Council committee starts process to expand downtown business improvement district amid outreach, homelessness questions

The Metro Council Budget & Finance Committee on June 2 voted to initiate the process to expand the downtown Central Business Improvement District (CBID), including a consolidation with the Gulch Business Improvement District, and to set a public hearing required by state law.

The motion to begin the BID expansion process was offered by Council member Coopin and approved on a voice vote (11–0). The resolution begins a multi‑reading process under state timing rules; the chair noted the public hearing will be scheduled more than 30 and fewer than 45 days after first reading to comply with state law.

Public commenters and downtown business owners told the committee they support the expansion. “Any expansion of the Central Business Improvement District means a cleaner, safer downtown,” said David Andrews, identifying himself as a District 19 resident and owner of D’Andrew’s Bakery Café on Church Street. David Ewing, a downtown business owner and tour operator, said ambassadors are “compassionate” and provide wraparound contacts with the unhoused. Elizabeth Mayhall, a long‑time downtown resident, said property owners approved the CBID tax and called its services a good investment.

Council members raised questions about outreach to and treatment of people experiencing homelessness in downtown areas. Council member Soror asked whether contracted security was being directed to focus enforcement against unhoused people while ignoring other sidewalk activity; Tom Turner, president and CEO of the Downtown Partnership, told the committee that the partnership’s contract does not direct security to target one group and that the partnership has an outreach team that has worked downtown since 2011 and will expand staff as the district grows. Turner described outreach work and coordination with housing partners and said the partnership has previously rented apartments and used COVID recovery funds to support housing placements.

Members pressed for commitments that expansion funds and contractor activities would not displace unhoused residents and that outreach would emphasize housing solutions. Council member Suarez noted that the resolution only initiates the hearing and that any changes would come through the establishing ordinance, which will require three readings. The chair also noted the current outreach and contractual arrangements would not change immediately; the existing service agreement runs through Dec. 31, 2026, and any expansion would take effect under the formal process and timeline.

Committee members asked that staff and the Downtown Partnership provide additional information about outreach, housing outcomes, and operational directives for contracted security before the public hearing. The motion to initiate the BID expansion and to set the public hearing passed unanimously; the committee scheduled the public hearing to comply with state law timing requirements.