Weekly FRA Newsletter: February 12, 2026

2/12/26 FRA Newsletter Highlights: FRA Academy – Budgeting, Funding, and Reporting on March 6 FRA Award Showcase: City of Palmetto CRA Redevelopment FRA Member News clips from: Lealman CRA, Temple Terrace CRA, North Miami CRA, Dunedin CRA, City of Cocoa, Fort Myers CRA and more linked articles Job listings: Senior Planner – City of Delray…

North Miami CRA Approves $250K Grant to Build Black-Led Nonprofit Birthing Center

Last week, the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) approved a $250,000 Business Attraction Grant to support the creation of a community-centered maternal health and wellness facility, helping address South Florida’s growing shortage of maternity care. The vision belongs to Olamina Properties LLC, a joint venture between Black-led nonprofits Southern Birth Justice Network (SBJN) and…

Park Dedication Opens a New Era for Lealman

The long-gestating renovation of Lealman’s 38-acre Raymond H. Neri Park was unveiled Saturday, a $10 million investment by Pinellas County government in the future of the unincorporated and historically underserved district. The ribbon-cutting was followed by the fourth annual Honey & Arts Festival, on the massive athletic fields (re-planted with new grass) near the new…

Apopka Families See Major Home Improvements Through Residential Renovation Assistance Program

Families in Apopka are seeing major home improvements thanks to the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency Residential Renovation Assistance Program, which invested nearly $1 million to help homeowners with critical exterior repairs. Eligible residents received up to $30,000 for upgrades such as new roofs, windows, driveway repairs, porch improvements and ADA modifications. In total, the program…

City of Cocoa Breaks Ground on Workforce Housing Development in Michael C. Blake Subdivision

The City of Cocoa, in partnership with Lennar Homes, officially broke ground on January 16, on a new workforce housing development in the Michael C. Blake Subdivision. The project follows the approval of a development agreement with Lennar Homes to construct 32 workforce housing units, expanding access to affordable homeownership opportunities for very low, low, and…