Place-Based Enhancement Program

About

The Place-Based Enhancement Program (PBEP) is a real estate development program aimed at providing commercial affordability relief focused on our local small businesses, legacy businesses, non-profits, cooperatives, and those in the creative sector. The PBEP is a pay-for-performance program that pays out annually to approved projects that meet annual compliance.

Program Categories

Category 1: Affordable Space

Affordable Space seeks to connect developers with incentives to provide affordable, long-term leases to high priority community benefit targets.

Eligibility

• Project is new construction, expansion, tenant improvements, or redevelopment of mixed-use or commercial real estate.
• Project has a minimum investment of $2 million for new construction.
• Project leverages City Incentive at a minimum 1:2 ratio
• Project is in a Target Area.
• Project provides affordable real estate to Community Benefit Targets

Category 2: Community Impact

Community Impact seeks to provide incentives to assist in the establishment of stand-alone facilities of Community Benefit Target projects.

Eligibility

• Project is new construction, expansion, tenant improvements, or redevelopment of a stand-alone facility.
• Project is in a Target Area.
• Project supports the development of a Community Benefit Target business.

Category 3: Cultural Preservation - Actively Accepting Applications

Cultural Preservation seeks to support retention and enhancement of music venues, creative spaces, and legacy businesses to enhance operational resilience and mitigate long-term displacement pressures.

Eligibility

• The business is located in Austin or has been displaced within the past ten (10) years.
• For Music Venues: Venue must have a site capacity under 5,000.
• For Legacy Businesses, Cooperatives, Non-Profits: Business must be in operation for at least twenty (20) years within Austin city limits; or ten (10) years within a recognized Economic and Cultural District.
• For Legacy Businesses, Cooperatives, Non-Profits: Business must be locally owned and not part of franchises.

Category 4: Transformative Infrastructure

The Transformative Infrastructure category seeks to support infrastructure elements that further the transformational achievement of an adopted community plan or development tied to Council resolution.

Eligibility

• Project must be associated with a site-specific adopted community plan or development tied to Council resolution.
• Project is new construction, expansion, tenant improvements, or redevelopment of mixed-use or commercial real estate.
• Project leverages City Incentive at a minimum 1:2 ratio

For a full list of minimum requirements/eligibilities for all categories, please see the Place-Based Enhancement Guidelines.

Awards Offered