CONNECT with the CityProperty and Business Improvement Districts
A Property and Business Improvement District (PBID) is a tool available to property and business owners to improve a downtown or other commercial area. It is a public-private partnership organized for the improvement of a specific geographic area. In California, PBIDs are formed pursuant to the Property and Business Improvement District Law of 1994. A PBID is a special benefit assessment district designed to raise funds within a specific geographic area. Funds may be raised through a special assessment on real property, businesses, or a combination of both, and are used to provide supplemental services beyond those provided by the City. Click here to enter an address and see whether your business or property is in a PBID.
Other assessment district programs managed by the City include Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and Maintenance Assessment Districts (MADs).
For questions or more information, contact us at sdbusiness@sandiego.gov.
*Proposed Downtown Property and Business Improvement District Renewal:
Downtown PBID
On February 22, 2000, City Council adopted Resolution No. R-292797, establishing the San Diego Downtown Property and Business Improvement District (Downtown PBID) for a five-year term. At the end of the term, the City Council received a petition to renew the District for a ten-year term and subsequently renew again in 2015 for an additional ten years. The Downtown PBID contract is managed by the Clean & Safe program of the San Diego Downtown Partnership. They currently provide maintenance, beautification, installations, disorder and nuisance abatement, business attraction and retention, and related administration directly and only to assessed parcels within its boundaries. All of the services are above and beyond those provided by local government agencies and constitute a special benefit to assessed parcels.
The Downtown PBID boundary includes most of Downtown south and west of Interstate 5. For benefit apportionment purposes, the PBID has been divided into the following six zones: Columbia, Core, Cortez, East Village, Gaslamp Quarter, and Marina.
The duration of the Management District Plan and the levy of the Downtown PBID assessment is from February 25, 2015, through June 30, 2025.
Downtown PBID Documents
R-292715 | Resolution to Accept Petitions to Establish Downtown PBID 2000
R-292716 | Resolution to Form an Advisory Board 2000
R-292796 - R-292798 | Resolution to Establish the Downtown PBID 2000
R-300287 | Resolution of Intention to Renew 2005
Management District Plan and Assessment Engineer's Report (Appendices 1-8) 2015
R-309520 | Resolution of Intention to Renew 2015
Downtown PBID Operating and Management Agreement 2015
Special Assessment Refund Claim Form
Property owners that wish to file a refund claim for a City of San Diego property-based special assessment must complete the Special Assessment Refund Claim Form and return it to the Economic Development Department.
The refund claim form must be accurately completed, printed, signed by the claimant and mailed or personally presented in hard copy format to:
City of San Diego
Economic Development Department
Attn: Special Assessment Refund Claim
1200 Third Ave., 14th Floor
San Diego, CA 92101
After the claim has been received by our office:
- A review and verification process will be conducted. Claims are usually reviewed and processed within 45 days after receipt by our office. When filling out the form, please be as accurate as possible to expedite the review and verification process.
- Provide written justification for the amount of refund indicated on the form.
Information requested by the Economic Development Department does not guarantee that your claim has been accepted for payment. Any information provided will be evaluated as part of the review process.