Shreveport DDA and Downtown Shreveport Development Corporation: What's the difference?
The Shreveport DDA and Downtown Shreveport Development Corporation are two distinct organizations that share a common goal of promoting downtown Shreveport's growth and development, but their specific responsibilities can cause confusion among the public.
According to Michael Corbin, chairman of Shreveport DDA, one organization is responsible for enforcing ordinances, while the other leases properties to tenants in the area.
Here are the differences between the two Downtown Shreveport entities.
What is the Shreveport DDA?
Although the Shreveport DDA does not own property downtown, it plays a crucial role in enforcing and recommending changes to city ordinances within its jurisdiction.
The Shreveport DDA was created in 1978 by the Louisiana Legislature as a governing body in the special taxing district in the original 120-square block area designated as the Downtown Development District.
The DDA currently holds two contracts within the city, focusing on parking ordinance enforcement and streetscape beautification in the downtown area.
"Those two contracts came to the DDA years ago because the City felt like they did not have the resources or the manpower to enforce the parking ordinances or keep downtown clean," Corbin said.
It is overseen by a seven-member board who are appointed by the Shreveport City Council upon nomination by the mayor.
What is the DSDC?
The DSDC is a private, nonprofit entity focused on purchasing or accepting donations of buildings in Downtown Shreveport, subsequently leasing them to tenants. The entity can also accept funds, including private funds, Corbin said.
DSDC is overseen by a board of directors composed of business and property owners and key stakeholders in the downtown area. Corbin said due to it being a private entity, they are not required to hold public meetings or disclose their actions to the public.
It has funded key historic rehab projects including converting the old Ivan Smith Furniture Store into an art space, creating the Robinson Film Center, and the adaptive reuse of the property that houses the DDA building.
The DSDC annually pays an estimated $30,000 to the DDA to cover a portion of the executive director's salary and any work done by staff for the DSDC.
Corbin said the DSDC doesn't have a building because they merely have a board of directors but Janie Landry is housed in the DDA office even though she serves as interim director of both organizations
More: Shreveport DDA interim director fires back at donut shop's Facebook post
Follow Ian Robinson on Twitter @_irobinson and on Facebook at https://bit.ly/3vln0w1.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: What's the difference between Shreveport DDA and the DSDC?
