Tallahassee’s Greater Bond Neighborhood to See More Homes Rehabilitated

CRAs create affordable housing and homeownership opportunities! The Greater Bond Neighborhood Association’s Neighborhood First plan, adopted in 2018, includes strategies, like promoting financial housing assistance programs and increased homeownership. The Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency voted to provide $6.4 million to the “Neighborhood First” plan. That includes an initial funding of $500,000, and a commitment for…

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Orlando Set to Approve $3 Million Deal to Shelter Homeless People in Retrofitted Buses

Eric Gray, CEO of the Christian Service Center and candidate for the Orange County board of commissioners, described the mobile emergency shelter project to the Orlando Sentinel as “brilliant in its simplicity.” It’s part of what the city has dubbed its “407 Connect Project,” a partnership between the downtown Orlando Community Redevelopment Agency and Christian Service Center, designed to…

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City of Fort Walton Beach Completes Phase One of $8 Million Landing Park Renovations

The renovation includes a reinforced 700-foot seawall with a concrete boardwalk, new docks, and additional amenities aimed at enhancing the downtown waterfront area. The renovation is funded through multiple sources, including a Natural Resource Damage Assessment Grant, Restore Act funds, Okaloosa County Tourist Development tax revenues, Okaloosa County’s Half-Cent Surtax for infrastructure projects, and the…

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The Power of Public Art

From outdoor murals on the sides of buildings to sculptures along city promenades, public works of art can beautify and distinguish towns, attract tourism, celebrate communities and enrich the people who encounter them. According to an opinion poll conducted by Americans for the Arts, 86 percent of Americans believe that art and culture improve their…

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‘This is Gorgeous’: Completed Projects Bring Lake Wales Closer to Being ‘A City in a Garden’

Lake Wales recently finished two related projects, part of an ambitious, multiyear plan to revitalize downtown and attract new businesses. The city held a ribbon cutting March 7 to celebrate the renovations of Park Avenue and Market Plaza. Lake Wales, Florida, recently completed renovations on Park Avenue and Market Plaza to revitalize its downtown area.…

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BBCRA Celebrates Government Finance Professionals Week and Honors Finance Team

The week of March 17-21, 2025, marks Government Finance Professionals Week, a time to recognize the dedicated professionals who manage the financial operations of local governments and ensure fiscal responsibility. Sponsored by the Florida Government Finance Officers Association (FGFOA), this week highlights the invaluable contributions of finance professionals in sustaining and enhancing the communities they serve.…

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