Founded in 1988, the Downtown Tacoma Business Improvement Area (BIA)  has more than two decades of experience providing maintenance, security and streetscape improvements in an 84-block district of downtown Tacoma. The activities of the BIA are supported entirely by rate-paying property owners who collectively elect to pay an annual fee that supplements publically financed street sweeping and police services.

 
The BIA Security Patrol provides a constant security presence in downtown from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily.  The Bike Patrol partners with and provides support for the Tacoma Police Department, University of Washington Tacoma Security, and private security providers in addition to offering security escorts to downtown residents, workers and visitors.

The BIA Maintenance Team maintains a consistent level of cleanliness in downtown Tacoma through a comprehensive program of sidewalk/street sweeping, pressure washing, graffiti removal, leaf pickup and response to ratepayer cleaning requests.  

The BIA also supports streetscape improvements that beautify downtown and benefit all ratepayers. The downtown banner program, hanging flower baskets, sidewalk flower planters and holiday lights are provided by the BIA.