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DIF Initiatives

WHAT IS DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT FINANCING (DIF)?

Through DIF, a town or city can establish a funding stream for economic development activities that are linked to and derived from the results of economic development itself.

DIF achieves this by setting up a process through which a municipality can identify and capture tax revenues that result from new private investments located within a specific area. These tax revenues are generated by the increase in assessed value that results from the private investments.

The municipality can then direct this stream of incremental tax revenues towards public improvements and economic development projects.


GARDNER'S DIF INITIATIVES

The City of Gardner has designated portions of downtown Gardner as one of the following:

Gardner's DIF Districts:
  • The Downtown District Improvement Financing District
  • The Mill Street District Improvement Financing District

Within each of these districts, there is also an accompanying Development Program & Invested Revenue District Program, as enabled by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40Q. 

ABOUT GARDNER'S DIF DISTRICTS

The purpose of both the Downtown Development District and the Mill Street Development District is to grow and strengthen the local economy that serves the City of Gardner’s residents, employees, and visitors, by investing in a series of public projects.

Using DIF Districts and Development Programs, the City of Gardner will capture tax revenues generated by expected economic development, and direct these revenues toward a downtown organization that will invest, promote, and strengthen the community, making it more attractive for businesses, residents, and visitors by:


DIF District & Development Program Goals:
  • Attracting new private investments by making the area a more attractive place to locate and grow a business
  • Capturing new tax revenues from private developments and using the revenue stream to fund projects that support growth and investment within each district
  • Communicating that the City of Gardner has targeted the districts for strategic growth and is making its own investments

The term of both the Downtown Development Plan and the Mill Street Development Plan will be thirty (30) years from the stabilization of each project. 

District Improvement Master Plans

  1. DIF Master Plan - Downtown District Gardner - MassDevelopment
  2. DIF Master Plan - Mill Street District Gardner - MassDevelopment

  1. Gardner Massachusetts Homepage

Contact Us

  1. 95 Pleasant Street

  2. Gardner, MA 01440

  3. Phone: 978-632-1900

  4. City Hall Hours:

  5. Monday through Thursday

  6. 8 am to 4:30 pm

  7. Friday

  8. 8 am to 1 pm

Helpful Numbers

  1. Emergency:  911

  2. Police:  978-632-5600

  3. Fire:  978-630-4051

  4. City Clerk:  978-630-4058

  5. Mayor's Office:  978-630-1490

  6. Animal Control:  978-632-5600 (press 0)

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