Downtown Austin is one of the most thriving live/work/play districts in the world. The Downtown Austin Alliance (Downtown Alliance) strives to make downtown Austin a place that is welcoming for everyone. Our core values are to lead with relentless vision, inspire passion, cultivate inclusivity, foster collaboration, earn trust and mindfully impact.
The Downtown Alliance is the manager of the Austin Downtown Public Improvement District (PID) and has been the full-time advocate and champion of downtown Austin since 1993. As a nonprofit funded by commercial and non-homestead property owners in the district, our organization provides the downtown community with direct services, planning and advocacy. This fulfills our mission “to create, preserve and enhance the vibe, vitality and value of downtown Austin for everyone.” Every 10 years, the membership is petitioned to renew the public improvement district and the work of the Downtown Alliance.
Inside your downtown Austin business packet, you will find a list of our services, how your employees can get to and from downtown, resources for our neighbors experiencing homelessness and much more. We are excited to provide information to your business and to connect with you by promoting your news and events! Tag us or send us a direct message on any of our social channels below to share your updates, specials and potential partnership opportunities with us.
We are thankful to work with you to make downtown Austin the place we know and love.
The Downtown Austin Alliance Team
Our Services
Ambassadors
Every day, our team of 75 Downtown Ambassadors provides cleaning, safety and hospitality services throughout the PID in the public right of way from 6am-11pm. They provide information, visitor assistance, local insider tips, cleanup and report infrastructure needs and issues to the city. Ambassadors also work on beautification projects that enhance the downtown experience. You may recognize them working hard on the streets in their Downtown Austin Alliance red polo shirts or Republic Square green polo shirts.
Our ambassador team bolsters city services to ensure public spaces downtown are maintained and coordinates with other city services such as Austin Resource Recovery, Austin Public Works and Watershed Protection on repair projects. We also provide daily maintenance services for three downtown public restrooms that are cleaned hourly.
Trinity between 4th and 5th Streets
East 6th Street Frontage Road
6th Street and Brazos
You can contact the Downtown Ambassadors at ambassadors@downtownaustin.com for public litter or waste removal, graffiti removal, sidewalk-cleaning in the public right of way, general information, safety escorts, help with a flat tire or a battery jump.
The Downtown Ambassadors are here to support but not replace city and emergency services. In case of emergency, call 911 immediately. To report crimes after the fact or request city infrastructure repairs, call 311.
Writing on the Walls was a series of public art installations and events in March 2020. As part of the event, artists Sandra Chevrier and Shepard Fairey collaborated on a new mural on the side of The LINE entitled, ”The Beauty of Liberty and Equality.”
Parks & Art
The Downtown Austin Alliance supports the operations, maintenance and community programming at Republic Square, creates compelling experiences through placemaking and cultural arts programs (such as our signature Writing on the Walls program) and forges new partnerships to create solutions-based programming downtown.
We are always accepting inquiries for partnerships to continue to enhance the vibe and vitality of downtown Austin through urban activism. If you are interested in our mural curation services or want to see an area near you activated and brought to life, we want to hear from you. To learn more, visit downtownaustin.com/foundation or reach out to hello@downtownaustin.com to partner on future projects.
Bird Services
Our feathered friends are nice to have downtown, but sometimes they are not great neighbors. We contract with Urban Bird Services to patrol the PID nightly and use nonlethal methods to discourage roosting. This significantly reduces bird waste and allows for increased sidewalk dining and activation. Since the start of this service in 2007, we’ve seen a 95% reduction in bird droppings, keeping sidewalks clean and welcoming for downtown pedestrians.
Security
Downtown is busy at all hours of the day and night. Through a grant, we helped fund Austin Police Department HALO cameras to give officers a bird's eye view of the downtown area so they can respond in real time.
The Downtown Austin Alliance also funds an overtime police patrol dedicated solely to the PID by putting two additional officers on the streets, daily, from 6am to 4pm. These officers interact frequently with property management, security staff and business operators. They cannot be called away to other sectors of the city, allowing them to focus solely on the downtown area.
Sign up for the Downtown Austin Alliance safety messaging system through Textedly. Text "Safety" to (877) 958-8094 to sign up today and receive important alerts.
Governance
The Downtown Austin Alliance is run by a board of directors that meets monthly and employs a staff of 25. We have multiple committees that meet every other month to gain expert insight and make decisions on downtown issues. Our committees consist of the Public Space Experience Committee, the Urban Activism Committee, the Built Environment Committee, the Mobility Committee and the Leadership and Influence Committee.
