Special Improvement District (SID)
Downtown Cleveland Alliance represents Downtown Cleveland's
Special Improvement District (SID). Enabled by the State of Ohio in
1994, SIDs are mechanisms that permit stakeholders in an area to
provide funding for that area's development. Property owners pay
assessments on their property values which provide the resources
needed to create enhanced services for the district. SID-supported
services do not replace existing City services, but augment them in
ways that strengthen Downtown's economic viability through
incentives, programs and working with local government. SIDs are in
use throughout the country in over 1200 cities from Denver to
Philadelphia.
The property owners of Downtown Cleveland's Special Improvement
district contract with the non-profit Downtown Cleveland Alliance
in order to implement services for the district. In addition the
funds raised through assessments, DCA leverages additional support
from the corporate and philanthropic community to benefit
Downtown.
A Special Improvement District (SID) goes well above and beyond
the traditional services that the City of Cleveland provides from
its tax base. Think of it as a separate coalition of interested
parties - more than 250 property owners within the district - who
want to help downtown Cleveland reach its full potential. The
majority of the funds go towards the tremendously imactful
Ambassador Program, making Downtown a more friendly, clean and
desirable place for people to live, work, and visit. The rest of
the budget goes towards economic development and marketing
activities, including recruiting new businesses and residents. The
services enhance, rather than replace, existing city services
already covered by property taxes.
What are the boundaries
of the SID? As indicated by the above map, Downtown
Cleveland's Special Improvement District is smaller than what is
traditionally defined as "Downtown". The boundaries of the district
are the railroad tracks north of Lakeside Avenue (North), East 18th
(East), the Innerbelt (South) and Cuyahoga River and West 10th
(West). By law, services paid through assessments are only provided
within these districts.
What are the boundaries
of Downtown Cleveland? Are these different than the boundaries of
the Special Improvement District? Downtown is larger
than just the SID. Downtown Cleveland stretches from Lake Erie
(North), East 30th (East), Broadway Avenue and the Innerbelt Bridge
(South) and western edge of the Flats West Bank (West). Due to the
additional funds that DCA raises through corporate and
philanthropic support, DCA is involved in promoting this broader
definition of Downtown as well as the core of Downtown, which is
represented through the Special Improvement District. DCA works
closely with its neighborhood partners (Historic Gateway
Neighborhood, Historic Warehouse
District, PlayhouseSquare, Flats Oxbow and The Campus District) to
promote and provide services to all of Downtown.
Who pays for SID
services? Downtown property owners pay an assessment
to fund special efforts in their own business district. Assessments
are based on a formula comprised of a property's front footage and
certified value as provided by the Cuyahoga County Auditor's
Office.
Who manages the
program? The Downtown Cleveland Improvement
Corporation (DCIC), created when the SID first came into existence
in 2004, oversees the program. All property owners paying
assessments are part of this corporation. And because property and
business owners fund the services, they make the budgeting
decisions and assume accountability for the program. The DCIC
contracts DCA to use its professional staff and subcontractors to
implement its initiatives.
Where does the money
go? For the next SID term beginning in 2011, services
will include continuation and enhancement of public safety and
maintenance, mainly through the highly successful Clean and Safe
program. The SID will also provide improved business development
and marketing services for the district.