Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Great Falls staff: TIF can help housing but income rules limit small downtown projects
Summary
Planning staff told the City Commission that state rules let Tax Increment Finance (TIF) support workforce housing, but income-compliance requirements make TIF most useful for larger new-construction projects rather than small upper-floor infill; commissioners asked staff to explore complementary tools such as RFPs, abatements and nonprofit partnerships.
Director Brock Cherry told the Great Falls City Commission on Aug. 19 that Montana guidance treats workforce housing as households earning 60%–140% of area median income and that the mechanics of TIF make it a better fit for larger developments than for small property owners seeking to add a few units above downtown businesses.
"Income compliance is really hard," Cherry said, describing the monitoring obligations that can come with workforce-designated TIF awards and the administrative gap the city would face in enforcing those restrictions…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
