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There are many incentives available in Downtown Atlanta. The following three links will give you an overview of the incentives currently available:
Links to organizations with more information about incentives
Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce: Knowing what incentives and assistance your company can qualify for is an important part of your expansion planning. The Metro Atlanta Chamber Economic Development staff is highly experienced in this process and can help you learn exactly what your company can expect.
Atlanta Development Authority: The Atlanta Development Authority has an extensive list of development incentives available in Downtown Atlanta.
| Local Incentives |
|
Incentive Name
|
Description |
| Business Improvement Loan Fund |
Provides financing to businesses
for additions and improvements to commercial, industrial
and mixed-use property to encourage revitalization and
support commercial and industrial development in designated
areas. See www.atlantada.com
or call the Atlanta Development Authority at 404-880-4100. |
| Development Impact Fee Exemptions |
Eligible economic development projects,
including those located within a designated housing, commercial
or industrial enterprise zone, may be exempted from paying
an Atlanta development impact fee. Call Atlanta Bureau
of Buildings at 404-330-6153. |
| Urban Enterprise Zone |
In an UEZ, ad valorem property
tax exemptions covering a 10-year period may be obtained
by owners on qualified new development, rehabilitation
and on certain inventories.
Call the Atlanta Bureau of Planning at 404-330-6145. |
Tax Allocation District
(Tax Increment Financing)
|
Almost all of Downtown falls within one of two Tax Allocation Districts (TAD) – the Eastside and the Westside. TAD offers developers a method of paying for public improvements within these districts via the increases in tax revenue resulting from the revitalization of this district. Tax allocation bonds are used to finance these redevelopment costs within a TAD. The bonds are issued on a pledge of the projected increase in ad valorem revenues from the proposed TAD redevelopment for their repayment. Call the Atlanta Development Authority at 404-880-4100. |
| The Phoenix Fund |
The Fund assists small and medium-sized
businesses with affordable loans up to $100,000 and provides
financial assistance for the construction or renovation
of privately owned commercial buildings, equipment purchases,
etc. Call the Atlanta Development Authority at 404-880-4100. |
| Atlanta Neighborhood Development
Partnership (ANDP) Programs & Loan Funds |
ANDP’s Community Investment
& Redevelopment Loan Fund makes predevelopment, construction,
bridge land acquisition and other loans to spur affordable
and mixed-income housing developments. Go to www.andpi.org/crlif.htm
or call 404-522-2637. |
| Land Bank Authority (LBA) |
LBA has the authority to extinguish
tax liens and resell tax-foreclosed properties to support
their development as tax paying properties. LBA is located
at 34 Peachtree St, Ste 1900, in Atlanta and can be
reached at (404) 525-9336. |
| Atlanta Renewal Community |
The Atlanta Renewal Community Coordinating Responsible Authority, Inc. ("ACoRA") is a Georgia non-profit corporation created by the City of Atlanta to utilize the Renewal Community (RC) Tax Incentives as a keystone to promoting economic development within the RC boundaries. ACoRA is also responsible for administering the expenditure of remaining Title XX funds from the City's former 1994 Empowerment Zone ("EZ") designation. Visit their website for more information:
www.atlantarenewalcommunity.org |
| Urban Residential Finance Authority
(URFA) |
This citywide incentive is competitive on application to URFA and provides municipal
bond rate financing for affordable housing units. Contact
ADA for more information at 404-880-4100. |
Atlanta Acquisition Pool |
Managed by Enterprise in Atlanta, this $25.5 million pool finances property acquisition for the development of affordable and mixed-income housing. The property must be acquired and developed by either non-profit developers or for-profit developers working in partnership with nonprofits. Up to $3 million is available per project for project-related expenses.
For more details |
New Market Tax Credits from Imagine Downtown, Inc. |
A joint partnership between Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Development Authority, Imagine Downtown Inc. has been awarded $60 million of New Market Tax Credits from the U.S. Treasury to be used as gap financing for projects within Downtown Atlanta. Developers of commercial projects can save up to 20% of development costs through access to below market rate loans or equity investments. For more information, go to www.cdfifund.gov or call Ellen Mendelsohn at Central Atlanta Progress at (404) 658-5983 |
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| State
and Federal Incentives |
|
Incentive Name
|
Description |
| Georgia Job Tax Credit |
Provides for a statewide job tax credit for any business or headquarters of any such business engaged in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, processing, telecommunications, tourism, or research and development industries, but does not include retail businesses.
Call the Georgia Dept. of Community Affairs at 404-679-4825.
www.dca.state.ga.us |
| Technical Assistance |
CDFI Fund provides TA grants to
CDFIs, and entities proposing to become CDFIs, in order
to build their capacity to better address the community
development and capital access needs of their particular
Target Market. TA awards are made in the form of grants.
