Just over a year ago, the DowntownDC BID created a new department, Public Space Management (PSM). Its purpose: Contribute to the quality of life in Downtown. How? Through stick-to-itiveness and constant surveillance, and by building relationships with government agencies, utilities and property managers. All of these measures have begun to pay dividends. The DowntownDC BID area already has seen a 10% improvement in public space asset improvements—in sidewalks, parks, streets, alleyways and other physical assets—since FY11. About 30% of the 619 service requests made to city agencies and utilities in the past year have been completed. Although more still needs to be done, it’s a significant step toward addressing the area’s five most common problems: needed sidewalk, streetlight and street repairs and signage and traffic signal maintenance.
In addition to capitalizing on Downtown’s valuable community assets and engaging property managers—including by conducting walkthroughs to address public space problems—PSM works to enhance Downtown’s overall physical environment and the pedestrian experience by overseeing security and emergency management initiatives and focusing on Downtown’s homeless population. Together, these actions help create safe and remarkable public places in Downtown where people want to congregate and explore.
Here’s a quick rundown of activities undertaken by our growing, four-person PSM department since May 2011:
Quality Assurance
- Developed a Public Space Conditions Database in May
- Created a Property Managers’ Blog in January
- Formed a Public Space Working Group made up of local and national government agencies and utilities last November
- Closed a greater number of service requests throughout FY12
- Conducted an inventory of sidewalk cafes in July 2011 and 2012
- Created a Field Asset Management Team made of specially-trained Downtown Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance employees (SAMs) last March
About the latter point: the PSM is improving how the DowntownDC BID reports public space deficiencies and problems with the help of SAMs, who now operate regularly in unique, assigned zones throughout the BID area to survey sidewalks, streets, alleyways and parks, and green space. Once the surveys are completed, the BID’s Operations Dispatch filters through them to find problems that can be handled internally. The PSM staff members also receive the reports to follow up with quality control inspections and to photograph and submit deficiency reports to the appropriate city agencies or utilities. In the next few months, PSM will use iPhones and a mobile app to improve public space asset and condition tracking and reporting.
Security Initiatives
- Conducted an inventory of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to assess safety and security risks and capabilities in June
- Created a Security Initiative Group in May
- Participated in DC’s Citywide Emergency Response Exercise last September
- Participated in the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency’s (HSEMA) Emergency Preparedness for the Business Community last September
- Improved the level of activity and attendance at the BID’s regular Safety Alliance Council meetings, consisting of members of the safety community who join with property managers to confer about personal safety and auto, office and nuisance crimes
The DowntownDC BID is collaborating with agencies such as HSEMA and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) as well as property managers, their security companies and the General Services Administration (GSA) to integrate a BID-wide surveillance system through its Downtown BID Security Initiative (DBSI) Working Group, consisting of public and private partners, who seek a comprehensive solution to security problems.
The DBSI program will allow properties to share information on criminal activity and measure actions during safety and emergency response events. It will also train and prepare stakeholders for natural events and create a standardized response to those events. In addition, the DBSI will provide information about safety and security vulnerabilities in Downtown—i.e., working through the BID, local law enforcement agencies such as the Metro Transit Police, U.S. Park Police and Federal Protective Service will engage property managers to address individual concerns. Finally, because of its economic importance to DC and the region, the DowntownDC BID area is a target-rich environment and as such requires a comprehensive surveillance and preparedness program. The BID hopes to facilitate the discussion and develop systems to ensure that safety remains a priority for BID area properties and BID partners.
Homeless Services
- Created a Homeless Food Serving Working Group in July
- Updated the DowntownDC Outreach Services Information Card in June
- Held the BID’s first Homeless Summit in June
- Began Quarterly Homeless Counts, which take place in October, January, April and July
- Presented at an International Downtown Association conference (IDA) last September to discuss BID Homeless Services initiatives
In the spring, the award-winning Homeless Services program underwent a huge transition. Chet Grey, director of the Homeless Services program for 12 years, retired. Jonathan Ward, Pathways to Housing DC’s clinical director and head of the BID and Pathways joint Downtown Homeless Services Team, the city’s only non-governmental, clinically based outreach group dealing with chronic homelessness, assumed a position with the city. Will Connelly replaces him as Pathways new director of outreach and head of the Homeless Services Team.
David Kamperin, formerly a commander with DC’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), is director of the Public Space Management department. To reach him or members of his staff, call 202.638.3232.