Downtown St. Joseph to Secure Improvements through Establishment of DDA TIF

St. Joseph, Michigan, October 27, 2025—Downtown St. Joseph is scheduled to receive some much-needed TLC over the next few years thanks to the establishment of a new Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district. Following a public hearing at Monday night’s Commission meeting, City Commissioners voted to approve the first reading of an ordinance amendment to adopt the new Downtown Development Tax Increment Financing and Development Plan.

“The Downtown is important to the health and vibrancy of the City as a whole and it is important that it is well-maintained both functionally and aesthetically,” said Kelly Ewalt, Development Director for the City of St. Joseph.

The TIF is not a new tax. Rather, the program will set a baseline tax rate on DDA properties, which is the current rate. As property values increase due to improvements and growth, the TIF will capture that difference, and those funds will be reinvested back into the downtown district.

“Our residents and businesses have been discussing the need for additional repairs and investment downtown for some time. We know the downtown receives significant traffic, causing wear and tear. The TIF funds can help alleviate the burden on the general fund while making the downtown an even more appealing destination.”, said Ewalt.

A TIF Open House was hosted by the City this past Wednesday, October 22 to help residents become more familiar with the proposal. During the session, residents had the opportunity to offer early input on how they would like to see TIF funds used within the downtown. Ideas included ways to make downtown a more year-round economy, more events and improved amenities including updated streetscape features.

“Ongoing engagement and feedback will be critical to the investment in our downtown,” said Ewalt. “We recently expanded the DDA board to include even more voices and perspectives. There is also a DDA TIF resident advisory council that will provide input into the use of funds, and as always, the City Commission has final say in the DDA budget. As a reminder, DDA meetings are open to the public, and take place the first Monday of the month at 8:30am.”
The DDA meeting schedule is available on the City’s website as well as the DDA TIF and Development Plan, viewable via sjcity.com/bc-downtown > Tax Increment Revenues, Tax Increment Financing and Development Plan.

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The City of St. Joseph is a historic town located off of I-94 between Chicago and Detroit, nestled beside the mouth of the St. Joseph River and Lake Michigan. With a population of about 7,800, the small town features a quaint downtown with local shops, historic buildings and brick streets overlooking a clear view of Lake Michigan sunsets and the iconic inner and outer lighthouses. St. Joseph is the Berrien County seat and home to the popular county-owned Silver Beach.