Downtown Development Authority: What You Need to Know
Updated: Oct 5, 2022
Downtown Development Authorities (DDA) have been formed by many Colorado cities to be used as a powerful tool for financing downtown improvements.
Update, September 2022: To access the most up-to-date information on the DDA and review the newly released master plan, please visit littletondda.org.
The City of Littleton has hired Progressive Urban Management Associates, a downtown planning firm, to:
Draft a Plan of Development that the future Downtown Development Authority could use as a roadmap for improving downtown over the next 10 years;
Determine the feasibility of creating a Downtown Development Authority in Littleton; and
Guide the legal process to form the district and authorize its funding mechanisms
Historic Downtown Littleton Merchants is in favor of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA).
Here are the steps PUMA will complete through the potential election to form a DDA in November:
Through April 2022, complete a robust outreach effort to determine what stakeholders (property owners, business owners and other community members) would like to see improved in downtown.
Through July 2022, determine the feasibility of creating a Downtown Development Authority, and if it is feasible, determine the DDA boundaries as well as complete a Plan of Development outlining a prioritized menu of improvements that can be used as a roadmap to guide DDA investments over the next ten years.
Through November 2022, go through the legal steps to form a Downtown Development Authority, including approval of an ordinance authorizing an election to form the DDA, as well as preparations for a TABOR election by those property owners, business owners, and residents falling within the proposed DDA boundary.
Stay informed on developments and updates to the DDA process. An informational site can be found at littletondda.org and will be updated periodically.
