REVITALIZING
DOWNTOWN HONOLULU
Creating a Business Improvement District
What is a Business Improvement District (BID)?
Non-Profit Organization
That oversees, manages, and funds supplemental public services that may not otherwise be available to a community.
Funded by Commercial Property Owners
Through property assessments with no cost to local residents of the area, collected by local municipality (Honolulu County).
Governed by a Board
With representation comprised of landowners, business owners, and government represntatives.
OUR MISSION
The DoHo BID is looking to coordinate community efforts to revitalize Downtown Honolulu through:
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Providing supplemental services include security, maintenance, advocacy, and other services.
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Building a branding and marketing schemes to drive foot-traffic, new business, and investment for the community.
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Encourage collective economic benefits by managing Downtown as a whole rather than as independent properties.
BID Ambassadors managing the Waikiki District
Benefits of a Business Improvement District...
Enhanced Security
Provides uniformed personnel on the ground that patrol the district.
Sanitation and Cleanliness
Funds sidewalk and public space cleaning, power washing, and graffiti removal.
Public Maintenance & Capital Improvements
Including street sweeps, trash pick-up, public equipment repairs and landscaping.
Marketing Campaigns
Coordinates campaigns to attract consumers, commercial tenants, tourists, and investors to local businesses.
Public Events & Street Activation
Plans community events such as parades, farmers markets, and street events.
Advocacy Efforts
Supports ability to adjust policy for the district and receive governmental grants and other funds.
Investment Rationale
The BID will provide supplementary services in the public spaces focused on safety, security, and cleanliness, acting as one coordinated entity overseeing and managing the district as a whole, and governed by the landowners, lessees, and businesses based in the district.
Safety and Security
Seven safety and security personnel patrolling the district from early in the morning to late at night. The security would enforce the “sit-lie” ban, and actively address individuals who pose security threats in the public areas. BID security would work in conjunction with security at each property so that security threats are not just pushed from one property to the next, and coordinated between landowners.
Cleanliness
Two person pressure washing team will pressure wash all public spaces 8 hours per day, Monday through Friday, to ensure consistently clean street. This also serves as a form of security to deter loiterers.
Maintenance and Custodial
Three person team to address graffiti, street sweeps, trash pick up, spot cleaning, debris, wiping down fixtures, repairs, and landscaping Monday through Friday to ensure area looks and feels clean.
Team Leader and Operations Manager
Team leader and operations manager also act as working security personnel and assist other scopes adding 2 more bodies to the street and ensuring effective implementation of services.
Overall Presence
Fourteen personnel patrolling the entire district in bright colored vests and a visible presence.
Advocacy
The BID can advocate for funding and government support for the entire district as one coordinated entity.
Proposed Downtown Honolulu BID Boundaries
The Core "Business District"
The boundaries are proposed to span from Nu'uanu to Richard Street and from S. Beretania to Ala Moana Blvd / Nimitz Hwy. Encompassing the properties within Downtown Honolulu.
Downtown BID Structure
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The new Downtown BID will be created by expanding the existing Fort Street Mall BID
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The BID will be implemented for a 5-year period, at which point the BID Board can elect not to renew; therefore, the BID is not permanent, and there is an opportunity to evaluate the impact.
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Assessments will be charged by the City & County of Honolulu and 100% of all proceeds are reinvested back into the District to fund the supplementary services.
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Assessments will be charged on all commercial properties and buildings in the district, excluding residential units, and government owned properties that claim RPT exceptions
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Assessments on commercial properties will be 0.075% of Tax Assessed Value or about $0.02 psf per month for the typical downtown commercial property.
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Bylaws will be provided upon request - email requests to info@DoHoBID.com
Creating a Downtown Honolulu BID
Full Council meeting with DoHo BID on agenda on September 3rd!
Submit testimony online for the next hearing here: Submit Testimony – Honolulu City Council
After opening the link:
1. Select "COUNCIL Meeting (Sep 3, 2025 @ 10:00 AM) when prompted to 'Select a meeting'
2. Select "Bill051(25)" to submit testimony regarding the expansion of the Fort Street Improvement District
Download Sample Testimony Here:
Background
Downtown Honolulu currently has a business improvement district on Fort Street Mall that has been in place since 2002. The Fort Street BID has enhanced activity across Fort Street Mall, but its reach is limited to a single road in Downtown. ​
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The Fort Street BID has been successful for the community, providing security and clean up along Fort Street Mall for members of the community, as well as hosting two weekly farmer's markets and multiple annual events that draw people to Downtown.
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In the creation of Downtown Honolulu BID, the current Fort Street BID's boundaries will be expanded from Nu'uanu to Richard Street, amplifying the current efforts of the Fort Street BID for the local community's benefit.
Support
Bill 51, introduced to the City Council in 2025, outlines an expansion of the existing Fort Street BID into a larger Downtown Honolulu BID. ​
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The local community is encourage to support and will have multiple opportunities to provide testimony and feedback on the expansion of the BID. Testimony can be provided at each hearing
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Bill 51 has finished its first of three readings on July 9, 2025. At the reading, local properties owners testified in support of the bill, showing their willingness to provide funding for the benefit of the Downtown Honolulu community.
Implementation Process
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Public Engagement
Held a townhall panel at the YWCA in January 2025 to discuss the concept of a BID with the neighborhood, including two neighborhood board presentations in February and July, and over a year long process of engagement and collaboration with major downtown landowners.
Completed
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Draft Ordinance
Stakeholders work together to draft an Ordinance to create the BID and outline the responsibilities of the BID.
Completed
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Ordinance Introduction To City Council
A member of City Council endorses and submits the ordinace to the Honolulu City Council for consideration.
Completed
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Public Notice and Hearing
Ordinance will be read at City Council Meeting and opportunities for the public to provide feedback, support, and concerns will occur three times. Bill 51 completed its second of three committee readings on August 21, 2025.
In Progress
Submit testimony online for the next hearing here: Submit Testimony — Honolulu City Council
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Council Deliberates Post Hearing
Council takes community feedback into account and amends the ordinance as necessary.
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Council Votes on Ordinance
The City Council votes to approve or deny the ordinance that gives final approval for the implementation of the Business Improvement District.
