Claudia Jolin serves as the first executive director since the organization’s establishment, stepping into the position in April 2024. Jolin oversees all aspects of operating, activating and securing the public realm of Baltimore Peninsula, leading the Business Improvement District’s efforts to ensure the neighborhood remains a clean, safe place to live, work and visit.
She manages the organization’s resources and annual budget while maintaining a disciplined, focused approach centered on foundational priorities complemented by high-quality events and programming that aims to establish the area as a vibrant, mixed-income residential neighborhood and thriving business district.
What is the biggest challenge facing your industry today?
The central challenge facing business improvement districts today is that their original operating model no longer aligns with how cities function in a post-2020 environment. Economically, BIDs are under structural strain: They rely heavily on property assessments and sponsorships, both of which are becoming less stable due to commercial vacancies, reduced office demand and tightened corporate spending, while at the same time being expected to deliver more services as costs for safety, sanitation and programming rise. This pressure is compounded by a fundamental shift in their role. BIDs are no longer simply supporting existing patterns of commerce driven by office workers; instead, they are now responsible for actively creating demand by producing compelling “third spaces” and experiences that draw people in. Foot traffic is no longer guaranteed, which means programming, cultural activation and placemaking have become the core product rather than a supplemental feature.
At the same time, the concept of neighborhood identity has become far less stable and more contested. BIDs must now balance the needs of residents, visitors, remote workers, small businesses and large property owners, all of whom may have conflicting priorities. The question of “who the district is for” is no longer straightforward, and success can paradoxically erode identity by driving up costs and displacing the very businesses and communities that made the area distinctive.
Layered onto this is a growing mismatch between responsibility and authority. BIDs are increasingly expected to address complex issues like public safety, homelessness and public realm management, yet they lack direct control over policy, enforcement or broader city systems, placing them in a position where they are accountable for outcomes they cannot fully dictate.
Finally, they face a more fragmented competitive landscape: Instead of competing solely with other centralized districts, they are now competing with decentralized neighborhood corridors and the growing tendency for people to stay closer to home. Taken together, these dynamics point to a single underlying issue: BIDs are being pushed to evolve from service providers into full-scale place-makers, but their funding structures, governance models and stakeholder expectations have not yet caught up to that reality.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Give yourself the grace to change your mind and be open to new paths. Early on, I was very focused on a specific career trajectory, and it took time to realize that the most meaningful opportunities aren’t always the ones you plan for.
Being willing to step back, reassess and pivot when something feels more aligned has made a significant difference in my career. It’s not always easy to let go of something you’ve been working toward, but staying flexible and open-minded allows you to find work that is both impactful and fulfilling.
How do you define success?
I define success in terms of what persists without constant financial input. If people continue to show up, form relationships and take ownership of a place because it adds value to their lives, not because they are being incentivized, then the system is working. In that frame, success is measured by durability of connection, density of relationships and the extent to which a neighborhood can sustain identity and activity independent of continuous spending or top-down activation. Revenue, growth and foot traffic still matter, but they function as constraints or indicators, not the objective. The objective is whether the place produces ongoing social cohesion and relevance and whether people choose it, return to it and invest in it with their time and presence.
