CRA — July 24, 2025 FINAL

Luis Viera

9:02:09AM Okay. Welcome to Tampa City Council. We'll begin, if we may, with -- I'm sorry, thank you. CRA. Welcome to CRA. We begin with a moment of silence. Please stand if you're able to do so and remain standing for the pledge of allegiance. [Moment of silence] [pledge of allegiance]

9:02:49AM Roll call, please.

Charlie Miranda

9:02:59AM Here.

Guido Maniscalco

9:03:00AM Here.

Lynn Hurtak

9:03:01AM Here.

Alan Clendenin

9:03:02AM Here.

Bill Carlson

9:03:03AM Here.

Luis Viera

9:03:04AM Here.

The clerk

9:03:05AM We have a physical quorum.

Luis Viera

9:03:07AM Thank you very much. Let's go through -- sorry. Let's go through approval of the agenda. I know we have a number of items here. Councilwoman Hurtak, go ahead, ma'am.

Lynn Hurtak

9:03:20AM I move to continue items 5 and 6 to September 11 -- 4, 5, 6. I knew it was three.

Luis Viera

9:03:33AM Yes, ma'am. We have a motion by board member Hurtak. A second by board member Carlson. Any discussion on that? Sorry, Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

9:03:42AM [Inaudible]

Luis Viera

9:03:44AM Mr. McCray, do you have any comments on that, sir?

Cedric McCray

9:03:47AM No. thank you to board member Hurtak for that. There was a walk-on item related to the Tampa Museum of Art that we sent late yesterday afternoon for required approvals as related to work that they wanted to be done.

Luis Viera

9:04:01AM All in favor of the motion say aye. Any opposed?

Bill Carlson

9:04:07AM We've had a lot of criticism in the community about the matrix and the process that's being used. We're trying to come up with the most objective process to evaluate applications. But since the matrix and the process is being delayed until September, we have one application today that's been in the pipeline for a year and come before us before. But we have another one before us for the first time. Nothing against the project, but I think we ought to continue item 8 and any other applications until October so we can apply the objective process. I think using the objective process will help us to get community buy-in on any kind of evaluation we do. In conversations with staff, there are a lot of questions. I sent out a memo last night with some of the questions that the problem with projects is being able to compare apples and apples. And there is a question about is it first in, first out, are we comparing over time? It is fair to everyone to take any new applications and put them in October so we're able to apply the new process.

Luis Viera

9:05:07AM Thank you very much. Board member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

9:05:08AM Thank you. The problem with that is that's not what we do in normal development. We aren't going to stop new projects in the rest of the city while we redo the land development code. I agree with you. We absolutely have to improve this. We have tweaks that a thousand percent I agree we need to make. But I don't think it's fair to the people who put in applications and followed the current rules to be punished to wait. I'm not comfortable with that.

Bill Carlson

9:05:42AM I'm only talking about number 8.

Lynn Hurtak

9:05:44AM I know. That's what I'm saying. They put their application in, followed the rules, did what they are supposed to do and now we're saying, no, we're going to change the rules on you. Again, I agree with you, we absolutely have updating to do. I think that's normal. I would actually be upset if we didn't have changes to make because it's a constant -- and I don't even think what we do in September or October is going to be enough. We'll always have changes to make. I just don't think it's fair to the people who followed the rules that we have to not hear their petition today.

Bill Carlson

9:06:22AM One thing, I was talking to staff yesterday, won't remember the numbers exactly, we're saying we're taking 30% of affordable housing for each district that we take 40, I think 6.7 million this year for affordable housing in East Tampa, and then we have about 7 point something million rolled over from the past. We put both together, that's about 14 million. Number one and number eight together, about 14 million. So with the new criteria, we wouldn't have any money until future year. I know number 8 is over two or three years. Still, it starts to -- it's such a big amount it starts to block up --

Lynn Hurtak

9:06:59AM I totally don't disagree with you, but I do believe it's fair to hear a petition that came to us in good faith.

Luis Viera

9:07:08AM Councilman Clendenin, but before we go, do we have -- I assume that is a motion. Councilman Clendenin can speak. Do we have a second on that?

Alan Clendenin

9:07:22AM I may, but I want to talk about it. In principle, I agree with Councilman Carlson. And part of what I brought up, the first guideline first created about the possibility that we got here, the way we got here. I also want to make sure because I heard Councilwoman Hurtak say rules. There are more guidelines than rules, per SE. I think the way they were presented. Up to. More of a guideline than a rule. I want to make sure we clarify that. Understand that a lot of the things, the council has ultimate say -- the board has ultimate say on how these expenditures are decided based on guidelines. I think that in all fairness to the applicants and to the taxpayers that we should probably just take a pause, really digest what's happening with these funds and the guidelines and look -- because I think there are several projects that are coming. It's difficult to just weigh each project because they are first in, because there may be a project that's three or four in, may be more worthy, if we spend that money now, we're not going to be able to fund. I think the prudent thing to do, I get what you're saying. I agree with that, too. It's unfortunate. But I think where we are right now, it may be prudent to pause, get our heads about where the money is, what projects are in the pipeline, so we can make a really good decision further down the line.

Lynn Hurtak

9:08:56AM Can I respond to that?

Luis Viera

9:08:58AM Yes, ma'am, please.

Lynn Hurtak

9:08:59AM Again, I'll disagree with you on that. We're going to lose the trust of the community. If this is something we really want to do and do, then we need to have a special session. We need to get it done this summer. Like, we cannot wait until October. So what I'm saying, again, if we want to do that going forward, I still think that we owe it to the people who are in the pipeline and here today to hear what they have to say. And then, if we don't want to wait until October and we want to fast track it and have a special session and do all this, but what particularly bothers me about this is we wouldn't do this for any other development in the rest of the city. We wouldn't say, enhh, stop. No developments can go into the pipeline while we figure this land development code out. That's not reasonable or rational. That's my argument is, yes, we need to fix these. If you want to do it and add a special session and, like, really hit it hard, I'm a thousand percent with you. But we can't just say never mind because then people in the CRAs, developers are not going to trust us. They are going to be like, oh, I could have spend -- I can spend thousands and thousands of dollars. I can have gone to the community. When I come to council or the CRA Board, they are just going to decide to change. I'm just concerned about that because we have a really good beginning here. I think the community wants to see us do some changes, but we absolutely just can't turn on a dime. We wouldn't do that to developers and the rest of the city.

Luis Viera

9:10:45AM Board member Miranda or Maniscalco, do you have anything to say? If I may, let's limit, because we have an agenda to like two minutes.

Charlie Miranda

9:10:54AM I agree with council member Hurtak. When you have individuals for whatever reason apply and they are in the system, how am I going to tell them, no, you can't. Wait 90 days or one fourth of a year. That's what it is. One-fourth of a year, 90 days is one-fourth of a year, I think. You want to change the rules, yeah, change them. Make sure everything is in line so when the people apply they know under the new rules, not the rules we're talking about today. I think it would be, in my mind, anyway, we lose some trust in that if we do that. But that's just me speaking to myself.

Luis Viera

9:11:39AM One minute each. Go ahead.

Alan Clendenin

9:11:45AM I'm not disagreeing on principle. I wouldn't be opposed to adding meetings. I never am. I think sometimes we probably should be doing that as a service to the City of Tampa. But my problem is, I just don't feel at this moment with the information we have out there, it almost forces me a no vote on something I support. In principle I support a project, but because of the other implications of it, it almost pushes me in a position to say no on something I want to say yes on.

Bill Carlson

9:12:16AM Same thing with me. The problem is, we were supposed to have talked about the criteria today, but staff moved it to September, which pushed everything out. I'll pass out this memo real fast and give it to the clerk, the one I e-mailed. We're not setting necessarily new criteria, but the question is, how do we compare projects against each other? For example, a month ago or so, the staff said, talked about the per unit price of fun-lan. The comparison was not apples and apples. Same thing yesterday staff said on this project, number 8, 63,000 per unit. Not apples and apples either. And then the other thing is whether we should -- so the question is, how should we compare in this case the city gave land so that throws in a different calculation, and then the other thing, do you compare on construction cost basis or pro forma, 50-year cash flow basis which they call a gap analysis. It's not necessarily setting new criteria. It's just figuring out how do you measure one against the other? We don't have an apples and apples comparison right now.

Luis Viera

9:13:18AM Really quick. One minute.

Lynn Hurtak

9:13:20AM I don't disagree with you, but, again, it kind of feels like someone who is just waiting around for the best deal to come, and we can't do that. We have to look at what's in front of us. It is the same with evening meeting tonight. We can't look at a parcel and say, enh, you know, I want to wait until a better development comes. That's not our purview to do that. Quite frankly, these communities have been waiting. I don't want to -- well, for the sake of argument today, I won't support that vote. What I will support is a special call meeting to talk about this as soon as possible.

Luis Viera

9:13:59AM Since it's your motion, do you want 30 seconds to rebut the final one on this sir?

Alan Clendenin

9:14:06AM Is that a motion to amend to add the special session? I could support that.

Lynn Hurtak

9:14:12AM No. we can do it separately. I don't want to complicate the record.

Luis Viera

9:14:18AM This deals with the agenda now.

Alan Clendenin

9:14:21AM We could let this die and have a special session to deal with this issue.

Lynn Hurtak

9:14:24AM I have no problem with that. Again, I would like to hear from Mr. McCray.

Bill Carlson

9:14:30AM I'll withdraw my motion. I would say the same thing that board member Clendenin said, I probably would support this project on number 8, but if it comes up for a vote today, I would vote no because we don't have the objective criteria. If it's in October, I might vote yes.

Luis Viera

9:14:46AM It appears then that the motion is withdrawn in effect. So let's proceed. May I have a motion to approve minutes from the June 12 meeting, please? We have a motion by board member Maniscalco. Second by board member Miranda. All in favor? Any opposed? May I also have a motion to approve the walk-on item for the Tampa Museum of Art? We have a motion by board member Maniscalco. Second by board member Clendenin. All in favor -- yes, sir, go ahead.

Bill Carlson

9:15:10AM I need to recuse myself on Tampa Museum of Art. Can I ask the attorney, am I allowed to vote for administrative agenda item or not? Should I recuse --

Cliff Shepard

9:15:22AM Whether it is on the agenda or not.

Bill Carlson

9:15:24AM I'll recuse myself on the ultimate item but should I recuse myself on that vote or not?

Cliff Shepard

9:15:29AM The answer is if it is to keep it on the agenda, you do not need to recuse yourself.

Luis Viera

9:15:36AM All in favor? Any opposed? Let's go ahead and begin with public comment. Oh, I'm so sorry. Oh, a motion to open the agenda. Board member Clendenin. Seconded by board member Miranda. All in favor? Any opposed? Great. Now I believe we begin with public comment. Come forth. Do me a favor, everyone who is here for public comment -- we usually start with virtual first, correct? Let's do that. My apologies, guys. Let's do virtual first. We have Mr. Mike Kanter who is here. Have at it, sir. Okay. I guess Mr. Kanter is not having at it. Proceed with Mr. Randolph. My name is Michael randolph. I'm with the West Tampa CDC. What a time we are living in. I stand before you today to speak not just about the calm before the storm, but about the community safety net in the wake of federal policies under the trump administration. Combined with the -- artificial intelligence, job displacement, we are facing a profound shift in the socioeconomic landscape, one that demands a bold and visionary response. Our solutions cannot meet the moment. Survival in this new norm requires forward thinking, infrastructure rooted in innovation, equity, and empowerment. Tampa needs a strategy for the next generation, and our response is the technology -- job creation center. [Encoder disconnect] -- reduce criminal activity and long-term community sustainability. Anti-gentrification, residents elevate income levels and build generational wealth, they can remain in and invest in their own community, mitigating displacement caused by redevelopment. Economic growth, increase the tax base and local economy activities. Financial confidence, ripple effect, heightened interest in investors and lenders, community impact and sustainable return. A pathway where West Tampa residents don't need -- new type of development. Join us in late august as we present to the nation West Tampa at its best.

9:19:42AM Thank you. We appreciate you, Mr. Randolph. It appears Mr. Kanter Has appeared. Mr. Kanter, go for it, sir. Unmute yourself, if you don't mind, sir, so we can hear you. Can you hear me?

9:20:02AM Yes, sir, we sure can. Go for it. Sorry for the confusion.

9:20:06AM You're fine. Nebraska Avenue. I think I have, what, three minutes. Is that correct?

9:20:20AM Yes, sir, you do. Up to. I've worked on homeless and near homeless matters now for about 40 years, half my life. I've been heavily involved with habitat here in Tampa at one point, and I'm currently working with Tampa hope out at the campus outside of Ybor City. I, along with my wife, cofounded a homeless ministry initially at first presbyterian church, which used to be the downtown presbyterian church, the reason we now work with Catholic Charities, moved to another part of town and had to find a new location for that. During the time that we were operating out of first presbyterian church, we had a very interdenominational volunteer support program. We had eight churches involved, including designers way which is a predominantly black church on the east side of Tampa. I'm currently involved with a project involving sacred heart church, which hopefully is also going to involve st. peter claver church right in the Nebraska Avenue corridor. So enough on my background and interests, but one of the things that I want to emphasize is from the calculations I've been able to do, the housing problem is well beyond being a problem at this point, not only here locally but nationally. It's a crisis. According to my calculations, Hillsborough county is about 50,000 units short, and I would be happy to share my data if anybody is interested to see how I derived those numbers. What thad bereday is trying to get done in the Nebraska Avenue corridor, it's a perfect example of an infill project in an area of particular need. From what I've read and what thad has informed me of, his project is very consistent with the Tampa Comprehensive Plan.

9:23:07AM Thank you. We appreciate you, sir. Your three minutes are up. Thank you very much, sir. Next we have Ms. Rodriguez. Good morning, council.

9:23:31AM If you don't mind, Ms. Rodriguez, giving your name. I am speaking on showmen's rest today, but not too long ago, Councilman Carlson suggested the city look into possibly setting aside funds for future gpr scans because this is an ongoing thing with cemeteries. Since showmen's rest listed the parcel of land within woodlawn cemetery in March of 2025, the potential buyer of the parcel of land had her camera disabled. Her security cameras were disabled. She received threatening letters in the mail, parked cars across the street from her home. Someone took it upon themselves to log on to a state website and filled out a historical cemetery form on a parcel of land zoned rs-50. The state sent a letter to showmen's rest with the electronic signature of a person who oversees an organization related to cemeteries. It's unethical, if not criminal. The greater showmen's rest association is looking into pressing charges, and they are waiting to hear back from their attorneys. John perzia, president of showmen's rest, would have allowed a gpr prior to what he calls public humiliation and three-ring circus, no pun intended. The one thing I've learned from saving cemeteries, it's always best to work together, not against one another. Mr. Perzia would like for the city to know that showmen's rest is hundred percent agreeable to a gpr scan as long as they don't have to pay for it. Perhaps USF could help. If a motion needs to be filed with legal, would one of you please initiate the process as he's anxious to move forward with this. Thank you for your time today, council and have a great day.

9:25:37AM Thank you, ma'am. We appreciate you. There being no further virtual public comment, we go to in person. When you come up, please state your name. My name is mita Martinez. Everyone knows me as mimi. I live in ybor heights. I am a member of the East Tampa CAC committee. I'm here today to support agenda item number 1 and number 8 because I do believe that it's going to benefit the community. In the community, there seems to be two schools of thoughts on these projects. One, there are people who believe that these projects will not benefit the community. And then the other big issue is money, and it's a concern for us and it's a concern for you. We are at a crossroads right now where for the first time the East Tampa CRA is getting a lot of developers who are interested in developing East Tampa. That is a good problem. But it's also opened up a can of worms as far as how do we diversify those funds so that every neighborhood in East Tampa feels like they are getting a little piece of that pie. Also, how do we know what is the best developer and what developer really has the community in mind. I do believe that there is an opportunity for us to have a more competitive special use grants application process to help us kind of navigate how we select who we're going to fund and how much we're going to fund. We have attracted developers to come to East Tampa, so I agree we should not slow that down and we need to strike while the iron is hot. But now we're at a crossroads. How do we evaluate who gets what. I don't subscribe to the thought where it is first come, first served. I don't. People are knocking at the door, and that is a good thing, but we also have to be very careful because you'll have bad characters who are knocking at that door, too. For me, when I see a developer who comes here and they lay out line by line how they are going to bring economic development into the community, how they are going to reduce slum and blight in an area that has been traditionally known for decades to be an area of drug dealing and prostitution, because the harsh reality, that is what the economic engine is on Nebraska Avenue. And that's hard to say, but it is. In the underworld, a lot of money is being made off of selling drugs and prostitution on Nebraska Avenue. Our barrier is we cannot tell private homeowners, hey, you can't sell drugs here, and we cannot go to the private business owners who own hotels, hey, you need to stop prostitution here. But we can bring in other types of development. That is our weapon to counter that, to bring in wholesome economic development that the people who live there will benefit from. So a lot of things for us to all think about. I appreciate what you do. I think we have some tough questions to ask, but I do think even as a CAC member, it could be very confusing for me as well as to who should I support and who I shouldn't. Thank you for your time.

