Downtown & River Market Ambassadors
Our ambassadors have transformed Downtown Kansas City with a simple but ambitious mission: clean, safe, and attractive.
Ambassadors
Our ambassadors are the cornerstone of Downtown’s transformation. Our team of 60 ambassadors has a daily presence in the Central Business District and River Market neighborhoods. Day in and day out, they work to remove trash, pressure wash sidewalks, and beautify the area by removing graffiti. In addition, they refer individuals to social services and report urgent issues to law enforcement.
Hospitality & Safety
Our safety ambassadors are an effective deterrent to crime and a welcoming presence throughout our districts. They patrol on foot seven days a week, wearing distinctive yellow uniforms equipped with two-way radios. They interact with the public to provide information or directions and are equally prepared to administer first aid, request police services, or provide outreach to unsheltered individuals.
Coordination with the KCPD
The public safety ambassadors work closely with the Kansas City Police Department. Our public safety staff are trained by the KCPD and assist the local precinct in dealing with thefts and the prevention of other crimes.
Homeless Outreach
Our safety ambassadors provide outreach services to help take unsheltered individuals from Downtown streets to appropriate facilities with needed services.
KC Streetcar Partnership
Through a partnership with the CIDs and KC Streetcar, our safety ambassadors provide a daily welcoming presence on the Downtown streetcar. They have played a leadership role in safety and way-finding services aboard the streetcar since it started operations in 2016.
Comprehensive Training
The CIDs are committed to the development of its ambassadors through year-round training through numerous programs and classes provided by our partners.
Clean
Each day, before the rest of Downtown is moving, our Clean Team ambassadors hit the streets to clean sidewalks and alleyways. Our Clean Team has zero-tolerance for graffiti. They use solvents and high-pressure washers to blast graffiti from the ground floor of building walls, light poles, signs, and street furniture while protecting architectural surfaces.
Sidewalk Cleaning
The CIDs deploy uniformed workers who manually clean sidewalks on two overlapping shifts, seven days a week so that Downtown opens clean and remains clean throughout the day. All sidewalks also get a monthly power washing in warm weather months to remove accumulated stains and grime.
Graffiti Removal
The CIDs have zero tolerance for graffiti. Specially trained teams use solvents and high-pressure washers to blast graffiti from the ground floor of building walls, light poles, signs, and street furniture while protecting architectural surfaces.
Streetscape Maintenance
The CID maintenance ambassadors maintain a variety of street furniture throughout the district. Our crews are responsible for cleaning and repairing these elements as needed and repainting them seasonally to keep them looking fresh and clean.
Snow Removal
Following snowfall, CID maintenance staff gets to work clearing bus stops, fire hydrants, all corner caps, sidewalks, and crosswalks to create clear and accessible pathways. In addition to coordinating with the City, our crews prioritize areas by taking into account pedestrian traffic and the entrance/egress of public transportation nodes.
Additional Services
Each day, before the rest of Downtown is moving, our Clean Team ambassadors hit the streets to clean sidewalks and alleyways. Our Clean Team has zero-tolerance for graffiti. They use solvents and high-pressure washers to blast graffiti from the ground floor of building walls, light poles, signs, and street furniture while protecting architectural surfaces.
Homeless Outreach
The Downtown and River Market Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) homeless outreach principles involve identifying persons living in places not intended for human habitation, building relationships with them based on trust, and helping them connect with opportunities to improve their health and well-being.
The Beehive - Health & Housing Collaborative
Our safety ambassadors work with The Beehive, our partner in reducing the number of homeless living on downtown streets while providing compassionate outreach and connections to appropriate services. The Beehive provides our homeless population with nutritious meals, housing referrals, counseling services, and document services, as well as health, dental, and psychiatric clinics.
Road Warriors
The CIDs have created a partnership with MoDOT (Missouri Department of Transportation) and the City of Kanas City to remove homeless camps and roadside debris along the interstate’s right of way throughout Downtown Kansas City.
Outstanding Results
Our ambassadors are dedicated to maintaining a strong and comforting presence. Our safety ambassadors walk both neighborhoods every day and are committed to ensuring a welcoming environment. They serve as a first point of contact and an effective deterrent to crime. Our clean team sweeps sidewalks at least twice every day while picking up trash and maintaining a zero-tolerance policy on graffiti throughout our districts. The metrics below are from May 2023 to April 2024.
16,343
Trash Bags Removed
1,897
Graffiti Tags Removed
7,738
Public Nuisance
4,414
Parking Lot Patrols
3,352
Directions Provided
7,377
Merchant Check
74
Human Services
136
First Responder
Incredible Transformation
Downtown Kansas City’s ever-changing skyline continues to be a visual reminder of the hard work of our ambassadors, which started in 2003 and set the stage for a $10 billion dollar renaissance of Downtown that continues today.
Staff
Our staff shares a love of the Central Business District and River Market neighborhoods as well as a desire to make a positive difference in our districts. Whether supporting back-office operations or street-level services, team members are aligned around the DSA mission: to create a healthy, vibrant Downtown Kansas City for all. Our teams include cleaning and maintenance, homeless outreach, hospitality and public safety services, and operations.
Contact Us
Our ambassadors provide services that supplement but do not replace, basic services provided by the City of Kansas City and the fundamental responsibilities of property owners. The CIDs do not warrant or guarantee that its services constitute complete cleaning or security throughout our districts nor can we prevent every adverse incident. For service please call 816-421-5243.
Downtown & River Market
Community Improvement Districts
1000 Walnut, Suite 200
Kansas City, MO 64106
816.421.5243