Commission talks tax incentives for downtown buildings

Fort Scott City Commissioners on June 18 discussed Reinvestment Housing Incentive Districts.

Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Director Robert Harrington said a RHID for the downtown area would fund “any upper-story living,” while the lower level must be commercial. The RHID would not pay for such items as appliances and furniture.

A RHID is a program designed to aid developers in building housing within communities by assisting in the financing of public infrastructure improvements. RHID captures the incremental increase in property taxes created by a housing development project for up to 25 years. The revenue can be used for reimbursement for incurred costs or to pay debt service on bonds, according to www.kansascommerce.gov.

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