Eligible types of activities include, but are not limited
to, the following activities: acquiring consulting services;
paying staff salary for the limited purposes of completing
tasks and/or fulfilling functions that are otherwise eligible
TA grant uses under the NOFA; acquiring technology items;
and acquiring training for staff or management. Expenses
that are deemed by the Fund to be ongoing operating expenses
are not eligible. Visit www.cdfifund.gov
for further assistance. |
| Investment Credit |
A one percent tax credit on
a minimum capital investment of $5 million for manufacturers
and telecommunications firms that have operated a facility
in Georgia during the last three years. |
| Retraining Employees |
A tax credit equal to 50% or up to $500 for the cost
of retraining each full-time employee to companies that
provide qualified retraining. Call the Georgia Dept. of
Technical & Adult Education at 404-679-2901. www.dtae.org/econdev/retrain.html |
| Child Care |
A tax credit for up to 50% of the employer’s
direct cost for providing or sponsoring child care for
employees |
| HQ Tax Credit |
A tax credit of $2.5K to $5K for each qualifying, full-time
job offered against the company’s payroll withholding
tax, offered to those that relocate or establish their
headquarters in Georgia and meet the criteria |
R&D Tax Credit
|
A 10% credit allowed for research expenses for research
conducted within Georgia by qualified businesses
For more information, call the Georgia Dept. of Revenue at
404-417-4477. www.etax.dor.ga.gov/inctax/taxcredits.shtml
|
| Capital Investment Exemptions |
Sales and use tax exemptions are
available for machinery purchased for qualified uses,
primary material handling equipment purchased for qualified
uses, and electricity purchased for manufacturing when
the total cost of the electricity exceeds 50% of cost
of materials used in the process. Call the Georgia Dept.
of Revenue at 404-417-6601. |
| Quick Start |
The state offers free, customized
workforce training for companies that qualify. The program
covers training development costs and can be conducted
on site. Call 404-679-2901. www.dtae.org/quickstart |
| SBA 504 Loan Program |
The Certified Development Company in Fulton County is at 404-836-7731.
www.sba.gov/financing/frcdc504.html |
| Affordable Rental Housing Development Financing |
DCA's rental housing finance programs
work with for profit, nonprofit and government partners
to build or rehabilitate rental housing in Georgia.
Funding is available to private sector for profit and
nonprofit developers through DCA’s Office of Affordable
Housing. DCA's Office of Housing Planning and Administration
provides financing to public housing authorities and
nonprofit organizations to develop affordable rental
housing. Visit
www.dca.state.ga.us/grants/. |
| Regional Economic Assistance Projects
(REAP) |
Provides a mechanism for local
and state governments and the private sector to cooperate
on large-scale tourism-related projects with multiple
uses that will create jobs and enhance the local tax
base. Upon meeting the requirements of the REAP statute
and the REAP Rules, a developer of a certified REAP
project may apply to the Georgia Department of Revenue
for a state license for the sale of malt beverages,
wine, or distilled spirits by the drink for consumption
on the premises only. House Bill 1482, signed by the
Governor on April 20, 2002, broadened the eligibility
criteria for the REAP program. See www.dca.state.ga.us |
| Transportation Programs |
Provides federal matching funds
to support transportation initiative to achieve revitalization
goals. Atlanta Regional Commission, Georgia Regional Transportation
Authority, Georgia Department of Transportation, MARTA,
Planning, Dev & N'hood Conservation and Department
of Public Works are the responsible authorities. |
| Low income housing tax credits
(LIHTC) |
LIHTC provides equity capital for
affordable housing. Low/Mod income housing developers
compete for Federal tax credit financing. Location eligibility
is citywide but criteria favor Community Development Impact
Area (CDIA). Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
is the responsible agency. Contact them at www.dca.state.ga.us or (404) 679-4940. |
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| Local,
State & Federal Historic Rehabilitation Incentives |
|
Incentive Name
|
Description |
| Landmark Historic
Property Tax Abatement |
In this program the owner of an
income-producing building listed on the National or Georgia
Register of Historic Places and designated by the city
as a Landmark building or contributing building in a Landmark
District may obtain preferential property tax treatment.
Call the Atlanta Urban Design Commission at 404-330-6200 or visit their website at:
http://www.atlantaga.gov/government |
| Rehabilitated Historic
Property Tax Abatement |
The owner of a building that qualifies
for listing on the Georgia Register of Historic Places
and has undergone a major rehabilitation may obtain preferential
property tax treatment. Call the Historic Preservation
Division of the Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources at
404-651-5566. www.dnr.state.ga.us |
| Federal Tax Credit
Program |
If a property is listed on the
National Register, the owner or long-term lessee of an
income-producing property is entitled to an investment
tax credit of up to 20% of the qualified rehabilitation
expenses of a substantial, qualified rehabilitation. Call the Georgia
Department of Natural Resources at 404-651-5566. www.dnr.state.ga.us |
| Façade Easements |
Tax advantages including federal
and state income tax deductions can be taken for preservation
easements, or preserving the façade of a historic
structure. Call Easements Atlanta, Atlanta Preservations
Center, at 404-688-3353. |
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