Good News From Florida’s CRAs

Young Tampanian Achieves Dream of Homeownership The City of Tampa is highlighting the life-changing impact of its DARE to Own the Dream Homeownership Program through the story of Tampa native Adrianne Harden, a fifth-generation resident who recently achieved her dream of homeownership at just 25 years old. Harden closed on her first home in February, after receiving…

Plant City commissioners have approved a $250,000 matching grant to help restore the Bing Rooming House Museum, which is still recovering from major flooding caused by Hurricane Milton. The museum, owned by the Improvement League of Plant City CDC, has been undergoing cleanup for the past 19 months. William Thomas Jr., president of the organization,…

The Salvation Army plans to construct a warehouse building on its property at 3135 Kenilworth Ave. in Sebring, next to its thrift store. A design review application for a 4,900-square-foot metal building went before the Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency Board for approval. The proposed construction consists of a new warehouse addition to support the storage…

Big changes are coming to an aging public housing community in Lake Wales. Patrick Walker has called Grove Manor home for 35 years. Now he is watching the only neighborhood he’s known prepare for a major change. Construction is now underway to redevelop Grove Manor into affordable housing. Tampa Bay 28 reporter Rebecca Petit first…

Before the end of segregation, the Campbell Hotel was one of the only places Black people could check into in Daytona Beach. Condemned in 2023, its fate has remained uncertain, but the community is pushing hard to see it restored. Many residents want to see the hotel repurposed in a way that breathes new life…

Parramore Main Street, the City of Orlando, and Commissioner Shan Rose are celebrating the installation of new public bike repair stations in the neighborhood with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, May 29, at 11 a.m. at Z.L. Riley Park. The stations are located at three spots: Z.L. Riley Park, Callahan Neighborhood Center, and the John…

With major public and private investments underway, officials are working to turn Manatee County’s oldest city into a destination of its own, one that balances growth, tourism, and redevelopment with the charm of its historic roots. The Palmetto Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is leading several projects designed to improve the downtown area and waterfront while…

The newest plans to revive historic McCollum Hall near downtown Fort Myers include a restaurant, music venue and business center. Community Redevelopment Agency commissioners approved the concept during its Wednesday meeting. Jeffrey Mudgett, one of the partners of Parker Mudgett Smith Architects, presented the plan to the Mayor and City Council members acting as CRA…

The proposed design for Pompano Beach’s new City Hall and parking garage has cleared two city review boards, moving the downtown civic project forward while drawing sharp criticism from some residents online. The new City Hall design received approval from the Architectural Appearance Committee on May 5 and from the Planning & Zoning Board on…

Restoration St. Louis and the Lake Wales CRA have reached a preliminary agreement that will lead to the redevelopment of the Walesbilt Hotel. The agreement will be considered at Tuesday’s meeting of the CRA board. Redevelopment of the historic building, which was under construction 100 years ago, has been high on a list of goals…

Part of the aging shopping center at the northwest corner of University Drive and Sample Road in Coral Springs is expected to be demolished as part of the first phase of the City Village redevelopment project, which is slated to begin construction later this year. According to a recent update from developer Amera, the building…

COMPLETE INFO – CLICK HERE   Florida lawmakers have filed SJR 2F and SB 4F, proposing major property tax changes, including increasing the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, reducing the non-homestead assessment cap from 10% to 5%, and creating a path toward eliminating homestead property taxes. If approved by voters…

The City of Fort Lauderdale broke ground on a $42 million mixed-use project for affordable housing and commercial space, assisting residents who are still struggling to find places to live. The Aldridge and the Laramore along the historic Sistrunk corridor is a twin building project with 72 rental apartments and street-level retail spaces at 1204…

Downtown St. Cloud could be staring down a major makeover, as a Winter Park developer negotiates a roughly $60 million mixed-use complex on city-owned land just west of City Hall. The pitch, submitted through a city procurement to find a public-private (P3) redevelopment partner, is now under active negotiation with Community Redevelopment Agency staff and…

Last week, the Tampa City Council approved $35 million for a project known as Ybor Harbor. Ybor Harbor seeks to redevelop the dilapidated waterfront area between Ybor and Channelside. The $35 million from the Community Redevelopment Agency will go towards underground utilities, roadway networks, and a marine seawall at the site. All city council members…

St. Cloud city leaders are making the case that going bigger could mean paying less. At a May 14 city council meeting, Mayor Chris Robertson and council members defended a $60 million mixed-use development planned for downtown, arguing that expanding the commercial tax base is the best way to keep residents’ tax bills from climbing.…

Construction used to be a rare sight in Zephyrhills. Not anymore. “Right now we have more homes under construction in the downtown district than we’ve had in the last 10 years,” says Gail Hamilton, the Director of the Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). Spurring the change isn’t just the end of the economic Recession, but…