| TYPE OF DWELLING |
AMOUNT |
| One (1) family dwelling |
$74,880 |
| Two (2) family dwelling |
$106,080 |
| Three (3) unit multifamily dwelling |
$156,000 |
| Four (4) unit multifamily dwelling |
$199.680 |
Retail
A retail facility may qualify for tax abatement if it is located in an EDTA. The owner or tenant of a retail facility must apply to have the property designated for tax abatements from Fort Wayne Common Council.
HOW DOES A TAX PHASE-IN WORK?
Tax abatement is a two-step process.
1. First, City Council must approve an application to designate property as an Economic Revitalization Area (ERA).
2. Second, the business must make application to the Allen County Auditor and/or Allen County Assessor for a deduction from taxes authorized by the Fort Wayne Common Council.
In addition to requirements of the State of Indiana Code, Fort Wayne Common Council has set policies regarding the designation of ERAs.
WHAT IS AN ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION AREA?
According to Indiana Law, an Economic Revitalization Area (ERA) is an area within the corporate limits of a city, town, or county which has become "undesirable for, or impossible of, normal development and occupancy because of lack of development, cessation of growth, deterioration of improvements, or character of occupancy, age, obsolescence, substandard buildings, or other factors which have impaired values or prevented a normal development of property".
APPLICATION AND PROCESS
To begin the process, applicants must correctly complete and submit an approved application form and all required attachments. Applicants are also required to complete a State of Indiana form called a Statement of Benefits. There is a Statement of Benefits form for both real and personal property improvements. In the case of a public utility, there is a separate Statement of Benefits form for utility distributable property. If a project involves both real and personal property investment, then forms for both real and personal property are to be completed. The City of Fort Wayne also requires a complete legal description, as well as the appropriate application fee, to be attached to the completed application. Applications received after the issuance of an improvement location permit (ILP), or after any filings toward a building permit, will not be processed.
Upon receipt of an application, Community Development Division staff will review the application for completeness and accuracy. If the application is complete, staff will proceed in preparing the application for Fort Wayne Common Council's consideration.
Community Development Division staff prepare two resolutions, a declaratory and comfirmatory resolution, to be approved by Fort Wayne Common Council. Preparation of the documents will take at least one week. Division staff will "introduce" the resolutions to Fort Wayne Common Council. The Common Council's Committee on Finance will recommend passage or non-passage of the confirmatory resolution to the full Council. Applicants receive a letter notifying them of the dates of introduction, public hearing and estimated final approval.
A public hearing will also be held regarding the application for designation as an Economic Revitalization Area (ERA). A representative of the applicant may wish, but is not required, to attend the public hearing to discuss the merits of the project. Approval of the two resolutions and the public hearing are required by Indiana law. Following the conclusion of the public hearing, Common Council will vote to confirm the designation or deny the designation. Staff will notify applicants the results of their action by letter.
The Economic Revitalization Area Designation process as outlined takes approximately one month from time of application to final approval.
APPLICATION FEES
Application fees for designation as an Economic Revitalization Area for tax abatement (phase-in) help offset administrative costs. The fee is due at the time of application. It is non-refundable. Fort Wayne Common Council has established the following fee schedule:/p>
| ERA filing fee (either for real or personal property improvements) |
.1% of total project cost not to exceed $500 |
| ERA filing fee (both real or personal property improvements) |
.1% of total project cost not to exceed $750 |
| ERA filing fee (real and/or personal property improvements) |
$100 |
|
Forms are available from:
Fort Wayne Communiy Development Division,
Room 840, City-County Building,
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802-1804.
(260) 427-1127
ADDITIONAL SOURCES
For more information on Economic Revitalization Area designations and tax deductions, contact the Community Development Division. Additional information can be found in the Indiana Code (IC 6-1.1-12.1 et. al.) as well as by requesting a copy of the City of Fort Wayne "Procedures for Designation of Economic Revitalization Areas".
CONTACT NAMES FOR TAX ABATEMENT PROCEDURES
City of Fort Wayne Community Development Division (Non Residential Projects)
Elissa McGauley, Economic Development Specialist
Fort Wayne Community Development Division
One Main Street, City-county Building, Room 840
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
(260) 427-1127
City of Fort Wayne Community Development Division (Residential Projects)
Sherry Early-Aden, Housing Programs Administrator
Housing and Neighborhood Services
Fort Wayne Community Development Division
One Main Street, City-county Building, Room 800
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
(260) 427-1127
Allen County Auditor's Office (Real Estate Tax Abatement)
Renata Renniger, Property Tax Administrator
Allen County Auditor's Office
One Main Street, City-county Building, Room 102
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
(260) 449-7241
Allen County Assessor's Office (Personal Property Tax Abatement)
Tracey Maraviov, Property Tax Administrator
Allen County Assessor's Office
One Main Street, City-county Building, Room 104Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
(260) 449-7123
Township Assessor's Offices
Wayne Township
Beverly Zuber, Assessor
One Main Street, City-County Building, Room 242
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
(260) 449-7173
last updated: 2/11/09
RIZ