INCENTIVES AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

The Economic Development Department (EDD) uses community resources and incentive programs to provide the catalyst for employment generating investments by the private sector. The goal of the City’s economic incentives and business development programs is to minimize the cost of expanding or locating a business in San Antonio. The City is focused on providing powerful new resources and incentives to grow the economy in the region, revitalize targeted areas of the City and promote strong, balanced growth throughout the community.

You can download the incentive and business program guide and if you would like a consultation with staff on any of these incentives please call (210) 207-8080
 

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Briefing Team	A group of professionals assigned to meet with business owners to streamline a business development, construction, or renovation process.
Incentive Scorecard System	The City of San Antonio offers a variety of incentives to promote targeted development, job creation and community growth in both residential and commercial/industrial projects that meet the priorities and goals set by the City Council, by location and/or type of project. The Incentive Scorecard System establishes criteria for administrative approval of incentives for qualifying development projects and serves as an evaluation tool to determine the public benefit of a proposed project. The on-line process is used to facilitate and expedite the award of targeted development incentives.
Tax Abatement	Through joint Tax Phase-In Guidelines (click here for application) for Bexar County and the City of San Antonio, the collaborative efforts of San Antonio’s economic development partners are refining strategies to attract and grow targeted industries in order to increase employment, expand the tax base, and create long-term investment and new wealth opportunities in the community. Tax Abatement (also known as Tax Phase-In) incentives may be offered to businesses in targeted industries based on job creation, investment, and wages paid to employees.
Enterprise Zone	An enterprise project is a business that is nominated by City Council and approved by the State to receive state and local benefits.  The business must commit to create or retain new permanent jobs, make capital investment at the qualified business site, hire at least 25% of its new jobs with individuals who are either economically disadvantaged or enterprise zone residents Complete information, requirements, and an application a can be found in the Office of the Governor.
Historic Tax Exemption	The City of San Antonio’s Historic Preservation Office (HPO) reviews all exterior modifications to properties that are designated San Antonio historic landmarks or are located within a city historic district. The HPO provides incentives to encourage preservation, including City ad valorem (property) tax exemptions for “substantial rehabilitations of historic buildings in need of repair” and for owner-occupied residences within new historic districts
Tax Increment Financing (TIF)	Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is used to publicly finance needed public improvements and enhanced infrastructure in a defined area. The cost of improvements to the area is repaid by the contributions of future tax revenues by each participating taxing unit that levies taxes against the property.
Industrial Development Authority Bonds Health Facilities Development Corporation Bonds Education Facilities Corporation Bonds Empowerment Zone Facility Bond	The Industrial Development Authority (IDA) can issue qualified tax-exempt bonds to acquire land and construct manufacturing facilities with a development cost under $10 million. Taxable bonds can also be issued without cap and few restrictions.   The Health Facilities Development Corporation (HFDC) can issue tax-exempt bonds for non-profit organizations towards the development of health care facilities.     The Education Facilities Corporation (EFC) may issue tax-exempt bonds for capital improvements at non-profit institutions of higher education, as well as non-public or state-authorized charter schools providing primary and/or secondary education services.   The Empowerment Zone Development Corporation (EZDC) can issue Empowerment Zone Facility Bonds to Qualified Empowerment Zone Businesses to finance Qualified Zone Property.
Foreign Trade Zone	San Antonio Foreign Trade Zone No. 80 offers a strategic geographic location with superb business and transportation infrastructure. Businesses can locate at existing sites or apply for designation as a new FTZ SubZone to take advantage of the incentives offered within an FTZ to include: (1) relief from inverted tariffs; (2) duty exemption on re-exports; (3) duty elimination on waste, scrap, and yield loss; and (4) duty deferral until merchandise is imported from the FTZ into the United States.
Freeport Exemption	The City of San Antonio, Bexar County and two local City independent school districts (Judson ISD and San Antonio ISD), allow personal property tax exemptions for companies that deal with goods-in-transit or inventories used in the manufacturing process. Exemption of up to 100% of personal property taxes on goods-in-transit or inventories used in a manufacturing process and the inventory items are moved out of state within 175 days. See Freeport Exemption Guidelines and Application. For assistance please contact the Bexar County Appraisal District, Personal Property Department, at (210) 242-2468.
Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Zone	HUBZone Certification  provides federal contracting assistance for qualified small business concerns that are located in historically underutilized business zones. Qualifying businesses may earn awards that have been set aside for companies located in HUBZone areas, sole source awards for specialized companies, and awards through full and open competition for any business within or outside a HUBZone area. For further assistance please see the PTAC program.
To request a consultation with staff on any of these incentives, please call (210) 207-8080.