Submitted By: Roberto Ellis
presenter
Presentation By: Roberto Ellis
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Department: Growth Management
FORMAL TITLE:
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Budget Resolution 2026-100 to amend the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget to appropriate additional funding from the East Ocala Community Redevelopment Area Reserve for Fund Balance to support redevelopment grants in the amount of $358,000
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OCALA’S RELEVANT STRATEGIC GOALS:
Quality of Place, Operational Excellence
PROOF OF PUBLICATION:
N/A
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BACKGROUND:
The East Ocala Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) property improvement grant programs are designed to incentivize reinvestment in aging structures, address blight conditions, and enhance livability and taxable value. The grant is available to residential, historic, and commercial property owners in the East Ocala CRA subarea.
Staff is requesting additional funds to meet the growing interest in the CRA grant programs. The proposed budget resolution would allow staff to move forward with processing additional requests in the current fiscal year. The current grant award details are provided below:
• Residential - Maximum of $20,000 at 75 percent match (except for roofing, which carries a 50 percent match).
• Commercial - Maximum of $50,000 at a 60 percent match.
• Historic - Maximum of $40,000 at a 60 percent match.
• New Construction (Catalytic) - Maximum of $300,000 at a 10 percent match.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS:
The CRA budgeted $400,000 for grants in Fiscal Year 2025-26. To date, the CRA has approved 21 projects and allocated $382,215 (95.5 percent) of available grant funds. Please refer to the attached list of approved projects for additional details.
• Staff has received several applications, and interest from prospective applicants remains strong. However, these applications are currently on hold pending the availability of additional funding.
• The proposed appropriation, in the amount of $358,000, will be allocated as follows:
o Approximately $168,000 will cover the 10 applications currently on hold.
o The remaining $190,000 will be allocated to new grant applications received throughout the rest of Fiscal Year 2025-26.
• Per the program guidelines, each property owner located in the CRA may submit one application each fiscal year for eligible projects.
• The proposed supplemental amount will be distributed across the various programs offered within the East Ocala CRA to ensure continued progress towards the CRA goals.
As the fiscal year is only halfway complete, staff finds it prudent to request additional funds at this time. Without supplemental funding, the grant program will remain on hold until the next fiscal year, delaying further reinvestment and potentially reducing momentum. This resolution requires approval from both the City Council and the CRA Board. This item is being presented on May 19, 2026. Staff recommends approval.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The East Ocala CRA has a balance of $1,431,467 in the reserve account (620-099-999-559-81-99999). Grant payments will be disbursed from the East Ocala CRA expense account (620-016-559-559-55-82010).
PROCUREMENT REVIEW:
N/A
LEGAL REVIEW:
N/A
ALTERNATIVE:
• Approve
• Approve with Changes
• Table
• Deny
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BUDGET RESOLUTION 2026-100
A RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE FISCAL YEAR 2025-26 BUDGET TO APPROPRIATE FUNDING FROM THE EAST OCALA REDEVELOPMENT AREA RESERVE FOR FUND BALANCE TO SUPPORT REDEVELOPMENT GRANTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $358,000
WHEREAS, in 1988, City Council established the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) of the City of Ocala and designated the City Council as the Agency pursuant to Section 163.357, Florida Statutes; and
WHEREAS, in 1988, City Council established the redevelopment trust fund and provided for the deposit therein of tax increment revenues as described in Section 163.387(1), Florida Statutes to be utilized for community redevelopment purposes only; and
WHEREAS, the East Ocala Redevelopment Subarea is the portion of the community redevelopment area designated as part of the community redevelopment area pursuant to Resolution 2016-32 adopted May 17, 2016; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Florida Statutes, section 189.06, a public hearing was held by the CRA Board on September 3, 2025, to adopt a budget (Budget Resolution 2025-101) for the East Ocala Redevelopment Subarea; and
WHEREAS, the Community Redevelopment Agency Board has allocated the majority of the budgeted grant funds to new projects in the East Ocala Community Redevelopment subarea.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OCALA, FLORIDA, duly assembled in regular session, that the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget be amended to appropriate $358,000 to carry out activities as outlined below
SOURCE:
620-099-999-559-81-99999 East Ocala CRA - Reserve for Fund Balance $358,000
USE:
620-016-559-559-55-82010 East Ocala CRA Aids to Private Organizations $358,000
This resolution adopted this ______ day of ______________________, 2026.
ATTEST: CITY OF OCALA
By: By:
Angel B. Jacobs Ire J. Bethea Sr.
City Clerk President, Ocala City Council
Approved as to form and legality:
By: _________________________________
William E. Sexton
City Attorney
Reviewed for accounting accuracy & completeness:
By: _________________________________
Peter A. Lee
City Manager