DDA
History
The Downtown Development Authority
(DDA) was established
as an independent taxing district by Special Act of the Florida State
Legislature in 1965. The Act was amended in 1967 and again in 1969 and 1992,
expanding the DDA's powers and boundaries. The DDA was formed to provide for
the rehabilitation, redevelopment, and revitalization of slum and blighted
areas in the Downtown.
The
DDA's Governing Board consists of seven members, appointed by the City
Commission, to serve four year staggered terms. Board members must own
property within the Authority's 370 acre jurisdiction or be involved with a
corporation owning property or paying property taxes in the jurisdiction,
and thus have a vested interest in the activities of the DDA.
The DDA has played a variety of constructive roles since its creation. It
has been, and continues to be, a redevelopment agency, a marketing
organization, and a coordinator and facilitator among various private and
governmental entities involved in and with the Downtown. The vitality and
dynamism of the Downtown with shining office towers and cultural,
educational and entertainment amenities are tangible testimony to the
effectiveness of the DDA and the vision of its governing Boards throughout
the past decades. One need only to look at the photographs of Downtown Fort
Lauderdale circa 1965 to see how successful the Authority has been in making
the Downtown the urban centerpiece of Broward County. Without the DDA
advocacy and pro-active initiatives, Downtown Fort Lauderdale would be a far
different and eminently less successful place. Today, with it's office
skyscrapers, numerous new residential projects and the Arts and
Entertainment District Downtown Fort Lauderdale has emerged as the South's
Premiere location to Live, Work and Play.
The Mission Statement of the DDA can be
summarized as follows:
The Downtown Development Authority will seek to provide a critical link
between the economic development and physical development objectives of
Downtown Fort Lauderdale. Specifically, the DDA will be an advocate for the
City of Fort Lauderdale as the "Downtown of Broward County" that has:
