Population: 5,468,338 
Counties: 115
Governor Bob Holden

Key Laws/Administrative Actions
Organizations/Media/Calendar

Key Laws:
For an overview of Missouri's planning and zoning statutes, see the excellent summary provided by the American Planning Association.

SB 20, Neighborhood Preservation Act (2000)
This act authorizes state tax credits for residential rehabilitation and construction costs for properties located in distressed communities or defined census blocks.  The following groups are eligible:

· Taxpayers who meet certain requirements are eligible for a state tax credit of 15% of the eligible costs for a new residence.
· Homeowners (or taxpayers) that perform non-substantial rehabilitation are eligible for a state tax credit of 25% for the rehabilitation costs of an eligible residence or qualified residence. 
· A taxpayer that incurs eligible costs for substantial rehabilitation of at least ten thousand dollars is eligible for a state taxcredit of 35% of those costs. 
The Neighborhood Preservation Act receives $16Million in tax credits annually. 
Taxpayers are required to submit applications for the tax credits to the 
 Department of Economic Development
 Community Development Group
 Harry S. Truman Building Rm 770
 P.O. Box 118
 Jefferson City, MO 65102
 E-mail: lbauer@mail.state.mo.us
Or go tohttp://www.ecodev.state.mo.us/nparebuildcomm.htm

HB 1656 The Rebuilding Communities Program (1998) 
The Rebuilding Communities Program designated a number of cities and towns in Missouri as communities that would benefit from economic stimulation through the growth of business.  Through the Rebuilding Communities Tax Incentive Program, the Department of Economic Development now offers tax credits and financial incentives to encourage businesses to locate in areas of the state that are the most in need of a powerful financial boost. 
For a listing of entire communities that qualify as "rebuilding communities" click on the following link:  http://168.166.4.116/maps/framehbm.htm

SB 1, Historic Preservation Tax Credit (1997)
SB 1 established the Historic Preservation Tax Credit program.  It allows for a 25% tax credit of the total cost and expenses of rehabilitation of a historic property.  The Missouri State Historic Preservation Office will certify the structure and rehabilitation.  Structures must be a certified historic structure located in Missouri and listed individually on the National Register or a structure located in a certified historic district listed in the National Register of Historic Places or a local district that has been certified by the U. S. Department of Interior. 
For more information, please contact (573) 751-5981.

Administrative Actions
Missouri Main Street Program
The mission of the Missouri Main Street Program is to assist communities with a population less than 50,000 to economically and physically revitalize their downtown by providing the necessary education and training to implement the National Main Street Center’s Four-Point Approach: Economic restructuring, design, promotion, and organization. 
Main Street is a comprehensive volunteer-based approach to downtown revitalization. It is a self-help process which is locally initiated and implemented. Downtown revitalization is encouraged through economic development within the context of historic preservation. 

Rural Economic Assistance Program
REAP provides seed capitol to foster sustainable community and economic development programs in rural areas. In short, it’s aim is to "prime the pump" to help communities achieve the resources necessary to establish long term community and economic development efforts.  Seven communities across Missouri are presently receiving REAP funds. By statute, they may each receive up to $30,000 per year to be used to hire personnel. There is also a one-third match requirement. Eligibility is limited to two years, after which the community itself is responsible for keeping it’s
program funded.

Brownfields Voluntary Cleanup Program
Established by the state legislature in 1994, Missouri's Voluntary Cleanup Program is administered by the Hazardous Waste administered by the Hazardous Waste Program's Voluntary Cleanup Section to provide state oversight for voluntary cleanups of properties contaminated with  hazardous substances. Many of the sites entering the VCP are not heavily   contaminated, and are contaminated by sources not addressed by any of DNR's  regulatory programs such as Emergency Response, Superfund, RCRA or  Petroleum Storage Tanks. Nevertheless, the property owners, business operators, or prospective buyers want the property cleaned up to standards acceptable to the state, and to receive some type of certification of the cleanup from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources

The project must result in the creation of at least ten new jobs or the retention of 25 jobs by a private, commercial operation. The project
also must be approved for the Voluntary Cleanup Program of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and cannot be a so-called
"superfund" site, as defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

State assistance from the Brownfield program can be accessed in any of five ways: a matching grant to fund a feasibility study on an eligible facility; a tax credit for up to 100 percent of the cost to clean up the environmental hazard; a loan or loan guarantee for improvements to the site; tax credits for job creation and a grant for public infrastructure for public improvements to the site.

Brownfield Redevelopment Program
The purpose of the Brownfield Redevelopment Program is to provide incentives for the redevelopment of commercial/industrial sites abandoned or underutilized due to contamination caused by hazardous substances. The State of Missouri provides incentives to businesses that redevelop and remediate approved sites in accordance with voluntary clean up procedures established by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The program may be used to rehabilitate an existing building contaminated with hazardous substances, or to clear existing structures and build a new facility. The program may also be applicable for contaminated sites that have no existing structures.  For applications please contact:
MO Department of Economic Development
Incentives Section
301 West High Street, P.O. Box 118
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Phone: (573) 751-0717
For more information on Missouri's brownfields programs, please go to http://www.dnr.state.mo.us/financialopp/hazardous_waste.htm

Media:
"The fast track; High-speed rail starts strong, but progress is slow in Midwest," Kansas City Star.  January 19, 2001.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS