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- What is a CRA?
What is a CRA?
Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) refers to a public entity created by a city or county to implement the community redevelopment activities outlined under the Community Redevelopment Act which was enacted in 1969 (Chapter 163, Part III, Florida Statutes). The activities and programs offered within a Community Redevelopment Area are administered by the Community Redevelopment Agency. A five- to seven-member CRA “Board” created by the local government (city or county) directs the agency. The Board can be comprised of local government officials and or other individuals appointed by the local government. Although one local government may establish multiple CRA districts, there generally may be only one CRA Board. Each district must maintain separate trust funds, and expend those funds only in that district.
Haines City CRA
Mission & Vision statements
The Haines City Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is dedicated to preserving, unifying, and nurturing the heart of Florida by providing vision leadership and inspiration for the revitalization within the designated CRA districts. Through the strategic use of tax increment financing (TIF) and other available resources, we aim to eliminate slum and blight while fostering economic growth, community development, and vibrant public spaces.
We are committed to actively engaging the community, encouraging collaboration, and seeking input to build a shared sense of pride and invest among residents and businesses. Together, we will create a thriving, unified resilient community that celebrates its heritage and embraces its future.
How does the CRA Process Work?
A public meeting begins the designation process. Several steps will have to be accomplished before the Community Redevelopment Area becomes a reality. These steps are briefly outlined below.
Adopt the Finding of Necessity. This will formally identify the blight conditions within the targeted area and establish the area boundary.
Develop and adopt the Community Redevelopment Plan. The plan addresses the unique needs of the targeted area and includes the overall goals for redevelopment in the area, as well as identifying specific projects.
Create a Redevelopment Trust Fund. Establishment of the Trust Fund enables the Community Redevelopment Agency to direct the increase in real property tax revenues back into the targeted area.
The Florida Legislature addressed CRAs in 2002 from an intergovernmental point of view, to strengthen the ability of cities and counties to manage CRA creation, notices and term issues. Disputes between cities and counties involving CRAs can be resolved locally by interlocal agreements, and should be, since they usually involve growth management issues other than just funding.
https://redevelopment.net/cra-resources/q-a-for-cras/
How is a CRA funded?
CRA projects are funded by Tax Increment Financing (TIF) from each redevelopment area. When a redevelopment area is established, the current assessed value of the property within the project area is designated as the base year value. TIF is a mechanism which captures a percentage of any new tax revenue generated within a redevelopment area. For example, if a CRA area is established in 2001, the Agency receives a percentage of any tax revenue greater than the amount of revenue captured in that base year. This percentage can range between 50% and 95%. Currently, the CRA areas receive 95% of this increase as TIF funds to be used in the community redevelopment areas. TIF funds collected from a particular CRA area are invested back into that area only. Generating TIF is not an additional tax levy or a supplementary assessment on property owners. It is not an additional tax. TIF is an economic development tool used to leverage funds to promote private sector investment within the primary urban service boundary, and to generate revenues to finance projects.
What is a Community Redevelopment Plan?
The Community Redevelopment Agency is responsible for developing and implementing the Community Redevelopment Plan that addresses the unique needs of the targeted area. The plan includes the overall goals for redevelopment in the area, as well as identifying the types of projects planned for the area.
Examples of traditional projects include: streetscapes and roadway improvements, building renovations, new building construction, flood control initiatives, water and sewer improvements, parking lots and garages, neighborhood parks, sidewalks and street tree plantings. The plan can also include redevelopment incentives such as grants and loans for such things as façade improvements, sprinkler system upgrades, signs, and structural improvements. The redevelopment plan is a living document that can be updated to meet the changing needs within the Community Redevelopment Area; however, the boundaries of the area cannot be changed without starting the process from the beginning.
Who makes the decision on approving grants?
