Neighborhood Development

Relocation Information

Relocate to South Bend Neighborhoods

South Bend owes its vibrancy and charm to its neighborhoods. As diverse as they are numerous, the neighborhoods offer a variety of lifestyles, housing options, schools and amenities.  Whatever your choice, there is a home for you in one of the 18 historic neighborhoods or something fresh and new in a lovely development.

We hope the information below will help familiarize you with all the great aspects of our wonderful city.  Feel free to download the information below for your use.

Relocation PowerPoint

Urban Enterprise Zone

Urban Enterprise Zone Map

South Bend’s Urban Enterprise Zone is a 3.79 square-mile area targeted for physical revitalization, job creation, and improvements in social and economic conditions.  Links to a map of the Zone and the list of addresses within the Zone are provided below:

• Renewal Map of UEA Boundaries
• Address Range List for Urban Enterprise Zone

Urban Enterprise Association

South Bend’s Urban Enterprise Zone is a 3.79 square-mile area targeted for physical revitalization, job creation, and improvements in social and economic conditions.  The Zone was designated locally and approved by the State of Indiana, and initially designated for 10 years with a 5 year renewal period ending December 31, 2018.  A second renewal of 5 years was approved with an expiration date of December 31, 2023.

The Urban Enterprise Association of South Bend Inc. (UEA) oversees the Zone and its programs that address the twofold mission of the UEA:

1. Increase the number of jobs in the Zone by retention and expansion of existing businesses, and attraction and development of new businesses; and
2. Improve the quality of life of zone residents, improve zone residents’ employability, and fill zone jobs with zone residents.

Programs and Incentives

Build South Bend

The purpose of Build South Bend is simple – to help you save time and money in realizing your dream. Developing a property or business involves an incredible amount of work and much of that work involves figuring basic things out; things like the best places to buy a property, how to approach financial institutions to get a loan, and how to estimate financials. These tasks take hours to learn and aren’t always clear to beginners. Learn more using our Build South Bend Toolkit!

Tax & Financial Incentives

Various tax and financial incentives are available to businesses located in the Zone to impact the cash flow position of a business and improve their access to capital.  *Some entities are not eligible for certain incentives.  The appropriate agency should be contacted to verify an entity’s eligibility.  The incentives are:

• Investment Cost Credit IC 6-3.1-10
  State income tax credit for individuals purchasing an ownership interest in a Zone business.
• Loan Interest Credit IC 6-3.1-7
  State income tax credit on lender interest earned.
• Employment Expense Credit IC 6-3-3-10
  State income tax credit based on wages paid to qualified employees.
• Employee Tax Deduction IC 6-3-2-8
  Qualified employees’ wages exempt from state income tax.

UEA Programs

Specific South Bend UEA programs include the Sample Street Business Complex.

The Sample Street Business Complex is a small business, multi-tenant, manufacturing, warehousing and office facility, owned and operated by the UEA.  CB Richard Ellis Bradley is responsible for the daily management of the Complex under a contract with the UEA.  The facility offers shared receptionist services, office machines, conference rooms, and loading docks.

Contact

For more information about the Urban Enterprise Zone or the Urban Enterprise Association of South Bend, Inc., contact Elizabeth Maradik at 574.235.5821.

Federal Grants

Neighborhood Development monitors annual federal entitlements to the City of South Bend from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These funds benefit low to moderate income persons and/or eliminate slum and blight. The City conducts an annual request for proposal and award processes for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds.

The Housing & Community Development Plan* (HCD Plan, also sometimes called the Consolidated Plan) explains how and why HUD funding will be used. The HCD Plan requires the community to combine submission of all its HUD funded grants into one document, to allow for better coordination of resources. In essence, the HCD Plan is an application for the following HUD grants: Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership Program, and Emergency Shelter Grant. In addition, because the City of South Bend, the City of Mishawaka, and St. Joseph County entered into an Inter-local Government Agreement in 1991 to establish the St. Joseph County Housing Consortium, the three jurisdictions develop the HCD Plan together.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds can be used for a variety of community development opportunities such as providing affordable housing, a suitable living environment, and economic opportunities for individuals and families with incomes below 80 percent of the area median income. CDBG funds can also be used for the elimination of slum and blight. South Bend and Mishawaka each administer their own CDBG entitlement funds.

2025 CDBG RFP – 2025 Requests for Proposals are currently closed. Please check back in Fall 2025 for the next open proposals.
– Review the CDBG INFORMATION PACKET prior to completing a proposal. 

HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funds are used to develop affordable housing opportunities for households with incomes under 80 percent of the area median income. HOME funds are distributed countywide through the St. Joseph County Housing Consortium.

2025 HOME RFP – 2025 Requests for Proposals are currently closed. Please check back in Fall 2025 for the next open proposals.
– Review the HOME INFORMATION PACKET prior to completing a proposal. 

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program provides homeless persons with basic shelter and essential supportive services. It can assist with operational costs of the shelter facility, and for the administration of the grant.

2025 ESG RFP – 2025 Requests for Proposals are currently closed. Please check back in Fall 2025 for the next open proposals.
– Review the ESG INFORMATION PACKET prior to completing a proposal. 

HOME Investment Partnerships Program American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP)
The Consortium is set to receive approximately $3.4 million in federal funding to address homelessness through the HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Program (HOME-ARP). More information is forthcoming.

Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is designed to promote a community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; to provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, States, and local governments to quickly re-house homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness; to promote access to and effective utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families; and to optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

Neighborhood Development oversees the annual grant process through which these funds are invested in the community. The Division also staffs the St. Joseph Housing Consortium.  Project proposals from eligible entities are solicited annually, usually in the summer months.  All proposals are reviewed and public input is solicited at public hearings. Decisions are finalized in November for the following year. The investment of these entitlement funds in South Bend is part of a coordinated strategy guided by City Plan, South Bend’s comprehensive plan.

Federal Grant Staff
For additional program information, contact the Division of Neighborhood Development.

Jennifer Huddleston, Manager – Neighborhood Grants – (574) 235-5841

• CDBG
• ESG
• HOME
• Davis Bacon
• St. Joseph County Housing Consortium

Alyssa Alstott, Manager – Neighborhood Grants – (574) 235-9951

• CDBG
• ESG
• HOME
• Davis Bacon
• St. Joseph County Housing Consortium

Federal Grants HCD Plan