News/Blog

December 09, 2022

Round two of the CalCompetes tax credit opens January 3

By Brittney Sherman

$120 million in available tax credits will be awarded during the next round of the CalCompetes Program, scheduled to launch on January 3. The California Competes Tax Credit is an income tax credit available to businesses that want to come to California, or stay and grow in California, and create quality, full-time jobs. To date, 1,172 businesses have been awarded tax credits through the program, resulting in a proposed creation of 153,000 full-time jobs. Learn more about the program and application process by attending the Go-Biz informational webinar HERE.

Have questions? Contact City of Morgan Hill Economic Development Director Matt Mahood at Matt.Mahood@morganhill.ca.gov

December 07, 2022

Empowering first-time homebuyers

By Brittney Sherman

Empower is a loan program to help first-time homebuyers with up to 17% of the purchase price of a single-family home, condo, or townhome in Santa Clara County. This 1-hour Informational Webinar, hosted by the City of Morgan Hill, the City of Gilroy, and the Housing Trust's Homebuyer team, will help you learn how the County of Santa Clara's down payment assistance program Empower can help you buy your first home.

The Empower program offers a maximum loan amount of $187,000 on a home that is up to $1,100,000. Requiring only a 3% down payment from the buyer, a 20% down payment on a home is possible. As a 30-year deferred loan, no monthly loan payments are required.

Register HERE to learn more about Empower and attend the informational webinar on December 8 at 6 p.m. 

Have questions? Contact City of Morgan Hill Housing Director Rebecca Garcia at Rebecca.Garcia@morganhill.ca.gov

December 06, 2022

Public-private partnership focuses on a safer and cleaner Downtown

By Brittney Sherman

Downtown private property owners and the City of Morgan Hill have approved a public private partnership to form a Downtown Property Business Improvement District (PBID) with the goal of increasing safety, cleanliness, and beautification in the Downtown. This collaboration will result in a first-year budget of $249,356 of which sixty-percent has been earmarked to provide enhanced “clean and safe” efforts in the district.

The PBID boundary is comprised of 98 properties owned by 59 individual property owners, spanning parcels north of Dunne, east of Del Monte, south of Main, and west of Butterfield. The City and County are the largest commercial property owners in the district, with private property owners representing approximately (39) percent of all remaining parcels. The proposed assessment rate (cost to the parcel owner) is based on parcel type and square footage, and in some cases, linear frontage. The district will have a five (5) year lifespan beginning January 1, 2024.

There are over (100) established PBIDs throughout California, all designed to improve local public services, enhance economic growth, and increase services, such as security, maintenance, marketing and capital improvements, within a defined district.

Read the full article in the Morgan Hill Times HERE.

Have questions? Contact City of Morgan Hill Economic Development Director Matt Mahood at Matt.Mahood@morganhill.ca.gov

December 05, 2022

Morgan Hill start-up Sempera Organics has plans to grow

By Brittney Sherman

Sempera Organics is a start-up “functional mushroom” growing company that started in Morgan Hill two years ago. The company started by producing mushroom powder for pharmaceutical and medicinal uses. The product is created without the use of wood pallets or fertilizer, has a (3) year shelf life, and is shipped in 25-pound boxes to companies across the United States. Just last month, Sempera Organics broke into the meatless food production business with their mushroom-based product- MAMU. The product is already being used in high-end restaurants in Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Lodi. They expect to have the product featured on (5) other Bay Area Restaurants by the end of the year, including at our very own Craft Roots! The company is growing very quickly and is already considering expansion options in Morgan Hill. Learn more about Sempera Organics HERE.

Have questions? Contact City of Morgan Hill Economic Development Director Matt Mahood at Matt.Mahood@morganhill.ca.gov

December 01, 2022

California regains 101% of all jobs lost during the pandemic

By Brittney Sherman

In the month of October, that state of California not only recovered all 2,758,900 jobs lost during the pandemic, but they were also responsible for creating 20% of all new jobs across the Nation. When compared to the pre-pandemic job count, California now has 30,800 more jobs than it had in February 2020.

An estimated 6,800 new jobs with an average salary of $113,013 is projected to be the result of $123 million in tax credits and grants awarded through the Cal Competes Program. The state’s investment in cutting edge industries including electric vehicles, semiconductor and microchip manufacturing, and eco-friendly electricity is expected to bring $1.9 billion in new private investment over the next five years.

Have questions? Contact City of Morgan Hill Economic Development Director Matt Mahood at Matt.Mahood@morganhill.ca.gov

November 30, 2022

Morgan Hill's homeless count drops by 47%

By Brittney Sherman

Since 2017 Morgan Hill has helped (397) adults and (298) children find housing, effectively reducing the number of un-housed by 47 precent when compared to the 2019 homeless count. This drop signals the largest reduction in the number of unhoused experienced by any city in Santa Clara County. This change is not magic, it is the result of an intentional and focused effort led by the City’s Housing Development Team in conjunction with several faith-based centers, non-profits, and un-housed service providers. Morgan Hill is on track to meet its RENA numbers by the end of 2022, of which (554) rental units are designated affordable.

Read the full article in Morgan Hill Life HERE.

Have questions? Contact City of Morgan Hill Housing Director Rebecca Garcia at Rebecca.Garcia@morganhill.ca.gov