FY26 Budget Worksession Presentation

Downtown
Neighborhood 
Revitalization 
Strategies
48

Efforts To Date
X
October 2022 Council authorizes downtown 
Revitalization Plan
X
Primary objectives:
X Assess housing conditions in certain census tracks
X Assess the condition of commercial properties.
X Identify opportunities for grants and other funding 
opportunities for improvements
X Identify strategies to encourage development and 
redevelopment
X
September 2023 Council accepts the Downtown 
Revitalization Plan
X
September 2024 Staff completes Neighborhood 
Revitalization Strategies Memorandum
X
October 2024 Staff halts implementation to discuss 
further with new Council
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Downtown
Neighborhood 
Revitalization 
Strategies
X Goals
X Revitalization of the downtown area
X Position it as a local destination 
X Create a unique sense of place
X Focus on keeping downtown clean and 
visually appealing
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Downtown
Neighborhood 
Revitalization 
Strategies
X Actions
X
Focus on immediate actions and long-term 
planning.
X Target actions in areas like economic development, 
public spaces, and community support.
X Emphasis on community engagement through 
information sessions and other methods.
X Emphasize cultural and community-building 
activities.
X Innovative and non-traditional land use forms.
51

Position 
Downtown 
As A Local 
Destination 
X Develop a unified visual concept (logo) and 
message for both  Thunderbird Road as well as 
Downtown El Mirage to incorporate in all 
marketing collateral used for each specific area.
X Work to create a sense of pride within individual 
neighborhoods by establishing and/or promoting 
an identifiable name.
X Implement new entry signage that is specific to 
Downtown El Mirage.
X Explore opportunities to celebrate the 
Downtown’s culture and history in public places. 
(murals, celebrations, streetscape improvements, 
public amenities).
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Economic 
Opportunity & 
Growth 
X Link economic development and business support 
organizations’ websites to the City’s website.
X Maintain an updated database of all downtown 
business and property owners.
X Conduct systematic business visitations to build a 
stronger network among the downtown business 
community.
X Assist businesses by linking them with resources and 
technical assistance, identifying issues or concerns.
X Provide education and technical assistance to 
enhance business-operating practices, such as 
connecting small businesses with APS to provide 
energy efficiency opportunities to reduce operating 
costs.
53

Economic 
Opportunity & 
Growth 
(Continued)
X Host downtown business and property owner 
brown bag lunches to gather feedback to address 
their current needs or concerns about leasing, 
improving, or selling their properties.
X Consider including a guest speaker to discuss such 
topics as the Americans with Disabilities Act, 
financing available for rehabilitations, and fire and 
safety regulations.
X Implement formal groundbreakings and/or ribbon 
cuttings for new projects and business openings.
X Create and distribute a press releases to local, 
regional, and state agencies about projects and/or 
businesses levels of investment and responsible 
organizations/individuals.
54

Create Healthy 
Neighborhoods
55
X Identify residents or homeowner associations who 
are active champions for the betterment of the 
downtown area and connect them to each other 
to increase the social capital of the area.
X Work with supporting agencies to advance 
affordable housing initiatives and programs, such 
as Housing Authority of Maricopa County and 
Newtown Community Development Corporation.

Keep 
Downtown 
As Visually 
Appealing 
As Possible 
X Explore opportunities for property improvement 
grants.
X The Code Enforcement team will research 
opportunities to help those who require physical or 
financial assistance in complying with the code. 
X Maintain programs that ensure residents are 
compliant with the code so that enforcement is the 
last resort.
X Continue the Code Enforcement with a proactive 
and systematic approach.
X Continue to encourage key property and business 
owners to improve their storefronts and business 
signage to enhance the Downtown’s image. 
56

Next Steps
X Feedback from Council related to the revitalization 
plan and action items.
X Select a consulting firm with experience in 
residential rehabilitation and business 
development.
X Schedule a community information session to share 
information, gather feedback, and foster dialogue.
X Establish a volunteer group of residents, property 
owners, and business owners to assist with the 
evaluation and revitalization. 
X Continue to implement action items.
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