Caleb Mason Email and Phone Number

Directs the City’s economic development strategy. Collaborates with economic development organizations and facilitates the successful implementation of economic development projects: Develop and implement strategies for entrepreneurial & business startup support, small business growth, workforce development, target industry clusters, and commercial/retail development and attraction Manage, plan, budget, and oversee the City’s approximately $28 million (annual) economic development fund, including tax increment financing (TIF) fund for private development and related capital improvement (CIP) projects, Economic Development Partner Organization Fund, and Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) & MICRO Loan programs Oversee the implementation of the City’s economic development brand and marketing efforts Provide supervision to six employees Lead regular business operation meetings with cross-functional project teams to ensure key initiatives are on track Acts as chief negotiator in significant deals and leads negotiations among the working team, including, but not limited to, colleagues, legal, finance, compliance, engineering, quality, and operations Leads and is accountable for business approvals, delivering the award, and contract authoring Manage engagements with internal and external information suppliers to ensure that quantitative financial solutions are fit for business purposes while maintaining appropriate governance and oversight Drive the City’s business retention and expansion program, making policy and program recommendations to cross-functional stakeholders based on survey findings Serve as relationship manager and point of contact for site selectors, EDOs, and business community Oversee the creation and deployment of workforce initiatives, including Urban Dreams, Gateways for Growth, Welcoming Cities, BackCR

Administered the City’s economic development financial incentives, reviewed requests for proposals (RFP), submitted for the redevelopment of City-owned property, and managed responses to requests for information (RFI): Managed the use of the City’s financial incentives, including establishing and managing urban renewal & urban revitalization areas and plans, developing financing plans for capital improvement projects related to ED projects, and serving as a project liaison for ED projects through the land development process Created and maintained financial records for projects, including budgets and tasks for each of the City’s TIF Districts  Collaborated with local, regional, and State partner ED organizations to respond to requests for information (RFI) on business attraction prospects, or local expansion projects Assisted developers and business leaders in layering State and Federal financial resources, including Workforce Housing Tax Credits, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, Opportunity Zones, Community Development Block Grant, State & Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credits, State High-Quality Jobs Programs, Brownfield/Grayfield Redevelopment Tax Credits, and others Negotiated agreements with developers and businesses, including Project Term Sheet, Development Agreements (TIF), real estate purchase agreements, the option to purchase agreements, lease-purchase agreements, right of first refusal, and land-use restrictive covenants  Prepared and presented data, research, and reports to the City Council, City Planning Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, City Manager’s Business Advisory Group, professional conferences, and community stakeholder groups Acted as a highly visible member of the city’s management team by working closely with and communicating directly with other department personnel, city council members, developers, business leaders, community members, and media outlets

Administered State and Federal disaster recovery replacement housing programs for recovery of 2008 floods: Researched, directed, and implemented policy analysis, strategic planning, budget, and finance of over $100 million in disaster recovery replacement housing programs and initiatives, including the Single-Family New Construction Program and Multi-Family New Construction Program Administered programs that led to a total investment of over $230 million and created over 1,400 new single-family and multi-family housing units Provided education and outreach to community partners, developers, lenders, stakeholders, and the public on the function and use of the programs Managed consultants assisting with program implementation, including housing market analysis, sustainability consultants, and environmental engineering

Administered federal CDBG and HOME Program functions and funding through planning, building permitting and inspection, and coordinating the local grant application process: Implemented housing rehabilitation and emergency rehabilitation program and nonprofit sub-recipient grants of annual CDBG and HOME program funds from HUD Coordinated Federal statutory and regulatory clearances for the administration of grant funds Provided technical assistance to non-profit agencies receiving funds for capital improvements and program administration as a sub-recipient of the City and provided ongoing performance monitoring