Chicago is America's undisputed leader in using tax increment financing (TIF) to spur economic development. But what is the city getting in exchange for its efforts to fight blight? A new paper says: Not much.
TIFs have recently been attacked as serving the Chicago's affluent residents, to the detriment of poor and middle-class Chicagoans, and for bearing some responsibility for the city's piecemeal planning. Do these instruments benefit the city, or merely the Chicago's politicians and patricians? A new study aims to answer this question.
"The critical question about tax-increment financing is simple: 'but-for.' If neighborhood, employment, and economic development would not happen but for the existence of TIF districts, proponents have a very good case," explains Whet Moser.
"But for is a difficult calculation. So it doesn’t happen very often," he adds. "But T. William Lester, an assistant professor at UNC-Chapel Hill who studied under TIF maven Laura Rachael Weber at the University of Illinois-Chicago, designed a but-for test for Chicago, for an article in Urban Studies."
"The verdict? TIFs fail the but-for test on a number of levels. That doesn’t mean that individual TIFs don’t create jobs, but 'Chicago’s use of TIF has not resulted in positive net employment benefits for city residents.'"
FULL STORY: Do TIFs Create More Jobs? New Study: ‘No’
Editorial Board Calls for Tax Increment Financing Reform in Chicago
The Chicago Tribune says the city of Chicago can't be trusted with tax increment financing (TIF), so it's time for a do-over.
Op-Ed: Chicago's Washington Park a Perfect Fit for TIF
An op-ed in the Chicago Tribune addresses the long history of tax increment financing abuse in Chicago, but supports a proposed TIF district for Washington Park.
Omaha Streetcar Yielding $1.5 Billion in TIF Funds
The line, scheduled for completion in 2027, is bringing billions in new investment to the city’s urban core.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Trump Approves Futuristic Automated Texas-Mexico Cargo Corridor
The project could remove tens of thousands of commercial trucks from roadways.
Austin's First Single Stair Apartment Building is Officially Underway
Eliminating the requirement for two staircases in multi-story residential buildings lets developers use smaller lots and more flexible designs to create denser housing.
Atlanta Bus System Redesign Will Nearly Triple Access
MARTA's Next Gen Bus Network will retool over 100 bus routes, expand frequent service.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)