Redevelopment Commission Minutes 09.11.25 - Signed

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CITY OF SOUTH BEND REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING – September 11, 2025 4 • Amon Frison spoke in favor however, asking if the City would provide a program to assist with siding, new windows and doors to improve the entire neighborhood. • Alice Pickens asked if vacant lots owned by residents can be added to the redevelopment plan. • Linda Johnson asked if taxpayers would have to pay the TIF back. • Rhonda Works asked about the process of blighted houses that need demolition. • Jose Nunez asked if the City has a program to assist retired residents to freeze their taxes at the current rate. • Heather Thomas asked if in the future, could the City provide advanced notice of properties being added to the acquisition list. Caleb Bauer, Executive Director of Community Investment, addressed all of the questions at the same time. Regarding property improvements for current homeowners: these could potentially qualify under single-family residential TIF, but a specific program would need to be created. What we’re doing today is setting up the tool—not allocating future funds for any particular use just yet. It’s helpful to hear this feedback from neighbors, which aligns with what we’ve heard from the Linden Legacy Neighborhood Association. I also want to mention that the City’s Home Repair Program will reopen later this year, likely with applications available between November and December. While the program has a narrower focus, it does cover roof and furnace replacements. This upcoming round will be citywide, meaning residents from this neighborhood and others within city limits may be eligible. Eligibility is based on income—specifically, households earning up to 80% of the area median income, which is the same threshold used for the utility assistance program. I’ve advised neighbors to apply for the utility assistance program now if they qualify. That way, they’ll be ready to submit a pre-application when the home repair program opens. Plus, being enrolled in the utility assistance program provides a monthly utility bill discount. We’ve aligned the eligibility for both programs to ensure residents benefit from both if they qualify. Sidewalk improvements were also mentioned, and those could theoretically be eligible under the single-family residential TIF. However, it’s important to note that it will take time to collect the necessary funds. For example, a newly built home won’t contribute incremental property taxes until the year after it’s first assessed. Since the Intend Indiana development spans five years, with new homes built each year, there will be a 1–2-year lag before we start seeing usable revenue.