Oregon City wants your business to succeed.
Whether you’ve been here for many years, or are considering Oregon City as a new location, contact the Economic Development Department to learn about available resources and assistance.
Our Economic Development professionals will support you to help find the right location, recruit new employees, access workforce training resources, or find other support for your company.
Oregon City provides specific tools to support investment, including grants, low-cost financing and tax credits. Business incentives are location specific, unless otherwise noted.
Find out if your business is eligible for one of Oregon City’s finance programs.
Business Incentives include:
- Urban Renewal Area investment and financing
- Enterprise Zone property tax abatements incentives
- Vertical Housing Tax Credit
- Entrepreneurial Opportunity Loan Program (City-wide)
Oregon City Business Owners Share Their Experience
Incentives
Enterprise Zone
The Enterprise Zone Program provides business incentives through property tax abatement for a period of 3-5 years for all qualified businesses. The Oregon City Enterprise Zone encompass industrial areas along Beavercreek Road, the Red Soils area and north of Highway 213 – an area approximately 1.2 square miles.
A qualifying urban Enterprise Zone company is eligible to receive a property tax abatement to build a new facility, expand their existing facilities, and/or to invest in machinery and hire new employees at higher wages.
Oregon City, Embold Credit Union (formerly Clackamas Federal Credit Union) and Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon (MESO) have partnered to offer an innovative low-cost, patient loan fund designed to support small businesses growth. Oregon City-based small businesses may apply for up to $20,000. Unlike other loan programs, the Entrepreneurial Opportunity Loan program is designed to provide businesses with maximum flexibility. No payment on the loan is required for the first 12 months.
Oregon City is currently not accepting applications to the EOLP. The loan program will become active again in the Spring of 2023. Refer back to this webpage for more information.
Loan funds may be spent on the purchase of equipment, property or building renovations, provided that the business owns the property where they are located.
Businesses may also borrow funds to support working capital needs. However, additional information is required in the loan application, including additional business plan details and income projections.
Clackamas Federal Credit Union has operated at its present Oregon City location since 1972. We are invested in the community and are dedicated to helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
Loan Terms:
- Start-up businesses may apply for up to $20,000. No payment required for first 12 months.
- Interest in first 12 months accrues at 0.5%
- Interest after first 12 months will be prime + 3%.
- Loan must be paid within 5 years.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO APPLY FOR THIS LOAN, CALL ELAINA BREWINGTON
AT MESO: 503 505 7428 x. 107. ebrewington@mesopdx.org
Vertical Housing Tax Credit
This program provides partial property tax exemptions for commercial mixed-use development projects within a subsection of the Urban Renewal Area. The tax exemption will last for 10 years. The tax exemption applies only to the additional value created by the project.
Urban Renewal Area
Oregon City has one urban renewal area, the Downtown/Northend URA. The URA includes Downtown Oregon City, Singer Hill Road and High Street in the Historic McLoughlin area, the area around The Cove and Abernathy Road to Highway 213. Please refer to the Downtown/Northend URA map for more details.
What Kinds of Projects Does Urban Renewal Support?
Activities eligible for urban renewal funding generally include:
• Rehabilitation or conversation work
• Real property acquisition
• Demolition, removal, or rehabilitation of buildings and improvements
• Installation, construction, or reconstruction of streets, utilities, and site improvements
• Assisting in the relocation of persons
• Disposition of property acquired in the urban renewal area
• Undertaking and carrying out neighborhood development programs.
Activities that are typically ineligible for urban renewal funding include non-capital improvements, temporary improvements, and grants or loans for operating expenses.
Who Manages the Urban Renewal Area?
The Economic Development Department manages the property and programs on behalf of the City Manager and the Urban Renewal Commission.
Oregon City Ombudsman Program
Development Assistance and Workforce Support
Building your business takes a lot of work. Our Economic Development staff will work with you as you plan for a new or expanded location in Oregon City.
We can assist you with:
- Zoning and Permitting questions
- Scheduling time to meet with Planning staff
- Available property search (for sale and lease)
The Ombudsman or “Business Advocate” program is designed to support companies that are in a Target Industry, have been in Oregon City for 10 or more years and/or will support 10 or more jobs. But every business is encouraged to call and ask about support.
We can also support customized job training programs in certain industries and connect you with workforce recruitment resources.