9:28:51AM Thank you, ma'am. We appreciate you. Next speaker, please. State your name. Bobby creighton. Just wanted to briefly comment on the opening discussion you had this morning. I think everybody had some really good points. It's certainly a challenge. As somebody who watches every meeting, watches all the CAC meetings even for CACs where I don't live, I'm addicted to it. You mentioned an erosion of trust or not having clarity. That's already started to cascade because when I watch a meeting and a developer comes up and says, hey, this is my request and nobody knows how much money there is to fund it, that's a problem. Obviously that's a problem.

9:29:35AM If I may, hold the clock, for anybody talking out there, please don't speak in the audience while folks are talking or while you are in here, if there are conversations, let's have them outside. Please. We appreciate you. Go for it. So I do support sorting this out as quickly as possible. If a special session is necessary, I say go for it. This needs to be clear for other projects coming down the line. Unfortunately, we have two on the agenda today and one of those from the last meeting, and that particular developer has been put through the meat grinder with the process with unclear expectations, et cetera, et cetera. But I am here to speak in support of urban reworx project. Think about the context of where this development is going to occur. What is around there? Prostitution, drug dealing. The highest concentration of sexual offenders in the county all clustered together right there, right where he wants to put a development. If you ask me, this is an opportunity for the CRA to inject funds into a part of the city where it's needed the most. I don't know anywhere else in the city where you have all of those different factors coming together to make a situation quite that unique and quite that unfortunate. So I personally do support this development. Funding this project sets a standard. It says government is going to go first. We see a problem, we're going to put the money up to fix it. There's lots of other projects coming down the pipeline. There is a particular developer on Nebraska Avenue, they are asking for all the projects, upwards of $80 million. That's going to take public-private partnerships. If the CRA and local government can say, look, we're going to plant the seed here because it's desperately needed, maybe people in the private sector would look at that and say, okay, the government really cares about what is going on here. A developer willing to stick their neck out. Either have to be crazy, or deep conviction to invest in that location. Private developers who say that, see that the government is supporting that. You see that there are other projects in the pipeline. You have those private investors who say, okay, maybe I'll get on board with some of the other projects down the line on Nebraska Avenue because we see that there is the commitment. Not only from the CRA but also from somebody taking that step and to venture into this territory. In terms of urban reworx project -- oh, running out of time. I'll stop there. Thank you.

9:32:05AM Thank you, sir. We appreciate you. Next, please. State your name, if you don't mind. Alison hewitt, third generation resident of East Tampa, business owner, and candidate for district five. Lots of conversations about the project. I want to talk about policy. According to the policy, no more than one million dollars should be paid for one CRA area at one time. Where in the packet do you address that issue? The next one is RFP waiver. If you have a project over a million dollars, it must be RFP waiver that's approved by the board. Where is that in there? Also, if there is a project over a million dollars, it requires a program change by the board. Where is that in the agenda today? Don't put these great projects in jeopardy for a protest because we're not following the policy as we move these projects forward. The next thing is, about these projects, especially for transparency for the community, each summary of each project is different. So you've got to really pay attention and try to find out how many homes, what is the AMI, how much is the project. I request a consistent breakdown of how you describe these policies -- I mean, these programs, so that the community can follow and not have to dig into it. I also say, please do a workshop because we need some consistency. We need to make sure that everything is provided to you in a formal process. Also, number 4, we have the request to support permitting in the CRA. Want to say there are some great concerns because the East Tampa overlay was worked on by the people of the area, and there are developers who go in who are either not told about the overlay or told to just ignore the overlay or if they want to use the overlay, their project is pushed back time and time again. So their projects are slowed down. Also would like to talk about we have the tree trimming in the budget on the agenda, but we have on communications and outreach on your budget proposal for the CRA, central park, channelside, Ybor City, Ybor City two that has money set aside for communications and outreach, but you don't have it in East Tampa and other CRAs. Why is that the case? I did ask that at a public hearing and I was told we're hiring a firm to do the outreach. How are we using the money? Firm to do the outreach or to go to specifically to each one of those CRAs? Also would like to talk to you about -- it has been requested to push back. Number 6, we have been working with the banks to make sure we create a line of credit because there are businesses in our community who cannot take advantage of these grants and we need you to be able to potentially have a workshop on that. Last but not least, we have the CRPs. It's what governs all the CRAs. Right now, you're having CRPs that you'll approve, but where is the update on what you did for the original CRPs? How we know where we go? Was it effective? Spend the money correctly? If approving CRPs that do not address the past actions.

9:35:19AM Thank you, ma'am. Next speaker, please. Please state your name. I'm ray coker. I'm here to support urban reworx. The last time I was here, I mentioned when I moved to Tampa I was doing work for baltimore, downtown consulting work, and they told me about people working for the city to improve Ybor City and I didn't know what Ybor City was. I want to be a part of it a little bit. So I bought a property on 4th and re-did that property. My first renter was a schoolteacher at the school. It was her first job. Enamored with the idea of walking across the street to the school. I remember saying to her I don't want to rent to you because I don't think it's safe for you to be here. Of course, today, I would never say that. But also today, I'm not sure a brand-new teacher could afford rent there. I did some other things in my small way. I ran a business boot camp at the hilton in ybor once a month for quite a few years, and I would bring in people from all over the country. Of course, I loved to tell about the history of ybor when we talked to a restaurant at lunchtime and the architecture. But for me, one of my things that I like the most about the area is diversity of the people. I just love that whole part of it. Right now, I live on 19th street near the little bodega there. I just love being on my porch and watching the stream of people come down that street. The buses of kids. I love that part of ybor. Tell you a real quick story. Know who arthur brooks is. He writes on public policy. He writes on happiness and teaches very popular class at harvard on happiness. I haven't read any of his books, but I read his monthly article that he publishes in the atlantic. I'm not religious, but he is a devote catholic. He was writing this one article on the sort of social science and philosophy around helping people that are poor. His argument was something like this, if I remember it correctly, remember, also a strong catholic. He said that the situation, imbalanced situation that leaves unhappiness when you help people that are poor often. He says, but if you set up a social exchange type of model -- he didn't use that term -- you know, it can make everyone quite happy with a situation. He said from his perspective --

9:38:29AM Sir, unfortunately, you are out of time. We appreciate you. Thank you, sir. Next speaker, please state your name, sir. I want to say uhuru. Uhuru means freedom in swahili. We as african people should always be thinking about our freedom. I think about our freedom and how it's connected to 825 years, 52 generations of oppression, subjugation. One thing anybody who knows me personally knows I'm easily offended. I'm so sensitive. So sensitive some people think I'm gay sometimes. I'm that sensitive. I don't like perfume, significant great smoke. I don't like marijuana smoke. I don't like the smell of alcohol. A lot of stuff I don't like. Any artificial odors I don't like. I'm that sensitive. I'm sensitive. And I don't like a man talking about right before I speak talking about where someone safe to live. It's offensive. White people offend you in your face and think we're too dumb to understand. 825 years of african ignorance. African oppression. African subjugation. When I attempt to articulate, I'm cut off from this City Council. Can't talk about reparations. Can't talk about 26% of the budget that deserve to come to us, $2 billion budget or $1 billion budget. When the budget used to be a hundred million dollars. We can't talk about 26% of it coming to us, to our hood. We can't talk about it. Hey, sit down, not that, that's not on the agenda. When you walk into auto parts store sometimes you can tell how stupid the sales people are because you're right there trying to buy something for your car that is disabled and they are trying to hustle on the phone. Trying to talk to a phone customer. That's how stupid the City Council is. People standing in line, but the people sitting at home, they get to go first. That's how ignorant the City Council is. Oh, you can't call somebody by their name. What if the f you all are, kings, queens? I guarantee I'm going to jail because I call each and every one of you scoundrels by your name right here in this City Council Building. Watch me. We going to check and see what law, what constitutional violation, what statute, what code of conduct someone is violating. Man, you all above your all selves. You do nothing above your all self. You are ignorant. Absolutely positively ignorant. And you have ignorant rules and ignorant regulations and you let white folks come up here and offend us and think we are supposed to accept it. F all you all.

9:41:33AM Thank you very much, sir. We appreciate you. Next speaker and please state your name. Kimberly simon. I'm a new developer here to the City of Tampa. I just want to take this opportunity to introduce myself. I'm currently working on a small live local affordable housing build on 30th street. I look forward to learning more about your priorities and how my work can align with the community's vision. Thank you for the work that you do. I hope to engage with you further as my project moves forward. Thank you.

9:42:12AM Thank you, ma'am. Good luck. We appreciate you. Next, sir. State your name. My name is Israel segarra known as izzy. Lifelong resident, retired 26 years from the City of Tampa, which included nine years as the contracts manager for Housing and Community Development where I was involved with a lot of affordable housing projects. Then went to Hillsborough county and did another ten years over there as procurement analyst for all their affordable housing projects. I'm just here today to speak on behalf of the urban reworx Nebraska Avenue project. I'm not going to go into minutia because you as a diligent City Council have read it and know all the gory details. A lot more than I would. All I want to say is that this is a good, viable project for this community, for this area, for its residents, and I think got nothing but up side for it and I want to encourage you and implore you to approve this project. Thank you. And have a wonderful morning.

9:43:29AM Thank you, sir. We appreciate you. Next, ma'am. Please state your name. Kella mccaskill, native, advocate, servant in the district that we're talking about today. One of said we wouldn't have done all this with other developments. You're right. We also wouldn't have had a development in an area normally that's been ignored for 21 years. Three years ago, I came to you and said, we need to have a predevelopment program. We need to write grants based on the CRP. That didn't happen. It didn't happen then. It slow walked all the way until the developers came to the area. Many of them don't spend a time in this district. But I'm not going to talk about that today. I appreciate you all being open to delaying the decision until either, one, a district five representative or, two, you've done the workshop. So I'm saying none of the reasons you all mentioned, but simply because you don't have a representative that represents us, you don't. I mean, you have some of you that are citywide. I'm talking about the specific designated seat that can speak to the issues and concerns they have heard before you make a decision on funding. I'm concerned about an organization that can show up and do something based on the administration's desires and it fast walks over any other project that would help the people in the area. I will say that if you can't wait, then you at least need to have a workshop. Say, no, you can't fund it because you feel you may lose the community trust, you lost that already. CAC spend their hard-earned time, dollars, resources to come to the meetings, make decisions and you change it when they get here. I'm going to say you already lost that. You might as well start fresh. Let's say out of the abundance of caution, being good stewards of taxpayers' dollars, let's have a workshop, special session, whatever you want to call it, but do that. Did you see creative loafing? The way they paint the picture, you don't even have clarity on your own budget. You don't even understand your own -- or staff. I believe out of the abundance of caution you should act in favor of what's right. Do the special workshop, whatever session, whatever that is, or wait until you have representation in this district. I support urban reworx project. You want to know why? You knew it was an issue before he showed up. I told you. I was the developer that showed up and said I want to follow the CRP from 2004. I want to bring development here working with public, private partnership. I brought you the families. I showed you how it would work. You have good developers and gcs already working with the city. You know what, slow walked. He showed up. He was able to use his money to get through predevelopment and now he's here today. I support the project because whatever energy you have for him, I want nothing less than that. Thank you for your time this morning.

9:46:31AM Thank you, ma'am. We appreciate you. Next, please. Please state your name. My name is April mccullohs, grace church outreach director. We serve lots of members in this community. I regularly in my work meet with families who are navigating unaffordable housing, unstable housing and getting priced out of the places that they live, not because of safety, but because affordable options are out of reach. Years ago when I taught in Ybor City, I saw the long-standing effects of our historical discrimination, of red-lining, of state, federal, and local government not investing in East Tampa. And I saw those decisions, sometimes in the families that I served, and so I'm grateful that this conversation is being -- is happening right now. It's long overdue. I'm here in support of the urban reworx development on Nebraska Avenue. I believe that this project isn't just about affordable housing, but it highlights and augments the resilience in the community that has already been there. It provides affordable, walkable housing, it reflects the character of ybor, and expands opportunity for working families and small businesses. Urban reworx has shown a commitment to listening, learning, collaborating with the community, and I believe this is exactly the kind of development that Tampa needs. I fully support this project, I hope you'll join me.

9:47:57AM Thank you, ma'am. Craig altman and Debbie altman were my neighbors growing up.

9:48:06AM I know brent. Go ahead, sir. Please state your name. Jim McCarthy, 1370 West Woodlawn Avenue. I'm here this morning because I felt compelled as a builder to support this project. I don't know chad personally, but from what I saw him, his presentation to the barrio Latino, his staff, everything from instagram to everything, it is -- I think it's going to be transformational. I know that word is used too often in development about transformational, but if you look on the ground of the real estate, of this location and you take floribraska to Nebraska and walk down mitchell, if there's ever a pocket that needs some love, it's this. And this will be transformational. I'm a fee simple ownership builder, but it doesn't matter. Attainable, affordable housing, whether rental or ownership, it's about safety. And that's what we need here. Just doing my little due diligence on this company, I feel that they got the community best at heart. I went to instagram. We all go to instagram. Urban reworx, which, by the way, is a great name. But I found urban 360 which is a program that we did, my company was the biggest private public partnership in the city's history. We did a hundred homes with two not for profits, habitat for humanity, CDC, and it was successful. But it was successful but the community didn't think it was successful because there was not enough outreach. So there's got to be better communications between community and home building. Statistics speak for itself. Urban 360 program, over 90% of our residents, 90, hundred homes, African American. Close to 90% already living within the boundaries of the CRA. So misinformation out there and the facebook chatter, negativity, these guys look to -- I don't get, like izzy said, the minutia of the details, but you have a CRA Staff that is the best. I mean, the best. I have full faith in this. I hope you support this project.

9:50:28AM Thank you, sir. We appreciate you. Pastor Frank, are you in line? Go ahead, sir. CEO for well built cities. We've been known historically -- we've been working for over 20 years with homeless and working poor folks throughout the city. We have seen throughout the city the kind of devastating impact of gentrification and development, like over time here. So many of the folks, in fact, so much of our work is now taking place in university area because so many of the neighbors we knew when we were headquartered right here have been pushed outside of the city limits. So when I started hearing about the reworx affordable housing, I've been listening to the community concerns around it too, to be honest, we've seen property values in East Tampa skyrocket. I remember not 15 years ago, I was working a nonprofit buying houses in the neighborhood to do for their program, residents. There were 25 -- they were 25k a pop back then. Can't find anything under a quarter million now. That's over 15 years. Some level, it's already taken place. We've already seen the displacement. Heard us talk about home ownership model would be better. That's true. That would be great. But where is it happening and how is it happening? A project like this, an investment like this, started thinking about 5 million, sounds like a lot of money. Huge percentage of the construction cost. Over a 50-year lookup on 80%, heard a recent proposal included units at 50% and 30% AMI in response to requests from the community. That's like a hundred thousand dollars a year to lock up 20 units for 50 years. That is a hundred thousand a year on 20 units. $5,000 a unit for 50 years, that's an -- that to me seems like a SMART use of funds to lock this up because it's inevitable as we see this tide raising. People are displaced left and right. Whatever model we can come up with to secure housing, secure attainable, affordable housing for our neighbors, like our working class neighbors, that we desperately need to stay and remain part of our community, we've got to innovate. We've got to do whatever it takes. Oh, only 20 units, but potentially a model. What if we figure this out. What if we could do infill all over the city? What if we could retain our neighbors and not just see constant displacement. Honestly, even for me, I benefited from the first-time home buyer program through the City of Tampa. I went through that and it was like, I'm college educated, full-time employed. I think I might be the poorest person that program could possibly help. It almost killed me getting in this house. That was before covid, which the numbers are astronomically greater since 2019 when I was able to get in. I don't know if this is a perfect project, perfect investment, I just think we've got to try. We got to do what we can. I do want to encourage you guys to take this investment seriously. To me, it seems like a SMART play for long-term security on working class housing. Thank you.

9:53:49AM Thank you, sir. We appreciate you. Ernest coney junior. CEO of the CDC of Tampa. Want to come out in support of line item 7, 8, 9. 7 is important because we need to increase home ownership in East Tampa. We need to set a goal and we as CRAs, City of Tampa, everyone. We need to get to 75% home ownership rates in East Tampa. That's important for us, and also 9. Think about hurricane season coming, a lot of trees fall down on these homes and then it's like to get to FEMA and insurance doesn't cover things. The specific program to think about the elderly, if trees near homes, how do we prioritize those, especially during hurricane season. Comes to number 8, we heard a lot of comments. Thank you for your comments earlier today. I think we definitely need to figure out how we evaluate these programs. Two things I definitely believe in, number one, are they transformative? We heard about drug access and different things like that. Talk about this project, we're talking about how do we fundamentally change the commerce in East Tampa? Housing is phase one. Behind it also comes commercial which will have University of South Florida, acc and CDC of Tampa creating a fab lab to support the small manufacturing businesses. We have been challenging people. We have to have employment centers in East Tampa. We have to fundamentally change what we're doing in East Tampa. This is the beginning of it. I definitely believe we need to go through a process, figure this out, we need to do that. My greatest issue I have for the fun-lan theater, I love we have affordable housing but didn't do anything from a community benefits standpoint. I can't tell you how many residents in one of the lowest household incomes have gotten jobs on that project. I can't tell you how many black small businesses have gotten opportunities to develop on that because we gave them money and we got excited about the housing. When we started evaluating the projects, we need to think about the economic community and economic and community development perspective. How many jobs will it create? What is the economic and commerce it will change and how do you fundamentally help to transform these areas? Those are some of the reasons that I'm approving those 7, 8, 9. Hopefully we can continue to do this great work and figure this out as a community. We have to pull in the same direction. People come into East Tampa. People leave East Tampa. If we don't leave a legacy that fundamentally transforms East Tampa to be a better city, ultimately our goal is, can we have a transition in the city. Drive out of ybor, East Tampa, 22nd street, you can feel and taste the difference. How do we fundamentally change that?

