Tax Abatement Programs
Southwest Independence 353 Tax Abatement Program
The Southwest Independence 353 Redevelopment Plan is designed to address residential blight and spur reinvestment in the Southwest Independence 353 Redevelopment Area by allowing tax abatements to owners of real property as an incentive to reinvest in and rehabilitate their properties in accordance with the Plan and Guidelines.
The Southwest Independence 353 Redevelopment Area is bounded on the north by 23rd Street the east by Sterling Avenue and the city limits to the west and south. Refer to map. For more information contact taxabatement@indepmo.org.
Please note that properties with an “Improvements” value greater than the average Improvements value in the Southwest Independence 353 Redevelopment Area require pre-approval by the Board for consideration for 353 tax abatement. For this reason, you are encouraged to contact the City prior to starting work on your property.
The current average Improvements value is $144,428. The Improvement values for individual properties are determined by Jackson County. If the improvement value is greater than the average of $144,428, the property owner would have to obtain a pre-approval prior to starting work on the property to be considered for a tax abatement.
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
The City of Independence has selected the Southwest Independence 353 Redevelopment Area for property owners to benefit from tax abatements as an incentive to reinvest in and rehabilitate their properties. The incentive is called a Parcel Specific Tax Abatement which entitles property owners to receive tax abatement up to 100 percent of property taxes (not including property taxes on the value of the land) for seven years.
The program is operated by the Southwest Independence Redevelopment Corporation (SWIRC) which is a community-based, non-profit redevelopment corporation created for the purpose of administering the program. Work of the SWIRC is coordinated with the City of Independence and Jackson County. Staffing for the program will be provided by the City of Independence, Community Development Department.
The area is bounded on the north by 23rd Street, the east by Sterling Avenue, and the city limits to the west and south.
Any property owner in the Redevelopment Area is eligible if the property and the improvements meet the requirements of the Plan and Guidelines. Future owners of the property will continue to receive the abatement, so participating in the revitalization effort may improve the chances of selling the property in the future.
Yes, as long as you follow city permitting and codes requirements. The SWIRC counts the value of the improvement whether completed by the homeowner or a contractor. Work done by the individual homeowner is subject to the same review and inspection requirements as work done by a contractor.
Abatement guidelines allow for one year to complete the work with a provision to extend the deadline with the approval of the SWIRC Board of Directors. Extensions may be granted to property owners experiencing delays due to economic or health hardships or circumstances out of their control.
Once the work is complete and approved by the SWIRC board of directors, documentation is forwarded to the Jackson County Assessor for abatement to begin the year of completion.
Please see the Guidelines for answers to other questions regarding inspections, minimum investments to obtain an abatement, etc.
You can request a copy of the Residential or Multi-Family/Commercial application by contacting taxabatement@indepmo.org.
Closed Tax Abatement Programs
This program, started in 1996 and provided homeowners a chance to invest in home improvements and qualify for property tax abatement for a total of 25 years. The program closed in 2004 for new applicants. All projects were to be completed by December 2007. Five (5) year and inspections are ongoing. For more information contact taxabatement@indepmo.org.
The Fairmount-Carlisle 353 Redevelopment Plan was designed to increase commercial and residential development in Northwest Independence by allowing tax abatements for redeveloped property. The Fairmount-Carlisle 353 Tax Abatement area, which was comprised of the Fairmount and Carlisle neighborhoods and portions of the Mt. Washington and Bundschu neighborhoods, is located in northwest Independence. The area is bounded generally on the far west along Brookside Avenue; the north the City of Independence/Sugar Creek border, on the east side Forrest Ave (north of Truman Rd.), and Fuller Avenue (south of Truman Rd.), south side is the Kansas City Southern railroad. View the Plan Area Map to see if your property is located in the tax abatement area. The program closed in 2017 for new applicants.
The development area is generally bounded on the east by Ditzler Avenue and is located north and west of Mt. Washington Cemetery to the Independence city limits. Refer to the map.
The St. Clair Park Redevelopment Plan was established to facilitate the structural and economic revitalization of the Harrison and Mt. Washington neighborhoods to promote a high quality of life for all residents across Independence. In cooperative partnership with citizens and community organizations, the Plan is designed to stimulate the redevelopment of current housing and increase investment in new housing. The goal of revitalizing existing neighborhoods is essential in fostering a viable local economy, expanding the tax base, and supporting future redevelopment of existing business districts. The Plan permits property tax abatement for improved properties located within the revitalization area in accordance with state statutes. Property tax abatement of up to 100% on improvements is permitted for the first 10 years, followed by up to 50% abatement for the following 15 years. The abatement process will be similar to the Tax Abatement Program currently available in the Fairmount-Carlisle Redevelopment Area – Amendment 1. The program closed in 2017 for new applicants.