The Difference Between Main Street, HPC, and the DDA

Citizens, commissioners, and city employees often confuse the purpose of the Main Street program, Historic Preservation Commission, and Downtown Development Authority. This guide attempts to clarify the mission and role of all three organizations.

The Difference Between Main Street, HPC, and the DDA
Three downtown partners working together without crossing their separate roles.

Why This Matters

Griffin city commissioners frequently receive citizen inquiries and project questions that confuse local downtown organizations. Confusing the Downtown Development Authority with the Main Street program or the Historic Preservation Commission causes operational gridlock and frustrates private developers.

Understanding the specific mandates of each entity helps you direct inquiries correctly, protect board boundaries, and support downtown growth efficiently.

The Core Concept

Downtown governance in Griffin relies on three distinct organizational entities with separate legal authorities and operational missions:

  • Main Street Program: Focuses on community marketing, downtown events, festival planning, and retail promotion.There is also a reporting component upstream to the State and Federal Main Street programs.
  • Historic Preservation Commission (HPC): Regulates design guidelines and issues Certificates of Appropriateness for exterior building alterations within historic districts.
  • Downtown Development Authority (DDA): Focuses on real estate transactions, property acquisition, business recruitment, and financial incentive programs.

Related: What is the point of being a Main Street community?

How It Works in Practice

Each organization operates under a unique framework to support downtown revitalization. Main Street drives public engagement and customer foot traffic through community festivals and merchant networking. When a commercial property owner plans a storefront renovation, the HPC reviews architectural changes to verify compliance with local historic design standards. If that same property owner requires performance gap financing or real estate negotiation support, they coordinate directly with the DDA.

Related: Local Incentive Programs and Grant Administration

Common Mistakes and Risks

Treating the DDA like a merchant association or an event planning committee prevents the authority from executing complex commercial deals. Conversely, expecting Main Street to handle property acquisitions or debt financing misallocates staff resources. Blurring the lines between HPC design reviews and DDA financial incentives creates regulatory confusion for developers and delays project timelines.

Questions Elected Officials Should Ask

When staff or constituents bring downtown issues before the City Commission, you should ask targeted questions:

  • Does this proposal involve promotional events, historic design compliance, or commercial real estate development?
  • Are we directing this inquiry to the appropriate board instead of burdening the wrong entity?
  • Are the DDA, HPC, and Main Street programs coordinating their efforts without overlapping statutory jurisdictions?

Related: Core Concepts of Downtown Redevelopment

Bottom Line

Clear operational boundaries between Main Street, the Historic Preservation Commission, and the Downtown Development Authority ensure smooth downtown governance. Recognizing each board’s specific mandate keeps local revitalization moving forward without administrative overlap.