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eventually rents will "reimburse" owners for building improvements, front-end- ing the investment generally is the responsibility of the owner. As more quality tenants can be attracted to Downtown, rents for prime space can increase, and building upgrades will become more economical to the owner. S~iecial Events and Promotions Several highly successful events are held throughout the year Downtown, such as "Sausage and Suds" and "Miracle on East 14`'' Street", but the mo- mentum to plan and fund such events has been time and energy consuming in the past. The formation of a consistent funding mechanism will allow for special events, promotional materials, special maintenance and other ben- efits that have not normally been funded by the City. Such an organization has the added benefit of being a consistent voice in the community on Down- town issues. Existing Conditions This section discusses existing conditions, demographics and school dis- trict data. Unlike issues faced in other Bay Area Downtowns, safety, traffic and parking adequacy are not perceived to be major issues for Downtown San Leandro. It is extremely rare to have so few roadblocks to revitalization, providing San Leandro a great of opportunity to improve the Downtown commercial district. Recent demographic indicators show positive changes happening in Down- town San Leandro. Higher home values, which are outpacing the County as a whole, and a significant increase in the number of families with young children are increasing the demand for retailers, such as entertainment, res- taurants, and specialty retailers, to provide for the needs of families and up- and-coming income earners. Traffic The City's traffic engineer reported that overall traffic conditions are -- good in the Downtown. All Downtown intersections have a high level of service and the accident rate is low. However, pedestrian crossings, particu- larly at Davis and East 14th Street are perceived as "feeling" unsafe. Often times the crossings provide a sense of having a barrier between Downtown and the residential neighborhoods. Provisions for protected left turns at those intersections could provide greater protection to pedestrians, but they are also likely to have some impact on traffic flow. San Leandro Downtown Plan Rc Urban Design Guidelines October2000 page 15