Keeping Seattle clean(er)

SEATTLE -- People in the Belltown neighborhood can expect cleaner, safer streets after the city council voted to expand services of the Metropolitan Improvement District.

MID teams remove grafitti, clean sidewalks, conduct off-duty police patrols and daily foot and bike patrols in certain downtown areas.

In a new renewal agreement approved by the city council on Monday, MID services will now expand to Belltown and additional blocks in Pioneer Square, starting July 1. MID will also put additional police teams on the streets to deal with drug activity and illegal behavior, begin new outreach services for homeless and mentally ill people and increase advocacy for transit and safe biking options downtown.

MID is a non-profit organization founded by the Downtown Seattle Association. You can learn more about the organization's work here.