Ocala CRA approves multiple residential and commercial grants, denies hotel repaint request

The Ocala Community Redevelopment Agency on an August meeting approved multiple property improvement grants for East Ocala homeowners and commercial property owners while recommending denial of a repaint/restriping grant for a recently built hotel seeking franchise upgrades.

Roberto Ellis, economic development manager, reviewed nine grant applications and recommended approval for eight of them, saying the projects improve energy efficiency, weatherization and curb appeal in the East Ocala CRA. Charnita Whitehead, economic development project coordinator, presented one residential application from TC Opportunity 4 LLC and recommended approval.

The agency approved grants for the following residential projects after staff presentations and site visits: Barrington Kirkham, 206 Northeast 12th Avenue, qualified for a $8,516 award based on staff’s calculation; Tracy and Randy Alderson received recommended support for a grant calculated at $8,175 to replace window units with a new HVAC system; Jody Talmadge qualified for the program maximum award of $20,000 to repair exterior walls, repaint, install a fence and improve landscaping; Patrick and Nathaniel Hadley were approved for reroofing grants for two adjacent properties (staff cited lowest quotes of $13,735 and $14,526 with a 50% match resulting in awarded amounts consistent with a 50% program match); and the application filed as CRA25-0036 for TC Opportunity 4 LLC / Robert Greene was approved for window…