9:56:31AM Thank you very much, sir. We appreciate you. Next, please. State your name. My name is schlet Davis. I lead a small nonprofit called love INC., love in the name of Christ. It is our mission to mobilize Christian churches in order to transform lives and communities in the name of Christ. I want to speak today in strong support of urban reworx, that development project. Love INC. runs a small volunteer-led help center in downtown Tampa. When I started in this role two years ago in 2023, the average number of requests was 40 per month. That same summer, our requests skyrocketed to 65. Last month alone, we had 85 requests for help. Large majority of those requests are for housing. Loving doesn't have housing. We have resources that are provided by our church partners. Ten of those requests came from our church partners. 48 from individuals, like community members. And 62 came from agencies, much larger than love INC. so we need affordable housing, and we are seeing the human toll of this crisis every single day. The last six months, I worked with at least three suicidal guests. That's what we call our clients. People crushed by housing instability that they have lost hope. People like dale, a former police officer who never imagined needing help. He sent me a suicide letter. Jimmy, a beloved shoe-shine guy formerly working at the oxford exchange. Finally got jimmy housing. A single mom of two boys, one with special needs who received rental assistance only to lose her job literally the next week. We're helping guests like gloria who works full-time at $15 an hour and still unable to make rent. And just recently we got a request from jay, a small business owner, who was referred to us by a leader at the CDC. And just last week, paula, overwhelmed by her housing search, attempted to throw herself in oncoming traffic on Florida Avenue. All because of searching for affordable housing. Urban reworx project is not just another development. It's a lifeline. It tells people like at that keacia, gloria, jimmy, that the community sees them and values them. Neighborhoods like Vm Ybor and East Tampa are worth investing in and longtime residents have a right to remain here. I urge you, please, give your citizens a fighting chance. Fully fund this urban reworx project and keep tampanians in Tampa. Thank you.

9:59:32AM Thank you, ma'am. Next, please. Please state your name. Fyi, for those that bought houses over in Ybor City, live in that area, walk that area, if you think that is the only area that's dealing with prostitution, you got another thing coming. Maybe you need to try Bayshore and downtown where upscale workers work at. I think it's very offensive that people have to describe the neighborhood in which they want the resources by putting the people down. If you didn't like it you shouldn't have never moved there. That's number one. Number two, it is painful also to see now all of these allies that love Ybor City and want the area to be improved, 20 years ago, got not one of their white voices to stand with the black community in East Tampa when we have been trying to eliminate blight and slum in our community. Help our young people from going into the wrath of the criminal justice system. Now what they want is what you want. If it wasn't what you wanted, when the CAC said give them $2 million, you would have supported that. Because you know what? Those informed people knew what they had in their budget. They knew how they wanted to stretch the dollars. They knew how many more people they want to help. But not you. $5 million because we got to do it right now. Take a bond out. Ask the mayor to bond these people so they can get what they want. No, off the backs of poor people. They are impoverished. People that now cannot even get a house in the community. You know why? The houses half a million dollars. I believe it is a well-designed plan that many poor black people won't end up living in East Tampa. We are being forced out, and queen and king's kingdom making it -- I also feel awfully offended that you all don't represent our interests, but you're ready to go there this morning. You're ready to vote on that this morning. We need a representative from district five. Unfortunately, for the untimely death of our councilperson, is we are now taxation without representation. You need to slow this SHIP down. Because, yes, there are a lot of developers coming, but now we are operating first come, first served. How many people can they get up here to plead their case? No urban reworx, ask them to go back and change their plan and see if they can get some housing, section 8 funding and all of that and bring the numbers down, who is going to be the watchdog? You're not following your own policies. You're doing what you think is feasible for your own political future, but you better watch out. You better watch out.

10:02:36AM Thank you, ma'am. Go ahead, Ms. Bullock. State your name if you don't mind. Before you begin speaking, other than Pastor Frank, if you're speaking and you're sitting and you plan on speaking, can you please raise your hand? Okay. We'll get you all. You don't have to get in line until you want to. Just making sure. Valerie bullock from ponce de leon, college hill. This right here was the first rendition of the ybor, Vm Ybor apartments. It was four stories high and supposed to be 30 apartments. That got changed when the barrio Latino committee got involved. This is casa maceo, the man, born, raised, died, buried in Cuba, never been to East Tampa, Ybor City, or Tampa. What do we do? We build apartments on street and 22nd Columbus Drive, we name them casa maceo, and he ain't never did nothing. Who cares about him? He's in Cuba. We had some black people in Tampa who name should have went up there. It's in a black neighborhood. Ybor City gets to flourish off the pain and gentrification of black people. No. one of the nicest guys I met, but this is Tampa airport. It says the cigar museum. It says Ybor City. But they came to East Tampa and got $5 million. With the gasworx, he still over there on Bayshore. And Barrio Latino Commission, they are over it. They are saying what you can build, how you can build it, the color you can paint it. Guess where the funding comes from, East Tampa CRA. That needs to stop. If we got money for developers, we need to have money for the homeowners. We got to move funds from here. Move funds from there to reallocate the tree trimming program. The tree trimming program never should have gotten broke. We need to stop being the laughingstock everybody comes downtown. First they go to East Tampa CRA. East Tampa CRA say, no, we'll override them. We'll go downtown to City Council. We need to stop that. When you can have $5 million home in my neighborhood, but I need a roof, lady next door kitchen floor gone, that's not what the CRA funds were meant for. We need to see a chart every month. CRA funds, where did the money go, to the business owner, to the developers. How much went to the residents? Because apparently we are not getting nothing except bamboozled by developers. Everybody want to come in East Tampa and build, build, build, but they say they don't have no money. The money have to come from East Tampa CRA. Now, it's a shame we have to go in the tree trimming fund or go to the summer youth program to make sure that gas works gets money. They might need to go back to somebody else to get it.

10:06:03AM Thank you, ma'am. We appreciate you. State your name. Tony brown. I'm the vice president of the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council. We're here to support item number 8. It's not just about a project to build housing, it's about a project that's going to invigorate East Tampa and the East Tampa industrial district. Actually, East Tampa is the first phase of the live learn development. We thank you for the confidence you've put in us in terms of allowing the land to allow this project and the East Tampa innovation center to be built. Since 2022, the EDC has been engaged in East Tampa. We completed a plan to look at how can we invigorate the businesses in the industrial district along Columbus Drive between 32nd and 43rd street. This is one of many projects that we've recommended to help invigorate that industrial district. East Tampa works report was a report commissioned by the EDC, and we presented that report to the CRA Staff and it is consistent with the East Tampa strategic action plan, and it is the guiding light for our investment in activities in the East Tampa industrial district. East Tampa is catalytic to the East Tampa works plan. Ashley East Tampa is phase one of the live learn development. Ashley East Tampa will provide affordable housing next to a training facility to provide for high wage, high demand employment opportunities presented by some of our top academic institutions in the region. University of South Florida, Hillsborough College, and the CDC of Tampa. Ashley East Tampa is 100% affordable. Hundred percent of the units will have income restrictions benefiting households earning less than $55,000. Ashley East Tampa will have 68%, set aside 68% of its units that would benefit a household income earning less than $44,000. The CRA investment at $82,000 a unit will be leveraged by integral of 3.5 times. When you add the investment to be made in the economic development component, your investment gets leveraged 6.5 times. We commit to you that the EDC, this is not a one and done project for us. We are committed not only to the entire region, but we are committed to East Tampa. Ashley East Tampa, as I mentioned is phase one of the live learn development. The live learn development is intended to invigorate the East Tampa industrial district. We're not one and done. We know we need to do more. East Tampa has the highest rates of unemployment. Has the highest rates of unemployment and highest rates of --

10:09:14AM Thank you, sir. We appreciate you. Next, please, ma'am. Please state your name. My name is Bishop Michelle b. Patty. I live in Brandon, Florida, which is a part of Hillsborough county, such as the City of Tampa. I was born and raised right here in Hyde Park on north 8th street. I came today because nowhere in the city charter when we get instruction from the attorney to tell us who can and cannot come to a public entity and voice they concern. You allowed a white woman last week who felt like she's privileged and she's entitled to say that the people have to google her and call her to get their concerns heard. This is the year 2025. We've been free for quite a long time. I'm standing here because we have young interns, we have young people that listen to the City Council meeting, and I want them to fully understand what their rights are as citizens. Nobody can tell us when or where or how we can speak. I've been looking around the room for Karen. I don't see her this morning, but not only do I live in Brandon, I fully own my home because I believe, my husband and I, we worked hard. We paid our bills, and we paid our house off early because of the learning that I received by being a resident of this Hillsborough county, 1508 north 8th street in a house that was fully paid for. I will not tolerate disrespect personally nor to the people that I represent. If people want to call me and voice they concern, they are able to do that, and I'm going to bring the concern whether it be to the mayor or to the City Council. But nobody is going to tell me what we can and cannot do in this age of time. So the City Council, you all need to take control of your meetings and stop the blatant disrespect because all this ignorance that has been going on is uncalled for. There are real issues, people are facing real problems, people need a place to live. They even need a place to die. But we're not going to take any more disrespect. So I don't know who pushing up or who told her that she have the privilege to talk like she did last week. Because you can't say anything back, I had to wait and come down here today. Make it my business to let you all know that I will not tolerate disrespect. I don't disrespect anyone and no karens are going to get up here and disrespect me or the people that choose to call me. Nobody have to google her or call her. And her friends, if they are egging this foolishness on, that's on them. That's a message for everybody. Thank you so much.

10:12:21AM Thank you, ma'am. Next speaker, please state your name. I didn't grow up in Tampa. I'm actually from atlanta. I've just been listening to the people. I'm here to support the reworx program or the project. However, listening to the people, everybody wants development in this particular area. I understand affordable housing, the parts of the community fears that the development will push them out. As well as there's I guess prostitution or drug doing that a gentleman spoke of that he doesn't like. Does development need to happen? Everybody seems to agree that it does need to happen. But what happens after the development? Everyone deserves a place to stay. Everyone deserves to have a house. It sounds like more people are more concerned about the funding as opposed to the safety and caring of people. We're all people here. No matter the color, the race, or where you come from, we're all people, and we're all people under the eyes of god. None of us are better or worse than the other. Should development take place in an area that sounds like it's been left to just be there, it should. Yet, what is the entire community going to do? The City Council, you are here to serve the people. The people, you are here to serve the community and we are all a community as opposed to spitting out anger, discussing the problems over and over and over again. This is an opportunity for a solution that can be a foundation moving forward. We just need love. A young lady spoke that you have suicide because people don't have anywhere to go. You have people that are afraid that they are going to be pushed out of their community. That's another version where somebody can possibly take their life. This is a moment where everybody in this room, we can be better for each other. Support the development, but after that, there has to be a solution because we all have to be able to work together and create partnerships. That's what we should be discussing as opposed to more of the funding. The funding is going to take place, but we have to think about each other's lives. That's all I have to say.

Lynn Hurtak

10:14:57AM Thank you. Who wants to go next? Please don't forget to state your name. Thanks for letting me come in. My name is John day. I was born and raised in st. pete. Went to the university of Florida and then went north and spent most of my life in Pennsylvania and Connecticut. And came down for my 50th high school reunion and hooked up with a girl I took to the prom. I was happy to come back to Tampa. Because one of the cool things about Tampa, I remember my parents when they had a big occasion, like an anniversary or something, they would come to Tampa for the columbia restaurant. So Tampa was always, ooh, even bigger. At any rate, I love Tampa. It's great. I live over in Tampa baptist manor, just over the bridge by ut. I worship downtown at the portico -- the portico. So I have a heart for the city. I like the city. And now I want to speak in favor of item number 1, the project in ybor. It seems like it's going to get people working there who live there, they are going to be able to have jobs building it, and they are going to be able to afford to live there. It seems like a great idea. And now that's a proximal goal. I wish you would lift your eyes a little bit above just the emergency now and think about ten years from now. We really need affordable housing. What we really need is like a ten-story high-rise for homeless people. With wraparound psychiatric units, psychiatric care and medical care. If they are homeless, you won't have to have a parking garage, you know, you have it made. Let's keep moving ahead. Get one project done. We have to do something for the homeless guys, too. We have to maintain our businesses and our local folks living where they are.

10:17:42AM You have 30 seconds.

10:17:44AM Okay. Thank you so much. Next. If there's anybody else besides Pastor Williams, please make sure to stand up. Robin Lockett. I'm here to speak in regards to item number 1 and 8. I know there are questions regarding the funding of item number 1, but I supported this development with the last meeting, and I still support it. I had questions because a lot of things were undecisive or unclear based on the last council meeting. I have since spoken with the developer and all of my concerns have been answered. I know there are questions in regards to how much would be funded by. We have a housing crisis. No ifs, ands, buts about it. We can't build five-story buildings with big units in every spot of the city. This site here offers an opportunity to build in clusters. Few here, few there, throughout the community, throughout the city to be honest. It's a good project. Outside of whatever happens with the funding. But the idea and the makeup of it with 20 units, six being 50%, 2 being 30%, that's a good number, right? I do support this. In regards to number 8, I supported that in a council meeting also. Again, a hundred units with manufacturing tool to it. People can walk to work or walk to get training. I support that. I hear all the time with my organization, members saying where are the trainings? Where are the trainings? I point to erwin. What's at erwin? This offers another avenue for that also. I support both items. Thank you for your time. Oh, one other thing. Yellow jackets, in the budget. Thank you.

10:20:16AM Okay. Thank you so much. Pastor Williams. 1112 East Scott Street. Somehow or another we got me out of that house, out of that church. You know what? I thank god for all the comments they have made. I don't want to turn my back on you all. I want you all to look at me. Thank god for everything you did and what you said. I hope it's been recorded. You know what? They come up with me, hold all the foolishness. We got to speak peacefully. I got to commend you. Thank you for what you're doing. Keep doing what you're doing. God is going to bless you, regardless whether the people like it or not. I come up here, I told you I wanted to be last, but I'm not last. We got to thank god for another day of living. Thank him for his blessings. We act like we want to ignore what god has done for us. He is the one who woke us up this morning. Tell him thank you. Whether you all agree with me or not. It's true. I look at the situation in Tampa, Florida, place called East Tampa, we don't want to do nothing for them. I don't even know whether it's in the budget to help people in East Tampa. Look like don't nobody give a damn. But we got to care about ourselves. I'm so happy for the comments that the people made around here. I'm grateful to them. They said a whole lot that I wanted to say. I'm not going to repeat it again. But god is good to all of us. You want to know what, I got to keep on moving. You got to keep on moving. God bless the old, the young, the ugly. It don't make no difference how we look. God bless all of us and he love us all, too. God has stricken me to come here another day. I'm grateful to god for what he's doing for me. You ought to be grateful, too. Live to become an old man and I'm grateful to god that he let me live 87 years. That's a blessing. Some of you all won't make it that far, but god is so good to us. Ringing that bell on me now. Mean I got to sit down. Joseph capitano, he come down here a few times. You know what, he donated boys and girls club to the school. You know what they did? They sold it. That's a shame. Sold it and then gave him a brown -- for the boys and girls club. Build some high-rises on there. Uh-oh, I got to go now.

10:23:33AM Thank you so much. Anyone else that would like to speak this morning? Okay. Public comment is now closed. Where are we next? Mr. McCray.

Cedric McCray

10:23:52AM Good morning again. Cedric McCray, Tampa CRA director. Per the request that was made list month at the June 12 meeting, item number 1, urban reworx was requested to appear first on the agenda. We will gladly have that. Before we get to that item, item number 8 was never officially approved for or pulled from the agenda for discussion. I'd like to see if we could do that at this time.

Lynn Hurtak

10:24:23AM I have a motion from board member Maniscalco and a second from board member Miranda. All in favor? Any opposed? Item 8 will be moved from -- moved to staff reports.

Luis Viera

10:24:38AM Thank you very much. Thank you, madam vice-chair. Go ahead, Mr. McCray.

Cedric McCray

10:24:42AM I was just articulating that urban reworx would be up first. Their representatives are here. And then Ms. Parks is on virtually to address any questions that may come up related to the application and process moving forward. Thank you.

