Linking development finance and food systems can be a daunting undertaking for any community. Research on the current ecosystem of food systems finance has positioned CDFA to identify key strategies for the path ahead in this work. The Food Systems...

This white paper is part of a series examining the potential creation of a food systems asset class which supports the market growth of local and regional food systems. This paper focuses specifically on targeted financing tools that can be used to...

Transportation reinvestment zone (TRZ) that allows local governments to set aside local match contributions for the transportation projects most critical to their communities. TRZs create transportation project funding by capturing and leveraging...

Sometimes called “NIZ Lite”, Pennsylvania's City Revitalization and Improvement Zones (“CRIZ”) is similar to the Neighborhood Improvement Zone (“NIZ”), but there are some key distinctions. One important distinction of the CRIZ program from the NIZ...

Innovation Districts are creative urban ecosystems in which city leaders, start-ups, established firms, institutions, skilled workers, and entrepreneurs converge to capitalize upon new ideas and technological breakthroughs. Innovation districts are...

In this presentation, Nancey Green Leigh highlights some of the financing tools used in Georgia for brownfield redevelopment such as BIDs and TIFs,

During this CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast, the elements and diverse nature of special assessment financing is showcased with examples from around the nation.

The National Association of Home Builders published this report focusing on Special Purpose Taxing Districts, a more efficient and effective way to fund public improvements in advance of growth, while at the same time ensuring that new growth pays...

The U.S. EPA released this report as a general guide local decision-makers, summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of the funding sources for green infrastructure and stormwater utilities in particular.

Jack Gaskins Jr. with the Florida Dept. of Economic Opportunity explains the basics of special districts, their benefits, different types of special districts, and the accountability program in Florida.

This publication from the National Association of Home Builders provides an overview of using special purpose taxing districts for public improvements.

This guide from SB Friedman defines tax increment financing and addresses the policies and procedures for creating a Business Improvement District or similar district.

A Business Improvement District (BID) or a Principal Shopping District (PSD) allows a municipality to collect revenues, levy special assessments and issue bonds in order to address the maintenance, security and operation of that district. This fact...

Richard Schragger's essay begins by providing some background to the debate about business improvement districts (BIDs), and making some tentative efforts to describe the connections between BIDs and the urban resurgence in places like Philadelphia,...

This paper explores how Business Improvement Districts dissolve public–private complexities to create new hybrid partnerships for mutually beneficial community and business development.

Gregory Davis at Ohio State University briefly explains special improvement/assessment districts and how they work.

This study, authored by Jerry Zhao and Kerstin Larson, evaluates the applicability of special assessments in funding public transits on the basis of four criteria: efficiency, equity, sustainability, and feasibility. The authors discuss suitable...

Vladimir Kogan and Mathew D. McCubbins analyze how local governments have adopted evermore complex financial mechanisms to balance their budgets, in the face of voter-imposed tax limitations. Specifically, they examine how municipalities in...