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Commission approves Cleveland Street Corridor redevelopment TIF to fund Midtown corridor projects
Summary
The commission approved a joint ordinance establishing a Cleveland Street Corridor Redevelopment Trust Fund and enabling a community-based tax increment finance (TIF) district for redevelopment initiatives in the Cleveland Street corridor.
The Shelby County Board of Commissioners approved a joint ordinance with the City of Memphis creating the Cleveland Street Corridor Redevelopment Trust Fund, a community-driven tax increment financing district to support redevelopment in the Midtown/Cleveland Street area.
The ordinance, described in committee as advancing a community-based redevelopment plan, enables creation of a TIF district and a redevelopment trust fund under Tennessee's Community Redevelopment Act of 1998 and the Uniformity in Tax Increment Financing Act of 2012. The commission's summary said the community redevelopment plan includes identified priority initiatives; article 2, section 2.06(c) of the Shelby County Charter applies and the item required a simple majority to pass.
Representatives from local nonprofits, faith-based institutions and service providers spoke in favor of the TIF during public comment. Scott Morris of Church Health said his organization has "a deep interest and commitment to the whole Cleveland corridor" and urged support. Tracy Burgess of Dorothy Day House and Keke Hall of Catholic Charities described service providers currently located near the corridor and said the TIF could help stabilize and improve facilities for social services, housing and community uses. Pastor Jason Turner of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, a project stakeholder, said the plan is a vehicle for "community members [to] have a say in directing the administration of the funds generated by this TIF."
Commissioners who asked questions and spoke in favor noted the applicant group had worked to engage community partners and social-service organizations during the planning process. Commissioner Brittany Thornton called the application "very thoughtful" and praised outreach to social-service providers, and Commissioner Mikhail Lowery and others voiced similar support.
The ordinance passed by recorded vote; the clerk recorded a 9-0 vote in favor. The item will allow the county and city to move forward with establishing the trust fund and TIF financing mechanism subject to the terms in the ordinance and further implementation steps by the redevelopment authority and designated administrators.
Supporters and applicants emphasized that providers such as Catholic Charities and local health and housing nonprofits were intended partners and that the TIF plan included language to ensure community participation in fund administration. Opponents were not recorded in the committee or floor debate. The ordinance is a policy-level authorization; specific project financing, trust fund governance documents and implementation agreements will follow in subsequent administrative and contractual steps.
