Downtown Improvement District ambassadors tallied 892,275 actions that improved cleanliness, public safety and other downtown experiences in 2025
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Feb. 11, 2026 – Following the 50-block expansion of the Saint Paul Downtown Improvement District (SPDID) in 2025, the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance announced 892,275 actions were taken between Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2025, to provide a safer, cleaner downtown for everyone. These on-the-ground analytics were tracked monthly by the SPDID and include actions such as trash and waste pickup, hospitality and wayfinding assistance, graffiti removal, and requesting EMS and welfare support. The ambassadors have also enhanced safety in downtown by providing a proactive presence, such as addressing anti-social behavior, encouraging compliance with safety standards, and serving as a frontline resource before police or Metro Transit police involvement is necessary.
“It’s no secret there has been a shift in the way people live, work and play in downtown Saint Paul following the pandemic,” said Joe Spencer, president of the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance. “We saw great success in positively impacting downtown experiences over the past year due to the expansion of our Downtown Improvement District including its programming and partnerships with property owners, residents and Metro Transit. I’m grateful to the many staff, ambassadors and officers who work together daily to give residents, workers and visitors a cleaner and safer downtown.”
Starting Jan. 1, 2025, SPDID expanded service from 40 blocks to 90 blocks total after businesses and residents successfully petitioned to expand the Downtown Improvement District (DID) to serve all of downtown. This work included adding safety ambassadors from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily at the three Metro Transit light rail platforms in the DID.
As a front-line safety network, ambassadors will often manage reports of antisocial behaviors and quality of life disturbances before law enforcement arrives. Throughout the year, ambassadors saw a compliance rate of 66% over 10,104 total engagements. That kept downtown police officers on patrol and available for other crime prevention work over 6,521 instances throughout the year.
“The stats from the past year speak for themselves, but the work is far from done,” said John Bandemer, director of safety strategies for the SPDID. “We look forward to our continued partnership with residents and property owners to ensure we are doing everything we can to provide ongoing clean and safe programming to downtown Saint Paul.”
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About the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance
The Saint Paul Downtown Alliance is a nonprofit organization that represents downtown businesses, nonprofits, government entities, residents and entrepreneurs. Together, we work to build a strong and vibrant downtown, creating a positive downtown experience for all. For more information, visit downtownstpaul.com.
About the Saint Paul Downtown Improvement District
The Saint Paul Downtown Improvement District (SPDID) encompasses Saint Paul’s most prominent artistic, cultural and entertainment venues, along with theatres, restaurants and other attractions that have unique needs. It is home to corporate headquarters for several large businesses including Ecolab, Securian Financial, Travelers and others. The district is managed by a governing board representing a cross-section of property owners throughout the boundaries. Funds from participating commercial property owners, as well as voluntary contributions from the city, county and other tax-exempt property owners, provide safe and clean services and programming within the public realm with the goal of supplementing government services. The Saint Paul Downtown Alliance acts as an umbrella organization for the SPDID and contracts with the district to manage and implement the operations of the SPDID. To learn more, visit spdid.org.