Luis Viera

10:24:56AM Thank you very much. Are the petitioners for number one up? Roughly how long do you think you and your clients need?

10:25:13AM We'll set the timer for five just in case. David singer for the applicant. Good morning, board members. Like I said, I would be very brief. You heard a lot on June 12. We don't need to rehash all of that. You certainly heard a lot during public comment. I think pretty overwhelmingly positive. I just want to refresh you a little bit on some of the important notes with this request and hopefully give you enough information to approve the full request. I think one of the most important things to understand is the agreement that was struck last time about the mix of units here. 30% of AMI for two units, 50% for six, and 80% for 12. This is locked in over 50 years tied to the AMI. That is 20 years longer than usual. That is going to be a big savings to the residents, a big boost to the residents. Certainly affordable housing is overwhelmingly needed. But it's needed in the context of everything else that's going on in our country, in our state, and our community. People are about to be struggling pretty mightily with medical expenses. Struggling significantly trying to find employment with education funding. This is a significant piece of the puzzle that we can do locally in an area of our city that needs help and for residents that need help. We're asking for 20 units that can be online quicker than any other affordable housing project in the city. That's why we're here today with significant community support. I will enter into the record these 81 letters of support from the community, including organizations, but also including residents. I want to take note of how many individual residents are supporting this project in this part of the community because they know it's needed. So we're here to answer your questions. We believe you have enough information already. Maybe more than enough information. And we ask for your full approval for the funding request. Thank you very much.

10:27:37AM Thank you, Mr. Singer. Appreciate you, sir. Board member Maniscalco. What I'll do, guys, I think we do this under council, is five minutes for first round and then three minutes your second time speaking. Third time speaking, you get 10 seconds. Go ahead.

Guido Maniscalco

10:27:51AM My question will go to Mr. McCray. Mr. McCray, what is the ask here? What is the dollar amount?

Cedric McCray

10:28:02AM From the applicant, it was $5 million.

Guido Maniscalco

10:28:04AM What was the recommendation from the CAC?

Cedric McCray

10:28:07AM The recommendation from the staff and the community advisory committee in East Tampa was 2 million.

Guido Maniscalco

10:28:11AM 2 million, you're looking at the budget and what's available within the East Tampa CRA.

Cedric McCray

10:28:18AM That's correct.

Guido Maniscalco

10:28:20AM We had a long briefing yesterday, you and I. This could be one of several many projects. This is the beginning of what I see it, and we have to look at what's available and how we can I don't want to say spread the wealth, but I don't want to start dedicating huge amounts of money here and here and here and have to cut this and cut that and what not. The gentleman that spoke at public comment, Mr. Dengler, I think explained it more clearly than any other way I've heard it. And this is not, Mr. Singer Mentioned it, it's not 30 years. This is 50 years. Lock in 20 units. It's different from the first presentation which was 80% AMI. This shows a variety of it. So it would be able to help more people at different percentages. I know that corridor very well. I've seen very little changes in that corridor in the last 20 years because I would take it every day to go to hcc in ybor 20 years ago. Biggest change south of Martin Luther King, reconfiguration of the road. Two lanes each north and south to the road diet in the center median. But that's it. It's a very important historic area of Vm Ybor, going into ybor, as gateway into Ybor City, gateway into downtown. Coming off Martin Luther King. You see a lot of investment for a long time. I had a conversation with somebody this morning about the damage that the interstate did when it came through in the late 1950s and expanded. Those neighborhoods haven't recovered. West Tampa was affected. Ybor was affected. This area was affected. Anyways, things that happened under the Eisenhower administration, we're feeling the effects today. People are moving back to that community. Neighborhood associations are strengthening each and every day. I heard about a Nebraska Avenue, like a business corridor that now exists. We've heard from residents. Ms. Martinez, Mr. Creighton was here. This is the beginning of a transformational positive, maybe a renaissance. We see what happened in Tampa Heights with armature works. I used to drive through there all the time with my grandmother. The catalyst, the growth in that area. And I think this is going to further expand it not just because of this project, but this is one of many that I hope come online. It needs it. We talk about affordable housing. Robin Lockett spoke. That's how I met her for the need of affordable housing. We've heard from a woman who is sitting in the back in the blue shirt, talking about the need for affordable housing. This isn't going to solve everything. This is a piece of the puzzle. I think 50 years, you put somebody in permanent housing, 50 years is a long time. I'm 41. That's me at 91, if I should live that long. Pastor Williams says 87 years old, we have to thank god for that. But this is something where people can have a place to live, sleep at night and not have to worry that they are going to be out on the street at a variety of different incomes. Yes, it's 20 units, but it's better than what was proposed before and we're touching more people and giving more opportunity. I want to support it, but I want to support it with the CAC said, $2 million and with the staff recommendation was. The 5 million, I get it. $5 million. But $2 million is what was recommended, it makes sense. That's where I want to be at. Thank you.

Luis Viera

10:32:10AM Thank you, board member Maniscalco. Now, in terms of folks to speak, I saw lights, first board member Miranda. I don't know which one of you all first. Go ahead, sir.

Charlie Miranda

10:32:20AM Times have changed. Things have changed. The problem is, you still have the same problem. Used to be three areas call affordable housing in Tampa when I was growing up in Tampa. Robles park, ponce de leon, and college hill. And they were always full. Always aligned to -- always a line to get in. I guess back when my parents applied, somehow they got in. They had to wait, but they got in. We had more kids to play with than ever before in every neighborhood. If you go back and do an interlocal study of those three, where are the residents, the child, the kids of the parents that went in there, you'll be amazed how many doctors and lawyers came out of there, how many professional people worked, how well they did in school, and I'm not talking about myself. I'm talking about others that were really successful. They work and understood what it was and they always helped somebody else. And they worked to help somebody else get out of where they were at. There were none of these programs around. If there were, I don't think anybody knew about it. When you look at this, has it made a difference? Yes. My colleague, Mr. Maniscalco spoke about the money. You can't put all that kind of money into one area and be successful. I don't know what the CRS are going to do. I know the ending is within nine or ten years in some. And then what? So you can't say fund 20 years when you only have 8 years left. I'm not talking specific about this CRA. But you have to understand where we are at today. What happens if you do what they want to do to the next one that applies? Is it going to be 5 million or 10 million? I understand what's going on, but I want to make sure that the skin is played both ways from the CRA and from the developer. But how do those units come about, Robles park, college hill and ponce de leon? No CRAs then. Came from the federal government. That's how the Housing Authority came about. They are the ones that ran it. They had the offices, and they collected the rent. I don't know what the rent was, guarantee you, less than $40 a month. But things were different, but they are still the same. $40 a month then, now it's $400 a month now. Or more. So what I'm saying is, there's got to be a medium piece so that everybody can have an opportunity to live, no matter if it is 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, because there's nothing affordable now. The reason I bought the house that I lived, horseback, 1968, that price of the house was 12,600. Three bedroom, one bath. The reason I bought that house because the payments would be $69 a month, include a second mortgage of $7 included in the $69. I didn't buy the one on paris street because it was $119. I remember the conversation with my wife. We could not afford 119. We could afford the 69. That's why I bought the house. Borrowed money from my uncle for the down payment. So what I'm saying, everybody has to have skin in the game. Family to help family. That's how I got my start. I'm saying that I'd like to continue this and make sure everybody has -- this administration, let me change railroad tracks for a minute. Has done more affordable housing than maybe the last two administrations put together. Not that they didn't want to do it. They had so many other priorities. Everything was shut down. No downtown. Ybor City was struggling, Convention Center was struggling. Everybody was struggling. So they didn't have the capital to do it. The one I feel most for, mayor iorio. Took office with nothing to do, no money to spend and did a marvelous job of running the city. Yes, lay off 750 some employees of the City of Tampa. But she had the courage to do that to bring it back. If she hadn't done that, we would still be in the hole. We have to be careful how we do it. Not against the project, but the $5 million scares the hell out of me because it will be something greater after this.

Luis Viera

10:36:53AM Thank you, board member Miranda.

Bill Carlson

10:37:00AM Just a clarification, this administration, this city in the last six years spent more on affordable housing than I think any previous city, but 80 or so percent of the money was allocated either by City Council or the CRA, not the administration. A very small amount was put in by the administration. The administration took credit for it, but it was mostly CRA money. I would like to ask Mr. Singer a couple of questions. You said there was an agreement from the last meeting just to go through what happened. The community came to us privately and in the meetings and said, look, 80% AMI is not enough. We need rooms for people who don't make that much. So the developer voluntarily offered to put units in at 50% and 30% AMI, is that correct?

10:37:48AM There is an additional cost to the developer for cash flow over 50 years because of that, correct?

10:37:55AM Do you have any idea what that additional number is?

10:38:00AM Over 50 years or just -- it's an up front number.

10:38:06AM That's like present value.

10:38:10AM Did the developer ask for 6 million instead of 5 or keep it at 5?

10:38:17AM I would like to ask Ms. Parks some questions. Ms. Parks, we spoke, Mr. McCray, and you and I spoke yesterday, I would like to ask you some of the questions I asked yesterday, just so they are on the record so the public can hear the answers to them. Not trying to ask tough questions or put you on the spot. Apologize for the questions. Want to make sure the public hears the information. Is Ms. Parks here?

10:38:42AM Number one, you recommended in your document hundred thousand dollars per unit? What is the basis of the hundred thousand per unit versus any other number?

Belix Parks

10:38:58AM B. Parks, community development coordinator. So the basis of the 100k per unit, Mr. Day's application, stated 2 million as his own sweat equity. So wean I'm looking at funding projects, we typically do not fund more than 50% of construction costs by the CRA in some past cases.

Bill Carlson

10:39:25AM The particular hundred thousand, the community thinks that is an arbitrary number --

Belix Parks

10:39:31AM That is higher than normal, correct. That is higher than normal. But looking at construction costs, which are averaging 280 to about 300 currently, I came to the calculation based off of our budget as well that 100k can support the project, even by standards, that's higher than any municipality in the State of Florida through a CRA --

Bill Carlson

10:39:55AM I might cut you off sometimes and I apologize in advance. They are putting me to a timer. I want to move and ask additional questions. You created a chart that you recommended a few months ago based on the benchmarking you did. The developer relied on the numbers in the chart, but you didn't use the numbers. You just stated that you in part looked at the budget and the future potential applications that are coming in. Is it not true that the implication that we have in our current process is that we have a first in, first out system, but you're also comparing other applications and future potential applications?

Belix Parks

10:40:34AM Yes. The matrix also need for perimeters, due to construction costs.

Bill Carlson

10:40:41AM Now you're saying that hundred thousand is even more than the benchmark number, but you recommended a much higher number in the spreadsheet, correct?

Belix Parks

10:40:49AM Correct.

Bill Carlson

10:40:51AM Just now you said you used the --

Belix Parks

10:40:54AM Based off of construction cost.

Bill Carlson

10:40:59AM Yesterday we talked about the gap analysis. Isn't it true that the gap between the market rate rent and the subsidized rent is a much bigger number over 50 years than the construction costs? So if they could charge, for example, 3,000 a month for market rate and only charge a thousand, they are losing $2,000 a month and you have to take whatever that number is with inflation over 50 years and present value of it, correct? Is she still there? Ms. Parks? Are you still there, Ms. Parks?

Luis Viera

10:41:41AM Are you there, ma'am?

Bill Carlson

10:41:52AM Maybe she'll come back. Who made the decision to use the construction cost method versus the gap analysis?

Cedric McCray

10:41:58AM That was conversations, when we were developing, we were having conversations with members of the board in soliciting feedback and also some of the practices that Ms. Parks was --

Bill Carlson

10:42:12AM City staff influence that decision or benchmark that you all did on the outside? Did City staff influence that decision or did you all look at benchmarking on the outside as the matrix here?

Cedric McCray

10:42:24AM That was benchmarking outside.

Belix Parks

10:42:26AM I'm back on.

Bill Carlson

10:42:34AM Yesterday, you said you did a gap analysis. Do you remember -- so that's looking at 50 years of the gap of the market rate versus the subsidized rate. Do you remember what the total number was over 50 years?

Belix Parks

10:42:47AM It's around $7 million. If you look at market versus the affordable rent.

Bill Carlson

10:42:55AM That is the present value of whatever the projection is over 50 years?

Belix Parks

10:42:59AM Correct.

Bill Carlson

10:43:00AM Have you modified that based on the new proposal to go to 50% and 30% AMI?

Belix Parks

10:43:08AM I looked at -- first of all, that gap, there are two different parts of this. To answer your question, no. because, again, based off of the budget, that's all that could be supported for the project. -- at the workshop when I present how we process --

Bill Carlson

10:43:32AM I was saying earlier, there is a difference between looking at construction because construction is just one cost element and the overall gap analysis evaluation over 50 years. Do you know, Mr. Singer, what the total, if you did a gap analysis, what the total number would be over 50 years?

Luis Viera

10:43:55AM Come to the podium whenever you answer. Thank you. Folks in the audience, no conversations, please. Thank you.

Bill Carlson

10:44:00AM Ms. Parks, was the CAC presented the developer's proposal for 5 million or were they presented a recommendation by staff for 2 million?

Belix Parks

10:44:14AM They were presented the proposal of 5 million and then a memo to the CAC explaining why our counter offer was 2 million.

Bill Carlson

10:44:24AM Did the CAC do its own analysis of 5 million versus 2 million looking at a gap analysis? Or did they just go based on this recommendation by staff? Based on construction costs?

Belix Parks

10:44:37AM I can't speak for the CAC. What I presented is what went off of. I can't speak if they did their own gap analysis on the project.

Bill Carlson

10:44:47AM What I've heard in feedback is that the CAC went off the recommendation of staff rather than looking at a full gap analysis. If that's wrong, let me know. One of the concerns in the community in the past, city and CRA process has been that we help big companies but not small companies. This is an example of a small business and examples of nonprofits that have been complaining to us for years that they don't -- that they have a disadvantage in applying for things. Without asking a bunch of other questions, this process, as I said earlier and I sent out a memo and gave it to the clerk, if we're comparing construction costs to gap analysis as apples and oranges, comparing a project where the city is donating land as apples and oranges, so I think we need to come up with a consistent process that treats people fairly. Did you figure out what the gap analysis number is? Give the financial analysis. I understand this is difficult to compare. I used to work for Rhode Island housing. I live here now in pinellas county. I sat on the inside and tried to review these applications. The project in front of you today is 20 units. Sometimes these projects get compared to larger projects. Larger projects are applicable for more subsidy. It's my job, and every underwriter's job on any development team, to try to figure out how we get the project funded. We look at all the sources available to the project. In the urban reworx project 20 units today, it doesn't qualify for what we call low income house credits. Much larger project. Typically more than 50, probably more than 70 units to achieve tax credits. This is a small infill project. They are more expensive from a subsidy perspective for a large project. We backed into the funds that are available between thad's equity, cash, he already put up into the project, the land, the construction costs, and we've come to $250,000 per unit. We still are going to request for material tax rebate --

10:47:02AM Do you know what the total gap analysis is over 50 years? Present value -- purely market and compared to restricted rents and that delta, that gap, in the first year, it's $180,000, first year. We all know rents have increased. Increased over 30% over the past five years. We're projecting 3% annually. 3% annually over 50 years that gap grows to $20 million over 50 years. $20 million --

10:47:33AM Present value?

10:47:37AM So my point is that if we're comparing 10 million, $9 million in construction costs versus 20 million in gap, it's a different calculation. If you argue that the construction is 5 million or 9 million, whatever number you want to pick and then 2 million or 5 million is a bigger difference. But if the gap, which is the real money that they are going to be expending, cost of construction is one input into that. So 20 years over -- 20 million over 50 years, then 5 million is only 25%. So that makes the calculation totally different. And if we're going to -- as you said, if we help small businesses and small nonprofits, they are not going to be able eligible for maybe state and federal funding. So the CRA will have to close that gap. I'll just end by one other thing, if you read section 163 CRA law, it specifically talks about affordable housing as one of the line items, one of the key line items we should be spending money on. I believe we are exactly where we are in trying to do this. Another thing I should say, we know from experience in the '60s and '70s, that large dents, concentrations of poverty are not a good idea. So all the recommendations of social scientists is to spread affordable units throughout a community, have diversity of product, diversity of geographic location so that we can build communities with lots of different income levels. This serves all of that.

Luis Viera

10:49:07AM Thank you, councilman. Thank you very much. Thank you, gentleman. Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

10:49:15AM Yes. Where to start. I think based on a lot of public comment and the developer's presentation, I probably go out on a limb and say every board member up here could stipulate that it's a nice project. It will be good for the community. It's a nice project. The problem -- I think we could all stipulate that. It's good. But I think where the problem is, at what cost? Because, unfortunately, we only have x number of dollars for projects in the City of Tampa. X number of dollars for projects in the CRAs. I think that's where we're all hung up on. If we do this, then what are we missing out on? When trying to weigh apples to apples and oranges to oranges as we look at things. Random thoughts as we talk about these things. One in 50 years, we'll have a 50-year-old building. Try to amortize costs over 50 years, pick my lottery numbers for me because I think that's going to be really arbitrary to try to really create a science of this over a 50-year period. Is that building going to be standing in 50 years? I don't think we're building it out of marble. Infill, when I look at infill developments, I would consider infill developments not necessarily on these major streets like a Nebraska or MLK or a lake or columbus. I would look at infill as we have lots of properties in our neighborhoods that are available for development for housing, for people that live in those communities. Right set the conversation, 80% AMI for one bedroom unit, 80% AMI is 1565, did I pull that number up correctly?

