By Maia Feasel, Interning Correspondent for The Apopka Voice
When the Apopka Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) board meets on Wednesday, August 20, members are expected to make final decisions on how to spend redevelopment funds across the district. At the heart of the discussion is the residential facade repair grant program, a new initiative aimed at helping homeowners pay for exterior improvements.
Related: Apopka CRA dollars at work: Domino’s building getting a facelift.
State redevelopment guidelines make clear the purpose of CRA funds: reinvest in neighborhoods, particularly low- and moderate-income areas, by funding projects that improve infrastructure, revitalize homes, and spur economic growth. In Apopka, that has meant everything from residential repairs to upgrades for parks and trails.
Over the past few months, the board has held workshops and meetings to hammer out funding priorities. Residents were invited to attend and weigh in. At an April meeting, Apopka resident and former CRA board member Linda Ball suggested holding specific workshops for homeowners interested in the façade program.
"That'll give you a possible number of how many are interested and would want the money," Ball told the board.
Some of the discussion has also included frustration over past spending. At the May 21st meeting, board members said more than $300,000 in CRA funds under previous administrations had gone to commercial air conditioning replacements—a use they now question. In response, the current board has focused more on residential projects, particularly the facade program.
By the July 16th meeting, the CRA had outlined the program’s proposed qualifications:
- Maximum of $30,000 per applicant
- Only for owner-occupied single-family homes and duplexes (no multifamily)
- Properties in foreclosure are ineligible
- A five-year repayment requirement if the property is sold
- Progress payments are issued once work is verified
The goal, board members say, is to make it easier for homeowners to access funds for exterior repairs.
At Wednesday’s meeting, the board is expected to approve the CRA’s annual budget, which would set the timeline for the facade repair program and other redevelopment efforts across the district. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Apopka City Hall Council Chambers.
