The Neighborhood Enterprise Zone (NEZ) Program, as defined in Michigan Public Act 147 of 1992, as amended, provides a reduction of future taxes for a period of 9-15 years on the improvements made to the residential component of an eligible building following its construction or rehabilitation.
Two types of NEZ projects exist – “geographic” and “project-specific”. Geographic NEZ projects are those proposed in a previously established NEZ district in Grand Rapids. See the NEZ map to identify where these neighborhood districts are located. Project-specific projects must be mixed-used projects located on a commercial corridor, and must also contain at least 10 residential units.
The application process takes 2-5 months depending on the type of project, as detailed in the “NEZ Application Process” linked below. NEZ applications need to be approved by both the City Commission and the State Tax Commission. Further, building permits cannot be pulled on a proposed NEZ project until the NEZ certificate application is received following establishment of a NEZ district, if applicable.
Your first step to exploring eligibility for the NEZ program is to contact our office to discuss the project and its qualifications.