10:51:05AM That's for a one bedroom. Two bedrooms almost $1900. Like 1878. It's really difficult to say that we're building housing for people that live in East Tampa. I get we need housing. I hear a lot in public comments specifically about what this project should be, and it was -- I had a little bit of a disconnect from what the project is versus that. You're not hearing anything new for the first time. Because the first meeting we had, I gave you my concerns about this. Upfront and honest about this project from day one. Table or no table. I want to go back to what we were talking about when we did the agenda review, to the credit of the CRA Staff and Ms. Parks, when they presented that table, it was up to. I think those words -- I fought it at that time, by the way. If anybody remembers the conversation, I didn't like the table. I thought it was disingenuous, misleading, to their credit, it wasn't an absolute. It wasn't intended to be a you're guaranteed this. I think the CRA Staff has clearly explained that maximum in the state is like $80,000 per unit for construction costs. Which I think is fairly -- honestly, seems to be very generous for these projects. But when we start talking about these type of figures. I had a question for staff. 5 million, 2 million, 3 million, a million, do you have to reprogram money to get this amount or is it already in a pot designated for this purpose?

Cedric McCray

10:53:01AM Yes, dollars would --

Belix Parks

10:53:02AM Can I speak on that?

Cedric McCray

10:53:04AM Go ahead, Ms. Parks.

Belix Parks

10:53:06AM Yes, I'm sorry about that, sir.

Cedric McCray

10:53:08AM That's all right.

Belix Parks

10:53:09AM Currently, as it stands for the $2 million offer, under the unit creation line item in our budget, we can sustain that $2 million offer for three years. Comes out to be like 666 -- per year. Yes.

Alan Clendenin

10:53:29AM If applicant's wish granted full funding 5 million for construction cost, would that money have to be reprogrammed? If so, where would that money come from?

Belix Parks

10:53:42AM That money will have to be reprogrammed. Two pots of money. Mr. McCray can -- infrastructure line item and then we have also East Tampa improvement line item that we use as well. If we have to move forward with that $5 million ask.

Alan Clendenin

10:54:09AM Reprogram additional 3 million from other things like down payment assistance, those type of programs, am I correct?

Belix Parks

10:54:16AM No. 30% for fiscal 2025 is already set. I would have to reprogram out of another pot of money. Nothing within the 30% allocation.

Alan Clendenin

10:54:29AM What programs reprogrammed from?

Cedric McCray

10:54:31AM Specifically probably the Neighborhood Infrastructure line item. You have something, a couple of items on the agenda today where we will be pulling or reprogramming dollars from that funding source. Nine times out of ten, that's where it would be coming from.

Alan Clendenin

10:54:50AM If it was 80,000, like 1.6 or if it was 2 million, what would be the impact, like we have another agenda item coming on today, could we fund both of the projects without reprogramming money?

Belix Parks

10:55:07AM No.

Alan Clendenin

10:55:12AM Can you state again which funds -- if we funded both of these programs, let's say even at the reduced level of 2 million and we get to the next item on this agenda and we were to fund that ask, which is a much bigger project, of course, where would all that money come from? What line items would that money have to come from?

Cedric McCray

10:55:34AM We would definitely have to reprogram from existing housing programs specific to down payment assistance, creation and conversion. We were going to have these discussions during the budget presentation under the director's report. I will speak specifically to East Tampa. The CAC during our several budget workshops in may and June, we're trying to get to at least 50% of the budget because we have forecasted that there were going to be a number of requests coming through the CAC to the board. I will tell you that based on some of the commitments that we've had budgetarily in East Tampa, we were able to get it up to 46%. What you all have seen in the presentation that will be forthcoming is the 30% designated by the board, but the East Tampa CAC specifically asked that more money be placed for affordable housing initiatives in East Tampa because that has been the priority. I believe that exact amount is 46.1%. Ms. Parks can correct me if I'm wrong. We know we have some projects that will be forthcoming that are currently in the queue and will be coming in the next fiscal year, but we're trying to anticipate and get as much money as we can to assist and try to spread that around to as many projects.

Alan Clendenin

10:56:56AM Again, I want to say, I like the project. Obviously you have put a lot of work and a lot of effort into this. I said this time and time again. My biggest concern, I'm really sensitive with the areas, especially East Tampa CRA, these are some of the poorest residents in the City of Tampa and some of the poorest taxpayers in the City of Tampa. The taxes -- coming from some of the poorest homeowners and businesses in the City of Tampa. So when we're taking money from poor people and what we're doing with it, it caused me a big pause. We're not talking about funding from downtown or channelside or some of the areas where we have a lot more opulence and wealth. I think we have to be really diligent and really cognizant of that fact of who is paying this bill. I don't want -- when I make this decision, it's not going to be about whether this is a good project or bad project. It's about where the money is coming from, who is paying the taxes on that money, and what good is coming back to the community, that roi. That's my opinion. I'm out of time. Thank you.

Luis Viera

10:58:03AM Board member Hurtak. I would again, ask, please, folks, I'm hearing a lot of murmuring in the audience. Please, no speaking while here. Thank you.

Lynn Hurtak

10:58:14AM Thanks. I'm going to disagree with board member Clendenin about your definition of infill because we're going through a comp plan right now where we're saying absolutely no density increases in these areas that you think are the only places for infill. So I want you to think about that and the density because there is infill that we need to do along these corridors. These corridors right now, a lot of them are single story, old strip malls and things like that. Yeah, infill is just a different -- it's just a different type of infill. This we're talking about low and, quite frankly, the developer initially wanted to do four stories but the barrio Latino said no. that's arbitrary. We're the ones that worked with the barrio Latino, I mean, I believe that -- I'm really sorry. I have a hard time hearing. If you want to talk, I'm going to ask you to go out into the lobby to chat. Please, I cannot hear both of you all at the same time. That's what I'm thinking for infill. Infill is the definite issue. I am completely torn with this project. I know the amount of money we have is not enough to do this and more things. But I do believe in the transformationalness of this particular project on this particular piece of land. I think one of my questions I want to ask the developer's representative or if the developer wants to speak is what happens if the board only gives you $2 million, can you still build this project? I appreciate that the ask is a lot of money. $2 million is a lot of money. 5 million. The difference between the 2 million and 5 million is 5 million gets the project done and we will deliver 20 affordable housing units that people can lay their heads in at night and deliver them soon approximately three to four months we'll commence our 18-month construction process. $2 million to me is also a generous amount and we would be grateful to receive it, but it's delay because that does not complete the capital stack. Then the question is, what do we do? We would seek alternative sources of funding that may exist through the City of Tampa, the county, or the state, the feds. We will continue our effort to deliver affordable housing to this community and to put heads in beds. That's why I'm here. That's what I care about. Whether that happens or not, I really can't -- I don't want to make commitments to the community that I don't know that I can fulfill and I don't know where that subsidy comes from. I've spent two and a half years on the journey asking City of Tampa leaders how do we build affordable housing, who is going to pay for it? What level of subsidy is available? I've done everything asked of me and here we are ready to go. This board can approve this project and get it done today. The 2 million to me is delay and more delay. I don't know what happens in the context of delay. I do also need to clarify and like to submit some letters of support for the record. Just before we lose our time. Make sure we get those in. But the agreement that we made at the board's request at the last hearing to reduce the subsidy level not just -- I was originally asked to build 80% AMI. That is the missing middle and the level that has the least amount of subsidy available is the level that the city needs to focus its funding efforts on. I was told that. I didn't invent that. I've learned through this journey and we're happy to offer lower AMI subsidy levels that we're not seeking funding for, but if we get less than the full amount of our special projects grant, I think we'd have to revert back to the 80% AMI level, which might be disappointing. I'd love to get the best residents the most needy and deserving residents in our housing as quickly as we can and continue doing our best to do that.

11:02:38AM That was going to be my next question. So that makes sense. I'm really curious to hear what the rest of my council members have to say. I'm holding the budget in my hands right now, so I know how little money there is. And this is the conundrum of if we give this amount of money, this project may not happen. I'm uncomfortable with that. I also have issues with number in a 8 Different Way. I don't know.

Luis Viera

11:03:23AM Thank you, board member Hurtak. Now we'll go second round. I want to speak before that, obviously. In terms of my views on this, I support this project. I do it under a lot of different views. Number one is, this is a real corridor game changer that I think we have to support as much as we can up to the $5 million. That's something we can't lose track of, this radically transforms a corridor that has been tragically ignored in Tampa, area where virtually no investment in, the infrastructure, the roads, housing, the people there and so forth. And this is something that really changes that. We also have, when I say community support, I think this is organic, sincere community support, from the heart. The folks who spoke here, spoke from the heart. They don't have a dime to begin from this. And they spoke from the heart. I think of my good friend schlet who does such a wonderful job wearing so many different hats. She talked about, again, speaking from the heart. Talking about those letters of people who are missing housing. Don't have access to affordable and accessible housing and thinking of taking their own lives. That's terrible. You know what? That happens to a lot of people who reach rock bottom. There are a lot of things in life where there's black and white and hundred percent right or hundred percent wrong. Then there is the gray. I recognize some of the issues that folks who are pushing back on this. Some of the issues asserted are not unreasonable. But I think the overwhelming rationale for this is to strongly support it. I also think about, and I know I'm comparing apples to oranges here, some of the other CRAs and what we've done there with big ask us. Go to different things. Today, for example, dealing with a procedural issue that I'll support for the museum of art. I voted against part 2 of the museum of art when we ended up giving $25 million, also $25 million to the straz center. I voted -- strike that, for the entire thing of that. In my view, those were projects that stretched double into a home run. By shrinking this, we're shrinking a home run into a single. And that's not right. And by voting this down and making this project in effect impossible, we'll probably be killing this project. So what I think we have to explore in the time that we have, if the votes are not there for the full amount, people talk about two, people talk about five. There are a lot of numbers in between there. And see what we can get done to save this project as much as we can. Again, I'm willing to vote yes on this today, but I'm also hearing what council members say. And if we want to get to yes with the greatest amount given, we have to have that discussion. In terms of what amount can go forward to still get this project done. Again, I'm a yes on this. 100%, but if the votes aren't there, then let's talk about saving the project, I think. Board member Carlson and board member Clendenin and then Councilman Maniscalco.

Bill Carlson

11:06:29AM A few things, I agree with the community that the lines for the East Tampa CRA should have been drawn the way they are and maybe somebody can brief us later on why they were drawn that way. Conceivably, we could go to the county commission and try to get them moved. It's not true that poor people are paying for the taxes in Ybor City. What's happening is that part of Ybor City is in the CRA. For example, sanchez y haya over the life of the project, it will generate more than the subsidy. I don't like using that as an analysis, but we're not taking money from people who can barely afford to pay their bills to give to rich people. It's actually the opposite. That ybor corridor is going to be contributing to the overall good of East Tampa. I think in the long run, it might be beneficial for that to be there. But I think we need to be sensitive to that issue. The real concern the community has, what are we doing for the people in the heart of East Tampa? We have to get more serious about projects there. The problem as people have said is that the people with money, the big companies, the resources come forward and they propose projects, and then they get approved, but they are not necessarily in the heart of East Tampa. And we need to try to figure out how organizations can work with the community. This is an example of a developer who is not really a developer. He was somebody who volunteered in the community and then trying to solve the problem, he identified in volunteering the community, he's trying to develop this. Mr. McCray, you talked about at 40% affordable housing, which the CAC asked for it, there's about 6.7 million in the next year.

Cedric McCray

11:08:09AM Yes, that's what is being proposed.

Bill Carlson

11:08:10AM But there's also a bank of money building up because the City staff wouldn't let us move projects forward. Is that seven point something?

Cedric McCray

11:08:17AM Ms. Parks, do you have that exact number?

Belix Parks

11:08:23AM Yes. So currently, I'm going to break down that 7.5 because you're mentioning 7.5. The rollover would not be 7.5. It would actually come up to 3.5. Because as of right now, we are set to encumber in the rehab program, which is one of the most monumental programs right now --

Bill Carlson

11:08:51AM Support the rehab program -- but the point I'm making is that we did not set a criteria in advance. And this is an evolution of the process, and we're board guiding the process, because we did not set these rules. We put you guys in a difficult situation. Because we did not explain whether first in, first out, look at it quarterly or twice a year, we're in a situation where if you look at the project individually, we don't have to shuffle the money around us. If you look at the project plus the $9 million project plus whatever else is in the pipeline, then we have to shuffle money around. Isn't that correct? The problem is the developer thought we were first in, first out. Instead we're anticipating all these other projects. If we only approve this project and no other project, considering the 3.8 million plus the 6.4, we don't have to reallocate money, correct?

Cedric McCray

11:09:41AM That's correct.

Bill Carlson

11:09:43AM It's not fair to say we'll reallocate or reduce money for other programs. We're doing it because the $9 million project, not this one. One last thing, Mr. Bereday, staff suggested you have access to debt to cover that balance. I don't think the 2 million is a real number. I think it is an arbitrary number. You're essentially saying we won't get the lower AMI without 5 million. If we want to solve the problems of the community, have to offer the higher amount. To cover that $3 million gap, you had access to debt, can you explain the difference in what debt versus equity means to a project like this? Deficit. In fact, if awarded 2 million, we don't know if we have access to the construction loan that we have already secured at the $5 million level. Again, it's delay and uncertainty.

11:10:33AM If you could borrow money for 3 million, could somebody explain the difference between what equity means versus the debt?

Luis Viera

11:10:40AM Board member Carlson, your time is up. I'll let you answer the question and that's it. My company is called synthesis, LLC. I'm a partner in the project push reworks. Debt sizing is based on how we can pay it back. How we pay back this money is based on the affordability restrictions we showed. We calculate a net income and we back into that the amount of debt that's available to the project. Right now we're calculating roughly 2.3 million, 2.2, 2.3 million available for this project. If we increase income, we can increase debt but capped based on the income. With the restrictions in place, this is where we are at. I can't add more debt because the bank is not going to give us this money if we just ask. They'll look at income projection.

11:11:26AM Thank you, sir. Board member Clendenin. Are you going to be asking questions? Let's do this. If you're going to be asking questions, I'll give you five minutes gross. Let's do five minutes straight through.

Alan Clendenin

11:11:40AM I don't think I'll take long. I've learned more about capital stack and financing in the two years than I ever thought I would want to know as an air traffic controller. It's gut wrenching. You have come to the table with something interesting. Transformational. Councilman Viera, you said radically. Our very first discussion, talked about the scale. When I look at the scale, especially these areas, I would love to see an entire block transformed with commercial retail and services for the neighborhood. That's what I look at radical transformation. I'll concede what Councilwoman Hurtak said about the infill. I was wrong. In my mind, talking about infill, I was thinking of something else. You are correct. I withdraw my concerns about that. Thank you for right-setting my head on that. Still the problem, there's so much money in the bank account. It is what that is. Maybe a misleading thing. Cedric to clarify that. But I think if they go at the 2 million, we don't have to reprogram. Five million, have to reprogram I think is what I heard.

Bill Carlson

11:13:02AM 3.8 million plus 6.7 million, only reason we have to reallocate is because of the 9 million or any future project.

Alan Clendenin

11:13:14AM I think she was saying because that money is being allocated, they are about to allocate that into these other programs, correct? Ms. Parks if you're still on or Mr. McCray. Can you just clarify that? I think we kind of heard two different things.

Bill Carlson

11:13:32AM If we only approve this project for $5 million, would we have to reallocate money?

Luis Viera

11:13:38AM Wait a minute. Let's let board member Clendenin --

Alan Clendenin

11:13:44AM Ms. Parks. What is the budget implication --

Belix Parks

11:13:51AM The budget implication is that we will have to reprogram from other line items outside of the 30% allocation to fund at the full $5 million. Currently at the $2 million request we can fund under the unit creation and conversion line item under the 30% allocation as it stands.

Alan Clendenin

11:14:14AM Thank you. Before my time runs out, I have one more question. It's difficult when you get this far into a project you can't turn the clock back. I almost wish you would have appealed the barrio Latino decision to us because I would have liked to have seen higher density. How many units would the project have been?

11:14:32AM 29 units, would you be able to do that with lower subsidy per unit because of the scale? It certainly helps.

11:14:43AM Are you too far down the line to be able to reconsider that? I don't know what the process would be with the Barrio Latino Commission and our entitlements which at this point are secured. If you were to send us back there, I assume we would have to go through more public hearing and process.

