Committee approves six-month, $4.53 million budget for Downtown Indianapolis Economic Enhancement District

The Economic Development Committee voted Feb. 10 to approve a six-month operating budget of $4,530,000 for the Downtown Indianapolis Economic Enhancement District (EED), the district that will levy an assessment on commercial property downtown to fund cleaning, public-safety services, outreach to people experiencing homelessness and business-support activities.

Taylor Schaefer, a Downtown Indy staff member, told the committee the budget covers operations for July 1 through Dec. 31, 2025, and is intended to ensure continuity of services as one-time federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds used to pilot downtown services expire in June 2025. “We want to ensure that there’s not a dip in services, that there’s not a drop off in services,” Schaefer said.

The approved budget follows state statute established for the EED and a series of local steps: the EED board was constituted Jan. 1, met Jan. 3 to approve bylaws and the assessment formula, and held a public hearing Jan. 31. Schaefer told council members that the assessment rate in the enacted district is 0.1681% of gross…