the same because that's how we are prescribed to do it.”

Kupin’s legislation also requires accountability measures when security enforcement officers employed by the MBID interact with the unhoused. “There is a long section about an interaction report that would have to be submitted detailing trespassing, use of force, and any sort of interactions that are happening,” said Kupin.

Despite some pushback, the council approved the resolution to initiate the creation of the MBID and passed the bill to establish it on first reading. Kupin told us that he will defer the legislation’s second reading until December 4 to properly set up its public hearing in accordance with state law.

“I look forward to further engagement through the council process and encourage community members to reach out to me with questions and thoughts,” said Kupin. For a more details about what's included in the bill, check out Metro’s last Budget & Finance Committee meeting.