On August 17, 2018, Governor Phil Murphy signed into law the Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant Bond Financing Act (P.L. 2018, c. 97), which creates a mechanism to finance projects under the Economic Redevelopment and Growth (ERG) Program.
Created under the Economic Opportunity Act of 2013, the ERG program is the State’s primary incentive for developers. Pursuant to the program rules, a developer that can demonstrate that its redevelopment project requires a subsidy to close a project financing gap may apply for a grant equaling no more than 20% of the total cost of a project (30% in a Garden State Growth Zone), of which the developer must make a 20% equity investment.
In accordance with a redevelopment incentive grant agreement, beginning upon the receipt of occupancy permits for any portion of the redevelopment project, the developer will receive incremental State revenues directly realized from businesses operating on or at the site of the redevelopment project. The developer may apply for an incentive grant in the amount up to 75% of the annual incremental tax revenues generated by the project over a 20 year period. If the redevelopment project is located within a Garden State Growth Zone, 85% of the projected annual incremental revenues may be pledged toward the award.
Prior to the enactment of the ERG Bond Financing Act, developers receiving awards under the ERG program were required to seek financing for up-front costs associated with the project, as the ERG payments were unavailable until the project had been fully completed and certified. The ERG Bond Financing Act creates a mechanism for developers to monetize an ERG award by allowing the municipality in which a project is located to (either directly or through an application to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority or similar public instrumentality of the State) issue bonds secured by a pledge of the ERG grant payments, and further secured by municipal liens and/or special assessments on the property benefiting from the improvements. This will allow developers to finance the up-front costs associated with construction, without having to seek gap financing.
If interested in learning more about state and local development incentives, please do not hesitate to contact Murphy Partners LLP at (973) 723-7036 or info@murphyllp.com.
Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP (MSW) is a boutique law firm servicing the commercial real estate and construction industries. Headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, the firm represents a wide range of clients, including institutional, publicly traded real estate companies, international and regional lenders, national contractors and subcontractors, and family offices. The firm has been ranked as a top law firm by both Chambers & Partners and U.S. News & World Report.