Senator Jack Latvala to Speak at Florida Redevelopment Association Annual Conference

One of Florida’s top leaders and expected gubernatorial candidate, Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, is set to speak during the annual conference of the Florida Redevelopment Association – a statewide organization dedicated to assisting Florida professionals and volunteers in community revitalization efforts. Latvala’s plenary session will start at 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 19, and cover…

Lake Placid Acknowledges Blight Area

The Lake Placid Town Council, in a 2-1 vote, agreed to adopt findings from a study that confirms the town has blight in its downtown area. The study, a “finding of necessity,” is one of the steps toward establishing a Community Redevelopment Agency. Councilwoman Debra Worley was absent from the meeting, despite being a proponent…

Sweeping changes to the Community Redevelopment Agencies is not the answer

Hernando Sun More than 220 CRAs operate in Florida. These are local initiatives, authorized under state law, that allow communities to target blighted areas for redevelopment. The money comes from something called “tax incremental financing” – basically, the agency captures any increased tax receipts arising from business growth attributable to its investments in the targeted…

CRA commits to Cascades Project

The Cascades Project cleared a major hurdle with the Community Redevelopment Agency’s unanimous approval Monday to complete and execute a development agreement with incremental tax rebates. Early project images reveal a colossal mixed-use development unlike anything in Tallahassee’s downtown. It includes a waterfall staircase in the park’s plaza, room for a bakery, a coffee shop,…