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Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)

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Bartow Community Redevelopment Plan

Employment Opportunity: 
Communication and Public Outreach Specialist

Next Meeting:  The monthly meeting of the Bartow Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) will be on Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. (EST) in the City Commission Chambers. The meeting will be open to the public. However, due to social distancing measures seating capacity is limited to fourteen people. Protective maskes are recommended for all attendees. 

At the February 26, 2020, Bartow Community Redevelopment Agency Board meeting the CRA Board approved and adopted a new funding policy with several incentive programs for residents and businesses in Bartow. The new funding policy and application are available in .PDF format below.

Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Budget:  The Bartow Community Redevelopment Agency has a tenative budget for 2023-2024 Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2023. The budget is available in .PDF format below. The Bartow Community Redevelopment Agency's previous fiscal year budgets may be obtained by calling or emailing the CRA Administrative Office.

Bartow CRA Boundary Map: The Bartow Community Redevelopment Agency has a downloadable map of the district. The map is currently being recreated to comply with ADA requirements.

Bartow CRA Annual Report: The Bartow Community Redevelopment Agency's Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Annual Report has been uploaded to the CRA's webpage.  The Annual Report may be obtained from either the CRA Administrative Office or from the downloadable .PDF below.

Board Vacancies:  There are currently no vacancies on the Community Redevelopment Agency's (CRA) Board. The Bartow City Commission is currently seeking application to fill future CRA Board vacancies. An application may be obtained by contacting the City Clerk's Office.

CRA Organization and Overview: 

The CRA is a government agency created by the City of Bartow in 1990 to rehabilitate and redevelop the community. Its mission is to eliminate blight and promote the redevelopment of the property within the CRA district.  It achieves these goals through public-private partnerships and improvement of the public infrastructure.

The CRA is governed by seven members who are appointed to four year terms by the City of Bartow City Commission. The seven members are citizen volunteers who reside or perform business activity within the redevelopment area and do not receive financial compensation for their service.

The seven members are:

  •  Jerome Corbett                                  Expires October 2026
  • Anthony Ghent                                   Expires October 2027
  • Gordon Greene, Chairperson          Expires October 2025
  • Cheri Kelley                                         Expires October 2027
  • Sandy Mendez                                    Expires October 2025
  • Tom Santarlas, Vice Chairperson    Expires October 2026 
  • Shana Bennett                                    Expires October 2027

The CRA is not a taxing agency. It does not create or levy taxes. The agency is a dependent special district and functions as an administrative agency. The agency does not issue permits or impose regulatory controls, and does not have the power of eminent domain.  Public-private partnerships are critical for the success of the agency's efforts.

Our measurable goals are: 1) Redevelop Property, 2) Provide for Affordable Housing, 3) Reduce Crime and 4) Improve the Public Infrastructure. 

The administration of the CRA is handled by the Executive Director.  The CRA office is responsible for the Agency's day to day business operations as well as preparing for and managing the public meeting activities of the Board.  The office of the CRA is open from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. (EST), Monday thru Friday and are closed the same days as the City of Bartow for recognized holidays.

Contact Information for the CRA Administration:

C. Howard Smith, Executive Director
chsmith@cityofbartow.net

Office Location: 450 N. Wilson Ave, Bartow FL 33830
Mailing Address: PO Box 1069, Bartow, FL 33831-1069
Phone: (863) 534-0100

Meeting  Schedule:

The Bartow Community Redevelopment Agency meetings are generally held on the 4th Wednesday of every month at 8:30 a.m. (EST) in the City Commission Chamber of Bartow City Hall, 450 North Wilson Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830. The meetings are occasionally held at different venues and times with advance notice provided. Public meeting notices are posted on the City of Bartow website at www.cityofbartow.net and on the public notice bulletin board inside Bartow City Hall.

The following are the scheduled meeting dates for Fiscal Year 2023-2024:

•  Wednesday, January 24, 2024, 8:30 A.M.

•  Wednesday, February 28, 2024, 8:30 A.M.

•  Wednesday, March 27, 2024, 8:30 A.M.

•  Wednesday, April 24, 2024, 8:30 A.M.

•  Wednesday, May 22, 2024, 8:30 A.M.

•  Wednesday, June 26, 2024, 8:30 A.M.

•  Wednesday, August 28, 2024, 5:30 P.M.

•  Wednesday, September 25, 2024, 8:30 A.M.

•  Wednesday, October 30, 2024, 8:30 A.M.

•  Wednesday, December 4, 2024, 8:30 A.M.

Request For Proposals:

There are no current Request for Proposals.

DISCLAIMER: Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing. Most records received and maintained by the Bartow CRA are public records and are subject to the disclosure provisions of Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, the Florida Public Records Law (119.07, FS).