political perspective Redeveloping Communities in Bay County by: Brandi DeRuiter, Vice President of Governmental Affairs, Bay County Chamber of Commerce
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lorida enacted the Community Redevelopment Act in 1969 as a counteractive measure to combat increasing occurrences of blight and slum in urbanized areas. A tu-
multuous period with political and cultural movements, urbanized growth and development trends also shifted during this time. As infrastructure aged, new construction of residential, commercial and governmental buildings built away from the community’s core left behind underutilized and vacant shells. High vacancy rates became a playground for crime and vandalism to areas already hard hit with
cessity,” a resolution outlining supported findings for a defined area demonstrating that redevelopment is necessary to promote public health, safety and welfare of residents. CRA’s are separate agencies governed by the [city’s] local governing board, or by a board of commissioners they appoint. They must operate within the established community redevelopment plan, conform to the city or county comprehensive plan, and indicate
economic decline.
land acquisition, demolition, improvements, rehabilitation, zoning
Florida lawmakers created the Act as a tool to define and address
(or reason not addressed). Projects must be completed within the
targeted “blight and slum areas,” and authorized counties and mu-
lifetime of the CRA, typically 30-40 years.
nicipalities to create Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRA’s). In addition to downtown areas, there are also provisions for waterfront communities with economically and physically distressed
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conditions. In order to do this, they must adopt a “finding of ne-
changes, land use, building requirements and affordable housing
Funding of CRA’s CRA’s may not levy taxes. Instead, they create a trust fund, fund-
coastal and tourist areas.
ed by tax increment financing (TIF). When redevelopment agencies
Setting the Stage for Redevelopment
resulting in increased property tax revenues. This increase is re-
Florida law states that any city or county government may create a
ferred to as tax increment. CRA’s invest property tax revenues that
CRA as a means of redeveloping areas that meet slum or blighted
they receive over the base year assessment [the year the CRA was
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improve deteriorated areas, property values within those areas rise,
