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An Urban Renewal Plan was developed to provide a funding stream to implement the
TDIP. The Plan has a duration of 20 years and a maximum indebtedness of $22 million.
Tax increment revenues generated in the urban renewal district will be used to support
investments such as transportation and infrastructure improvements. Urban renewal
projects and programs include the TDIP catalyst projects and other public improvement
and public facilities projects as well as technical assistance programs such as a
façade improvement program, rehabilitation/redevelopment grants, and loan programs.
The tools provided by urban renewal, including tax increment financing, are intended
to attract private investment and facilitate the area's redevelopment. Tigard
voters approved the use of tax increment financing for Urban Renewal in the May
2006 election.
 View the 2011 CCDA Annual Financial Report (5 MB)
View the 2011 CCDA Financial Impact Report (1.5 MB)
View the 2010 CCDA Financial Impact Report (909 KB)
View the 2009 CCDA Financial Impact Report (1.31 MB)
View the City Center Urban Renewal Plan (1.04 MB)
View the Report Accompanying the City Center Urban Renewal Plan (161 KB)
Urban Renewal Zone Map
Voters Say Yes to Urban Renewal
On May 16, 2006, Tigard voters approved an urban renewal district for Tigard's historic
Main Street and surrounding area.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is urban renewal?
- What is the purpose of the Tigard City Center Urban Renewal Plan?
- What are Tigard's specific plans for urban renewal?
- Will taxes increase as a result of urban renewal?
- Will urban renewal mean that there is less money for schools, police & fire, or streets and parks?
- How is urban renewal financed?
- How long will the Urban Renewal District and tax increment financing last?
- Where else has urban renewal been used?
- Does urban renewal force property owners to sell or modify their property?
- How was the Urban Renewal Plan developed?
- What are the boundaries of the Urban Renewal District?
- Who is in charge of urban renewal?
- How much will be spent on urban renewal?
1. What is urban renewal?
The purpose of urban renewal is to improve specific areas of a community that are poorly
developed, under-developed, or that have declined over time. These areas can have old,
deteriorated buildings; streets and utilities in serious need of upgrades (or the areas
can simply lack streets and utilities altogether), weak business activity, and few or
aging parks and public facilities. Urban renewal is a process authorized by Oregon law
to finance improvements in these neighborhoods and districts using "tax increment
financing." A portion (the increment) of property tax revenues from properties
within the urban renewal district are designated to support financing for improvements
to the urban renewal area.
For a city government to use urban renewal to help rejuvenate local neighborhoods and
business districts, it must establish an urban renewal agency, and it must adopt an
urban renewal plan. Urban renewal agencies are authorized by Oregon law (ORS Chapter 457)
but are specifically "activated" by local governments.
2. What is the purpose of the Tigard City Center Urban Renewal Plan?
The stated purpose of the City Center Urban Renewal Plan is to provide improvements in
the downtown area so that it will be economically healthy while maintaining its
"uniquely Tigard" character. The establishment of the Urban Renewal district provides
a funding mechanism for projects in downtown Tigard.
3. What are Tigard's specific plans for urban renewal?
Under Oregon law, urban renewal can provide special funding for a wide
variety of projects and programs. Tigard's approved City Center Urban Renewal
Plan authorizes funding for up to 35 different projects
in the City Center over twenty years. Most of the proposed projects in
Tigard's plan are for public improvements and facilities, although some
assistance for private businesses and property owners is proposed.
The Tigard City Council, working closely with dozens of citizens (and after
numerous hearings and meetings) included the following categories of projects
in the proposed urban renewal plan:
- Street Improvements
- Streetscape Improvements
- Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities
- Parks
- Public Spaces
- Public Facilities
- Planning and Development Assistance (for privately owned properties)
Under urban renewal the Tigard City Council, acting as the City Center Development
Agency (CCDA), has the authority to allocate funding for such projects.
Every year the City Center Development Agency budget will go through a
public adoption process. The urban renewal agency must follow all the
usual public involvement and hearing procedures required for
building and delivering these projects, as well as some
additional procedures required by Oregon law. Gradually, these
public improvement projects will stimulate private re-investment
in the Downtown. For more information review the
City Center Urban
Renewal Plan  (1.04 MB)
and the Report
Accompanying the City Center Urban Renewal Plan (161 KB).
4. Will taxes increase as a result of urban renewal?
There will be no net change on Tigard property tax bills as a result of Urban Renewal.
Under today's Oregon law, property tax rates are fixed. New property taxes will
absolutely not be created as a result of urban renewal. Tigard's City Center
Urban Renewal Plan also does not authorize any "local option" tax levies or
special assessments. Tax revenue generated from the increase in property
values multiplied by current tax rates are what pay for urban renewal under
revised Oregon law.
5. Will urban renewal mean that there is less money for
schools, police and fire, or streets and parks?
