Q: What is a Property-based Business Improvement District (PBID)?

A: A Property-based Business Improvement District is a distinct geographic area in which enhanced municipal services-including security, maintenance of streets and sidewalks, district management, economic development, marketing or other desired services can be financed through annual tax assessments on private property. PBIDs and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) have become an effective way for property owners to improve the public environment and economic health of urban areas, and are designed to enhance, and not replace, clean and safe services provided by local governments and agencies. There are now more than 1,200 BIDs in the United States and Canada.

Q: What is the Clean & Safe Program?

A: Recognizing the need to improve the business climate and competitiveness of Downtown, as well as the quality of life in Downtown's emerging neighborhoods, a vast majority of the nearly 2,000 property owners in the district followed the lead of other successful downtowns throughout the country and adopted a PBID. Funded through property tax assessments, the PBID established the Clean & Safe Program to improve the appearance of Downtown's sidewalks, enhance public safety for residents, employees and visitors, protect property values and change perceptions. The Clean & Safe Program comprises two components: Maintenance Ambassadors and Safety Ambassadors. Working together as the Clean & Safe Team, these individuals are committed to keeping Downtown San Diego clean, safe and friendly.

Q: What services does the Clean & Safe Program provide?

A: Our maintenance services include the following: sidewalk sweeping, trash removal from public trash cans, debris removal and other illegal dumps, power washing of public sidewalks, systematic graffiti and sticker removal, landscaping of the Broadway and Market Street medians, tree maintenance and weed abatement.

Our safety services include the following: deter quality of life nuisance crimes such as aggressive panhandling, work with the Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) to provide social service outreach referrals, assist visitors with directions and information, add a presence in downtown to prevent undesirable behavior, maintain open communications with police to report on-going issues and conduct routine patrol of downtown parks.

Q: When was the Downtown San Diego PBID formed?

A: In July of 2000, a growing coalition of property and business owners, in cooperation with the Downtown San Diego Partnership, formally launched the Downtown Property Based Improvement District (PBID) as a means to provide special benefits and services to the properties located in Downtown San Diego. Prior to the PBID's formation, there was an increasing concern within the Downtown community that the streets and sidewalks were poorly maintained, unsafe and intimidating. In addition, property and business owners voiced concern about the ineffective approach to managing the street population Downtown.

Q: How big is the district?

A: Clean & Safe is a Property and Business Improvement District (PBID) and the geographical area it covers is 272 blocks, which includes the following neighborhoods: Core Columbia; Cortez; East Village; the Gaslamp Quarter and Marina. Added together the five neighborhoods account for 5,330 parcels; 269,622 linear feet of street frontage; 1,657 enhanced, special benefit lighting poles; over 300 trash receptacles; 990 regular sidewalks and over 100 enhanced sidewalks.

Q: How are the properties assessed?

A: Annual assessments are based upon the amount, and type of services requested by particular neighborhoods (sub-districts) and a formula based upon the number of linear feet of street frontage and square footage of the building.

Q: What is the PBID's annual budget?

A: Based upon input from the property owners, business owners and the Advisory Board, it was determined that the PBID should focus its program budget on five key activities or service categories: Maintenance, Public Safety, Program Management and Public Information, Enhanced Lighting, and Program Reserves. The total operating budget for the first fiscal year of operation was $6 million. Two-thirds of the total budget was dedicated toward enhanced maintenance and safety services.

Q: Who makes decisions for the PBID?

A: The Clean & Safe program is managed by the Downtown San Diego Partnership and is governed by the Property and Business Improvement District (PBID) Management Committee; a fifteen person volunteer management committee whose members comprise Downtown property owners and business owners. In turn these members represent each Downtown neighborhood.