A DDA encourages local units of government to prevent conditions of unemployment and promote economic growth in their downtown business districts. Governed by Public Act 197 of 1975, a DDA captures tax increment financing in an effort to improve a business district by adding needed infrastructure like sidewalks for example. A tax increment financing plan and development plan are necessary for the DDA to capture taxes.

The DDA was created by Ordinance No. 55 of the Blackman Charter Township Board on November 21, 1988. Blackman Charter Township wanted to encourage and assist development in the area primarily southwest of the I-94 and Airport Road interchanged.

In 1993, the DDA was reinstated and boundaries were expanded to include a portion of Scheele Industrial Park northeast of I-94 and Airport Road interchange. The expansion also included several parcels of land adjacent to Meijers. The boundary was also extended south on Airport Road to the point where the proposed water line extension would connect with an existing water line on Argyle Road.

In 2004, the DDA expanded to the east of the current eastern boundary with a northern border of Springport Road, an eastern border of U.S. 127, and a southern border of the parcels along Boardman Road, back to the original Authority western boundary.