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front of the chapman university campus
Specific Plan Amendment 7

» Chapman's Investment

For the past 70 years, Chapman University is proud to call the City of Orange home. We are committed to being a valuable partner and supporting the community. Below are just a few ways we contribute to our City on an annual basis.

 

Property Taxes*

  • $11.1 Million (2015-2024)
  • $1.5 Million (2023-2024)

 

Chapman is a non-profit organization of higher education and is tax exempt on buildings used for educational purposes. However, Chapman pays property taxes on properties used for staff and faculty housing. 

Annual Payments to the City of Orange

  • $500,000 towards the city's General Fund.**
  • $52,000 to Orange Police Department.
  • $43,000 for the use and upkeep of Hart Park and El Camino Real Park.***

 

In 2014, Chapman purchased a vacant motel in Orange that had not been occupied for a number of years and converted the property into Panther Village for student housing. Chapman voluntarily committed to contribute $500,000 annually to the City's general fund, off-setting any future potential loss of Transient Occupancy Tax. 

 

We understand that at certain times of the year there is an increase in campus and student activity, and additional support from Orange PD might be needed. To not burden Orange PD’s resources, Chapman reimburses Orange PD’s overtime and officer requests during these times for a total of approximately $52,000 annually.

 

Additionally, Chapman leases and maintains the upkeep of the baseball diamonds at Hart and El Camino Real parks for an annual contribution of $43,000. These are NCAA regulation fields that are open to the public when not being used for practice or games.

 

Our staff, faculty and students enjoy the community programming the City provides and Chapman is honored to be an Orange Tree sponsor, contributing $10,000 annually to support these wonderful events.

Events on Campus

$123,000 in fee waivers for community groups in Orange to use on-campus spaces.

 

Chapman hosts a number of events on campus at no charge to the community for space rentals or attendance. These events include OUSD’s Visual & Performing Arts Showcase, Leadership Orange, State of the City, Congressman Correa’s Women of the Year, and Congresswoman Young Kim’s Congressional Art Contest. In the 2023-2024 academic year, Chapman waived $123,000 in campus events fees for Orange-based organizations.

Continual Donated Space

  • Orange Home Grown Weekly Farmers Market
  • Orange Home Grown Education Farm

 

Chapman donates the land for the Orange Home Grown Educational Farm and the parking lot rental at the Beckett Building for the weekly Farmers Market at no cost to Orange Home Grown.

Scholarships and Charitable Giving

$82,000 in financial support for nonprofit organizations operating in the City of Orange.

 

Chapman is proud to support non-profit organizations operating and helping people in the City of Orange. In 2023-2024, Chapman provided $82,000 in sponsorships and charitable giving to numerous non-profits in Orange, including Friendly Center, Youth Centers of Orange, The HUB, Orange Unified Public-School Foundation, Orange Police Foundation, and the Orange Chamber of Commerce.

*Chapman pays property tax on most residential properties owned by the university.
**Voluntary commitment after the purchase of Panther Village to cover the anticipated loss of TOT.
***Open to the public when not in use by Chapman teams.

Community Impact Study

We are happy to share highlights from a recent study conducted by an independent economic research firm. As the numbers show, the university’s commitment to our partnership with the City of Orange has measurable, positive results.