An Executive Review Committee reviews the applications and approves the grant requests. The Committee consists of:
The Haines City CRA Board
Director of Community Redevelopment or Designee
Finance Director or Designee
Haines City CRA Boundaries Map
The city of Haines City is comprised of two CRA Districts (327 and 328) for both residential and business.
Check to see if you are in the boundaries of a CRA District by copying and pasting this link into your Web Browser. Search for your property address by name or address. https://www.polkpa.org/help/html/parceldetails.html
Ethics
Community Redevelopment Agencies are primarily subject to the ethics and disclosure requirements in of Chapter 112, Part III, Florida Statutes.
Chapter 163.367, Florida Statutes states:
“(1) The officers, commissioners, and employees of a community redevelopment agency created by, or designated pursuant to, s. 163.356 or s. 163.357 shall be subject to the provisions and requirements of part III of chapter 112.
(2) If any such official, commissioner, or employee presently owns or controls, or owned or controlled within the preceding 2 years, any interest, direct or indirect, in any property which he or she knows is included or planned to be included in a community redevelopment area, he or she shall immediately disclose this fact in the manner provided in part III of chapter 112. Any disclosure required to be made by this section shall be made prior to taking any official action pursuant to this section.
(3) No commissioner or other officer of any community redevelopment agency, board, or commission exercising powers pursuant to this part shall hold any other public office under the county or municipality other than his or her commissionership or office with respect to such community redevelopment agency, board, or commission.” In the case of voting conflicts, Chapter 112.3143(3), Florida Statutes states:
“(3)(a) No county, municipal, or other local public officer shall vote in an official capacity upon any measure which would inure to his or her special private gain or loss; which he or she knows would inure to the special private gain or loss of any principal by whom he or she is retained or to the parent organization or subsidiary of a corporate principal by which he or she is retained, other than an agency as defined in s. 112.312(2); or which he or she knows would inure to the special private gain or loss of a relative or business associate of the public officer. Such public officer shall, prior to the vote being taken, publicly state to the assembly the nature of the officer's interest in the matter from which he or she is abstaining from voting and, within 15 days after the vote occurs, disclose the nature of his or her interest as a public record in a memorandum filed with the person responsible for recording the minutes of the meeting, who shall incorporate the memorandum in the minutes.
(b) However, a commissioner of a community redevelopment agency created or designated pursuant to s. 163.356 or s. 163.357, or an officer of an independent special tax district elected on a one-acre, one-vote basis, is not prohibited from voting, when voting in said capacity.”
More information can be obtained from the website of the Florida Commission on Ethics at http://www.ethics.state.fl.us/.
Who is the CRA Board?
The City Commission and two city residents serve as the CRA Board. Appointments occur every 4 years.
CRA Board Resident Members
When does the CRA meet?
The CRA meets once a month on the first Thursday, immediately preceding the regularly schedule Commission meeting. The meetings are held in the City Commission Chambers 620 East Main Street, Haines City, FL. For up-to-date meeting information, please view the Calendars on the City of Haines City home page. The 2026 meeting dates are:
First Thursday of each month, held in the Commission Chambers, at City Hall, at 5:30p.m.
| 1/8/202 | 2/5/2026 | 3/5/2026 |
| 4/2/2026 | 5/7/2026 | 6/4/2026 |
| 7/2/2026 | 8/6/2026 | 9/3/2026 |
| 10/1/2026 | 11/5/2026 | 12/3/2026 |
CRA Staff
Alex Abraham, CRA Manager/ Consultant
Jazmine Beltran, Lead CRA Project Coordinator
Kitty Manuel, CRA Project Coordinator,
Philip George, CRA Project Coordinator,
Zyquoia Streeter, PT CRA Project Coordinator
Mailing Address:
620 E. Main Street | Haines City, FL 33844
Physical Address:
303 Ledwith Avenue (Adjacent Lake Eva Park) | Haines City, FL 33844
Direct: 863-421-3600 ext. 5375 | Email: crainfo@hainescity.com