SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane City Council is considering a program that would offer incentives for downtown businesses that invest in security improvements.
The Business Improvement District’s (BID) Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design BID Assessment Rebate Program would give rebates for money spent on security camera systems and other security improvements to downtown properties, according to city documents.
City of Spokane spokesperson Marlene Feist said this is a proposed program of the Downtown Spokane Partnership, which manages a taxing district known as the BID.
Businesses and property owners in the downtown area pay BID fees that are used to fund security and clean-up services, Feist said.
The City Council must approve the fee plan for the taxing district since it changes the fee structure, according to Feist.
City Councilman Breann Beggs and Councilwoman Lori Kinnear are sponsoring the proposal.
The proposal comes as DSP is exploring ways to improve safety in the downtown core, according to city documents.
According to city documents, property owners who apply for the rebate program must be BID ratepayers in good standing. Applications must also submit receipts for work and allow a police officer or appointed staff or committee member to survey the work.
Rebates will be a dollar-for-dollar match up to a maximum of $2,500 per property, according to city documents. They will be offered in the form of a discount in the BID property owners following year’s assessment as approved by City Council.
If the city council approves the plan, $26,000 will be allocated to support properties’ security improvements.
If more eligible projects request rebates by September 1, 2019 than the initial $26,000, then the Committee will approve proportional rebates such that each approved applicant will receive a proportional share of their request from the limited funds, according to city documents.
