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…
DetailsHernando 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…
DetailsIf you follow the Florida Legislature, prepare to hear a lot of criticism about Community Redevelopment Agencies. As you consider these mostly unfounded complaints, I’d ask the people of Fort Pierce to think about a few of the revitalization projects that have been completed in our CRA district: The restored and enlarged Fort Pierce City…
DetailsIn Tampa’s Channel District, construction cranes swing across the sky. Below, workers in hard hats mill about at the spot off Meridian Avenue and Madison Street where construction on the Channel Club building has reached the halfway point. When it is completed in 2018, the 21-story Channel Club will have 323 apartments and an adjacent Publix, the…
DetailsLocals poured into Popovers on Main at 11:37 a.m. The just-opened café went from having one table occupied to a full house within five minutes. Fall leaves, pumpkins and baskets lined all four walls, giving the impression that this little shop was picked up from the Adirondacks at the peak of fall and placed in…
DetailsFor 33 years the city of Fort Myers’ downtown CRA district has enjoyed a money pot all its own, and officials aim to ensure it stays that way. On Wednesday, Stantec Consulting is expected to recommend the city continue the downtown district until 2046, combining it with neighboring midtown to fund developments in both areas.…
DetailsThe Beachside Redevelopment Committee dug in deep into the homestead exemption and its effect on code enforcement in the beachside during their meeting on Monday, Sept. 18. “Homestead and the exemption that goes with it is constitutional, which trumps local requirements and local desires to get liens paid,” Volusia County Property Appraiser Larry Bartlett said. The…
DetailsThe 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,…
DetailsMARATHON, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott is meeting with state and local officials in Monroe and Lee Counties to discuss Hurricane Irma response and recovery efforts. The Governor also visited a Hurricane Irma shelter in Monroe County with U.S. Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Elaine Duke. Read the updates here.
DetailsMARATHON, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott announced the state has been awarded federal Dislocated Worker Grants to provide temporary employment to Floridians affected by Hurricane Irma. The Dislocated Worker Grants, administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, provide disaster relief employment in the form of temporary jobs that support storm response and recovery efforts.…
DetailsGood news for Tallahassee flood insurance policyholders! Tallahassee citizens will save approximately $250,000 in annual flood insurance premium costs thanks to the City of Tallahassee’s efforts through the Community Rating System (CRS) program. As part of this, the City has released a progress report on hazard mitigation initiatives. The Tallahassee-Leon County Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS)…
DetailsA Florida lawmaker is once again trying to reform the state’s community redevelopment agencies. The taxpayer-funded programs would have to meet stricter reporting and ethics requirements. Representative Jake Rayburn of Valrico wants community redevelopment agencies to be more transparent and accountable. Lawmakers designed the programs to combat blight and slums and build affordable housing. Critics argue more regulations are…
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