Progress has been made in cleaning up the elements of crime in Downtown and the Boston Common since last year’s dramatic increase in drug abuse and drug dealing. But for the partners invested in dealing with those criminal elements, the work is far from over.

During the day, Downtown Crossing is bustling with shoppers, students, and commuters. However, people who live and work in the area say something else has crept into the busy district: growing concerns about public safety.    

The shopping district—located between the Boston Common and the Financial District—now faces visible drug use, rising safety concerns, and the ripple effects of the Mass. and Cass encampment sweeps. 

A cross-sector coalition of city and state officials, law enforcement, shelters and churches, institutional partners, business and trade associations, and civic organizations last week officially launched the One Downtown Task Force – a strategic initiative aimed at improving public safety, reducing crime and homelessness, and enhancing the overall experience and quality of life for all who live, work, visit, and do business in Downtown Boston and surrounding neighborhoods.

Public officials in Boston are launching a public safety action plan to address issues related to drug use, homelessness, and crime in the city.

The One Downtown Task Force is a 10-member operation co-chaired by Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn, State Representative Aaron Michlewitz, and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden.

A cross-sector coalition of city and state officials, law enforcement, shelters and churches, institutional partners, business and trade associations, and civic organizations has officially launched the One Downtown Task Force, a strategic initiative aimed at improving public safety, reducing crime and homelessness, and enhancing the overall experience and quality of life for all who live, work, visit, and do business in Downtown Boston and surrounding neighborhoods.

Following last Thursday's major public safety summit, city and state officials, law enforcement leaders, and other Downtown Boston stakeholders - including civic organizations, shelters, churches, businesses, trade groups, and institutional partners - have come together to develop a comprehensive action plan to address ongoing challenges in Downtown Boston, including congregate drug use; crime, including retail theft; and homelessness.

After nearly 100 top officials promised visible changes in “days and weeks” to increase downtown Boston’s public safety, a new city task force was created to get the job done — and Winter Street has started to look different.

“We’ve probably had 20 or 25 follow-up conversations in the last week,” Rishi Shukla told MassLive on Thursday.  “Everyone is eager and on board to do more,” said Shukla.

Last Thursday, Feb. 27, the Downtown Boston Neighborhood Association (DBNA) hosted a public safety summit to address ongoing challenges facing the Downtown Boston neighborhood. While Boston has achieved record low levels of homicide and violent crime, congregate drug-use; petty crime, including retail theft; and homelessness continue to impact the quality of life, experience, and perception of safety among those who live, work, visit, and do business in Downtown Boston.

Last Thursday, the Downtown Boston Neighborhood Association (DBNA) hosted a public safety summit to address ongoing challenges facing the Downtown Boston neighborhood. While Boston has achieved record low levels of homicide and violent crime, congregate drug-use; petty crime, including retail theft; and homelessness continue to impact the quality of life, experience, and perception of safety among those who live, work, visit, and do business in Downtown Boston.

Boston officials said last week they are taking new steps to end congregate drug use and related criminal activity around the city. Civic leaders, government officials, and others met for a major meeting on the topic, and are promising more concrete actions soon.  

The moves come as residents and local leaders continue to voice frustrations about public safety concerns in areas including downtown Boston.

Boston officials gathered on Thursday for a closed-door meeting to discuss ongoing public safety issues in downtown Boston.

The meeting, held on Washington Street in Boston’s downtown neighborhood, was called to address the “significant challenges” of crime in the area and the “impact on quality of life” for residents, City Councilor Ed Flynn told Boston.com.

Safety concerns are still plaguing people who live in Downtown Boston.

The Boston City Council held a public safety and criminal justice meeting on Tuesday night.

Several groups were in attendance including Friends of the Public Garden, Downtown Boston Alliance, Downtown Boston Neighborhood Association, and the Beacon Hill Civic Association.

It sure seems like addressing safety in downtown Boston has become an “all hands on deck” situation.

More than 90 people packed a room in a downtown condo building Thursday night for a summit to discuss the drug-dealing, shoplifting, and other quality-of-life issues plaguing the Downtown Crossing and Boston Common areas. Rishi Shukla, a summit organizer and co-founder of the Downtown Boston Neighborhood Association, said the collegiality and productiveness of the two-hour discussion exceeded his expectations.

Sidewalks, handicap ramps, vacant building facades and more in downtown Boston will get an upgrade this spring after about 100 state, city and civic leaders met Thursday night to discuss “urgent” public safety concerns.

“Everyone was asked to come prepared to talk about commitments they wanted to make... and really just putting aside the petty stuff that sometimes comes out in the public realm,” Rishi Shukla said of the closed-door, 92-person Downtown Boston Public Safety meeting.

Officials in Boston held a closed-door meeting Thursday to discuss how to address safety concerns in some of the city's most-visited areas.

According to the Boston Police Department, crime has reached its highest level in the last seven years in Downtown Crossing and Boston Common, totaling nearly 1,000 offenses.