Welcome to the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz - Santa Cruz, CA - Downtown has Great Shopping, Outdoor Dining and Professional Services

Downtown Lounge - DTA Members Corner

Downtown Forum	Downtown Association Home	Meetings	Board	Promotions
Ordinances	Graffiti	Downtown Hosts	Sidewalks	FAQ's

The Downtown is obviously facing many challenges. These challenges are serious in nature as they create an environment that is less than welcoming and threatens the health of our community's center as a thriving social, cultural and economic center. The Downtown Association is committed to working with the business community to understand and address the many very complex issues that face our neighborhood. Many, in the business community, as well as our residential neighbors, customers and visitors at large are frustrated, and eager to work towards change. Working together and involving everyone in the community who has an interest in maintaining a successful and vibrant Downtown, we will find sustainable and practical solutions. I hope you will join us.

Chip,

Acting Executive Director,
The Downtown Association of Santa Cruz

Downtown Web Forum.

Introducing the Downtown Association's On Line forum for DTA members and it's community, designed as a tool for sharing information and ideas about the Downtown Business District, as well as providing a vehicle for Our members to develop relationships with each other.

Please take a moment to explore the conversations that have begun and register to add your comments. If there is a topic you would like to discuss with your on line community that is not currently listed, pleas feel free to post a suggestion in the member communication section, or contact chip@shopsantacruz.com

Enjoy the forum - Here's the link.

Downtown Association Meetings.

The Downtown Association is governed by a Board of Directors, consisting of and representing its membership. The Board is charged with carrying out the Mission of the Downtown Association. In accordance with the DTA By Laws the Association also has three working committees, each charged with advising the board on specific areas of the DTA's Work plan. All meetings are held at the Downtown Association's office at 903 Pacific Avenue, Suite 202 and are open to the public. Membership participation is strongly encouraged.

Board of Directors*
3rd Tuesday of every month
8:30-10:00am @DTA Office

The Board of Directors is Charged with Carrying out the Mission of The Downtown Association: To provide effective leadership in order to promote and sustain downtown as a unique and economically viable business, entertainment, social & cultural center.

The Board is elected from the membership and serves for a term of two years.

Social and Legislative Affairs*
1st Wednesday of every month
2-3pm @ DTA Office

The Social and Legislative Committee advises the Board on issues relating to downtown social issues and creates strategies for advocacy.

Promotions and Marketing *
2nd Wednesday of every month
8:30-9:30am @DTA Office

Membership*
1st Thursday of every month
9-10:00am @DTA Office

Meeting Agendas are posted in the DTA Forum.

No December meetings

Board of Directors 2008

Board of Directors, 2008 Session
Board Officers:

President of the Board, June Hoffman (Hoffman's Bakery)
Vice President, Curt Simmons(Plaza Lane Optometry)
Chair, Social and Legislative Affairs Committee, Jennifer Greene (Attorney at Law)
Chair, Promotions and Marketing Committee, J.P. Correa, (VinoCruz)
Chair, Membership Committee, Curt Simmons (Plaza Lane Optometry)

Board Members:

Germaine Akin, Red Room/Red Restaurant
Emily Bernard, Dell Williams Jewelry
Sonja Brunner, Old School Shoes
Casey Coonerty-Protti, Bookshop Santa Cruz
Joe Ferrara, Atlantis Fantasyworld
Warren Grand, Bank of the West
Karl Heiman, Cafe' Pergolesi
Andrew Lenz, Lenz Arts
John Lisher, Artisans
Rick Melrose, Riordan Winnett Travel
Patty Zoccoli, Zoccoli's Deli

Promotional Opportunities

Back to School / Back to Work .
The Downtown Association is promoting a marketing campaign for Back to School / Back to work. We will be getting ads in numerous publications this season promoting Downtown to returning students and families, and directing traffic to our Web Site. Please let us know of any and all of your Back to School / Back to Work promotions and specials so We can be sure to include in.

