Core Tenet
The NC Main Street Program and Municipal Service Districts (MSDs) are two of the most effective, state-enabled tools currently available for sustaining and growing downtown communities across North Carolina. The NC Main Street Program provides technical assistance, strategic planning, and economic development guidance that have transformed hundreds of communities into vibrant, resilient places. MSDs give local governments the ability to create a dedicated funding stream for enhanced services—such as cleanliness, safety, marketing, and placemaking—tailored to the needs of a defined downtown district. Together, these tools have a proven track record of leveraging private investment, creating jobs, and strengthening tax bases, and their continued support are essential to the health and competitiveness of our downtowns.
Advocacy Aspirations
Building Relationships & Telling the Story of Downtowns
We are focused on deepening relationships with state officials, partner organizations, and economic development allies to elevate the role of downtowns in North Carolina’s economic growth strategy. Through storytelling and shared data, we highlight how downtown investment drives job creation, small business success, quality of life, and quality of place. NCDDA connects leaders across communities to champion the future of downtowns.
Modernizing & Expanding Downtown Tools
NCDDA supports updating public finance tools—like Project Development Financing (TIF) and the State Historic Tax Credit—to better reflect today’s redevelopment needs. NCDDA also advocates for the creation of new economic development tools to address challenges and needs as they arise as well as access to key economic data (like sales tax collections) to help local leaders make informed decisions. These tools must evolve to unlock the full potential of downtown revitalization.
Economic Development, Quality of Life, & Quality of Place
We advocate for policies that promote housing, support adaptive reuse of vacant buildings and land, and address public safety and homelessness in business districts. Downtowns need resources to grow comprehensively, respond to changing workforce, residential, and market needs, and remain welcoming, walkable centers of commerce and culture.
Elevating Downtowns as Economic Engines and Cultural Hubs
Downtowns are powerful drivers of North Carolina’s economy. They attract substantial private investment, drive tourism, generate significant sales tax revenue, and expand both local and state tax bases. NCDDA is committed to positioning downtowns as essential contributors to local and statewide prosperity. We advocate for the recognition of downtowns, historic business districts, main streets, urban districts, and commercial corridors in economic development strategies, and as vital centers of commerce, culture, innovation, and long-term capital growth.