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Board reviews demolition grant templates, asks staff to formalize guidelines for FY26
Summary
Fort Pierce redevelopment board reviewed Avon Park and Pinellas Park demolition-grant templates, raised concerns about eligibility, caps and investor flips, and agreed staff will draft formal guidelines for consideration in the FY26 budget.
The Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency board discussed draft templates for a demolition grant program and asked staff to prepare formal program guidelines for consideration in the fiscal-year 2026 budget.
Board members reviewed sample programs from Avon Park and Pinellas Park that set eligibility rules (permanent structure, vacant or uninhabitable, current on property taxes except government demolitions) and required hazardous-material abatement to comply with state and federal law. The templates list award caps: a residential template showed “up to 100% of the cost not to exceed $15,000,” commercial awards at up to $25,000, and a separate figure of $50,000 for government demolitions; a Pinellas Park example listed 50% of demolition/site‑clearance costs not to exceed $5,000.
“Those caps are probably outdated,” the chair (Speaker 1) said, urging staff to adjust amounts to reflect current demolition and permitting costs. Several board members urged a shorter vacancy window: “I like the idea of one year,” a committee member (Speaker 7) said, arguing a one‑year threshold would allow faster intervention in neighborhoods with many boarded houses.
Members also pressed staff on how to prevent grants from subsidizing investors who buy lots, demolish structures, then flip properties. Speaker 7 asked whether the CRA could recoup funds when a property is sold shortly after demolition; staff said that policy choices—such as recapture language or deed restrictions—would be defined in program guidelines.
Planner/Staff (Speaker 8) framed the conversation as conceptual and said legal review, a formal resolution and draft program rules would return to the board before implementation: “We’ll continue this conversation, and whenever we formally develop it, you’ll get to see it again and make any other features,” the planner said. The board agreed to move the item forward for inclusion in FY26 budget planning.
Procedural note: the board opened the meeting and approved a motion to excuse an absent member by voice vote (mover: Chair; second: Speaker 2); the transcript records the motion passed by voice but does not list a roll‑call tally.
Next steps: staff will research current demolition costs and comparable program outcomes, draft program guidelines (including eligibility windows, award caps and any recapture mechanism), and present a formal resolution for legal review and board approval before any grants are awarded.
