Cleveland council approves recreation of Downtown Improvement District, levies assessments

Cleveland City Council voted to pass emergency Ordinance 10652025 on Sept. 3, 2025, approving the Assessment Equalization Boardreport to recreate the Downtown Cleveland Improvement District, adopt and levy property assessments and authorize the city to enter an agreement with the Downtown Cleveland Improvement Corporation.

The measure, sponsored by council members McCormack, Starr, House Jones, Hairston and Griffin and advanced by departmental request, passed on a roll call with votes recorded in favor and no opposing votes recorded. The council declared the ordinance an emergency so its provisions take effect immediately.

The assessments will fund enhanced services in the downtown central business district, including cleaning and safety work performed by but not limited to Downtown Cleveland Allianceand contractors working on behalf of the improvement district. Councilman McCormack thanked the property owners and Downtown Cleveland Alliance for their role in supporting the proposal, saying, "They are the front line of the folks that represent our city, to our residents, our visitors, to the employees that come into downtown." President and CEO Michael Diemer of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance told the council, "It is not lost on any of us, that this, is an inconvenient time. And I really, really appreciate all of you making the time today."

The special meeting was held virtually and was noticed Aug. 29, 2025; the clerk cited Ohio's open meetings provisions in Codified Ordinances of Cleveland, section 101.021. Council members said there is an upcoming deadline related to the assessment process on the 12th (the transcript records "the twelfth"). City officials and Downtown Cleveland representatives said property owners have committed funding to the district; during the meeting an approximate total of $6,000,000 was referenced by council members and downtown representatives as the amount at stake for the district's work.

By the ordinance text read into the record, the council approved the Assessment Equalization Board's report on objections to estimated assessments for the recreation of the district, determined to proceed with the plan to provide public services within the district, adopted and levied the assessments and authorized the city to enter into an agreement with Downtown Cleveland Improvement Corporation. The ordinance text indicates the action will reestablish the special improvement district and fund its services through the assessments adopted by the council.

Downtown Cleveland Alliance representatives on the call included President and CEO Michael Diemer, board chair Rob Falls, chief operating officer Audrey Gerlach and policy director Sam Rocco; Diemer said the district is a public-private partnership aligning property owners and local government to deliver enhanced services downtown. Several council members, including Councilman Starr, emphasized the partnership with property owners and the district's role in addressing cleanliness and services to assist people experiencing homelessness in parts of downtown.

The council's special meeting notice specified that the meeting was convened for consideration of Ordinance 10652025. After the roll call and passage, Council President Blaine A. Griffin adjourned the special meeting and reminded attendees of the next regular meeting on Sept. 15, 2025.

Details recorded in the meeting: a public notice dated Aug. 29, 2025; the ordinance sponsor list reads McCormack, Starr, House Jones, Hairston and Griffin; the council recorded votes in favor on passage (14 votes recorded in favor at roll call on passage; no opposing votes were recorded in the transcript).