Downtown Vision is a not-for-profit business improvement district (BID) organization with a mission to help support and improve Downtown Jacksonville. Created in 2000 by Downtown property owners through a self-assessment, the BID is governed by a 24-person volunteer board of directors representing Downtown property owners and stakeholders.
More About Downtown Vision here.
Our Annual Report is Available here.
Community Cleanup
Corkscrew Park Activation
District Boundaries:
Interstate 95 to the south, Lee Street/Riverside Avenue to the west, State Street to the north and the DIA boundary/Hogan’s Creek to the east. Property parcels adjacent to the boundaries are included where designated
40+
Tons of Litter Removed Annually
10,000+
Annual Ambassador Hospitality
Assists
125,000+
Facebook, Instagram
& Twitter
Followers
$14,000+
in #DTJax
e-Gift Cards Supporting Businesses
1,000+
Employee & Resident
Surveys Completed
$300K+
Invested in placemaking efforts since 2016
What value do you receive?
Downtown Vision provides great value to its assessed and voluntary contributors. We have transparent governance, valued services and can adapt to changing conditions Downtown. Ask any of our past contributors and they will tell you the hard work and benefits we provide. Downtown Vision is committed to a high level of service provided and that will not change. Expanding the BID boundaries and assessing commercial residential properties has granted DVI the ability to add services, including:
- Expanding the Downtown Ambassador program, providing many more individuals on the streets of Downtown helping keep DTJax clean, safe, and hospitable.
- Targeted residential zones to providing an extra layer of attention to benefit the areas where people make DTJax their home.
- Advocacy for properties for a wider geography, providing ombudsman services for maintenance requests, such as reporting city infrastructure issues to the City of Jacksonville, JEA and more.
- More Ambassadors dedicated to our beautiful parks and riverwalk to provide a clean, safe environment for the community to enjoy the beautiful St. John’s River.
- Activate parks and public spaces through staffing, amenities and programming to make and keep Downtown’s parks vibrant destinations for residents, workers and visitors.
- Provide an enhanced level of marketing, including targeting new Downtown residents.
How does the assessment work?
If you own property in the district, an assessment will be collected by the Duval County Property Appraiser when you pay your property taxes annually. You will see it itemized on a tax bill sent to your address on file with Duval County. You will send payment directly to the Duval County Tax Collectors Office in the attached envelope.
How much will I be assessed?
Properties will be assessed at the current rate of 1.1 mils based on your property value. $1.10 on every $1,000 of assessed value. If your property is worth $100,000, the annual contribution will be $110.
I own a home or residential property inside the new boundaries?
Residential properties within the boundaries will now be assessed via their tax bill. When DVI was founded, at the request of Downtown property owners, DVI temporarily excluded residents from the assessment with the goal of including them once more residential units were built in the Downtown core. That time is now—the number of residential units has gone from less than 1,000 to more than 4,000 with hundreds more currently under construction.
Are there any exemptions?
Yes, Residential properties have four exemptions.
(1) If you own your residence and have filed for a Homestead Exemption, you are permanently exempted and will not be assessed. You can find more information on how to secure your Homestead exemption here.
(2) Newly-built, pre-stabilization multi-family residential properties will be exempt for a period of five years to allow for project stabilization.
(3) Residential properties that are affordable housing products and have received funding through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation.
(4) Residential properties that are adaptive reuse projects and have received funding through the City of Jacksonville Historic Preservation Trust Fund.
What if I don’t pay taxes?
If you are a tax-exempt organization, such as a non-profit, church or faith-based organization, you will not be assessed. However, we ask you contribute voluntarily to our organization, like many exempt Downtown property owners, such as First Baptist Church, JAXChamber, Jesse Ball duPont Fund and others. You can support Downtown Vision here or contact Downtown Vision to learn about sponsorship opportunities.
What if I am a tenant in Downtown but do not own my property?
Only property owners and/or those paying property taxes will be assessed.