Submitted By: Sarah Andre
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Presentation By: Aubrey Hale
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Department: Growth Management
FORMAL TITLE:
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Revisions to the Ocala Community Redevelopment Agency residential grant programs and frameworks
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OCALA’S RELEVANT STRATEGIC GOALS:
Operational Excellence, Quality of Place
PROOF OF PUBLICATION:
N/A
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BACKGROUND:
On June 9, 2026, City Council held a work session on boards, commissions, and community redevelopment areas (CRAs), during which staff presented several recommendations to streamline the CRA grant program.
The CRA grants were expanded in recent years to accommodate a wider range of improvements, resulting in steady program interest. In Fiscal Year 2025-26, a total of 55 CRA grants were awarded, 33 of those grants were residential awards. Residential grants awarded by CRA subarea:
East Ocala CRA 25 grant awards
West Ocala CRA 7 grant awards
North Magnolia CRA 1 grant award
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS:
The proposed revisions to the attached framework include the following changes:
• Presentation of applications directly to the CRA Board for approval, decreasing the CRA grant approval process from an average of 76 days to 50 days.
o Applications accepted and processed on a rolling basis.
• Prospective applicants are no longer eligible for consideration if they have incomplete or open CRA grant projects on the subject parcel.
• An increase to the required maintenance period of funded improvements from five years to 10 years.
• Clarification of payment processing and city vendor requirements in accordance with Procurement SOP.
o The grant payment will be disbursed only to the person or entity identified as the applicant listed on the submitted application.
• A clearer built-in compliance mechanism provides the option for repayment or to automatically forfeit grant eligibility for a period of five years.
• Expansion and prioritization of work items to target more comprehensive improvements to harden and extend the life of aging structures.
o A two-tier system for eligible work items to align with the prioritization of more comprehensive improvements.
§ Group A - priority items that can be done as a standalone project
§ Group B - other work items that must be done with a priority item.
• Addition of ADA accessibility improvements as eligible work.
• A new bonus ($5,000) to support construction of new single-family residences that meet the definition of affordable housing.
Staff recommends approval.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The proposed modifications are expected to preserve and improve the quality of structures, positively impacting property values over time.
PROCUREMENT REVIEW:
N/A
LEGAL REVIEW:
N/A
ALTERNATIVE:
• Approve with Changes
• Table
• Deny