Background

The City of Auburndale Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) was established in accordance with Chapter 163 of Florida Statues by the Auburndale City Commission on February 17, 1992 with the adoption of Ordinance No. 769. Redevelopment is the undertaking of activities and projects in a community redevelopment area for the elimination and prevention of the development or spread of slum and blighted conditions. It is the intent of the Auburndale Community Redevelopment Agency to reduce blight in the CRA District by undertaking projects and programs that enhance beautification, infrastructure, and economic development.

In the CRA’s brief history, the CRA Board has masterfully levied funds to insure steady improvement with meager dollars to contribute. In recent years, the construction of a new Coca-Cola Facility and increasing property values in the district has translated into a large increase in tax increment revenues. The budget for the 05/06 fiscal year is nearly $800,000 to which all these funds have been committed to infrastructure, beautification, and economic development. Since the CRA’s existence, the Agency has provided funding for parking lots on Polk Street , Park Street , and Pontotoc Plaza , beautification projects on Havendale Blvd , alleyway improvements between Main and Lake Street , Downtown street resurfacing, and streetscaping including lighting and decorative brick. In addition, the CRA provides thousands of dollars annually in support of programs and services provided to the community by such important agencies as the Auburndale Chamber -Main Street .

Article – How is a CRA created

Article - Tax Increment financing to create CRA

Article - Downtown Parking

Map of CRA Boundaries

CRA Boundary Map

Funding

The CRA fund projects and programs through Tax Increment Financing or better known as “TIF” revenues. TIF is a method of funding public investment within a targeted area utilizing ad valorem tax increment revenues generated from that area. This type of funding establishes a “base year” which for Auburndale is 1992. As property values increase beyond the base year, the mileage rate is applied to the increased tax assessment value and the increment taxes deposited into the trust fund. The City of Auburndale and Polk County Government are required to contribute to the trust fund under Chapter 163.

CRA Board

The agency consists of the five (5) elected officials of the City of Auburndale and two (2) appointed Auburndale Residents. The terms of the elected officials shall be for the term as their elected term and the two resident members shall be for four (4) years.

(2) Citizen Board Members:

Cindy Price, District Manager, Tampa Electric Company