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2 <br />DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY INVESTMENT <br />LETTER FROM THE <br />EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR <br />During 2025, our team: <br />• Issued 187 permits for new single-family home construc Ɵ on, the most issued in one year in <br />South Bend since at least 1982, with over 90% of those homes being built in infi ll loca Ɵ ons on <br />exisƟ ng street and uƟ lity infrastructure <br />• Launched the South Bend Opportunity Fund in partnership with 1st Source Bank and Indiana <br />Small Business Development Center, providing business coaching and low-interest loans to 20 <br />local small businesses <br />• Issued 11 low-interest loans totaling $3.9 million to support the growth of small businesses <br />through revolving loan programs. More than half of the loans are to minority-owned <br />businesses and more than a third are women-owned businesses. <br />• Facilitated the adopƟ on of 353 animals at the South Bend Animal Resource Center. <br />• Opened more than 10,000 environmental citaƟ on cases, with more than 60% being resolved <br />by the property owner. <br />• Unlocked $40 million in private investment through issuance of new tax phase-ins and created <br />or retained nearly 3,000 jobs from businesses that received tax-phase ins previously. <br />• Provided funding to operate emergency overnight shelter for unhoused residents during the <br />coldest months of the year through a partnership with the Center for the Homeless, serving <br />662 individuals <br />• Conducted 910 inspecƟ ons to ensure basic habitability standards for tenants as part of the <br />Rental Safety VerificaƟ on Program. <br />Dear Neighbor, <br />In 2025, the Community Investment team conƟ nued to see the fruits of our eff orts to spur growth <br />and support vibrancy throughout South Bend. <br />Our team made major strides in resolving longstanding blighted proper Ɵ es, developed new <br />programming to support small businesses, supported service providers who assist our most <br />vulnerable residents, and led planning processes to envision the long-term future of our <br />community. <br />Our team also worked on a daily basis to ensure our neighborhoods are safe, clean, and <br />prosperous. <br />Our partners, who include private-sector, public-sector, and philanthropic organiza Ɵ ons <br />throughout our community, are always major factors in the success of any of our eff orts.