FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nadeau introduces bill to create Duke BID
WASHINGTON, D.C.—A new Business Improvement District will soon give the U Street Corridor and Shaw neighborhoods resources to coordinate and address needs ranging from parking, public safety, trash, and business vitality to arts and culture and nightlife.
The Council this week passed the Duke Business Improvement District Amendment Act of 2026, introduced by Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau, D-Ward 1, and co-introduced by Councilmember Brooke Pinto, D-Ward 2, to create the Duke BID, filling a need envisioned more than 20 years ago in the “Duke Plan.”
The creation of the BID follows decades of effort by business and community leaders. Last month the Council approved legislation from Nadeau to provide seed money to the BID, anticipating its establishment this month. The BID will also receive matching funds from a performance parking zone established by legislation introduced by Nadeau.
The BID, agreed to by more than half the property owners in the designated area, will strengthen U Street and Shaw as a cultural destination and implement strong place management resources.
“U street is not just a destination, it is a community rich in culture, arts and history,” said Nadeau “The formation of the Duke District BID will provide the structure and support to ensure the community thrives through a strong place management entity – an organization that can bring all those pieces together and be worthy of the cultural destination that U Street is.”
“The U Street/Shaw neighborhoods are home to hundreds of businesses and thousands of residents and offer thriving nightlife, dining, and culture,” Pinto said. “Bringing a BID to these areas will help improve quality of life, address public safety needs, assist with management of public spaces, and coordinate support for businesses.”
The legislation comes as the Council is considering separate legislation to create a slightly different kind of place management entity up the road in Columbia Heights. There, a Neighborhood Management Entity will share some functions of a BID, but have some additional potential responsibilities, such as managing cultural amenities, and will have broader representation, including from residents and nonprofits.
The legislation creating the Neighborhood Management Entity received a hearing in the Committee on Transportation and the Environment in September and could come to a full Council vote later this year.
“Both neighborhoods will greatly benefit from an organization that can coordinate services, and each will have one that meets their unique needs,” Nadeau said.
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View or download the Duke District BID Amendment Act of 2026.