June 4, 2024
Economic Development
DATE: June 4, 2024
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM: Nannette Beacham, Director of Economic Development Lizeht Zepeda, Senior Business Assistance Officer
Kyle Lam, Management Analyst
Antonio Banuelos, Accounting Manager
Subject: Collection of Assessments for Downtown Richmond Property and Business Improvement District (DRPBID)
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The City’s annual contribution to the DRPBID, for services provided to City parcels will be $39,308 and is included in the proposed FY 2024-25 General Fund Non-
Departmental Budget (01917090-400391). Additionally,
the City charges one percent (1%) for the processing of these levies, which will equal $2,812.28.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
July 19, 2022
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
Staff is requesting that the City Council adopt a resolution that allows the City to collect annual property
assessments from property owners subject to
assessment under the Downtown Richmond Property
and Business Improvement District (DRPBID) for fiscal
year 2024-2025. These assessments will be collected as
a levy on the property tax rolls.
AGENDA
REPORT
June 4, 2024
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution allowing the City of Richmond to
levy the property tax rolls of property owners subject to assessment under the Downtown Richmond Property
and Business Improvement District (DRPBID) on the
annual 2024-2025 property tax rolls – Economic
Development Department (Lizeht Zepeda 510-620-
6653/Antonio Banuelos 510-620-6741/Kyle Lam 510-
620-6802/Nannette Beacham 510-620-1306).
DISCUSSION:
The Richmond Main Street Initiative, Inc. serves as the administrator of the Downtown Richmond Property and Business Improvement District (DRPBID), overseeing property owners within it to provide enhanced services and safeguard new physical improvements in Downtown. The DRPBID offers supplementary cleaning, maintenance, security, marketing, promotions, and business attraction services throughout Downtown Richmond.
The Property and Business Improvement District Law of 1994, Streets and Highways Code §36600 et seq. authorizes cities and counties to renew property and business improvement districts upon petition by a weighted majority of property owners within the proposed district and affirmative ballot. The DRPBID, established in 2013, was renewed with the adoption of a Management District Plan until the end of 2029 by City Council on July 19, 2022.
The DRPBID is governed in accordance with a written Management District Plan, pursuant to Streets and Highways Code section 36622. The Plan sets guidelines for the district, including the assessment rate, service plan, collection provisions, and governance. The Plan has been certified by a registered professional engineer, and the original is on file with the City Clerk.
Property owners are assessed based on benefits received, with the assessment formula using gross lot square footage. Commercial parcel owners' current assessment is $0.15 per parcel square foot annually, while non-profit housing agency parcel owners pay $0.08, remaining unchanged for fiscal year 2024-2025.
Under “The Right to Vote on Taxes Act” (also known as Proposition 218), all public agencies are required to pay the same assessments for a public property that applies to a private property unless they can demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the public property does not receive a benefit. The Management District Plan provides that the City and other public entities should pay their “fair share” of all assessments.
Furthermore, there are currently open invoices for the fiscal year 2023-2024 amounting to $41,215.00, which will also be levied and collected through the 2024-2025 Contra Costa County property tax bills.
June 4, 2024
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution to Levy Taxes DRPBID
Attachment 2 – Management District Plan
Attachment 3 – 2024-2025 DRPBID Proposed Tax Levy
Attachment 4 – City of Richmond and Redevelopment Agency Assessed Properties Attachment 5 – DRPBID & Richmond Main Street Annual Stakeholder Meeting Presentation