When this financing plan was presented to the other taxing districts boards (School
District, Fire District, Washington County, etc.), no major objections were raised or
comments filed. However, some persons may have concerns that tax increment
financing would result in tax proceeds going to the urban renewal district
that would have otherwise gone to the City and other taxing districts. They
may be concerned that money would be diverted from schools, police, fire, or
public facilities maintenance to urban renewal. Under the State's School Financing
Statutes (ORS Chapter 327), tax increment financing, in most cases, does not
affect the total amount received by a school district.
Under urban renewal property taxes based on the current value of
properties in the urban renewal district at the time of urban renewal district
formation (May 2006) will be paid out to schools, local governments, and other
taxing districts at the same rate and level that are being paid now - before
the formation of the urban renewal district. Only property tax proceeds resulting
from the increase in property values within the urban renewal district
(called the "tax increment") can be used for urban renewal. In many cases
the increase in value would be the result of the urban renewal, so the
increase in value and property tax revenues would not have occurred without
urban renewal.
6. How is urban renewal financed?
Urban renewal is a process authorized by Oregon law to finance improvements in those
neighborhoods and districts that need special attention and revitalization, using
something called "tax increment financing". Under tax increment financing, a
portion (the increment) of property tax revenues from properties with the urban
renewal district are designated to support financing for improvements to the
urban renewal area.
Chart showing example of tax increment financing.
(Portland Development Commission)
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These tax increments are used to repay municipal bonds. Bond proceeds are used to
finance improvements that will revitalize the district. New taxes are not imposed
to fund urban renewal. Bonds and tax increment financing as described above
will be used to fund projects in the urban renewal plan. Under this system,
the increment portion of property taxes generated within the urban renewal
area is temporarily shifted to repay the bonds used to finance projects
in the City Center.
Under tax increment financing, when the value of a property within the urban
renewal district increases, the proceeds from property taxes on the increased
value (the "tax increment") go to the urban renewal district. These proceeds
fund further urban renewal projects, either directly or by providing for the
repayment of municipal bonds that fund improvements. The tax increment is
unique as a source of funding, because it is usable only for projects
identified in the urban renewal plan.
7. How long will the Urban Renewal District and tax increment
financing last?
The Urban Renewal District will last 20 years. As can be seen from
the chart in Figure 1, tax increment financing will remain in place for a
period of time thereafter until the bonds are paid off.
8. Where else has urban renewal been used?
Two examples of urban renewal can be seen in neighbor cities of Tigard - Tualatin
and Sherwood:
- Tualatin's downtown, the Tualatin Commons, is the best-known product of that
community's urban renewal plan.
- Sherwood's Old Town District is part of a larger urban renewal area
nearer to Six Corners on Highway 99W.
Our region has many other examples of urban renewal efforts. Many well-known places in
Portland such as Waterfront Park, River Place and Pioneer Courthouse Square are products
of urban renewal. Lake Oswego has changed its downtown through urban renewal.
Wilsonville, Hillsboro, Gladstone, and Oregon City also have urban renewal districts.
Information on other cities' experiences with urban renewal is available from those
cities (many have websites) and from others in those communities.
9. Will Urban Renewal force property owners to sell or modify their property?
The Plan does not propose any forced sale of property. Property for redevelopment
would be purchased from voluntary and willing sellers.
Whether or not urban renewal is in place, the City has the power to condemn property
for public uses, such as street right-of-way. However, the plan does not propose that
the City use its condemnation power in connection with the urban renewal plan.
The plan does not require any property owners to modify their property.
10. How was the Urban Renewal Plan developed?
In late 2005, this same citizen-business-City partnership that worked on the
Tigard Downtown Improvement Plan collaborated to find financing for the "catalyst"
projects identified in the Downtown Improvement Plan. Urban renewal and tax
increment financing was identified as a potential source of financing and an
urban renewal plan was prepared. The voter-approved Tigard City Center
Urban Renewal Plan will provide the special financing
for the public improvement projects identified in the Tigard Downtown
Improvement Plan.
11. What are the boundaries of the Urban Renewal District?
Tigard's Urban Renewal District is roughly
bounded by Fanno Creek Park, Hall Blvd. and Highway 99W, plus a few smaller
adjacent properties.
12. Who is in charge of urban renewal?
Tigard's City Council, (officially called the City Center Development Agency
when attending to urban renewal issues) will administer the District. The
citizen-led City Center Advisory
Commission (CCAC) will continue to advise
the Council on matters of policy, budget and project selection.
Although the City Center Development Agency is a separate legal entity from
city government, it is governed by the Tigard City Council. This arrangement
is similar to Washington County's Board of Commissioners acting as the
Board of Directors of Clean Water Services, our area's sanitary sewer and
storm water agency. The City Center Development Agency must publicly adopt
an annual budget like any other government; it will also be subject to all
the land use and development requirements of the City, County, State of
Oregon and other agencies. Specific improvement projects under urban renewal
are also subject to the same public review as any other project the
City of Tigard might undertake.
13. How much will be spent on urban renewal?
The Tigard City Center Urban Renewal Plan will finance up to $22 million in
public improvements over twenty years.
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