Merchant Hub

Annual RBID Assessments

The RDA was formed to support the district where we all spend much of our time and earn our income. While this is a fee — it is not a tax — it is mandatory. You pay your RDA (RBID) fee to the City of Oakland annually at the same time — and on the same form / portal — as your annual Business Taxes. The amount of the fee is based on your business type and annual gross revenue. You can view the Assessment fee chart here. Note: Assessment fees have not increased since their inception in 2000.

The RDA is a Rockridge Business Improvement District (RBID) which is supported by and reports to the City of Oakland. The City of Oakland sends your annual Business Tax / License Renewal — and in the same mailer or same email — you are required to also pay your annual RBID Assessment fee.

Although we understand the burden of paying obligatory fees like Business Licenses and the RBID fee, we feel strongly that the services rendered by the RDA benefit all, and thus, should be shared by all professionals, businesses, and merchants in our district, according to their business type and gross revenue of a business.

Out of fairness to all the businesses that do pay in a timely fashion, the City of Oakland will assess penalties and fees for delinquent payments which will grow over time as Assessments remain unpaid.

All income from fees is returned to the District, except for a small fee the City charges to collect and financially administer the funds. With these Assessment funds, the RDA provides essential services such as sidewalk cleaning, graffiti removal, and landscape maintenance services. The RDA employs an Operations Manager, Chris Jackson, ensuring that our district is clean, safe, and attractive, actively working with multiple City agencies to help address issues that arise in the District. Through the volunteer board, and with the support of our Operations Manager and our Marketing & Events Manager, Jody Colley, we also provide both digital and print marketing, lighting, signage, programming, and outreach for the district and bring entertainment to the avenue such as Rock-N-Stroll and the Halloween Parade, which helps to build our district’s reputation, provides increased foot traffic, creates economic drivers for our small businesses, and ensures public safety.

As RDA businesses in good standing, we share in and benefit from our combined efforts to improve and promote our District. One of the reasons we are all located here in the Rockridge district is that people enjoy coming to our well cared for shops, tasty restaurants, and well-regarded businesses that are walkable, and bike, bus, BART, and freeway accessible. When we financially support the RDA, we are supporting the thriving community and environment in which we have our businesses, which provide us and our employees with meaningful livelihoods. Together we have the financial strength to build and keep our District safe and profitable for all.

If you have any questions about your Assessments — or if this fee applies to you — contact Jody Colley at info@rockrdigedistrict.com.