Mission Community Development

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Mission Bancorp, Mission Community Development, LLC, was formed to facilitate and promote growth in economically distressed communities.  It is a Community Development Entity enabled by the U.S. Treasury Department to fund qualifying projects through New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocations.

Our participation in the NMTC program and collaboration in funding these projects is in keeping with Mission Bank’s core purpose, which is to fuel and grow vibrant and prosperous communities.  Projects sponsored by Mission Community Development result in the creation of jobs, healthier local economies, and material improvement in the lives of residents of underserved communities.

The NMTC program is a federal tax incentive authorized by Congress in 2000 to act as a catalyst for economic development in certain distressed communities.  It attracts capital into these communities by permitting you to receive a tax credit against your federal income tax in exchange for making Qualified Equity Investments in Community Development Entities.

The Community Development Entities are financial intermediaries that use Qualified Equity Investments to make Qualified Low-Income Community Investments, which can be capital or equity investments in, or business loans to, qualifying projects.

Often, projects targeted for distressed communities have difficulty getting full funding from traditional lenders.  Community Development Entities offer non-traditional financing and more flexible terms.  As a result, you can benefit from things like below-market interest rates, lower origination fees, higher loan-to-value ratios, and longer amortization periods.

There are eligibility standards to qualify for funding.  Projects must be in urban or rural “Low-Income Communities” (LICs).  LICs are census tracts where the individual poverty rate is at least 20%, or where the median family income does not exceed 80% of the area’s median income.  Qualified projects need to create community impact, or create jobs, or involve new or significant expansion in LICs.

Some project examples include business financing, retail and mixed-use real estate development, alternative energy projects, improving community facilities, charter schools, and health clinics.

Contact Mission Community Development for information on partnering with us to make a difference in our communities.