Overview
The intent of all downtown redevelopment activity is to create a diverse and dynamic downtown neighborhood with housing, shopping, restaurants, and well-formed public spaces for cultural and civic activities.
The Hayward Redevelopment Area includes the City’s commercial center, which contains approximately 500 businesses. The total size of the Redevelopment Project Area is approximately 1,348 acres. The Project Area contains several governmental and cultural facilities, including Centennial Hall (a multi-purpose conference center), the main library, the Hayward Little Theatre, and Japanese Gardens. The Project Area also includes the Burbank/Cannery west of downtown and the Mission Foothill Boulevard corridor.
Retail Attraction Program
The Downtown Retail Attraction Initiative offers property and business owners the opportunity to take advantage of the growing retail potential of the downtown by offering low interest building and tenant improvement loans. The Initiative allows the Redevelopment Agency a more active role in filling vacant spaces in a defined target area. The funds are intended to secure retail businesses for which there is consumer demand, and yet are not currently represented in the downtown. Loans which are below $50,000 are deferred for their 10 year loan term. Loans above this amount are deferred for the first three years of the 10 year loan term. With available retail spaces, competitive rents, low-interest tenant improvement loans, Downtown Hayward is an ideal location for destination retail.