Downtown property owners vote to create benefit district

Property owners in Downtown Downey will begin paying an annual assessment to fund downtown services, such as security and marketing. 

Photo by Pam Lane, DowneyDailyPhotos.com

DOWNEY –  The proposed Downtown Downey Community Benefit District (CBD) concept is now closer than ever to reality, clearing its final hurdle before receiving a unanimous vote from City Council last week.

The goal of the CBD is to provide downtown property owners with finances to better control and fund special events, marketing, promotional activities, public space development, security, beautification, property enhancements, and a property owner governance body for the administration of the services.

The CBD has been 3 1/2 years in the making.

Before the City Council could approve the plan, the CBD had to earn a majority approval vote from property owners within the downtown district.

Council members directed that ballots be mailed out to proposed CBD property owners after their June 7 meeting this year. There were 82 parcels identified within the proposed area, and ballots were sent accordingly.

Property owners had until the end of the July 24 public hearing to cast their vote. At the close of the public hearing, Mayor Sean Ashton directed staff to begin tallying the ballots. Votes were counted across from the Council Chambers in the Community Development Department Conference room. The process was open to the public to witness.

More than 57 percent of ballots were cast in favor of the formation of the CBD.

Following the vote count, the Council unanimously approved the formation of the CBD, with Councilman Fernando Vasquez abstaining due to owning property in the proposed zone.  

Council member Alex Saab described it as a “learning process for all involved.”

“I think it was done properly, it was done meticulously,” said Saab. “I think time will tell if this will make a big impact in our community and it’s going to really serve the downtown community much better.”