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Doing Business
Economic Development Incentives Downtown
Back to Downtown Tool Kit


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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