Incentivize the Builders
Rewarding community investment
"We shouldn't penalize the people willing to risk their own capital to improve our city. By aligning tax incentives with community needs, we reward the builders who create the housing and storefronts Lynchburg actually wants."
The Penalty for Building
Right now, if a developer wants to take an empty, blighted lot and build workforce housing or a new commercial storefront, they are often hit with massive tax reassessments the moment the property improves. We are essentially punishing the exact behavior we want to encourage.
This system makes high-quality development financially impossible without charging exorbitant rents. By refusing to offer strategic tax abatements or fee waivers for targeted community needs, City Hall is effectively stalling local investment and leaving critical neighborhoods undeveloped. We need a catalyst for smart growth to ensure the projects our residents actually need can break ground.
The Penalty for Building
By drastically increasing taxes the moment a property is improved, we discourage developers from taking a financial risk on restoring blighted lots.
The Catalyst Program: Accelerating Local Growth
Targeted Tax Abatements
Dave will champion tax abatements specifically tied to the construction of workforce housing and the revitalization of blighted commercial properties. This allows developers to stabilize their projects before shouldering the full tax burden.
Why Incentives Work
The Cost of Construction Reality
Government regulation and lack of strategic incentives directly inflate the final price of a home. When cities fail to offset these costs, the consumer pays the price in higher rent and steeper mortgages, pushing workforce housing completely out of reach.