DENVER — A new general improvement district is now up and running along South Broadway in Denver, backed by more than $1 million in annual funding and a mission to clean up the neighborhood and keep it thriving.
▶️ WATCH: As the South Broadway GID launches, Denver7's Ethan Carlson talks with community members and the district's executive director
The Broadway General Improvement District launched Thursday after voters approved it last November.
The district is funded through a mill levy on properties within its boundaries. Residential property owners pay approximately $550 each year per million dollars in home value, while commercial property owners pay approximately $2,400 each year per million dollars in property value.
Caitlin Braun, the district's executive director, said the community's character drove the push to make it happen.
"The people in this community are so resilient, so gritty," Braun said. "They have such a passion for Broadway. It's hard not to be contagious and want to help with that."
The district aims to address concerns that have been building in the neighborhood. Brad Deen, service manager at Import Mechanics on South Broadway, said cleanliness had become a growing worry.
"Just with the cleanliness, you know, and having to worry about things like stepping on a needle if I walk in the grass," Deen said.
Braun acknowledged those concerns are widespread.
"People have seen some crime increase, the trash and litter increase," Braun said.
The majority of the district's budget goes toward cleaning and safety initiatives — things Braun said residents have voiced as priorities. Maintenance workers handle graffiti and trash removal, and unarmed security personnel patrol the area around the clock.
Andrew Douglas, a service advisor at Import Mechanics, said the difference is already visible on the street.
"You see a lot more people taking walks nowadays with the ambassadors taking care of the sidewalks and just keeping the trash picked up," Douglas said.
Deen said the overnight presence has made a difference for him personally.
"When I'm here late at night, I see them come by, they're always picking up trash, and so for me it's huge, and I already have… that sense of safety," Deen said.
For Braun, the work is about preserving what makes South Broadway worth fighting for.
"There is love and passion behind what people are doing on Broadway, and that's really what is so special about this neighborhood," Braun said.
Douglas said that spirit shows up every day in the neighborhood.
"You see something different every time, kind of like going back and watching your favorite movie," Douglas said.
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