Old City Special Services District of Philadelphia is a municipal authority

Municipal Authority (Pennsylvania)

A Municipal Authority is a form of special-purpose governmental unit in Pennsylvania. The municipal authority is an alternate vehicle for accomplishing public purposes without the direct action of counties, municipalities and school districts...

 providing business improvement district

Business improvement district

A business improvement district is a defined area within which businesses pay an additional tax or fee in order to fund improvements within the district's boundaries. Grant funds acquired by the city for special programs and/or incentives such as tax abatements can be made available to assist...

 services in the Old City

Old City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Old City is a neighborhood in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, in the area near e Delaware River where William Penn and the Quakers first settled...

 neighborhood of Center City, Philadelphia

Center City, Philadelphia

Center City, or Downtown Philadelphia includes the central business district and central neighborhoods of the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. As of 2005, its population of over 88,000 made it the third most populous downtown in the United States, after New York City's and Chicago's...

.

Sidewalk cleaning

The Old City Special Services District has a program of sidewalk cleaning with uniformed crews to vacuum the sidewalks every morning, and to sweep and clean sidewalks by high-pressure hoses during the day. These uniformed crews also remove graffiti from buildings, poles and signs. The District also encourages and responds to complaints about graffiti from the public. The Philadelphia Streets Department cleans the cart-ways from curb line to curb line and empties the public trash receptacles.

Security

The District has uniformed community service representatives, who give directions to visitors, and are safety ambassadors in the area. They can report any security problems to the Philadelphia Police.

The 6th Philadelphia Police District and the Old City Special Services District are working together to improve safety and security for visitors, businesses and residents.

Marketing

To encourage and increase the commercial, retail, and cultural activities in the District, the Old City Special Services District supports marketing and promotional initiatives to enhance the public image of Old City. The official website is part of those initiatives.

Funding

A 5% surcharge on the real estate tax of commercial properties within the District is the funding source for the District. The funds are collected and expended for supplemental services and programs within the District.

Administration

The Old City Special Services District Authority has a nineteen member Board of Directors representing Old City’s major property owners and occupants, and leaders of business, cultural, education, labor union and health care institutions. A chief executive officer, who reports to the Board of Directors, manages the activities of the District and its operations.