Las Vegas Arts District neighborhood group opposes proposed business improvement district over affordability concerns

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026 | 2 a.m. The 18b Las Vegas Arts District Neighborhood Association has voted to oppose the proposed Las Vegas Arts District Business Improvement District, saying the plan threatens affordability for those who live and work in the area. In a Facebook post the group’s board wrote, “We enactment cleaner streets, safer spaces and stronger businesses. But this program falls abbreviated connected the artists, tiny businesses and residents who built this district. The aboriginal of the Arts District is being decided now. Improvement and preservation should hap together.” Association President Josh Kellman, who also serves as founder and CEO of the strategic consulting firm Voicebox, Vice President Brian “Paco” Álvarez, founder of Psionic Art Works and Very Very Vegas Tours, Shelly Herrera‑White, owner of Neon Desert Vintage, and Tony Chavez, co‑founder of Wolfkey Native Plant Nursery, make up the board that issued the statement. A business improvement district, or BID, is a designated zone where property owners pay assessments to fund services beyond those normally provided by the city. A separate coalition of Arts District property owners and community stakeholders launched a petition last month to create the district, which would privately finance additional safety, cleanliness and marketing efforts in the downtown neighborhood. The proposed boundary runs from East Bonneville Avenue on the north to West Wyoming Avenue on the south, with the eastern edge following parcels along Las Vegas Boulevard and the western edge abutting the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. The plan’s priorities include safety upgrades such as ambassadors, improved lighting and cameras, and coordination with law‑enforcement agencies. It also calls for enhanced maintenance—trash and bulk‑item removal, power washing, graffiti abatement, weed control and upkeep of public spaces. Public‑realm improvements would feature wayfinding and gateway signage, landscaping, pedestrian amenities and public art. The proposal further emphasizes business support and economic development, with marketing intended to forge a cohesive Arts District identity and increase foot traffic and spending. Sam Cherry of shareDowntown announced the petition in a press release, stating, “The Arts District has reached a constituent wherever the radical who person invested successfully this vicinity request a sustainable mode to put unneurotic in its future. A BID gives america the quality to excavation resources, found priorities unneurotic and beryllium accountable for delivering results — from cleaner and safer streets to stronger businesses, amended nationalist spaces and much reasons for radical to walk clip successful the Arts District.” According to the proposal’s budget, roughly $1.9 cardinal could be invested in the zone during its first year. The BID’s board would set annual priorities and services based on stakeholder feedback and area needs, and would track performance on safety, cleanliness, marketing reach, foot traffic and spending. The release announcing the petition noted that the district would be a stakeholder‑driven initiative rather than a city‑run program. It would be governed by a nonprofit organization and a board representing property owners, businesses and other stakeholders, with an initial ten‑year term. The city would take part in the statutorily required ceremonial support process and act as a partner to the district, but would not manage its day‑to‑day operations. The BID would be obliged to submit an annual budget, action plan, financial statements and a report of accomplishments to the City Council. The neighborhood association warned that the BID could accelerate gentrification and displace the residents and businesses that currently define the Arts District’s character. It pointed out that assessments may be passed on to tenants through leases and that the proposal “has nary affordability or anti‑displacement protections” to shield residents and owners from being priced out. The group added that rising property values driven by increased commercial activity could push up rents and housing costs, potentially forcing out small‑business owners, artists, renters and low‑income residents. Vacated properties, it said, could then be sold or leased for far more than before, limiting access to wealthier businesses, large developers and high‑income households. The association also raised concerns about the makeup of the BID’s leadership. It noted that the nonprofit overseeing the district would be led by nine directors, six of whom are property owners or developers, with no seats reserved for artists, residents or nonprofit representatives. If the petition gathers the required number of signatures, the matter will go to the Las Vegas City Council for review and a public hearing. The BID can be created only by city ordinance. Should property owners representing one‑third of the appraisal ground entity submit written opposition, the proposal cannot proceed, according to the association’s board. Read the full story at Las Vegas Sun →