GOODTIMES Downtown Page.
Did you know that the Good Times has a special advertising program exclusively for DTA Members? By taking advantage of the DTA / Good Times partnership, you have the opportunity to Market your business to 113,000 Good times Readers, and reach the whole county. The Downtown Page offers you one of six large ads on a full color page for only $175 per insertion.
To participate in this great program or for More information, call the Good Times at 831.458.1100

This Week Downtown

Each week the Downtown Association sends out an Electronic newsletter, listing a number of the great things Downtown has to offer. Our list reaches over 100 people in the Downtown Community directly, and is forwarded on to many more. This is a great opportunity to promote and special events you have going on in your business. Workshops, Guests speakers, Events, anything that you want to get the word out about, let us know and we'll help spread the word. Melanie@DowntownSantCruz.com

Subscribe to the list here

Graffiti Free Santa Cruz

Click Here for Graffiti Free Santa Cruz Brochure (15.85mb PDF)

A program sponsored by the City of Santa Cruz Redevelopment Agency and administered by the Volunteer Center.

The mission of Graffiti Free Santa Cruz is, “To maintain the natural beauty of our city by preventing and removing graffiti through community involvement, eradication, education and enforcement.”

To support this mission, Graffiti Free Santa Cruz offers a number of services and programs detailed below. Simply contact Graffiti Free Santa Cruz for assistance and coordination in any of these areas.

Graffiti Removal - A community volunteer rolls up his sleeves to remove graffiti from a County fence at a recent graffiti paint out day.

Community Involvement

Presentations: Graffiti Free Santa Cruz staff is available to speak to community groups about graffiti and the impact they can have in restoring their neighborhoods.

Adopt-a-spot: Volunteer to maintain a graffiti free area in your neighborhood or place of work. The program provides you with graffiti removal supplies and training to support your commitment.

Group Paint Outs: Get together with your neighbors, friends, co-workers, or church members and paint out an area too big for one individual. The program will supply the necessary paint, tools and training.

Eradication

Hotline: Call 420-5303, the 24-hour line for reporting graffiti on public or private property in the City of Santa Cruz. Every effort is made to remove graffiti within 48 hours and gang graffiti in 24 hours. Rapid removal is the best deterrent.

Enforcement
Police Department: SCPD keeps a record and photos of reported graffiti. When a vandal is apprehended, reports are searched for the matching tags to help with prosecution, stiffer penalties and restitution.

Education

School Presentations: Upon request, Graffiti Free Santa Cruz staff provides education to youth about the impacts and consequences of graffiti.

Community Talks: Increase awareness that graffiti is a crime and hurts the community.

What you can do to help Santa Cruz be graffiti free . . .

Have you seen graffiti in the City that you want to report?

Call the graffiti hotline 420-5303

* Use the 24-hour line to report graffiti on public or private property in the City of Santa Cruz. Please give the street address of graffiti, the nearest cross street, what the object is that is tagged (fence, sign, building, etc.), and the original color of the object before it was tagged.
* If the graffiti is on public property, City staff will remove it.
* If the graffiti is on private property, the Graffiti Free Santa Cruz program coordinator will contact the property owner. If the property owner needs assistance in removing the graffiti, the Graffiti Free Santa Cruz program will provide supplies and if available, volunteers for removing the graffiti.

Has your own property been vandalized with graffiti?
Call the Police Department at 471-1131

* Filing a police report will help track graffiti.
* SCPD takes photos of the graffiti and if a vandal is apprehended, the cases reported in the past year are searched for photos of matching tags. The vandal can be charged with the previous cases in addition to the original case. This may result in stiffer penalties and restitution.

What if you see someone tagging?
Call 911

* Report vandalism in progress. Give a description of the person, the location of the crime, and the substance being used (paint, marking pens, stickers, etc.).
* If you get involved, it increases the chances of the suspect being caught and successfully prosecuted.

How can you help remove graffiti?
Call Graffiti Free Santa Cruz 420-5303

* Become a volunteer.
* Adopt a spot (big or small) in your neighborhood or place of work and keep it free of graffiti. Graffiti Free Santa Cruz will provide you with the tools and supplies for removing it.

Downtown Hospitality Program

Hours of Operation:

Memorial Day - Labor Day (Summer) 11:00am-7:00pm
Labor Day - Memorial Day (Winter) 10:00am - 6:00pm

• Police Dispatch Emergency	911
• Police Dispatch Non-Emergency	471-1131
•Downtown Tip Line	420-5974
• Downtown Hosts	760-2735 - 760-2736
• Outreach Social Worker	566-3608 - 566-3505
• Police Department Lost and Found	420-5900
• City Graffiti Removal Program	420-5303
•Parks and Recreation Maintenance Crews	420-5270
• Downtown Association	429-8433
•Conference and Visitors Council	425-1234

Call The Hosts For:

Non-Emergency Action Required - Noise Complaints, Aggressive panhandling, Skateboarders, bicycles, dogs, sitting on sidewalks in prohibited areas etc.

