Economic & Community Development

Department Overview

The Economic and Community Development Department's mission is to grow a livable, vibrant, and safely built City, where all people can enjoy a high quality of life and have an opportunity to grow up, live and age in a neighborhood that provides the basic systems to realize their potential.

To achieve this goal, the department focuses on shaping development through the following key strategies:

Identify opportunities to expand the City's tax base, support job growth, and revitalize downtown to promote enhanced fiscal sustainability
Create, monitor, and administer economic development performance agreements
Provide professional analytical, professional, and administrative support to the New Braunfels Economic Development Corporation
Collaborate with all City departments to reduce barriers and align resources promoting economic mobility
Support the development and sustainability of a healthy housing market through a comprehensive local housing strategy
Lead, convene, network and organize community-wide resources to reduce neighborhood disparities in access to economic opportunity

The City's Economic Development program seeks to support the recruitment and retention of businesses and commercial development in the community. The City offers several incentives to stimulate Economic Development.

The links below contain additional information on Economic Development programs in the City.

Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZ)

TIRZ are areas created by the City Council to attract and support new investment in targeted, strategic locations to help finance the costs of redevelopment and promote growth. Taxes resulting from new investment and development in these zones (the tax increment) is set aside to finance improvements within the boundaries of the zone. Find out more information on TIRZ in New Braunfels.

Tax Abatement

The City of New Braunfels adopted a tax abatement policy in 2021 to encourage new growth, development and jobs. Chapter 312 of the Texas Local Government Codes provides cities with the ability to provide an abatement of property taxes (business personal and ad valorem) for a period of up to ten (10) years. The policy allows for up to a 100% abatement of city property taxes for up to ten (10) years. See the Tax Abatement Policy as well as frequently asked questions about the Tax Abatement Policy.

Chapter 380 Incentives

The Chapter 380 Program is intended as an incentive for developers and businesses to address revenue gaps in development projects, defined as having insufficient revenues to support the project’s debt service under a standard financing scenario. The program can also apply to projects that have a development margin or rate of return that is below the market. Find out more on the City's Chapter 380 program.

Economic Development Incentives Application

New Braunfels Economic Development Corporation (EDC)

The New Braunfels EDC is an umbrella organization that partners with other agencies to provide a confidential single point of contact for businesses looking to create new jobs in the area.

New Braunfels Industrial Development Corporation Project Funding Guidelines

SPARK Small Business Development Center

The SPARK Small Business Center is located in Downtown New Braunfels and offers small businesses access to cost-free business counseling, training, and networking.