Philip Garrett
Tampa Bay Times
April 5, 2019
Legislation proposed in the Florida House and Senate is threatening the revitalization of communities across the state of Florida. HB 9 and SB 1054 aim to impose crippling limitations in an attempt to impede the creation of new community redevelopment agencies (CRAs) and eventually eliminate existing CRAs completely. CRAs are created by local governments to revitalize neglected or forgotten areas within a community, and exist solely to improve these areas. These proposed limitations would have a severe negative impact on our local areas, including St. Petersburg, where the CRA has supported major planning initiatives in four community redevelopment areas, including Intown, Intown West, Bayboro Harbor and South St. Petersburg. These redevelopment initiatives were established to promote reinvestment in residential and non-residential development and positively transform the community.