Escort to your car, Bank, Etc. - For you, your customers, employees

Door Check - After hours while we are on duty we can check ground floor doors.

Call the Police for:

Emergencies

Fights, with or without weapons, Shoplifters, drug use and/or deals, suspicious people or any crime in progress.

The Host Program is designed for public relations, information and crime prevention. We serve Pacific Avenue, from Water to Laurel Streets, plus the side streets for one block in each direction. We are not the police, but we can be the eyes and ears for them. We can assist and possibly diffuse a situation until the police arrive. We are here to assist downtown business people, customers, visitors and residents. We welcome your feedback on how we can succeed within our guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the DTA:

1. Q. What does the DTA do?
The job of the Downtown Association is best described in its mission statement: "To provide effective leadership in order to create, promote and sustain downtown as a unique and economically viable business, entertainment, social and cultural center.” The DTA markets downtown through electronic and print media, as well as events, provides legislative advocacy on issues that affect businesses and visitors alike, and support services for its membership.

2. Q. How do I join…am I a member already?
If your business is located downtown between Center St., Front St. and N Pacific/River St and just past Laurel St. you are a member.

3. Q. How long has the organization been around?
The original articles of incorporation were signed in 1960. The Business Improvement District was formed, and the DTA funded, in 1985

4. Q. Do you have meetings that I can attend?
All meetings of the DTA are open to the membership. Committees are; Social and Legislative Affairs, Membership, Promotions, and the Board of Directors.
All meetings take place in the morning in the DTA office, most start at 8:30 and go for either an hour {committees} or an hour and a half {board of directors}. Every effort is made to begin and end meetings on time. Meetings

5. Q. How are my fees determined?
The Business Improvement District fees are determined by a formula that includes business location, type of business and the number of square feet of your business. The fees are split into two payments; one due in July and one due in January.

6. Q. Who decides how the money is spent?
The Executive Director works with the DTA committees early in the calendar year to determine the types of marketing and membership services that they would like to see the organization provide in the upcoming fiscal year. The Executive Director then creates a budget and work plan based on that input. The Board reviews the plan at two consecutive meeting in March and April. The final plan is then given to the City Finance Department who reviews the plan for financial accuracy and adherence to the overall goals of the organization. The Finance Department then brings it to the City Council for review and discussion in May and June. The City Finance Department provides oversight during the course of the year and is the agency responsible for billing and collections. The DTA operates on a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year.

7. Q. Is the DTA a city agency?
The DTA is not a city agency and receives no money from the city.

8. Q. Who sits on the board and how do you get to be a board member?
Any business owner or their representative, who is a member in good standing, is eligible to sit on the Board of Directors. Elections are held in the fall of every year. The first meeting of the year is in January. Terms are two years in length.

9. Q. Does the organization get involved in local politics?
The Downtown Association, due to its IRS classification, 501{c}6 – non- profit mutual benefit organization, is allowed to advocate for issues that can affect its mission but not endorse candidates for elective office.

10. Q. What are the boundaries of the DTA?
The business improvement district encompasses the area downtown east to west between Center Street and the San Lorenzo River, north to south from the River St /North Pacific Avenue intersection to just past the Oceanview Card Room.

"What is this Bill?"

This is one of two times of the year that the BIA bill comes in the mail from the city. It is henceforth the time of the year that many people are wondering exactly what the Bill is and what is is for.

The BIA (Business Improvement Assessment) was established to generate revenue for the exclusive purpose of promoting business in the business improvement area. The amount of the assessment is determined based on a formula including the Location, Square footage and type of business.

The Downtown Association is funded through this assessment and is charged with promoting business downtown. Obviously a charge that is executed most effectively when the Downtown Businesses are involved with the planning, execution and evaluation of the DTA's programs.

If you would like to see your money go farther, please get involved with the DTA by coming to a committee, meeting, helping out with an event or promotion or just giving us a call and letting us know what you're up to.