Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the East Tampa Planning Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
East Tampa CAC chair outlines CRP progress, land assembly and housing programs
Summary
East Tampa CAC chair and CRA staff reported progress on the CRP consultant work, land acquisition around the Gator Building, housing rehab and down-payment assistance; the board discussed outreach and measures to protect residents from displacement.
At a Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency meeting (date not specified), Reverend Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, newly selected chair of the East Tampa Community Advisory Committee, reported on the CAC’s work and priorities for East Tampa, highlighting consultant progress on a Community Redevelopment Plan update and multiple housing programs.
Dr. Johnson told the CRA board the CRP consultant is roughly 60% complete and will present to the East Tampa CAC at its next meeting; listening sessions were held at C. Blythe Andrews Library and a March 4 vision session solicited community feedback on the Gator Building vision. The CAC chair said land assembly around the Gator Building is underway and an RFP and scope of work are being drafted to guide redevelopment.
Cedric McCray, Tampa CRA director, provided additional program details. He said the East Tampa emergency roofing program has assisted 90 residents to date. McCray also reported the CRA has spent “close to, almost a million dollars” on down-payment assistance in East Tampa this year and that the board previously committed a 30% set-aside for affordable housing in East Tampa. “We have probably spent close to, almost a million dollars in down payment assistance in East Tampa this year,” McCray said.
Board members pressed for clearer timelines and more visible street-level progress at the Gator Building. Dr. Johnson and several board members said they want a firm project timeline and more frequent community updates; Johnson suggested a one- to 1.5-year target for visible progress once site assembly is complete.
Staff and directors also described uptake for owner-occupied rehab programs, said scope-of-work development is underway with contractors, and noted the county or city housing department had helped with down-payment funds. McCray said some program features — such as placing a lien on properties for deferred loans — are designed to let residents keep homes while preventing speculative resale that could accelerate displacement.
Ending: The CAC chair and CRA staff signaled continued emphasis on housing rehab, homeowner assistance and land assembly for targeted redevelopment. They also said they will hold a workshop focused on East Tampa budget line items and priorities and will continue community outreach as the CRP consultant completes its report.
