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 commercial and historic grant 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. Staff reviewed and incorporated the feedback from the CRA Board and Advisory Committees along with other changes to increase program efficiency. In recent years, the CRA has expanded its commercial grant programs to accommodate a wider range of improvements, resulting in steady program interest over the last three years.
In Fiscal Year 2025-26, the CRA awarded 55 grants in total, including 20 commercial grant projects. The CRA also awarded two grants through the Historic Building Improvement Grant Program.
Commercial grants awarded by CRA subarea:
East Ocala CRA 10
West Ocala CRA 3
North Magnolia Ocala CRA 4
Downtown CRA 3
The West Ocala, East Ocala, and North Magnolia grant programs will reopen upon approval of the revised frameworks. The frameworks will be used to evaluate project eligibility and estimate potential grant awards for consideration by the CRA Board. The Downtown CRA commercial grant program is currently being revised and will be presented at a future meeting.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS:
The attached commercial and historic program frameworks include the following revisions:
• 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 - Standalone priority items.
§ Group B - Other work items, must be paired with a priority work item.
• Commercial and Historic grant applicants may submit a single quote if a duly licensed general contractor provides that quote.
• Applications may be presented directly to the CRA Board for approval, decreasing the CRA grant approval process from an average of 76 to 50 days.
o Applications accepted and processed on a rolling basis.
• Owners with multiple units or buildings on the same parcel can now be awarded multiple grants as long as the scope of work is different.
• Grant match increases if property is located along a primary corridor.
• The addition of new construction and ADA accessibility improvements across all subareas.
• The addition of art installations, including murals and sculptures, to the North Magnolia CRA, as recommended by the Advisory Committee.
• A clearer built-in compliance mechanism, providing the option for repayment or to automatically forfeit grant eligibility for a period of five 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.
Staff recommends approval.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The proposed modifications are expected to preserve and improve the quality of structures and positively impact property values over time.
PROCUREMENT REVIEW:
N/A
LEGAL REVIEW:
N/A
ALTERNATIVE:
• Approve with Changes
• Table
• Deny