The activities of the City of Terre Haute Department of Redevelopment are overseen by the Redevelopment Commission, comprised of five members. The Mayor of Terre Haute appoints three members, and the City Council appoints two members. The Commission oversees each area of the Department of Redevelopment and approves all expenditures of the Department. The Commission is responsible for setting public policy that determines how the department will expend Federal (CDBG and HOME) funds. It sets public policy and approves or denies any and all projects, change orders and expenditures pertaining to Terre Haute's four Tax Increment Finance (TIF) districts. The Redevelopment Department staff administers the projects funded by these programs.
Current Commission members are:
David Heath, President
Jennifer Hanley, Vice President
Troy Helman, Secretary
Brian Dyer, Member
Karrum Nasser, Member
Ken Warner, Non-Voting Member
Community Development
Community development projects that are initiated by the Department of Redevelopment occur within the boundaries of the City of Terre Haute, which is classified as an “entitlement” city by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Each year, the Department of Redevelopment receives Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from HUD for activities targeted to:
- benefit low- and moderate-income persons;
- eradicate and prevent slums and blight; or
- rectify an urgent need.
The majority of the Department's CDBG funds are spent on infrastructure projects (streets, curbs, sidewalks, storm sewers, parks, etc.) in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. The Department also receives CDBG and HOME Investment Partnership Program funds targeted to provide housing for low- and moderate-income persons.
Another funding mechanism available to the Department includes Tax Increment Finance (TIF) revenue from four tax allocation districts: 1) Central Business District Urban Renewal Area, 2) Fort Harrison Business Park Economic Development Area, and 3) Jadcore Economic Development Area, and 4) S.R. 46 Economic Development Area. The new Multi-Modal Transportation Facility, recent downtown lighting project and the New Margaret Avenue project are a few examples of the use of TIF funds.
Economic Development
The City of Terre Haute Department of Redevelopment is very active in business attraction and retention activities such as infrastructure improvements. The Department also works closely with existing manufacturers in an effort to provide them with an economic climate conducive to new job creation and investment. The Department has secured grants for expansion for such companies as Ampacet, Sony-DADC and Bemis.
The Department of Redevelopment works with several entities that share the goal of improving the economic well being of our community. Some of the Department’s partners in this effort are the Greater Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce, the Terre Haute Area Economic Development Corporation, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and private utility providers such as Duke Energy.