Submitted By: Roberto Ellis
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Presentation By: Roberto Ellis
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Department: Growth Management
STAFF RECOMMENDATION (Motion Ready):
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Approve revisions to the residential grant programs available in the East Ocala Community Redevelopment Agency subarea and West Ocala Community Redevelopment Agency subarea
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OCALA’S RELEVANT STRATEGIC GOALS:
Quality of Place, Economic Hub
PROOF OF PUBLICATION:
N/A
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BACKGROUND: One of the statutory functions of a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is to undertake activities that facilitate the redevelopment and improvement of properties. Incentive programs encouraging private investment in properties have proven successful in carrying out this redevelopment function. The CRA residential grant programs encourage homeowners to make improvements that enhance the CRA, increase safety, and reverse deteriorating trends in specific neighborhoods. Preserving and expanding the supply of appropriately maintained housing is crucial in improving affordability while reducing blight.
Staff proposes the following changes to the respective residential grant programs:
East Ocala CRA subarea:
1. Add termite tenting to the list of eligible work.
2. Reduce the City’s match for roof improvements from 75 percent to 50 percent. All other work items will remain funded at 75 percent.
West Ocala CRA subarea:
1. Add termite tenting to the list of eligible work.
The East Ocala CRA Advisory Committee recommended reducing the City's match for roof improvements to encourage applicants to pursue more comprehensive property enhancements. Since the scope of the grant was expanded, there has been an influx of applications specifically targeting roof improvements.
The presence of termites can accelerate the deterioration of structures, creating potential code violations and unsafe living conditions for occupants. Termite tenting effectively removes existing pest infestations and is a preventative measure against future infestations. The CRA grant will be limited to extreme infestation cases and is not meant to cover routine preventative maintenance.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: The respective frameworks for the Residential Property Improvement Grant in the West Ocala subarea and East Ocala subarea are attached. The frameworks set out the proposed eligible work elements, eligible properties, and the maximum grants available. The CRA will continue to utilize its funding to leverage additional investments from the property owner/applicant for a single project with these changes.
• Per the East Ocala Community Redevelopment Plan, 68.4 percent of the structures in the East Ocala CRA have issues with Quality of Structure, as defined by the Marion County Property Appraiser. The Findings of Necessity revealed that the East Ocala CRA has a higher percentage of structures with an effective age of more than 24 years compared to the City as a whole.
• In the West Ocala CRA, 76.2 percent of the structures have issues concerning Quality of Structure, as reported in the Findings of Necessity conducted in 2013.
• All East Ocala CRA applicants will still have access to funding of up to $20,000. However, this change will require applicants to bear an equal share of 50 percent or greater of the roof improvement costs. The City will continue to fund 75 percent of the costs for other improvements, up to a maximum of $20,000.
• The East Ocala Advisory Committee requested that all applicants submit a termite inspection report when applying. This requirement will also apply to the West Ocala CRA subarea.
• The West Ocala Advisory Committee met on September 19, 2024, and recommended approval of the revised framework. The East Ocala Advisory Committee met on January 15, 2025, and recommended approval of the revised framework.
• Staff recommends approval of the proposed changes.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is sufficient funding for the grants in the East Ocala CRA grant account 620-016-559-559-55-82010 and the West Ocala CRA grant account 623-016-560-559-55-82010.
PROCUREMENT REVIEW: N/A
LEGAL REVIEW: N/A
ALTERNATIVE:
• Approve with changes.
• Table
• Deny