Launched in 2024, the Downtown Iowa City Ambassador Program is a collaborative effort between the City of Iowa City and the Iowa City Downtown District. The goal is to make downtown a vibrant, safe, and inviting place for everyone to shop, dine, play, and conduct business. To support enhanced experiences, a significant portion of the ICDD budget with support from the City of Iowa City parking and transportation services is dedicated to keeping the area clean, safe, and welcoming all year round.
Clean, Safe & Welcoming
Our team of 18 ambassadors work daily from 6:00 AM to evening, providing essential services such as trash removal, sidewalk cleaning, and pressure washing. In addition to keeping our streets clean, the ambassadors serve as helpful resources for both locals and visitors, offering information, assistance, vehicle help, and safety escorts, while reporting issues that need attention.
Cleaning: Litter and graffiti removal, cleaning sidewalks, power washing, biohazard remediation and weed removal
Hospitality: Greeting visitors, Special Event assistance, Providing tourism information and directions, Connecting with business owners and residents
Safety: Reporting public disturbances, Connecting people with social services, Safety escorts
Hours of Service
7 days a week from 6:00 am to 12:00 am
Service requests: Submit requests and issues for public litter or waste, graffiti removal, and general cleaning issues by texting information and photos to 319-452-0608. Service requests can be made by community members, visitors, business owners, employees, and property owners.
Immediate needs: Call the Downtown Ambassadors team at (319) 452-0608 for assistance, safety escorts, flat tire, or battery jump.
**In case of emergency, call 911 immediately. To report crimes after the fact, request city infrastructure repairs, or for requests outside the Iowa City Downtown District.
The Downtown Ambassador team engages with the community to ensure that downtown remains a welcoming place to live, work, and visit. The hardworking team provides information, and directions, offers assistance to enhance safety, maintains public spaces, assists with special events, and helps make Downtown Iowa City a beautiful and well-maintained environment.
The Downtown Iowa City Ambassador Program is administered by Block by Block, a company that serves more than 150 urban districts, parks, and transit systems across the United States. Becoming a team member means great hourly pay, health care benefits, paid time off, amongst a great company culture.
