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The Portland Development Commission is preparing to dispense $32 million in one-time public financing to minority small businesses, homeowners and community groups in North and Northeast Portland.

The Tax Increment Financing (TIF) dollars will go to four areas 鈥� commercial real estate development, business ownership, nonprofit support and homeownership.

The PDC’s money allotment outline, called the North/Northeast (Portland) Community Development Initiative Action Plan, was finalized at the end of last year. The commission recently began the process of identifying recipients.

A forum at New Song Community Church to provide information to people interested in pursuing TIF funding was attended by around 150 people. Officials handed out checklists containing questions for potential funding recipients 鈥� whether they had ever owned property, whether they’re comfortable with risk and what their goals are.

鈥淲e’re using these brief questionnaires to help people self-identify as candidates for financing to support property improvements, or financing for small business growth through grants or loans to help them improve their assets,鈥� PDC spokeswoman Anne Mangan said.

Other PDC outreach efforts will target people who aren’t deemed ready for funding, but may qualify for technical assistance from another provider, Mangan said.

鈥淭his whole thing is built on community input,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd there are definitely specific numbers of entities that are to benefit by the financing and the programs that get developed.鈥�

Contractor and minority activist Maurice Rahming said he plans to recuse himself from bidding for money, and instead sit on the committee that is overseeing implementation.

A recent attempt to manage minority set-asides on city projects, through a plan called a Community Benefits Agreement, was criticized by an independent auditor for creating a situation where conflicts of interests could occur between those allotting money and community groups that receive it.

(The audit report by Washington consultancy Framework Inc. does not state that conflicts of interest occurred during the CBA pilot program.)

Rahming said he’d like the money to go to people who missed out on previous waves of economic prosperity.

鈥淚 feel like I’ve benefited, and other companies have benefited,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o if we’re flying at 10,000 feet, there are companies that still haven’t left the tarmac. And I’d like to see the money go to them.鈥�

A business loan can have a greater impact on a smaller company, Rahming said. For instance, money may enable a firm’s move to a permanent location. This can be huge in terms of upward advancement because many startups operate out of a residence.