11:15:06AM Everybody listening that has a project, when you run into this type of thing, come talk to us. There is a shared vision amongst our board members and our council members when we're operating as council, especially these critical, like the nebraskas, floridas, columbus, what the streets will look like in the future. Think our subsidy level at the 29 units was more around $200,000 per unit. So it helped, but it might not be as what you heard today, whatever the correct level is. One other comment, if I could throw into the response, we hope to participate with other developers who are in the room and who spoke today in larger scale transformation in the local neighborhood that we're in. You've heard some of them speak. They own contiguous properties. The CRA owns properties near us. The City of Tampa owns properties near us that in my opinion are eligible for new, affordable housing construction. We would very much like to participate in that. But this catalyst project is the very first thing that needs to occur in order for those other projects to get done.

11:16:23AM I'll go ahead with the CAC recommendation, but I wouldn't do above that. You know from previous conversations that's really pushing the limits of my fiscal conservatism. I'll side with the neighborhood and the CAC.

Luis Viera

11:16:38AM Guys, we are running up against 11:30. I want to have a vote and be done with this issue by 11:35. That is a lot of time. Board member, Maniscalco, do you have any questions for staff?

Guido Maniscalco

11:16:54AM Yes.

Luis Viera

11:16:54AM Go ahead.

Guido Maniscalco

11:16:56AM The question has been asked. If we approve the 5 million, it would trigger reprogramming of other funds, correct?

Cedric McCray

11:17:06AM Correct.

Guido Maniscalco

11:17:07AM But council member Carlson made a comment, maybe I misunderstood it. If we approve the 5 million for this, that doesn't trigger reprogramming it, unless what is number 8? What is the ask on number 8?

Cedric McCray

11:17:22AM The request for item 8 was 9.7 million.

Guido Maniscalco

11:17:26AM I don't know if they need the absolute 9.7 million or we can reduce that and try to balance it out. I don't know because we haven't gotten to number 8. My question is, what is the maximum allowed for one and eight that does not trigger reprogramming of dollars?

Cedric McCray

11:17:47AM So, keep in mind, board, these projects, they are done on a refunding basis. It's over a number of years. It's not just for FY '25 and/or FY '26 or '27 or '28. It's over a period of time and very similar to some of the agreements that have come before the board for some of the cultural art institutions downtown. We can always reprogram --

Luis Viera

11:18:16AM Please, if you are speaking, raise your hand. Please, Ms. Burton, please, no more speaking. Please. Thank you, ma'am. Go ahead.

Cedric McCray

11:18:24AM There is a possibility. Ms. Parks Has the actual figures in front of her for the remainder of the year. The East Tampa CAC also in the process of their budget reprograms some funding, and that's what she's looking at at this point in time in sharing with you those line items and what we could put towards affordable housing projects in East Tampa because of the need. And that has been a priority that has been expressed by the community and the members of the CAC over recent years.

Guido Maniscalco

11:18:56AM I'll wrap it up with this. I don't want to kill this project. We talk about because of the reduction in the AMI and the debt and everything, that's what the banks are going to look at when it comes to debt and financing. What if it goes back up -- we had this conversation last time, goes back to the 80% or higher, in order to make it work at $2 million, I don't know. Or is the board and everybody hard set on it has to be 30%. I was broken down in the change from last month.

Cedric McCray

11:19:29AM Ms. Parks.

Belix Parks

11:19:36AM You're asking, sir, if it's up to 80% AMI, changes the project back to 80% AMI is it going to change --

Guido Maniscalco

11:19:49AM I don't know how the rest of the board Will feel because we talked about the reduction in AMI and the gentleman came back with the reconfiguration of his numbers.

Belix Parks

11:20:06AM Per our chart, 80% is -- standards and in the Florida, HUD limits it is considered to be, you know, income that we support. Meaning that it's considered to be a lower end income at 80%, even though incomes have increased. Yes, there is a need within the city to create 30 to 50% AMI units. We are working to do that. But 80% is what is considered to be working wages 80% who need housing as well. This project could from the beginning, come in my office, 80% and that's what I looked at.

Guido Maniscalco

11:20:58AM Thank you very much. No more questions.

Luis Viera

11:20:59AM Board member Hurtak and, again, you have questions, you said. Let's do five minutes if you don't mind.

Lynn Hurtak

11:21:07AM Ms. Feeley, if you are here, just got a bright idea. We still have quite a bit of money in City Council housing.

Abbye Feeley

11:21:15AM Abbye Feeley. Let me just provide a little bit of context and then us saying we have quite a bit of money in hpf funds, we only got $10 million in hpf funds and 5.6 have gone to r map and a million to homeless, and a million -- there are not quite a bit of funds.

Lynn Hurtak

11:21:36AM I'm talking about the 50 million that this council approved last budget cycle. We used 5 million each for two separate projects. One on Florida.

Abbye Feeley

11:21:48AM The 50 million was based on the millage increase. There was not 50 million. I had to come back and ask you to bond on those two five million, and if you elect to bond more, that's your option, but that didn't go well on the first two that we brought because the message of council was you don't want to bond. I don't want it shift other housing funds. But I want to quickly just show you, in East Tampa, based on your 30% for fiscal year '25, you have 9.7 million that was allocated to affordable housing. You'll see on this, let me scoot it up over the closed captioning. For creation and conversion of new units, you have 1.5 million. The bot that's being asked about today in these projects, while Cedric was informing you, they are multiyear funding, right? They wouldn't start -- they are going to start a portion in '25, portion in '26, a portion in '27. They are reimbursable funds as are all of our funds when we put out. We don't give you money unless the work is getting done. We don't go back and chase to get the money back. 1.5 million is what's in creation and conversion just for fiscal year 25. When you're talking about two or five, look at the bucket and the reallocation is coming, as Ms. Parks said, from either the HRRP or wherever. We'll have to talk through this. If you'll remember, in January, we came to you. There had always been this idea of the 30%, but nobody really understood, what was the 30%? How much was that? Once we take the 30%, how are we breaking it down? We brought you those parts for each of the CRAs, and these were, so in this case it was 1.5 in East Tampa. You have almost 2 million in strategic acquisitions. And so a lot of the projects you're seeing today are ones that are coming and asking you for an amount that will be spread out over a number of years. The second part to that is that we did provide, because the other part was, projects were coming to you like in central park where they are asking for 700,000 subsidy per unit for an affordable housing. And the board looked at us and said, guys, like, we know 700,000 is not right. But what is right? How do we figure out what those numbers are? And the matrix was put together, and I remember that presentation in January as guidelines. Guidelines to give you an idea of what's being done in other parts of the state, what's being done pursuant to SHIP funding and other funds that we tend to mirror a lot of our own programs after. So I just want to provide some context because while we're talking about, oh, we'll just move it from here to here, you only start with a bucket of 9.7 million, that's the 30% in East Tampa today. A lot of that money is going to HRRP to help homeowners keep their homes, roofs and other replacements. A lot of it is going to down payment assistance. I believe you already helped 40 homeowners buy homes in East Tampa under this fiscal year.

Lynn Hurtak

11:25:09AM This is my time. This is not my question.

Abbye Feeley

11:25:14AM Please give her back her time.

Lynn Hurtak

11:25:16AM It's fine. I appreciate it. I completely agree with you. It's one of those things that absolutely, we don't want to take away from any of the -- what we're already doing. My basic question was, is there a way that we as City Council can find the bridge funding for this? And only because this is such a particularly important piece of Nebraska Avenue. I think that in the balance of, yes, do what the CAC is saying because of the limited funds we have, can we do the 2 million from the East Tampa CRA and then can -- is there someone else we can find? See, when it comes to bonding, like, a random project is one thing, but I'm not looking at this part of Nebraska Avenue -- I mean, you and I have sat down with the directors of many departments, we've sat down with community leaders to say what can we do on Nebraska Avenue? If this is a catalyst project for Nebraska Avenue, where can we find the other three million? Can we do that? I personally am willing to bond for that. I'm not willing to bond for a ton of things, but a catalyst project that doesn't take away from what East Tampa CRA is saying, we don't want any more than 2 million. And I don't want this -- I think that was the issue with the 10 million, for me, these were sort of random projects. That's what I'm saying.

Luis Viera

11:26:56AM I'm trying to run a meeting. Everyone has spoken. Most folks have gone twice and so forth. Let's have a motion. Does anybody wish to make a motion?

Bill Carlson

11:27:09AM I'll make a motion to support the $5 million in funding.

Lynn Hurtak

11:27:14AM I'll second with an amendment to support $2 million with an additional conversation from City Council to find the other 3.

Luis Viera

11:27:30AM You were doing a substitute.

Lynn Hurtak

11:27:32AM I'm doing a substitute.

Luis Viera

11:27:35AM Your motion, board member Hurtak is for us to do 2 million --

Alan Clendenin

11:27:42AM Point of order on that. Because we are acting as CRA Board, not council, we can't encumber City Council in this.

Lynn Hurtak

11:27:49AM I understand that. I guess I withdraw my second --

Luis Viera

11:27:54AM I don't want to go down a rabbit hole, I think people can make a motion with the intent to have this discussion at City Council. While we can't officially put on our City Council hats, we can say it is our unofficial intent to do that.

Alan Clendenin

11:28:09AM Mr. Chair, I want to ensure, as far as when folks are listening of what's going to happen, understand that we can make motions and do business as a board for CRA Board. We can't do things as a council today. Whether we have that discussion or not would be a second -- would a different discussion. I don't think there's anybody here that is reluctant to have conversations on council.

Luis Viera

11:28:33AM Is that motion still going forward?

Lynn Hurtak

11:28:37AM I'll withdraw my motion.

Alan Clendenin

11:28:40AM I'll make a motion --

Luis Viera

11:28:42AM Wait. Please, let me do this. We have a motion by board member Carlson. I'm going to move my gavel over and second it. There you go.

Alan Clendenin

11:28:55AM I would like to make a motion to amend the motion to lower the subsidy amount to $2 million.

Charlie Miranda

11:29:07AM [Inaudible]

Lynn Hurtak

11:29:09AM It's a motion to amend. Is there even a second for that?

Guido Maniscalco

11:29:13AM Reduce from five to two?

Charlie Miranda

11:29:15AM I'll second that. 9.7 million if I remember looking at the chart.

Alan Clendenin

11:29:24AM [Inaudible]

Lynn Hurtak

11:29:33AM There is one minute for any discussion. One minute, solid.

Luis Viera

11:29:43AM [Inaudible]

Lynn Hurtak

11:29:45AM Good. Thank you. [ laughter ]

Luis Viera

11:29:52AM Guys, as then board member Chairwoman Hurtak said, one minute, because, folks, we're on item number 1.

Bill Carlson

11:30:04AM I don't think we have a shortfall of $3 million. When I asked the question very specifically, they said, no, if we only approve this project, we don't have to reallocate money. When board member Clendenin asked it a different way, it's a difference between 30% or 40% of housing, and it's also whether you include the 7.5 or 3.8 million from the money. We take just the 3.8 plus the additional 1.2 from this year's 40%, we've got plenty of money left over. The problem is that they have a pipeline of other projects they want to fund. This is not the project causing the problems. It is the projects they anticipate.

Luis Viera

11:30:39AM Thank you, sir. Anyone else wish to comment? Board member Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

11:30:43AM I don't know how the vote will go. This is a wonderful project. That area that you're at now that's called disadvantage used to be an upper middle class. The valdes, and all the builders you had there. The garden theater. Barcelona restaurant. Down the street, market, everything else. It was not an abandoned neighborhood. What happened through time, they died off and everybody wanted to move, kids inherited, whatever, they left and started going down. Wonderful project. When you look at 9,750,000, whatever it was, minus 5 million, you're caught. Not your project. We're caught and we don't know how to get out. That's how it is. That's why I'm trying to work something out. The chairman is trying to work something out.

Guido Maniscalco

11:31:30AM I'm happy to support the 2 million. However, I want to have a further discussion at the City Council. This is not the time to talk about it. Whether tonight or at next Thursday's meeting, I'm happy to make a motion where we look at General Fund funding for the remaining three. Thank you.

Luis Viera

11:31:47AM Board member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

11:31:49AM I agree with you, but I don't think we're going to find it in the General Fund. We have a very tight budget. Would you be interested in bonding.

Guido Maniscalco

11:31:59AM You said the word bonding. What we're bonding here is housing, and it could be permanent. Because 50 years is also multigenerational. Something I would be willing to take the risk for. I know bonding is interest, bonding is financing, but happy to bond it to find that money.

Lynn Hurtak

11:32:18AM I think it is such a small amount, this is a discussion we should be having with bonding. But I'm also not opposed to funding it at 5 million and finding bonding if we wanted to talk about it for the future project. I believe so strongly in this particular project because of the area.

Luis Viera

11:32:41AM Any other comments? Board member Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

11:32:44AM [Inaudible]

Luis Viera

11:32:45AM Your microphone is off. There you go. The motion was for the 2 million, correct? I support the full 5 or building a bridge. I don't know why we're not talking about between 2 and 5.

Alan Clendenin

11:33:03AM Per Robert's rules, what we did, we have a motion to amend the initial motion. We need to vote on lowering it to 2 million and whether that vote fails or passes, then you'd move to -- the 2 million could fail and then it would revert back to the 5. You need to vote on the 2 million.

Luis Viera

11:33:20AM Let's have a vote on the 2 million. Roll call, please.

Bill Carlson

11:33:23AM No.

Lynn Hurtak

11:33:26AM I'll do the 2 million if the 5 million doesn't pass.

Bill Carlson

11:33:38AM We're only voting to amend right now.

Luis Viera

11:33:40AM This is a motion to amend. This fails, then we go to the five. Give that a shot.

Lynn Hurtak

11:33:45AM I'll vote no.

Alan Clendenin

11:33:48AM Yes.

Guido Maniscalco

11:33:52AM Yes.

Charlie Miranda

11:33:54AM Yes.

Luis Viera

11:33:56AM No. now we go back to the five. You're chairwoman, since I seconded board member Carlson's motion.

Lynn Hurtak

11:34:07AM Anyone, 30 seconds, anyone? Okay. Roll call, please. And this is for five million.

11:34:18AM Yes.

Alan Clendenin

11:34:20AM No.

Guido Maniscalco

11:34:22AM No.

Charlie Miranda

11:34:24AM No.

Bill Carlson

11:34:25AM Yes.

Luis Viera

11:34:27AM Yes.

Lynn Hurtak

11:34:30AM Can I try? This will be my compromise motion is to fund it with 2 million with the addition of going back with our City Council hats on and finding the extra three necessary to make this project.

Alan Clendenin

11:34:50AM Same point of order. I don't think you can do that as CRA Board.

Lynn Hurtak

11:34:54AM I said sending a recommendation -- a recommendation that City Council discuss finding the additional $3 million.

Luis Viera

11:35:01AM Do we have a second?

Guido Maniscalco

11:35:03AM I'll second that.

Luis Viera

11:35:05AM Question on that, which is, I have a question, maybe I'm going to look like an idiot here, why can't we go higher than 2? Is it either 2 or 5?

Lynn Hurtak

11:35:17AM Can I answer the reason I did it? The reason I did it is because that is what the CAC recommended, and the community has come out saying, a, they support the project, but, b, they really want us to only spend 2 million because they have other housing priorities, and I respect that.

Bill Carlson

11:35:37AM The CAC recommended it based on incomplete information and not a full analysis. They were never presented the gap analysis. They were only presented the staff recommendation based on construction costs.

Lynn Hurtak

11:35:46AM But would you be willing to do 2 million and find 3 million to talk about it?

Bill Carlson

11:35:50AM I don't think there is 3 million. I'm not in favor of bonding. The mayor has bonded the city out to the max. There's no way to bond additional --

Luis Viera

11:35:57AM We have a motion by board member Hurtak. Seconded by board member Maniscalco.

Alan Clendenin

11:36:07AM I want to remind the board that the $2 million is extremely generous. I believe Ms. Parks and Mr. McCray advised us that the maximum subsidy per unit in the State of Florida has been $80,000. And that would be 1.6. So we're already going -- we're already in brand-new territory by going to $2 million. There's never been another project that's been subsidized to this level.

Bill Carlson

11:36:33AM Previously they recommended a chart with higher numbers based on benchmarking.

Luis Viera

11:36:39AM This is what I'm going to do on this. I'm going to make a motion after this potentially fails to try to find a compromise of going forward. Let's go ahead and vote on this.

Bill Carlson

11:36:51AM If we pass 2 million and you make a motion for 4, we can still vote on that to supersede it.

Luis Viera

11:36:57AM Let's just vote -- let's vote on this. Roll call, please.

Alan Clendenin

11:37:08AM Yes.

Guido Maniscalco

11:37:10AM Yes.

Charlie Miranda

11:37:13AM What are we voting on now?

Luis Viera

11:37:16AM Guys, if I May, $2 million with a recommendation of 3 million from City Council.

11:37:27AM Wait, wait. Please, please. You guys wanted me to be chair. Please follow rules.

Lynn Hurtak

11:37:39AM My motion is $2 million from the East Tampa CAC with a recommendation to City Council to discuss bonding for the 3 extra million.

Alan Clendenin

11:37:52AM I missed the recommendation on the amount.

Luis Viera

11:37:54AM Let's restart. Roll call, please.

