The Detroit 21, letter on House Bills 5820-5821

Summary

A letter dated September 2, 2020 from The Detroit 21 to The Honorable Representative Steve Marino, Chair of the Michigan House Commerce and Tourism Committee, on the MI Community Investment Pilot Program and Tax Credit, HBs 5820-5821. The letter urges support for the bills, under which a corporate or individual donor to a place-based nonprofit would receive a 50% state tax credit on the donation. It describes The Detroit 21 as a collaborative of Executive Directors from 21 CDOs working to improve Detroit neighborhoods. It asks that the bills be taken up for a hearing and an affirmative vote as soon as possible, and lists member organizations for identification purposes only.

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MEMBERS

Christine Beil
Urban Neighborhood initiatives

Kenyetta Campbell
Cody Rouge CAA

Robert DeWaelsche
Southwest Detroit Business Assoc.

Phyllis Edwards

Bridging Communities, inc

Mac Farr
The Villages CDC

Deborah Fisher
Hope Village Revitalization

Angie Gaabo
Woodbridge NDC

Donna Givens
Eastside Community Network

Jeanine C. Hatcher
GenesisHOPE CDC

Danielle Hilliker
Joy Southfield CDC

Lisa Johanon
Central Detroit Christian CDC

Larry Johnson
LifeBUILDERS Detroit

Quincy Jones
Osborne Neighborhood Alliance

Angie Reyes
Detroit Hispanic Dev. Corp.

Maria Salinas
Congress of Communities

Larry Simmons
Brightmeor Alliance

Linda Smith
U SNAP BAC

Sherita Smith
Grandmont Rosedale DC

Leon Stevenson
MACC Development

Tim Thorland
Southwest Housing Solutions

John J.F. Thorne
Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance

MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS LISTED FOR
IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES ONLY

DETROIT 21

September 2, 2020

The Honorable Representative Steve Marino, Chair
Michigan House Commerce and Tourism Committee

RE: MI Community Investment Pilot Program and Tax Credit, HBs 5820-5821
Dear Representative Marino:

We urge you and the Michigan House Commerce & Tourism Committee, to support
House Bills 5820-5821, legislation creating the Michigan Community Investment
Pilot Program and the Michigan Community Investment Tax Credit.

As you know, large development projects have a number of tax incentives to attract
investors (one example is the recent 2017 expansion of Michigan’s Brownfield Re-
development Financing Act, which made $1 billion worth of incentives available for
“transformational” projects). But small- to medium-sized neighborhood and rural
community revitalization projects and necessary programs are often overlooked
because they lack the same tools to attract investment.

House Bills 5820-5821 would create the Michigan Community Investment Pilot Pro-
gram, a donation-based state tax incentive that would provide support for locally
based revitalization work in neighborhoods and rural communities. Under the pro-
posed legisiation, a corporate or individual donor contributes directly to a place-
based nonprofit for eligible projects or activities, including:

¢ Small business development, including agri-business

e Financial empowerment

Workforce attraction & retention

Neighborhood & community revitalization

Commercial corridor revitalization

In exchange, the donor receives a 50% state tax credit on their donation. The pro-
posed pilot program is based on similar successful programs in 14 other states so
we have a great deal of information that we can use to assure a successful program.

These bills are extremely important to Community Development Organizations. We
do the revitalization work that city government simply can’t accomplish alone.
Government funds and philanthropy are important to our work, but an influx of
new, private dollars wil! make the difference in what we can accomplish, especially
in our most distressed neighborhoods.

The Detroit 21 is a collaborative of Executive Directors from 21 CDOs, with an aver-
age of 21 years of professional experience working to improve Detroit neighbor-
hoods. As mission-driven organizations, we offer, seek, advocate for and invest in
creative solutions to address the prioritized and shared needs of residents and busi-
nesses across the communities of Detroit

We urge you to see that House Bills 5820-5821 are taken up in your committee for
a hearing and an affirmative vote, as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

The Detroit 21


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