he State Enterprise Zone (EZ) in San Francisco offers businesses the opportunity to realize unprecedented state income tax savings, incentives and other benefits.
Who can benefit? Businesses in Financial District, SOMA, Mission Bay, Bayview, Embarcadero and Hunters Point.
Eligibility: Be placed in the EZ Zone + specific conditions depending of the program.
For businesses in the EZ, 6 program benefit:
- Hiring tax credit: more than $37,000 can be claimed
- Sales or use tax credit
- Business expenses deduction : deduct for the first year
- Net operating loss carryover: carryover 100% of their losses (for 15 years maximum)
- Net interest deduction for lenders: possibility to deduct the interest on a loan made to business in EZ
- Unused tax credits: apply unused tax credit to future tax years

Click here to see the Enterprise Zone: http://www.oewd.org/media/docs/workforcedevelopment/tax_credits/2007SFEZMap.pdf

The San Francisco Enterprise Zone Payroll Tax Credit can be claimed as a credit against local payroll tax and is offered to companies as a local incentive in addition to benefits derived from the State Enterprise Zone.
Program benefit:
- First 24 months: 100% of payroll tax
- Second 24 months: 50% of payroll tax
- Third 24 months: 25% of payroll tax
- Fourth 24 months: 15% of payroll tax
- Fifth 24 months: 10% of payroll

Click here to see the conditions of eligibility: http://www.oewd.org/Enterprise-Zone.aspx

JOBS NOW! Program:
JOBS NOW! is a subsidized employment program funded by stimulus dollars and administered by the San Francisco Human Services Agency (HSA).
- Benefit: get the reimbursement of the 100% cost of the wages paid to newly hired JOBS NOW! Qualified employee. Employers are required only to pay for payroll taxes.
- Employer reimbursement process: Submit documentation once per month and HSA refund 100% of the wage costs (2-3 weeks then 7-10 days).

Check the requirements and eligibility at the Office of Economic and Workforce Development at 415-554-6969