Alan Clendenin

11:37:59AM No.

Guido Maniscalco

11:38:02AM Yes.

Charlie Miranda

11:38:04AM No.

Bill Carlson

11:38:05AM Because it says bonding, I have to say no. I'm in favor of the 2 million, but I can't vote for it if it says bonding, so no.

Lynn Hurtak

11:38:15AM Yes.

Luis Viera

11:38:16AM No.

The clerk

11:38:19AM Motion passes with Maniscalco and Hurtak voting yes.

Lynn Hurtak

11:38:23AM We have board chair that wants to make a motion.

Luis Viera

11:38:25AM It passed.

Lynn Hurtak

11:38:30AM It failed 4-2.

Luis Viera

11:38:37AM My motion is going to be $3.5 million and everyone in the crowd, please cease speaking. Thank you. $3.5 million. The same context as board member Hurtak said with a recommendation or request for City Council to find the remaining dollars.

Guido Maniscalco

11:38:54AM I'll second it. I want to say something.

Lynn Hurtak

11:38:56AM Board member Maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

11:38:58AM $3.5 million, we would have to fund 1.5 million by recommendation to the City Council. Councilman Miranda mentioned when you bond and how much you lose -- interest, and we don't know the interest rates. But we would be financing a lot less. And we would be saving quite a bit in interest. It would be not a one-year loan. It would be much longer than that. I would be supportive of the 3.5 million because what we'll save and pay in interest and all that down the road, it's going to come out of the taxpayers. I would be supportive of the 3.5 million.

Lynn Hurtak

11:39:39AM I saw board member Miranda's light next.

Charlie Miranda

11:39:42AM Circle my $2 million, council member Clendenin said about the average 1.8 million and now this is 2 million, above the new level. I'm not an expert on financing. I'm not qualified to make these statements, but when you look at the -- past, equal to the sums of what he's talking about.

Lynn Hurtak

11:40:10AM I did not see whose light was first. Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

11:40:17AM I'm uncomfortable with how this is going down. It's like horse trading without substantive facts and figures. I think councilman -- more like an auction. I'm uncomfortable with that. I hate to keep playing the motion games. I'll make a motion. I think this should be clean. Make a motion to amend the motion to $2 million with this board recommending to City Council have this discussion, just period. We had it with a goal in mind. I think that we should pass an up-and-down resolution for $2 million committed from the CRA based on CAC and staff's recommendations. That's factual figures that we can justify a decision on.

Lynn Hurtak

11:41:07AM Is there a second?

Alan Clendenin

11:41:12AM That is something factual. We can make a recommendation to the City Council to have further discussions on this issue and then we can move past this.

Lynn Hurtak

11:41:20AM Is there a second?

Charlie Miranda

11:41:22AM Second.

Lynn Hurtak

11:41:23AM The current motion on the floor --

Luis Viera

11:41:30AM We have a motion by board member Clendenin. Seconded by board member Miranda. Roll call.

Guido Maniscalco

11:41:42AM No.

Charlie Miranda

11:41:44AM Yes.

Bill Carlson

11:41:46AM No.

Lynn Hurtak

11:41:47AM No.

Alan Clendenin

11:41:50AM Yes.

Luis Viera

11:41:51AM No.

Lynn Hurtak

11:41:58AM Now 3.5 with finding another --

Abbye Feeley

11:42:05AM During this discussion I've been trying to get with the housing folks and see what we have. There may be some housing funds there. I know that may or may not play into the CRA Board's decision, and I did just talk to Mr. Singer. I know you are at a pivotal point in this discussion, but if we could get a 30-day continuance. I'm meeting with housing this afternoon. I can't tell you on the fly and I would not say comfortable saying I have one million of this, I just can't. You asked about the funds. There are some funds there. If we could work together over the next 30 days to see where we could land on this to try to come back in a different format. If that is something that the board would entertain. If not, I appreciate your acknowledging me.

Guido Maniscalco

11:42:54AM I withdraw my second. Respectfully. If there's further information --

Lynn Hurtak

11:43:04AM I appreciate the non-seconding. We now still have a second. I think that's excellent information. If board Chair Viera could please restate his motion.

Luis Viera

11:43:18AM Yes, ma'am. In light of what Ms. Feeley said, my motion will be as follows, which is that we vote to do $3.5 million contingent on the city being able to finance the other $1.5 million. That is a contingent motion, expressing our intent to give the applicant some peace of mind.

Bill Carlson

11:43:41AM I would like to second if you take the word contingent out. In conversation with the applicant, they've been in this process more than a year. 30 days or 60 days could kill the project. Let's approve the 3.5 and let the city look for the other million.

Lynn Hurtak

11:43:54AM That's what he was saying.

Luis Viera

11:43:55AM You're right. We can find it.

Bill Carlson

11:43:58AM Easier for them to find 1.5 million than it is 3. I'm afraid if we pass 2, it's going to kill the project. The closer we get to 5 million the better.

Luis Viera

11:44:08AM My motion. Flat 3.5.

Bill Carlson

11:44:15AM You can let Guido take it.

Lynn Hurtak

11:44:17AM Board Chair Viera made a motion for 3.5 million with 1.5 million to talk to City staff and see what we can do about 1.5 million. It was seconded by board member Maniscalco. Does anyone have anything else to say? I'm going to 30 seconds.

Charlie Miranda

11:44:35AM I want Abbye Feeley to come back please. The numbers that we're talking about, whatever look for the money, the monies coming from the feds, are they already appropriated?

Abbye Feeley

11:44:45AM They are not. That's what I'm trying to --

Charlie Miranda

11:44:49AM What were the numbers last year compared to this year for what we're getting from the feds --

Abbye Feeley

11:44:54AM Councilman, I don't have those numbers off the top of my head.

Charlie Miranda

11:45:00AM Those funds are usually already programmed to give to the people most needy in the community.

Abbye Feeley

11:45:06AM Let me provide this perspective, there's nothing that would stop this applicant right now from going to housing and asking for those funds outside of this vote as well. If you want to make your vote, not contingent, there's nothing to stop them from still coming to housing and trying to fill that remaining gap. That's one approach. The other is I think I'm aware there are some home funds which is a federal program. Those are for construction. There are home funds currently unencumbered and hpf funds currently unencumbered. I can't say if those were on the horizon for another project coming out of the pipe. Based on discussion, I'm willing to go to staff and look and provide the information back to you. I think it would be helpful also to show you the East Tampa CRA, the housing line items, and the future couple of years so you can see where these projects are in the multiyear funding cycle.

Lynn Hurtak

11:46:05AM Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

11:46:07AM I would urge this council to take the win. I think what was presented is a win. If we move forward with the 2 million, the commitment from City staff to work with the applicant to find the $3 million through the other funds is a win for the community, a win for the CAC, a win for East Tampa. It is a win for this board. Honestly, they served it on a silver platter. I don't know why we don't take it immediately. I urge us to go with the $2 million with the commitment to come back in 30 days to revisit it on council.

Luis Viera

11:46:47AM I stand by my motion.

Bill Carlson

11:46:49AM All the points I brought up in this memo and brought up at the beginning, we have an arbitrary process. We don't have a standard process. We're going to be discussing a $9.7 million project in a little while. So I hope we provide the same level of scrutiny. The problem is that the information that was given is not a consistent, accurate analysis of this. The construction method is not the standard and the benchmarking we've had different information on what the standard is. What the developer is telling us, if we don't go with the higher number, the project is essentially dead or won't include the lower AMI. Community wants the lower AMI.

Lynn Hurtak

11:47:33AM I appreciate that. I agree. Board member Carlson, I'm really glad you brought up this memo. I completely agree, we have got to do this. Unfortunately, this is what we found. This is what's happened today. We have a current motion on the floor. Can you please restate it?

Luis Viera

11:48:00AM If I recall, it's $3.5 million to come from the CRA with our intent to inquire with the City of Tampa wearing our City Council hat and working with staff to the remaining $1.5 million as a compromise.

Guido Maniscalco

11:48:12AM Second.

Lynn Hurtak

11:48:13AM We have a 3.5 million and a second. My only question, and this is going to be -- I don't see any other light -- did you have a question?

Charlie Miranda

11:48:25AM No.

Lynn Hurtak

11:48:27AM I have one question for Mr. McCray. Is this a one-time payment or will this be over years?

Cedric McCray

11:48:32AM No, it will be split up over 3 years.

Lynn Hurtak

11:48:35AM Thank you. 3.5 million over 3 years is a little over a million one and change each year for three years. That's what we're looking at. Roll call vote.

Charlie Miranda

11:48:53AM No.

Bill Carlson

11:48:56AM Yes.

Alan Clendenin

11:48:56AM No.

Guido Maniscalco

11:48:59AM Yes.

Lynn Hurtak

11:49:00AM Yes.

Luis Viera

11:49:02AM Yes.

The clerk

11:49:03AM Motion passes with Miranda and Clendenin voting no.

Luis Viera

11:49:08AM Okay. Thank you, madam. Thank you CRA. Thank you very much. Thank you to staff for this long and winding road. We are at 11:49. And we have -- let's inquire on this. Mr. McCray, how long do you think your director's report is going to be, notwithstanding council discussion?

Cedric McCray

11:49:31AM We do have the budget presentation, if I could make a recommendation. You all have the project tracker and grants tracker. Customarily in your agenda. We do have a presentation by one of our summer youth interns related to the process and programming he's been working on to build some of the housing items into the GIS system for the city that is forward facing. If we could allow him to go forward with that presentation, and if it is the board's pleasure, we can take a recess for lunch and come back with the budget presentation.

Luis Viera

11:50:08AM If I may really quick, let's see if we can get in Mr. Robinson and then that.

Cedric McCray

11:50:13AM Mr. Robinson actually had to leave for another meeting, he and I had a discussion. We will bring him back for the august meeting.

Lynn Hurtak

11:50:22AM Can I approve item 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16?

Luis Viera

11:50:31AM We have a motion. Motion by board member Hurtak. Seconded by board member Maniscalco. Roll call, please.

Bill Carlson

11:50:38AM Clarifying question, that does not include the walk-on, right?

Lynn Hurtak

11:50:43AM No, does not include the walk-on.

Luis Viera

11:50:47AM Roll call, please. This is for 7, 9 through 16 excluding -- yeah, yeah. All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. For the walk-on, can we go ahead and do that now or is there a big presentation?

Cedric McCray

11:51:06AM Yes, I believe they are here.

Luis Viera

11:51:07AM Let's do it really fast.

Bill Carlson

11:51:17AM My firm works with an entity related to the museum. Therefore I'll recuse myself.

Luis Viera

11:51:24AM Our friends from the museum of art, if you want to come forward. I'll ask how long you need. Sir, good to see you. Roughly how long do you need? Construction process on the dog park. It falls a little bit different than the agreed upon time frame. We would like to get started sooner than later. That's pretty much where we are with the project that has been approved.

11:52:01AM Board member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

11:52:03AM You're going to start the dog park early.

11:52:07AM Okay. I move that resolution.

Luis Viera

11:52:10AM We have a motion by board member Hurtak. Seconded by board member Maniscalco. I had voted for the first round against the second round respectfully. You do wonderful work. I'll be voting for this as a courtesy. All in favor? Any opposed? Thank you, sir. Thank you for your brevity.

Cedric McCray

11:52:34AM We do have two interns. Introduce both of them. Gentleman doing the presentation and with the summer youth program. I thought two summers, but three. Recent graduate of brooks debartolo collegiate high school and will be matriculating to kent state university this fall. So this is what he's been working on is somewhat of his capstone for the summer. And then introduce Ms. Lauren green. She is a graduate student at the university of Florida. I'll bring them up so they can introduce themselves and Mr. Hall will roll into his presentation. Lauren green. I'm interning with the CRA team this summer. I'm from Tampa. I lived here for 17 years. I'm currently about to be a second-year graduate student at the university of Florida where -- yeah, go gators -- where I am pursuing a masters in professional communication and specialization in public relations. I have a bachelors in journalism from high point university where I graduated two years ago.

Luis Viera

11:53:42AM Where are you from originally? 305. There you go.

11:53:49AM Sir, go ahead. My name is dequal hall. I am a recent graduate of brooks debartolo collegiate high school and attending kent state for construction management in Ohio this fall. This is my third and final year with the summer youth program under the guidance of Ms. Castillo and Mr. Huntley. This summer was different from past experience because I was assigned a personal work project. The Tampa CRA housing initiative editor application or GIS mapping. The CRA editor is a digital representation of the work done by the Tampa CRA to help community clients with either down payment assistance, emergency roofing, housing rehab or tree trimming. This is how the initial application works. We reviewed the client's names and addresses on either excel spreadsheet or the project file folders. We search up the address on the GIS mapping. For the sake of this, I'll click on a point.

11:55:03AM Take your time. By the way, how long do you think you need? You can then -- has different settings, edit, base map layers and book marks. Layers is basically like a filter setting. Filter to the community redevelopment areas at this point, you could either create or edit a data point. To create, you just want to click on this edit button, pull this down and create a data point, drag it to the desired location to edit a data point, you want to click on the edit feature and just type in the relevant information. Once you pull this bar down, several fillers pop up including fiscal year, the CRA initiative, neighborhoods, council districts and the project details. I would then utilize the Hillsborough county property appraiser website to look for the square footage, the total parcel dimension for the client's project address. With all of this, I learned how to operate the Hillsborough county home appraiser website and how it can effectively find a parcel. I also learned different programs that the Tampa CRA has and how these programs work to better our community. Lastly, I became familiar with the different housing counseling agencies, Tampa CRA collaborates with for down payment assistance. With all that experience this summer, it has been a memorable summer. I have had opportunities to work with a new team and a new environment doing work that initially seemed unfamiliar to me. Without the consistent guidance of Ms. Vanessa ross, Mr. McCray, Ms. B, and Ms. Raquel, I would not have gotten this done. I want to thank them and thank you for having me. [ applause ]

11:57:19AM Board member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

11:57:20AM I wanted to say, that was an excellent presentation. I was told about this map by Mr. McCray yesterday, and it's absolutely wonderful. What a wonderful resource. So I just want to say congratulations. It always feels good to finish a project. Best luck while you start your collegiate career. You said you're going to be majoring in building services.

11:57:45AM I hope you're going to come back and help build more housing.

11:57:50AM Great.

Luis Viera

11:57:51AM Anybody else? Board member Carlson.

Bill Carlson

11:57:53AM Quickly, as you're going through college, if there's anything we can do to help, any advice or contacts as you're looking to get a job, we want you to come back, obviously, because you're super SMART and motivated. Anything we can do to make your career go smoothly in the future, let us know, please.

Luis Viera

11:58:10AM Anybody else? Where are you from original?

11:58:14AM Where in Tampa? Cross busch area.

11:58:18AM I'm a Temple Terrace kid. Thank you so much for your presentation.

Cedric McCray

11:58:25AM Before Mr. Hall Steps away, can you zoom out just a little bit? We made it a priority as the agency, this is the first layer. As he's working with Ms. Ross to build out the -- all of the different recipients and locations in the CRA, but I just want to highlight the dots that are primarily in East Tampa. As he shared those layer of tree trimming, down payment assistance, any other grant programs that we've had, we started with the housing component first with Ms. Parks, but we also will be combining that and creating another layer for our commercial grants as well as the special projects. That will be across all the CRAs.

Luis Viera

11:59:16AM Thank you, sir. Board member Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

11:59:19AM All the work done for the CRA and the way pinpointing, fast track to a lot of things. Kent state. Ohio. Very nice school.

Luis Viera

11:59:30AM Thank you, sir. We appreciate you. Thank you very much. Yes, round of applause. [ applause ] before we break for lunch, I wanted to bring in my interim legislative assistant. Today will be darsh's last day live with us in Tampa City Council. I just wanted to bring them up here and allow, number one, express my appreciation. You've done a wonderful job. You are a thoughtful young person. You go to USF and you have such a bright future ahead of you. So bright, intelligent, thoughtful, kind, empathetic, compassionate. You do a great job. Thank you, darsh. I really appreciate you.

12:00:13PM Thank you. This is kind of weird, but I am weird. I asked you who your favorite president was. You told me lyndon Johnson. I like lyndon Johnson. Give you this, which is a really cool -- this is president lyndon Johnson signing into law medicare and medicaid at independence, Missouri, with harry Truman, beth Truman and hubert humphrey. If you like government hug you so hard that you choke with compassion, that is a great picture. Thank you very much, darsh. You're wonderful. [ applause ]

Charlie Miranda

12:00:54PM Every morning I come by and chat a little bit, little cup of coffee. She's very cordial and very intelligent. Every time I saw her, she was working.

Alan Clendenin

12:01:04PM That's what I was going to say. You've been one of the hardest working interns I've seen. She really worked hard. You've been a pleasure to have. Thank you.

Bill Carlson

12:01:16PM Thank you very much for all your hard work. As I said to the other person, anything we can do in the future to help you, happy to give you advice, contact, whatever we can do.

Guido Maniscalco

12:01:28PM It's great to have met you. Pass in the hallway and chat sometimes. You're always very nice. It's true, you were always working. Always doing something. We appreciate you very much.

