Downtown Improvement District
Creating a safer, cleaner downtown for everyone.
In 2024 commercial and residential property owners worked together to create a new DID that covers all of downtown and expands the scope and services of the original district.
A collaborative effort to increase safety, vibrancy and cleanliness.
Property owners in downtown Saint Paul have come together to form a downtown improvement district (DID) to bring additional services that will increase safety, cleanliness and vibrancy across downtown. DIDs have proven to dramatically improve public safety outcomes and perception, enhance the upkeep and maintenance of public spaces, and attract new businesses while retaining existing ones.
The Saint Paul DID
The district encompasses Saint Paul's most prominent artistic, cultural and entertianment venues, along with theatres, restaurants and other attractions that have unique needs. It is also home to corporate headquarters for several large businesses including Ecolab, Securian Financial, Travelers, and others.
Funds from participating commercial property owners, as well as voluntary contributions from the City, County, and other tax-exempt property owners will provide enhanced services.
History
When it was formed in 2018, the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance was tasked with researching and exploring the viability of a downtown improvement district in Saint Paul, based on the results of a year-long, community-based visioning process spearheaded by the Saint Paul Riverfront Corporation. During that time, the Alliance studied and met with other DIDs, and tested the feasibility of one in Saint Paul with its pilot program, Streets of Summer.
In the fall of 2019, the Alliance board voted to move forward with the formation of a district for Saint Paul and acted as a convener of interested property owners to determine the district’s services, programs and boundaries and develop a framework. The Saint Paul Downtown Alliance acts as an umbrella organization for the Saint Paul Downtown Improvement District and contract with the district to manage and implement the operations of the SPDID.
Since its launch in 2021, Saint Paul Downtown Improvement District has already proven itself effective and invaluable – police data shows police calls for quality of life crimes and concerns fell by 40% within SPDID boundaries, while they increased significantly in other parts of downtown.
In 2024 existing DID commercial property owner members worked together with residential property owners and others owners whose properties reside outside existing DID boundaries to explore options for expanding the district to cover all downtown and include both commercia and residential properties. Residential property owners pay 40% less than commercial properties according to the formula based on building and property size. The average annual cost for a condo owner is roughly $65 per year. Following an extensive community outreach campaign and City Council approval process the success of this effort was announced on September 11, 2024. On Jan. 1, 2025, the new district began providing its flagship safe and clean services executed by SPDID staff and street team ambassadors, along with new and enhanced services focused on public safety.
Additional seats will be added to the governing board to reflect the increased size and scope of the universe of rate-paying members, including residents.
There are thousands of downtown improvement districts across the country because they are a proven method of increasing safety, cleanliness and vitality in communities large and small. According to the International Downtown Association:
- On average, streets maintained by DIDs were found to be cleaner than similar commercial streets located in the same city.
DIDs have declining crime rates. In Philadelphia, crime decreased by 40% in their district. - DIDs maintain lower commercial vacancy rates. In Red Bank, New Jersey, the occupancy rate increased from 65% to 97%.
FAQ
No. The programs and projects of the DID are operated completely independently from the City and controlled by the rate payers themselves.
No. The DID is an entirely private undertaking. Minnesota law requires that the City Council ensure that the DID’s private Board of Directors has been legally constituted and that the City of Saint Paul and Ramsey County properly function as fiscal agents for levying assessments, collecting them as part of property tax payments, and disbursing proceeds to the DID.
The boundaries of the DID were determined by property owners and their tenants and intended to capture the core commercial and visitor district of downtown.