Building an economically vibrant future for Downtown Santa Barbara
Over the past year, a committed group of downtown property owners and business leaders has united with a shared vision for a vibrant and prosperous future for downtown Santa Barbara. The focus has been on developing a Community Benefit Improvement District (CBID) for downtown Santa Barbara, strategically designed to address the area's challenges and foster economic prosperity.
After more than 50 years of serving downtown, the Downtown Organization is undergoing a transformation process to be able to better serve downtown into the future. As part of this transition the organization will move from a business improvement district model to a community benefit improvement district model. Additionally the organization will move from a 501c6 organization to a 501c3 nonprofit to be able to apply for grants and other diverse funding to support downtown.
This transition is expected in take about 6 months to a year and finalize around June 30,2025. New cleaning, maintenance and safety services are and anticipated to begin spring 2025.
As part of this model, property owners will begin to pay into a pool of funds to manage the district via their property taxes. Since some of these costs may be passed through to businesses the Downtown Organization has elected to not renew the business improvement district (BID) in 2025.
The new nonprofit board and committees that will be responsible for the new services and managing the new and improved organization and district are currently being set up. The goal is to keep the best of the previous services while adding and improving on services to create a more vibrant and welcoming district.
BID MEMBERSHIP MEETING NOTICE:
Tuesday, February, 11th, 9 AM
Balboa Building Theatre, 735 State Street
Your YES vote as a downtown business member to dissolve the current BID is a critical step in a multi-year effort to add new services and funding to downtown.
Attend and vote via zoom or in person.
RSVP
The purpose of the meeting is to explain the reasoning for the organizational transition and call a vote of the membership to give:
(1) Approval of the transfer of the Downtown Organizations assets to its successor organization, Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association; and
(2) Approval of the voluntary dissolution and winding up of the Downtown Organization.
Background
Some of these special services involved in the community benefit improvement district are duplicative to those of the existing Downtown and Old Town BIDs and dissolution of these BIDs is necessary at this time to transition to a new district service delivery model.
Vote yes in person or via zoom to support the Downtown Organization transition to the Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association and help launch into a great 2025 and beyond.
Community Benefit Improvement District
CBID Information & Documents
CBID Frequently Asked Questions
Downtown CBID Management Plan Summary
