SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve an Interlocal Agreement between the Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and the City of Clearwater to provide CRA funding in fiscal year 2024-2025 in the amount of $282,433.02 to underwrite the cost of additional Community Policing services by the Clearwater Police Department in the Downtown CRA to address quality of life issues, drug dealing, and homelessness and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. (consent)
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SUMMARY:
Quality of life issues, drug dealing, and homelessness, all negatively impact the redevelopment plan. Additional community policing resources are needed to effectively address these issues above and beyond the level provided by routine road patrol functions.
An allowable funding source of this active item is the use of CRA Increment Financings (TIF) funds. Florida Statutes allows for the use of funds for “community policing innovations” in the Community Redevelopment Areas.
The CRA and Clearwater Police Department have reached an agreement on a proposed scope of services and terms delineated in the Interlocal Agreement. Included in the proposed scope is the delineation of specific, measurable crime reduction targets by which to monitor the success of the initiative as well as providing clear language required by statute assuring that the resources are applied to the Downtown CRA area.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
Funding for this Interlocal Agreement is available in CRA Project Code R2001, Community Policing, which is funded by City TIF revenues.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
This project is relevant towards accomplishing the strategic goal of a High Performing Government, specifically strategic objective 1.4 to foster safe and healthy communities in Clearwater through first-class public safety and emergency response services.
