Summary
The Alachua City Commission has prioritized the creation and implementation of a business facade grant program as an action step to the Fiscal Year 2018 Strategic Plan, Strategic Initiative 1.3. This proposed program is also a CRA priority and is listed as a strategy in both the City of Alachua Alachua Amended Community Redevelopment Plan and the Alachua CRA Market Study & Economic Development Implementation Plan.
The purpose the program is to provide assistance to rehabilitate the facades of commercial buildings within the Community Redevelopment Area. The expected outcome is to help businesses improve the attractiveness of properties, and thereby work to achieve the CRAs goal to rehabilitate, conserve, and redevelop the area. The grants will serve as an investment to improve the competitiveness of CRA commercial areas.
The proposed program will provide an opportunity to property and business owners located within the CRA area to apply for a 50% matching grant. Grant awards will be for an amount between $500 and $5,000 for each eligible project. Grant funds will be offered as a reimbursement upon project completion.
Eligible projects must substantially improve a building facade's aesthetic appearance and facilitate redevelopment consistent with the CRA Community Redevelopment Plan. Eligible buildings must have a facade that is visible from a street or parking lot. Total project costs may only include labor and materials.
Soft costs such as design expenses, architectural or engineering services, and permitting would not be covered under the program.
The program's applications steps, application requirements, and grant approval process are established in the program Policies and Procedures, which is attached to this agenda item.
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