ORANGE, Texas — The City of Orange has been able to attract new businesses through the use of Orange Economic Development Corporation (EDC) grants.
City officials say that since 2020 they've used almost $5 million to attract new businesses through these EDC grants.
The EDC committee distributes the grants by taking half a cent of the city’s 8.25 sales taxes.
The money helps reimburse developers for infrastructure costs. Orange is the only city in Orange County that has an EDC.
“Since December of 2020 there's been 31 new businesses and developments that have received economic development cooperation grants," said Director of Planning and Community Development for the City of Orange Kelvin Knauf.
Companies who want to Orange would have to pay upfront for infrastructure costs and they will then be reimbursed by the city later.
“They look at the site to find out where they want to locate and then what permanent expenses may be incurred. Things like extension of water lines, extension of sewer lines, and draining, Knuaf told 12News.
Knauf says 10 of those businesses sit along North 16th Street.
“There's the Whataburger that’s being built, then the car wash, Take 5 that’s about to start construction," said Knauf.
An Orange resident, Giron Hadnott was shopping at the new Dollar General next door and he thinks it's a step in the right direction.
"I'm all for it. It's good for the economy, it creates jobs and it keeps the money rolling," Hadnott said.
Knauf says the grants have even made way for two new subdivisions: Little Cypress Grove Residential and The Reserve at Mallard Lakes in the Little Cypress community.
“It re-develops areas that were kind of run down, increases the property taxes, a lot of them increase sales taxes, and it increases the quality of life for our residents,” said Knauf.
“Long as you have improvement for the cities not just here but Pinehurst, Bridge City, all those surrounding areas Little Cypress, everybody should be for it," Hadnott told 12News.
Knauf says even more projects are scheduled to come to North 16th Street including a new retail shopping center called The Shops of Orange. It should be breaking ground soon.