This year’s Top Issues Council Briefs focus on the innovations in programs and services that many UPMOs provide.

Changing Environment for Ambassadors  

• The Ambassadors Council explored how ambassador job responsibilities have expanded, work culture has changed and new technologies have become more critical to improving operations and responding to changing community needs. The brief is available on IDA’s publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members. 
• IDA would like to thank Block by Block for their generous support of the Ambassador Council. Block By Block is a one-stop solution for safety, cleaning, hospitality, landscaping and social service outreach programs for improvement districts. Through our passion for downtowns and urban areas we harness our creativity and draw upon best practices to create highly effective programs. We’ve built a mindset and a culture designed to continually enhance our customers programs. To learn more, please visit www.blockbyblock.com.

Middle Housing 

• The Missing Housing Council studied how UPMOs can advocate for updating local housing policies and zoning codes to allow for more varieties of housing. Middle housing, in particular, can deliver big benefits for a downtown and urban district’s economic viability. The brief is available on IDA’s publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members. 

Scalable Innovations in Placemaking 

• The Scalable Innovations in Placemaking Council examined approaches to placemaking for organizations and communities of all sizes. The report brief shares ideas for creating small-scale installations, using technology to identify needs and develop programming (such as with AR), and spurring placemaking from the private-sector. The brief is available on IDA’s publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members. 

The pandemic and its lingering effects have forced UPMOs and other downtown stakeholders to view the city through a different lens. This year’s Top Issues Council report briefs focus on innovations in programs and services that many UPMOs provide.

Evolving Homeless Services

• The Evolving Homeless Services Council explained the importance of supporting homeless services to increase individual and public health and safety. The brief offers examples and resources to help place managers launch or enhance services addressing the chronically homeless in their communities through counting high mortality rates, addressing escalated behavior, bridging the services gap and advocacy. The brief is available on IDA’s publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members. 

Inclusive Entrepreneurship 

• The Inclusive Entrepreneurship Council explored successful methods UPMOs have used to support inclusive entrepreneurship by improving capital readiness, easing access to commercial spaces, and developing programs for business retention and sustainability. These strategies represent a renewed focus on clearing paths to property ownership and wealth generation for underrepresented groups to help close a significant economic gap for the entire center city. The brief is available on IDA’s publications page. All Top Issues Council report briefs are free for IDA members. 
• In January 2024, the Inclusive Entrepreneurship Top Issues Council report was chosen for publication in the Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal by Henry Stewart Publications. Congratulations to the Inclusive Entrepreneurship Council!

Parking & Mobility

• The Parking & Mobility Council explored curbside management, mobility hubs, land use and policy, and parking management and how UPMOs can take direct action and advocate with partners for equitable and thriving districts. These strategies for placemaking investments, paired with an emphasis on multimodal mobility can help create better streets, more vibrant urban places, and permanent economic benefits. The brief is available on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members. 

Bold Placemaking

• The Bold Placemaking Council examined how placemaking has evolved since the onset of the pandemic, particularly in the areas of expanding UPMOs’ role in placemaking for economic development and reclaiming public spaces for people. Public spaces need to serve more needs than ever before, whether it’s keeping struggling restaurants afloat by replacing curb space with patio seating or acknowledging the demands of community by relinquishing public spaces for commemoration and protest. The brief is available on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members. 
• In January 2024, the Bold Placemaking Top Issues Council report was chosen for publication in the Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal by Henry Stewart Publications. Congratulations to the Bold Placemaking Council!

Sustainability Council

• The Sustainability Council examines how to integrate the principles of sustainability and resilience into the work of UPMOs. The report makes the business case for UPMOs to invest in sustainability and resilience measures by highlighting the economic, environmental and social benefits. Future reports from this council will provide specific approaches, tools and case studies to advance sustainability and resilience efforts in districts. The first report, Sustainability & Urban Place Management, is available on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

The 2019 Councils explored the following topics and release reports with meaningful tools and case studies for place management organizations.

Housing Attainability Council

• The Housing Attainability Council demonstrates how urban place management organizations of all sizes and resource levels can play a role in encouraging more housing at a variety of price points and of varying styles. The report, Housing Attainability: How UPMOs Can Support A Diversity of Housing in Their Districts, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

Municipal Partnerships Council

• The Municipal Partnerships Council examines the fundamental nature of working relationships between UPMOs and governments to identify the best practices for producing the most beneficial and enterprising partnerships. The report, Municipal Partnerships: A Toolkit for Municipal & Urban Place Management Organization Relationships, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

This year brought together 45 members serving on the following six Councils to write reports with sharing case studies, resources and solutions.

Economic Development Council

• The Economic Development Council explores the creative financing strategies, economic development tools and incentives that district advocates and place management organizations employ to improve the economic health of a place. The report, How We Do Economic Development: Best Practices and Trends for Place Management Organizations, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

Inclusive Places Council

• The Inclusive Places Council explores the role of place management organizations in navigating challenges around social equity and inclusion in rapidly transforming cities. The report, Inclusive Places: Prioritizing Inclusion and Equity in the Urban Place Management Field, is available for purchase on our publications page.

