Advocacy
A central function of our Economic Development & Policy work in alignment with the Downtown Now Strategic Plan is to analyze, develop, and advocate for public policies that benefit the Downtown economy and quality of life for all.
To advance this work, we produce an annual Policy Agenda outlining our focus areas for advocacy. The Policy Agenda is formed and stewarded by our Advocacy Committee.
Our 2024 Policy Agenda follows. Each priority has been identified as a critical advocacy need for Downtown Cleveland that either relates to and/or requires collaboration with government entities and civic partners. The Policy Agenda is separated into initiatives that Downtown Cleveland is leading, and initiatives that Downtown Cleveland is supporting.
Providing a Clean, Safe, and Welcoming Environment
In the face of public safety challenges, Downtown Cleveland is adapting to meet the needs of the community. This past year, we tailored our deployment strategy based on a data-driven approach with frequent communication and collaboration between stakeholders and the Cleveland Division of Police. Outreach Specialists and our Downtown Court Watch program ensure that unsheltered individuals or those suffering from mental health and addiction crisis can be connected with appropriate services to best address their needs. We advocate for policies that improve the quality of life for all our neighbors, including those experiencing homelessness.
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• Support for Cuyahoga County’s Health & Human Services levy renewal to improve shelter conditions and services for the unsheltered.
• Preemptive solutions and opportunities to support the vulnerable and unsheltered populations rather than being reactive to these issues.
• Downtown stakeholder education on the social and legal intricacies of homelessness.
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• The integration of social work and crisis mitigation into law enforcement’s approach to the unsheltered population.
• Addressing barriers to care and advocating for civic and nonprofit resources.
• Programs and legislation that address short- and long-term solutions, including affordable housing development.
Enhancing the Public Realm and Pedestrian Experience
Through revitalization of our urban core, we create an environment that encourages visitation, investment, and place-based work. Streetsense, a leading strategy and design collective specializing in retail, hospitality, and real estate conducted a comprehensive diagnostic of our market dynamics and retail economy and emerged with tactics including a targeted streetscape refresh. Retail thrives in places where people spend time; we continue to create an environment that encourages people to come early and stay late Downtown. Moreover, when existing retail thrives, new retail will follow.
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• The implementation of a Downtown Tax-Increment Financing District that will leverage private dollars to be reinvested into public realm, infrastructure, and streetscape improvements from the Core to the Shores.
• The implementation of our Downtown Retail Strategy, including a Special Improvement District-led tax incentive program to expand our retail offerings and fill vacant storefronts.
• Advocacy for Downtown Cleveland, Inc.’s State Capital Budget request to construct play features and an electronic community messaging board at Public Square.
• Streetscape designs and guidelines for public and private Downtown stakeholders and property owners to utilize.
• A streetscape improvement matching program to enhance the public realm and pedestrian experience.
Spurring Development in the Central Business District
As work trends continue to evolve emerging from the pandemic, and as Downtown’s residential population continues to grow, we recognize the need to adapt our current commercial and residential stock to fill gaps in these markets. Downtown Cleveland is a national leader in our office space slated for residential conversion, which has helped cushion vacancies in the office market while meeting residential demand. However, we must work towards a permanent, sustainable solution to prevent foreclosures in the office market.
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• The enhancement of the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program to make it more feasible to convert historic buildings to new purposes.
• Advocacy efforts to permit the stacking of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit to spur the much-needed development of affordable housing.
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• A streamlined process for obtaining Brownfield Remediation Grants through the Ohio Department of Development, and to expand eligibility for blighted properties.
• Reforms to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development regarding affordable housing and incentives for transit-oriented development.
• Increased funding allocations and incentives for transformational mixed-use development and adaptive reuse.
• Increased funding allocations to the Ohio Opportunity Zones Tax Credit Program.
• Enhancements to the federal Historic Preservation Conservation Easement Program.
Improving Connections for a Seamless Urban Fabric
When visitors come to Downtown Cleveland, we want to make it possible for them to travel and linger throughout our neighborhood with joy and ease. While Cleveland was recently named one of the most walkable cities in the country, we recognize that there is still much room to improve our multi-modal transportation networks.
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• Legislation to update the City’s Residential Parking Tax Exemption ordinance to streamline and simplify the administrative process for residents and parking operators.
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• Improving public transit accessibility, such as more frequent and expanded connections, including to the Downtown trolley service.
• Completing bicycle lane infrastructure projects such as the Memorial Bridges Loop and the Superior Midway that enhance safety and provide multi-modal transportation options.
• Advocating for expanded arrival and departure services to our Amtrak hub.
• Advocating for funding to construct the North Coast Connector, better connecting core Downtown to our lakefront.
Advocacy in Action
Downtown Cleveland, Inc. analyzes, develops, and advocates for public policies that benefit the Downtown economy and enhance the quality of life for all. This includes providing a clean, safe, and welcoming environment that addresses the needs of our unsheltered neighbors. This article dives into Downtown Cleveland’s outreach efforts and the policies and initiatives we support to expand opportunities available to those in need.