SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve recommended updates to the North Greenwood Commercial Grant Program Guidelines related to grant fund disbursement procedures and eligible recipients of grant payments.
Body
SUMMARY:
Staff is requesting approval of clarifications to the North Greenwood Commercial Grant Program Guidelines to provide additional transparency and administrative clarity regarding grant fund disbursement procedures and the parties eligible to receive grant payments. Staff worked in coordination with the City Attorney’s Office to develop the clarifications and ensure consistency with applicable legal and administrative requirements.
The proposed clarifications do not alter the intent, purpose, eligibility requirements, or funding structure of the existing program. The revisions are intended solely to better define the process for reimbursement payments, contractor/vendor disbursements, and applicant responsibilities related to grant funding administration.
Specifically, the clarifications address:
• Circumstances under which grant funds may be disbursed directly to approved licensed contractors or vendors;
• Procedures for reimbursement requests and phased disbursements;
• Documentation requirements for payment processing; and
• Clarification of applicant and property owner responsibilities under the program.
The North Greenwood Commercial Grant Program was established to encourage reinvestment, business development, property improvements, and economic revitalization within the North Greenwood Community Redevelopment Area.
This program meets the following goals and objectives of the North Greenwood Community Redevelopment Area Plan:
1) All plan recommendations must be implemented in, or benefit residents and businesses located in this defined area (NGCRA boundary) (Plan Section 2.5, Establishment of CRA Boundaries, page 9).
2) Encourage commercial or mixed-use development along North Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue (Plan Section 2.6, Public Engagement and Outreach, page 85).
3) Encourage commercial development along Pinellas Trail (Plan Section 2.6, Public Engagement and Outreach, page 85).
4) Increase access to high paying jobs for the residents of the North Greenwood CRA both within and outside of the area through workforce development, business assistance programs, and support for entrepreneurs (Plan Section 3.2 Goals & Objectives, Goal 3 Poverty Reduction, page 93). (NGCRA funds are only applicable within the NGCRA boundary.)
5) Develop a grant program to fund improvements to commercial buildings, to establish new businesses, and reduce blight in the North Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue commercial corridor (Plan Section 4.5, Plan Implementation, Table 15, Goal 3 Policy Implementation: Poverty Reduction, page 138).
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
2.2 Cultivate a business climate that welcomes entrepreneurship, inspires local investment, supports Eco-friendly enterprises, and encourages high-quality job growth.
2.4 Support equitable housing programs that promote household stability and reduce the incidence of homelessness within Clearwater.