Nighttime Economy Council

• The Nighttime Economy Council explores best practices and strategies for managing a healthy nighttime economy at the district level. The report, Nighttime Economy: A Guidebook for Emerging, Growing and Established Nighttime Districts, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

Parking Management Council

• The Parking Management Council explores the role place management organizations play in parking management and providing parking solutions at the district level. The report, Adjusting to the Changing Parking Landscape: How to Best Position Your District for Success, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

Place Branding Council

• The Place Branding Council explores the features that make downtowns and urban spaces unique among others – those quirky spaces and interesting places that define an urban experience. Best practices, lessons learned, and surprising tips can assist planners in defining strategies for physical manifestations of their community’s cultures in public spaces in a powerfully authentic way. The report, Place Branding: Best Practices and Strategies to Brand and Market Your District, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

Urban Mobility Council

• The Urban Mobility Council explores the role place management organizations play in planning and implementing projects that improve connectivity in city centers including public transportation, bike infrastructure, transportation network companies and autonomous vehicles and how UPMOs can assist with transportation projects at every level – working with the community, government entities and transportation agencies. The report, Urban Mobility: The Role of Urban Place Management Organizations in Prioritizing Connectivity, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

In 2017, over 50 IDA members served on six Councils, each authoring a guidebook for sharing trends and recommendations.

Alley Activations Council

• The Alley Activations Council explores a problem that urban place management organizations can creatively and efficiently address – the activation of alleyways and so-called micro-spaces in central urban cores or downtown districts. The report, From Dumpsters to Biergartens: Case Studies in Alley Activations, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

Bicycle Improvements and Policy Council

• The Bicycle Improvements and Policy Council explores areas in which urban place management organizations can make significant contributions to improving conditions for bicycling through education, advocacy and incentive programs. The report, A Path Towards Better Bicycle Infrastructure: A Guidebook for Urban Place Management Organizations, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

Diverse Retail Mix Council

• The Diverse Retail Mix Council addresses how to help urban place management organizations understand where and how revitalization is happening and how to encourage retail diversity in their work. UPMOs are uniquely suited to champion the diversity of their district’s retail offerings, while both affirming the authenticity of the place and focusing the market demand. The report, Achieving and Maintaining a Diverse Retail Mix: Strategies & Insights for Place Management Organizations, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

Homelessness Council

• The Homeless Council explores comprehensive approaches in addressing the issue of homelessness for urban centers across the world. While the policy approaches are not simple, the council advocates for a declaration of four principles for urban place management organizations to use which inspire engaged and active urban centers. The report, Homelessness in Urban Districts: Principles & Implications for Place Managers, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

Safety and Security Council

• The Safety and Security Council explores tools for strategic safety planning for urban place management organizations and their role in emergency response, crime prevention and technology for communication. The report, Downtown Districts at the Table: Planning for Safety and Security, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

Urban Parks Council

• The Urban Parks Council explores the definition of a great urban park, how it works, and how it is funded. The Council addresses how current and potential park stakeholders can advance collaboration and capacity building within the management of an urban park to maximize benefits, while equitably and intelligently sharing costs and responsibilities to create dynamic, thriving spaces that are accessible to all. The report, A Practical Guide to Great Urban Parks: How to Benefit from and Finance your Urban Park, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

In its inaugural year, 47 IDA members and industry experts collaborated on the following six Councils and produced reports with meaningful tools for IDA members to use in their daily work.

Authenticity Council

• The Authenticity Council explores elements and practices that contribute to the authenticity of a place, geared towards benefiting the daily work of city builders, planners, place managers and community leaders. The Council aims to help stakeholders understand the fundamentals of their downtown and recognize the characteristics that build authenticity. The report, Maintaining Authenticity of Place, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

Commercial Development Council

• The Commercial Development Council provides an overarching view of the evolution of commercial development throughout the past fifty years. The Council explores the role of urban place management organizations in attracting commercial investment and recommends solutions, tools and resources for UPMOs. The report, Attracting Commercial Development: Tools and Case Studies, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

Downtown Residential Council

• The Downtown Residential Council explores the importance of residential activity in downtowns and urban districts. The report, Living Downtown: The New Residential Paradigm, is available for purchase on our publications page.

Partnerships for Place Management Council

• The Partnerships for Place Management Council explores how place management organizations utilize public-private partnerships (P3) as a method to advance city-building goals by leveraging the unique expertise and strengths that partners have. The report, Partnerships for Urban Place Management, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

Pedestrian Improvements Council

• The Pedestrian Improvements Council explores the pedestrian experience through the lens of education, planning, enforcement and technology. The Council addresses challenges and provides case studies and potential paths to follow to created successful pedestrian facilities. The report, Prioritizing Pedestrian Improvements, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.

Public Spaces Council

• The Public Spaces Council explores creative placemaking and public space activation as a key ingredient in the recipe for successful revitalization. The report, Activating Public Spaces: A Guidebook for Urban Districts, is available for purchase on our publications page. All Top Issues Council reports are free for IDA members.