Bend staff explains how tax‑increment financing would be used to spur housing and infrastructure

Jonathan Taylor, the City of Bend’s urban renewal manager, told the Planning Commission on Monday that the city is preparing site‑specific tax increment financing (TIF) plans to help finance housing and infrastructure projects.

“This is a financial mechanism that uses tomorrow’s dollars today to mitigate blight and improve property values, all while contributing to the health, safety, and welfare of the community,” Taylor said, describing how TIF captures growth above a frozen base to pay for redevelopment.

Taylor and Elizabeth Oshal, legal counsel for the Bend Urban Renewal Agency (BURRA), walked commissioners through the key mechanics and limits of TIF under Oregon law. In Oregon, TIF is authorized by Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 457 and relies on a “frozen base” of assessed value; taxes on growth above that base (the increment) are redirected to the urban renewal agency to repay debt or provide developer rebates tied to projects.

City staff said Bend currently has three active urban renewal districts and remains well under the state cap for large jurisdictions. Taylor noted Bend’s population is about 105,000…