Downtown Salem is one of Oregon’s healthiest downtowns and is home to a diverse range of civic, commercial, residential, and institutional uses. Over the past five years, several new housing developments have been built, numerous new retailers and restaurants have opened, and major improvements have been made to streets, parks, and other public spaces. The success of a downtown requires constant effort in terms of planning, management, and funding. The City of Salem and the Salem Urban Renewal Agency (the City/Agency), the Urban Development Department of the City and Salem, and many business and community groups have worked together over the years to ensure that Downtown Salem stays vibrant and active and continues as a desirable place for investment.

This Strategic Action Plan (the Action Plan) is a tool to guide public investments through the Riverfront-Downtown Urban Renewal Area (RDURA), which provides tax increment funding for capital improvements in downtown Salem. Managed by the City’s Urban Development Department and guided by the Downtown Advisory Board (DAB) and the Urban Renewal Agency Board, the RDURA is a powerful tool for removing the barriers to investment and funding important public and private projects to enhance the success of downtown Salem.

The Urban Renewal Agency adopted the Downtown Strategic Action Plan (Action Plan) on February 14, 2011. Adoption of the Action Plan does not authorize expenditure of urban renewal resources. To fund the activities described in the Action Plan, amendments to the Riverfront Downtown Urban Renewal Plan may be required.