The Village Alliance Business Improvement District www.villagealliance.org added some blocks to its Greenwich Village district when Mayor Bloomberg signed a bill for the expansion Thursday at City Hall. BIDs help small businesses in neighborhoods. They're the groups that make places like Bryant Park and Union Square so wonderful. They provide things like garbage pickup, security, and marketing in their neighborhoods. On the Lower East Side, the BID brought in the Orchard Street farmer's market. www.lowereastsideny.com. Funding comes from property owners, and at least half of local businesses have to participate. The City's Department of Small Business Services oversees the program.

The Village BID, which already covers the area around Washington Square Park, will add the area between Ninth St. and the south side of 13th St. on Sixth Ave., University Pl. and Broadway.