Extra shelters will be open through 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 13.
The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is a tool enabled by a state statute that allows municipalities to collect a portion of the incremental taxes generated within the central business district and reinvest those funds into economic development activities within that same area. There are more than 20 DDAs currently in place in downtowns across Colorado. DDAs are required to be located in a municipality’s central business district, and each municipality can only have one DDA in place at a time. The use of DDA funds is guided by a Plan of Development.
Functions of the DDA include:
In 2008, the city used the DDA to help deliver over $400 million in public transportation projects at Union Station. This strategic public investment complemented and strengthened private investment at Union Station to better serve local and regional residents as well as attract new visitors and businesses.
Public assets funded through the DDA include:
In 2024, the City and County of Denver completed a community process to update the Plan of Development and expand Denver's DDA to a much larger downtown geography.
No, the DDA is an existing funding tool and does not raise taxes (nor will taxes decrease if it goes away).
Property and sales tax rates would remain the same (per Denver Revised Municipal Code and Colorado Revised Statutes) regardless of whether the DDA is expanded or not. The DDA does not determine tax rates.
The DDA is a tool enabled by a state statute that allows municipalities to collect a portion of the incremental taxes generated within the central business district and reinvest those funds into economic development activities within that same area. The central business district as defined in the statute includes the traditional “governmental center” of the city, which includes portions of Uptown. The city is also limited to expanding the DDA due to limitations in our ownership of the rights-of-way.
No. The DDA will not impact any business improvement districts (BIDs) as they are different special districts with two different types of funding. Generally, BIDs fund enhanced services while the DDA funds infrastructure improvements.
Similarly, pre-existing tax increment districts will continue to retain the tax increment. In areas where there is overlap between the DDA and other tax increment districts, the DDA won’t collect TIF, but it can invest DDA funds into those areas.
No – Unlike urban renewal authorities, a DDA cannot condemn property. In addition, it has no additional regulatory authority over property.
The DDA currently has a five-member Board of Directors, which is authorized by state statute. Members are appointed by the Mayor for four-year terms. The Board includes the current President of City Council, one member who is a resident, landowner or business lessee within the boundaries of the DDA, and three members who are residents or landowners within the boundaries of the DDA.