TO: CRA Board of Commissioners
FROM: Renée A. Jadusingh, Esq., Executive Director
DATE: July 25, 2023
Title
MODIFICATION TO CURB APPEAL RESIDENTIAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM GUIDELINES
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Approve the modifications to the Curb Appeal Residential Improvement Program Guidelines.
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Background:
The Curb Appeal Residential Improvement Program was established by the CRA in 2007, to serve as an additional tool to eliminate slum and blighted conditions among existing single-family homes within the Northwest and Southwest Neighborhoods of the CRA District. The program offers grants for homes to help with the cost of cosmetic and minor structural improvements on the exterior of the home, as well as areas of the property that are visible from the street.
The program has received minor updates over the years, to improve effectiveness and better address the needs of homeowners in the area. The most recent modifications, approved in 2016, added roof repair and replacement to the list of funded improvements, increased the maximum award amount from $10,000 to $15,000 per property, made duplex properties eligible for funding at the matching grant level, and extended eligibility for full grants to owner-occupied homes with an annual household income from 120% to 140% of the area median income.
The City of Delray Beach administers the program through its Neighborhood Services Division, by way of an interlocal agreement. This partnership has allowed the City to leverage CRA funds with other funding programs targeted to low- and moderate-income households, facilitating more substantial home improvement projects in the Northwest and Southwest Area Neighborhoods.
Currently, the program offers fence repair and replacement for existing fences. Staff now requests that the CRA board modify the Curb Appeal program guidelines to allow for installation for new fences.
Attachment(s): Exhibit A -Curb Appeal Residential Improvement ...
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