Lafayette Downtown Development Authority

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The Lafayette Downtown Development Authority (DDA) ballot measure is the outcome of the Old Town Tomorrow: The LURA Transition Project. The Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority (LURA), which oversees improvement efforts for the Old Town area, is set to sunset in October 2024. The Old Town Tomorrow project aimed to work with community leaders to identify a new organizational and financing approach to lead Old Town management and improvement efforts for the next 30 years.

The Old Town Tomorrow project evaluated four possible organizational and financing scenarios. The project team identified a Downtown Development Authority (DDA) as the entity most likely to deliver on the community's vision for Old Town. They concluded that a DDA could support businesses, serve as a unified voice for Old Town, and continue revitalizing Lafayette’s downtown for years to come.

DDAs are quasi-governmental entities that provide both organization and financing for downtown revitalization efforts. They are different from Urban Renewal Authorities as they can be uniquely tailored to address the specific needs and challenges of Old Town Lafayette. This includes providing small business support, place enhancements, marketing, events, economic development, and public improvements that focus on creating a vibrant downtown. DDAs facilitate partnerships with businesses, property owners, civic partners, and the city to create a self-sustaining organization designed to champion the downtown for the long term. It operates in an accountable and transparent manner and has greater financing potential to deliver public realm improvements and resources for small businesses. A DDA is funded through tax increment financing, which is not a new tax and does not raise existing taxes.

Read the DDA Fact Sheet and DDA FAQ to learn more.

The draft Old Town Tomorrow Action Plan is a guiding document that could serve as the "plan of development" for the proposed DDA, as required by the state statute. This plan will provide guidelines for projects and improvements that can be funded by the DDA and will be finalized if a DDA is formed. It sets forth goals and strategies in six priority areas:

Read the draft Old Town Tomorrow Action Plan and the Executive Summary.

All eligible voters within the proposed DDA boundaries may vote on the organization question and issue on the November 5, 2024 General Election ballot.

Visit the DDA Elections page to learn more about the election, including information on eligible voters, to view the ballot question and issue, and how to vote.

If the DDA ballot measures pass, we will continue engagement with the draft Old Town Tomorrow Action Plan. Stay tuned!

The Lafayette Downtown Development Authority (DDA) ballot measure is the outcome of the Old Town Tomorrow: The LURA Transition Project. The Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority (LURA), which oversees improvement efforts for the Old Town area, is set to sunset in October 2024. The Old Town Tomorrow project aimed to work with community leaders to identify a new organizational and financing approach to lead Old Town management and improvement efforts for the next 30 years.

The Old Town Tomorrow project evaluated four possible organizational and financing scenarios. The project team identified a Downtown Development Authority (DDA) as the entity most likely to deliver on the community's vision for Old Town. They concluded that a DDA could support businesses, serve as a unified voice for Old Town, and continue revitalizing Lafayette’s downtown for years to come.

DDAs are quasi-governmental entities that provide both organization and financing for downtown revitalization efforts. They are different from Urban Renewal Authorities as they can be uniquely tailored to address the specific needs and challenges of Old Town Lafayette. This includes providing small business support, place enhancements, marketing, events, economic development, and public improvements that focus on creating a vibrant downtown. DDAs facilitate partnerships with businesses, property owners, civic partners, and the city to create a self-sustaining organization designed to champion the downtown for the long term. It operates in an accountable and transparent manner and has greater financing potential to deliver public realm improvements and resources for small businesses. A DDA is funded through tax increment financing, which is not a new tax and does not raise existing taxes.

Read the DDA Fact Sheet and DDA FAQ to learn more.

The draft Old Town Tomorrow Action Plan is a guiding document that could serve as the "plan of development" for the proposed DDA, as required by the state statute. This plan will provide guidelines for projects and improvements that can be funded by the DDA and will be finalized if a DDA is formed. It sets forth goals and strategies in six priority areas:

Read the draft Old Town Tomorrow Action Plan and the Executive Summary.

All eligible voters within the proposed DDA boundaries may vote on the organization question and issue on the November 5, 2024 General Election ballot.

Visit the DDA Elections page to learn more about the election, including information on eligible voters, to view the ballot question and issue, and how to vote.

If the DDA ballot measures pass, we will continue engagement with the draft Old Town Tomorrow Action Plan. Stay tuned!

Page last updated: 02 Oct 2024, 12:47 PM