Public vs. Private Ownership

Public and private ownership of land and buildings often varies from city to city. Renewal or improvement projects for the main street or downtown will inevitably encounter mixed ownership between the city and private owners. Therefore it is important to engage private owners in the renewal or improvement project process to gain their trust and support. This is essential because there may be instances that require private owners to allow the city to improve their facade or enhance the sidewalk in front of their establishment.

Later in this document there is a description and examples of temporary and affordable implementations for private pocket lots. That section is helpful to understand the extent to which there may be public-private partnerships and potential shared funding to provide additional public space.