Downtown Ambassadors have completed 3,873 improvement tasks

Published on February 26, 2025

Downtown Ambassadors

With two full months of operations to report, the early success of the City of Gainesville’s Downtown Ambassador Program is now backed by data that measures its impact.

The Gainesville City Commission unanimously approved the program in August 2024, awarding a three-year, $3.1 million contract to the nation’s leading ambassador service provider, Block by Block. The ambassadors were hired to perform hospitality, cleaning, safety and outreach services, with funding coming from the Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area’s (GCRA) budget for downtown Gainesville. This budget is jointly funded by the City of Gainesville and Alachua County.

In a presentation that will be shared with the Downtown Advisory Board and the Gainesville City Commission in the coming weeks, Block by Block reports the Downtown Ambassadors have completed a combined 3,873 tasks within their first two months on the job.

Ambassador accomplishments from Dec. 2, 2024 – Jan. 31, 2025 include:

  • 780 graffiti paint or stickers removed
  • 563 safety interactions to assist businesses
  • 534 directions given to downtown visitors
  • 401 cleaning tasks to assist businesses
  • 152 service calls for houseless neighbors
  • 119 trash bags removed
  • 102 acts of automobile assistance
  • 17 calls for police/fire/EMS

The team, numbering 14 when fully staffed, also has made significant contributions to downtown outreach. Ambassadors have engaged with 114 people experiencing homelessness and helped 15 people find places to live. In January, they made 35 referrals to Veterans Affairs to connect veterans with housing, healthcare and other essential support.

“The ambassadors are making a real impact,” said Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward. “They operate on foot, bicycle and vehicle, and they are committed to reaching people who want help and guiding them to the vital resources they need.”

The results are bringing praise, as business owners and visitors have submitted comments commending the ambassadors for their achievements and remarking on the visible improvement.

“We are thankful for the ambassadors that are posted outside of The Continuum Downtown Gainesville. We appreciate what they are doing.” ~ Greg C., The Continuum Apartments

“I want to express my sincere gratitude for the exceptional work done by (Ambassador) Tina on SW 2nd Ave. She has made a remarkable improvement in front of our building, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.” ~Allen M., UF Innovate @ The Hub & Sid Martin BioTech

“I just arrived back in town after several weeks. I sensed a change. I was not sure exactly what it was but the downtown felt different. There was something missing. Then it hit me. There was no trash, no trash anywhere. It is wonderful. Thank you.” ~Ken M., McGurn Management Company

 

Leaders from the Downtown Ambassador program will attend the March 4 meeting of Gainesville’s Downtown Advisory Board to answer questions related to the report. Report details will be included as part of the GCRA’s annual update at the Joint City-County Commission Special Meeting on March 24.

 

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