HONOLULU (Island News) -- A second town hall focusing on creating a "Downtown Honolulu Business Improvement District" took place Thursday night at the former Walmart turned pickleball complex at Fort Street Mall.

City leaders fielded questions and concerns from residents and businesses  about proposed plans to revitalize the area.

Sen. Karl Rhoads (D) Punchbowl, Chinatown and Downtown stated, "The fact there's even a meeting here to talk about this, says to me there's things we can do better at the government level."

While progress has been made, many local workers and community members feel additional improvements are overdue.

Ernest Caravalho stated, "I've been fighting for last ten years for the safety of this community, that's the biggest thing, so that my kapuna, my keiki (and other family) can walk these streets safely."

Vaster coverage and more personnel could be ahead.

Warren Wong with the Fort Street Mall Business Improvement District stated,  "Bill 51 wants to expand the Fort Street Mall BID to include Nuuanu and go all the way through Beretania, Ala Moana, so we'll have better coverage."

Ed D'Ascoli told Island News, "Our family owns the Podmore building on Merchant and Alakea Street - we're very interested in this, we support it - Bill 51 and the Business Improvement District. We want to be able to enhance what the city does, it's important for us.

With Bill 51, the plan/objective is similar to Waikiki, where folks help clean sidewalks, offer directions and provide another set of eyes for police, It would involve 14 additional personnel members out on the streets.

Plans would reportedly involve property owners paying a fee to fund the services.

Honolulu City Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam said, "I think a lot of people recognize to pay for security, to pay for maintenance, pressure washing and all those services, I think that's going to be a welcome addition."

What's a ballpark figure of the price?

"The overall BID budget is about $1.9 million a year, that goes to security and power washing maintenance, that translates to about two cents per square foot on cam, on everyone's maintenance for the commercial properties, but again if people are already paying for private security, already painting out the graffiti on their own, if the BID comes through, the BID organization would help pay for that", added Dos Santos-Tam.

The next hearing is Sept. 3rd before the city council.  The public is encouraged to attend and express their views.