One of our Downtown Ambassadors keeping our streets clean
For general inquiries or questions for the Downtown Austin Alliance, please contact hello@downtownaustin.com or call us at (512) 469-1766. For specific requests, please refer to the following:
We strive to bring people downtown and promote upcoming events or exciting news for businesses downtown. Please tag us or send us a direct message on any social platform to request us to share. Our social handles and hashtags are as follows:
There are several downtown resources to connect our neighbors experiencing homelessness with, whether they are searching for programs, shelters, meals and more.
Cooling centers provide respite from the dangerous Central Texas heat during the hottest months of the year. Updates on downtown cooling center locations can be found here. Past downtown cooling center locations included the following locations:
Austin Central Library at 701 W Cesar Chavez Street
Warming centers run during the colder months to provide short-term relief and make sure folks have a place to stay warm in below-freezing weather. Updates on downtown warming center locations can be found here. Past downtown warming center locations included the following locations:
Austin Central Library at 701 W Cesar Chavez Street
Mexican American Cultural Center: 600 River Street
Downtown Austin Alliance Ambassador helps connect an individual experiencing homelessness with community services.
Mobile Loaves and Fishes team meets at Community First! Village. Images courtesy of Mobile Loaves and Fishes.
Operating Downtown
Trash, Recycling and Litter Control
Businesses and residents in this service district have access to single stream recycling dumpsters in their alleys. You can place the following materials in any alley recycler, with no sorting required:
There are many options for getting to and around downtown. Here is a list of services and programs available throughout the week and weekend.
Free Parking
Street parking managed by the City of Austin is free on the street all day Sunday. Enforcement begins at 8am on weekdays. Parking is free Monday and Tuesday after 6pm, Saturday before 11am and all other days after midnight. Use the ParkATX app to pay for parking during the hours of enforcement.
Affordable Parking Program for Employees
The Affordable Parking Program is a City of Austin and Downtown Austin Alliance initiative aimed at reducing economic barriers for Austin community members to access downtown. Austin service and entertainment industry employees who work downtown can access parking options at affordable monthly rates as early as 3pm and as late as 7am during the week and park up to 24 hours during the weekend, depending on the garage. Limited spaces are available for daytime use. For more information, visit austintexas.gov/page/affordable-parking-program.
Morning along 3rd Street
Movability
As the Central Texas region grows, so too does its traffic congestion. While mobility improvements from the city and new service offerings from Capital Metro all help improve the efficiency of our transportation networks, many employers and their employees still feel the strain that congestion puts on their time, their bottom lines, and their health. Movability works with employers all over Central Texas to help them make connections and learn best practices, and to develop and implement custom mobility plans. That means that employers don’t have to wait for new infrastructure – they can make changes right now that maximize productivity and help boost recruiting and retention rates. And that means the economic engine of Central Texas keeps accelerating.
They even offer microgrants to help you get your employees to work. To learn how Movability can help your business and employees' commuting needs and interests, visit movabilitytx.org.
Get There ATX
Get There ATX is a program that makes it easy for employers to incentivize alternative commutes and help their employees find ride matches, log trips, and participate in fun challenges that promote your organization's preferred commute modes. Find out more at getthereatx.com.
CapMetro MetroBus: There are several MetroBus stops downtown. Most routes run from 5am until midnight but there are some Night Owl buses available every day except for Sunday until 3am. Plan your trip at CapMetro: capmetro.org/plan
CapMetro MetroRail (Train): If your employees or patrons live in an area with a train station, MetroRail is an excellent way to get downtown quickly and comfortably from 6am-8pm every day of the week.
CapMetro also offers the Guaranteed Ride Home Program for registered commuters in need of an alternate mode to get home from work in case of emergency. capmetro.org/plan-guaranteed
MetroBike: Employees that live within the service area of Austin’s BCycle program can join the bike share program and have a reliable ride to work for under $100 a year. Find out more at austin.bcycle.com
MetroRail and MetroBus are both great alternatives for getting downtown quickly and comfortably.
Austin’s bike share program is a reliable method of getting to work for under $100 a year.
Business Resources
Texas Travel Industry Recovery Program
This great program was established to provide one-time reimbursement grants for the recovery of Texas businesses in the tourism, travel, and hospitality industries that were negatively impacted due to COVID-19.
City of Austin Economic Development Department
The City of Austin’s Economic Development Department Small Business Division is committed to providing opportunities and resources to small businesses to help them grow and prosper in a competitive business environment. They host several free and low-cost classes to help small business owners learn new skills that help them improve their business and management skills. Check them out on Eventbrite for class information.
