Community Improvement Districts in Metropolitan Atlanta

In this chapter, the authors discuss the results of our empirical study of the community improvement districts (CID) in Georgia. They focus on the unique aspects of Georgia’s CIDs as well as their commonalities with their counterparts in other states. The authors summarize the history of CIDs in the state, discuss their legal foundations and actual operations, and conclude with the theoretical implications. The stories of the suburban and urban CIDs are intertwined and unfolded in response to economic growth and demographic shifts in the greater metropolitan area. The CIDs in the city of Atlanta are concerned more about the perceptions of their areas not only among the residents and businesses in their districts, but also among tourists, business visitors, and suburbanites whom they try to attract to the districts for entertainment. The governing boards of CIDs have seven or nine members, depending on the representation required by the local government.