Lynn Hurtak

12:01:38PM I want to echo that as well. We've had great conversations. We rode the bus home together --

12:01:45PM Yep, yep. Which was a lot of fun. We had a really good conversation. I wanted to make sure to remind you to have kelly connect you with the sustainability department. I don't know if you know this, but would -- can you speak just briefly on your work in community market space and what you're working on there? I don't know how you have the time for all of it, but it is amazing, if you would be willing to share just a brief about what you're doing to bring food to people who struggle to receive and afford it. It all started when I joined the agrarian club on campus at USF. And from then on, we started the food sovereign farmers market. We just wanted to take the idea of a farmers market but hold it with the mission of just like talking deeply about food citizenship and talking like more about how can we provide food that doesn't modify it and also brings out the story behind it and also like makes people involved in the whole process feel appreciated. It's just there's that we're doing which is going incredible and just like I had my dream market this past season. It was incredible with my team and everybody who is just supporting me in the community as well. And we're also trying to start a seed library on campus as well. Just like the enthusiasm that I've received to do some of these projects has been incredible. I cannot do it without them. Thank you.

Luis Viera

12:03:28PM As you all see, darsh is a bleeding heart. Where I come from, that's awesome. Anyone else?

Alan Clendenin

12:03:38PM We need a little bit of a cleanup. Item number 2, I make a motion to continue that to August 21st per the director.

Luis Viera

12:03:45PM Motion by board member Clendenin. Second by board member Hurtak. All in favor? Any opposed.

12:03:57PM We have a motion by board member Carlson. Seconded by board member Clendenin. All in favor? Any opposed? If I'm correct, we come back only for 8.

Lynn Hurtak

12:04:08PM No. we have the budget under 3.

Luis Viera

12:04:11PM Excuse me. Yes. Good with 1:30?

Charlie Miranda

12:04:18PM I'll be a little late.

Lynn Hurtak

12:04:20PM I have a couple of meetings that I'll have to be in and out for. I'll do my best.

Luis Viera

12:04:25PM Thank you, everyone.

Lynn Hurtak

12:04:32PM If you would like a photo, we might as well. [Lunch recess]

Luis Viera

1:38:39PM Roll call, please.

Charlie Miranda

1:38:46PM Here.

Guido Maniscalco

1:38:47PM Here. Clendenin?

Alan Clendenin

1:38:49PM Here. Viera?

Luis Viera

1:38:52PM Here.

The clerk

1:38:52PM We have a physical quorum. Councilman Carlson has an appointment and Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak is watching this and has I believe it is a city appointment as well. Just fyi. We have four people here for a quorum. Mr. McCray, go forward, sir.

Cedric McCray

1:39:14PM Prior to the break, we mentioned bringing forward the FY '26 budget. I was informed that one of the presenters for item 8 has a flight to catch. So we're asking that that be moved forward first at this time for the presentation and then we will then --

Luis Viera

1:39:32PM Motion by Councilman Clendenin. Seconded by board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed?

Cedric McCray

1:39:40PM At this time, I would like to call up Mr. Kareem Brantley with integral to present the otbi project and ashley on East Columbus Drive.

Luis Viera

1:39:51PM Good afternoon, sir. Roughly how long do you think you need for your presentation?

1:40:02PM Let's give you 10. How about 11. Give you a safety net.

1:40:11PM If you need more time, obviously, you're fine. I represent a firm called the integral group. I run the division out of Florida which integral Florida. Our offices in Tampa are 1726 east 7th avenue. It is my pleasure to be a part of the Tampa community. I've grown up in Florida, relatives in Tampa, come through this part when we would go to the attractions and all of these things. Very familiar with Tampa. Appreciate doing what you do as councilors for the city. And most of the folks who were here in support of the project had to go on and conduct the rest of their day. But I'm thankful to the residents of the City of Tampa who have backed this project. Also, especially thankful to our partners at the Tampa Bay EDC. We responded to an RFP on this project. We were asked to do certain things. I think we've done those things and in some cases exceeded them. More importantly, when people from the community have talked to us and when we have talked to people from the community, we've had the opportunity to really understand the needs of the community. I think we also have had the opportunity to understand the financial constraints of the community. No project, including ours, is going to be a silver bullet for solving affordable housing. But one of the great things about the project that we present today and we make this request is that it is more than just about a housing project. It's more than just about a commercial facility that's going to be there. It's block development. What we've done here is a two-part component. Again, if there was all the money in the world, we would do the whole thing, the whole neighborhood, if that was the wish of the community. That's not our reality. The reality we have is what we have presented to the board and what we have presented to the City Council when we got our site control. And let me just go through that. I don't know how I bring up -- there it is. So with that, let me just go to the next slide. Do I control it or they control it? So with my minutes remaining, let me go quickly. I want to get through who we are. I'll introduce our firm. The East Tampa live learn development. Ashley East Tampa, the residential component, the project budget, and then the strategy we set forth. This is a little bit about our company. We're about 200 plus employees. We're vertically integrated. We do everything from development down to property management. We were the first 32 years in business. We invented in a way mixed income housing. It was because the olympics were coming to atlanta in 1996 and they had a public housing project across the street. They needed to do something about it because there was no way you were going to have atlanta on the national stage and have this public housing project. Our CEO and chairman came up with the idea, we should have mixed income housing. That had never been done before in a financial structure. So we created the legal and regulatory framework to do that. Now all of us benefit from that today. I am proud to carry on that legacy for the State of Florida as a part -- these are some of the partners that we have partnered with over the years. Our experience in public-private partnerships and as a community developer is well entrenched in our history. We understand that everything begins with us, with talking with the community first. A little bit about our partners, you know them better than I do, but my pleasure to work with craig Richard and tony brown on a daily basis with regards to facilitating all the needs of the community as well as the property. There will be two phases in this project. Phase one will be the multifamily. We've been able to secure the financing to move forward with this. So we're a little bit past feasibility. Feasibility was something that we started with when we got the award. We went and spent our money to go through the due diligence to make sure that we had the geotechnical studies, all the things that we need so that when we came forth before CRA Board or before councilors, we would have a story to tell to say what we have done thus far. Phase two will be the commercial development, which will be the learn part of the development. Today, we focus on the multifamily housing component and the infrastructure that's going to be needed to serve the entire block building. Here is just a site plan of the area and what we have planned to do. This has already been in conjunction with the Planning department with the city. So we responded to the things that we heard from the Planning department as we've submitted inquiries and questions about code and regulations with regards to the site. What you see here is what we believe is a plan that is acceptable to those who are going to grade the paper to determine if this is a site plan we can move forward with. Here is just to give you an idea of what the whole plan is from the multifamily side. So this is the arrival point. This is a sense of arrival right off of columbus. Open linear park that will run along columbus for the use of the residents. It will be in addition to all the amenities I'll talk about on another slide. This is just some east, west, and south profiles to give you an idea. We pulled the building away from the highway. Residents say, we don't want the building too close to the highway because of the noise. In trying to make a satisfactory effort to make sure we can do as much as we can for every interest that was expressed to us, that is the site plan that you have today that I shared before. We put the porte-cochere there because we thought about residents who may need assistance when they get out of a car and it's raining, now you can pull under the porte-cochere, you can get out of the car, not be rushed, not trip over your cane when you're trying to get into the building. So really been thoughtful about how we do this. Just a time line on this. Time is of the essence. You all know if you don't move projects forward, the only thing that's going to happen is the cost is going to build. What we have done is we have looked at our financing approach. We've done both a gap method and a tax credit calculation method. We looked at what is the minimum amount that we would need to facilitate this development on the path of financing that we have chosen which is 4% low income housing tax credits. 2024 we got the award. The RFP went out in 2023. We got site control in January of this year. Financing was secured in February of '25 because we didn't waste any time. We made sure we communicated with enterprise and some of the other financing folks, those letters are included in your packet. East Tampa CRA approval, we went and met with the CAC. Again, we heard what they said. They said that they had a financial need. We responded. We said, hey, we usually get awards in one chunk. If you need to finance it over time, we hear you loud and clear. Let us go back to our financiers and see how we construct this. We think if you were to award this project today, we have a calendar or a schedule that takes us into may of next year for financial closing and construction start. So this is one of the areas that we went back to. In the RFP, the city asked us for 20% of the units via 50% AMI or less. We have now gotten to 32% of those units because when we talked to the CAC on our first meeting, they expressed a concern about the number of affordable units. So we heard that loud and clear. We went back and put 32% instead of 20%. You can see the rest of it. Almost 70% of the units are 60% AMI or less. What we're really talking about is people in two-person households making $40,000 or less, in many cases. So included in there are 30% AMI which the level of living standard right above homelessness. So we think that we built a community. We use average income test strategy or approach where we put some 80s in there. Some people didn't understand the strategy, so let me make sure I explain it. We did that because if you are in a 60% AMI on a traditional low income housing tax credit approach, when you earn out of the 60, where do you go? There is not a lot for people in that next missing middle so we want to put a few units in there so the folks don't have to terminate their lease and can stay in the neighborhood. Once above 80 and making a little more, there are more options out there in other parts of the city and in other parts of East Tampa. Maybe you're in the home buying business at that point in time. You can see the unit mix there. I think I talked about the AMIs. This is just an example of some of the projects we completed and what they look like on the inside. The amenities in this particular building, we have a self-kiosk bistro. You walk in, if you want tylenol, sandwich, chips, get those type of items, they are there. It runs by a computer. Pop your phone or put your credit card, checkout, self-serve just like you do in some of the airport locations. That will be in here. We've not -- we understand this is not luxury housing, but these are things and amenities that we can put in the building that don't take up a lot of space and withdraw from the efficiency of the building. But it becomes an amenity for a resident to upgrade their standard of living. We talked to the community and one of the things that was expressed to us the symbolism of the East Tampa neighborhood and who represents East Tampa. So we came up with one concept. We said we would have future engagement with residents and really understand what is important to them from some of the amenities and outside exterior of the building, how it looks. It's in an industrial district. So we patterned an example out of that, but that doesn't mean it is the final skin of the building. But we will have continued engagement with the neighborhood and those who are interested in this project, but this was just one example where we wanted to create like a walk of fame here in Tampa along the sidewalk, and in that open area park that we've created. One of the things that occurs inside of our community development buildings is that we have support services for residents. So sometimes residents may need to work overnight and we arrange for those services through our nonprofit. It is a separate entity but called the ascent project. That's what we do in our projects. Local hiring. This is important to me because I am a nontraditional, electrical engineer. I don't know how I got into development, but it was just because I stumbled into it. There was a piece of property that I fell in love with that was in my neighborhood and I wanted to do something about it. I ended up doing that project and fell in love with doing this business. If I could have two minutes.

1:51:01PM Of course, yeah. We'll give you five. You're fine. I just like to keep track. Youth building came out of that. We partnered with youth build for probably the last ten years or so. We do it in all the territories that we operate. In Florida, we would do that here as well, in Tampa. Here is a picture of one of our employees on the left, Melissa fan-fan with some of the youth from the youth build and administrators of the youth build program in that particular city. There was a gentleman here that was working at the CRA. I gave him my information. I said, listen, you are the kind of person when you're in college and you want to do this, we want to expose you to this. The reason we want to do this is because we're in a deficit in this industry of people saying I no longer want to do that work. It's not sexy. It's out in the sun. It's hot. They really look at what construction brings home, I have contractors who tell me that their children are no longer interested in running the business because they saw how hard their parents worked at it. But there's so much opportunity here. If we can get young folks to be interested even in the trade work if they have no desire to go to college and get a traditional degree and that path, maybe perhaps they can start in a trade and then understand how the business of the trade works and maybe we can create a couple of small businesses. So that would be our goal. Mwb goals, the city didn't ask for it but we committed 50% of our contracting to mwb. We believe in it. We've done it. We know it works. It's not that hard to do it in Florida so why not commit to it and be accountable to it? Art. We put art in all of our projects. This is a personal thing for me. I think when you come home and you see inspiration and feel inspiration, you perform inspiration. That's what we made sure we did here or we will do here with your support. From a project budget standpoint site acquisition and parking, represents about 16%. Soft costs about 18% and 56% of the bulk of it goes towards the construction. You can see the breakdown. We went back, initially we asked for the full amount all in one year. We heard the CRA and the CAC. Clearly the CRA administration and we went back and broke it down over the years. We are constrained to a normal construction time schedule. I wish I could push it out for five years. But we eventually have to finish the building. And those components of finishing means people have to get paid. We stretch it out as far as we can and we think this is something definitely doable. If you think it's doable, we will move forward with this expeditiously and get this project done. Just to note here, the CRA requirements were 50% match. We're at 352%. Again, we're not talking about feasibility anymore. We're saying if we get this award today, we're gone. We're closing next year. You don't have to worry about are those guys going to do it, do they have to go back and do the other thing? We finished the geotechnical. We found a void in the site. The reason the site looks the way it looks, the way the parking is structured is because we cannot build on top of that void. So all the infrastructure on the ground, the way the parking is set up was very well thought out with our architects, but it's also responsive to all that due diligence that we did already. We can share more of that if necessary, but nothing we're going to do, we can't build on top of it. 118 units, and all of the units are affordable by definition. So they are all 80% and low. As I showed in the previous slide, the majority are 60% AMI. We put in a few 80s so we can absorb folks who are making higher income. We want that. We want people to continually improve and make more income and not be displaced. Put in this slide about CRA compliance. I can move forward because we wouldn't have gotten here if we weren't compliant with the State of Florida and the CRA outline. So I thank you for the time. I hope I didn't rush through anything, but I really wanted to make sure that you got a feel of how we really did a lot of homework on this project and got before you very thoughtfully and really want to do something special. It is a transformative project. It's not just a single site. It's block building and hopefully you can support this project.

1:55:33PM Thank you, sir. Great presentation. I see board member Maniscalco's light on.

Guido Maniscalco

1:55:38PM Thank you very much. Great presentation. I like the fact that a third of the housing is 50% or below AMI. Families, I'm going to assume. So if you have a family that needs a two-bedroom and they are at the 30% AMI, would they be eligible?

1:56:03PM People that are at the lowest income level, a family would be able to move in here. And just to highlight, we don't -- we could be slick and try to say, we're just going to put all the need units or the lowest set aside on studios. We don't get that opportunity. We distribute them pro rata.

1:56:27PM That's one of the concerns. It's not just individuals that need the housing. It's the families that need the housing.

1:56:33PM I noticed in the amenities you have a computer room. I saw computers in the room. Is that just an image or is that something that is going to be a community space? Because what we found in all of our projects is not everyone can afford some of the equipment they need. We also found young people who -- one side story. I had a young man in a project that I was doing. He was riding the metro bus down so many miles because it had free wifi on the bus and he needed to take his finals. That was maybe eight years ago I heard the story. I said going forward we will always have wifi in all the community areas. It won't be enough for you to watch netflix all day and take up the bandwidth, you can do that in your unit, but basic internet infrastructure will be in the common areas, and to this room, there will be computers that we provide that residents will log into and they can use that if they don't have a computer in their home.

1:57:36PM The reason I ask is because some people can't afford a computer, unable to and having access to a computer, what if they wanted to start an online business? I was with a gentleman Saturday. His life story was I had nothing. With my running mate, we got an apartment and I started my business out of the bedroom. Now he's wealthy and on his own. Just having access to a computer, they may not have the money. May not have the ipad, it's just another opportunity. My question would then -- I think it's a wonderful project.

1:58:08PM You're serious. You touched on the 50% goal regarding WBE or MBE. You discussed that. Of course, it's 118 units, it's a sizable project that will be impactful. My question then would be to Mr. McCray, what was the recommendation from the CAC? I saw that it is a multiyear $9.7 million project, asked to spread out. What was the recommendation from staff?

Cedric McCray

1:58:41PM Good afternoon. Cedric McCray, Tampa CRA director, East Tampa CRA manager. The recommendation was to move forward with the 9.7 million ask and there are -- was several -- a lot of conversation from the CAC, the vote at that point was 6-5 from the CAC members at that time.

Guido Maniscalco

1:59:00PM In regards to what we had earlier before lunch and having to reprogram -- so if we were to approve the full amount, would we have to reprogram, go through all that discussion that we went earlier this morning?

Cedric McCray

1:59:13PM Yes, it is a multiyear commitment, we would have to make sure that we make the adjustments budgetarily moving forward.

Guido Maniscalco

1:59:21PM Who would be affected? Where would you take the money from? Housing rehab and all that.

Cedric McCray

1:59:26PM I can't say specifically which line item we would have to adjust. We have money in the -- continuous improvement, Neighborhood Infrastructure, and I will allow Ms. Parks to speak to it as well.

Belix Parks

1:59:42PM Thank you, Director McCray. I was going to let you know the line items that it will come from. So, at this point, we have the request for the initial allocation of 2.125 million for the land acquisition part and then we have the remaining 7.575 million disbursed over a three-year term. FY '26, 2.5, 27-28, 2.5 as well. These funds will be drawn from the unit creation and conversion Neighborhood Infrastructure and East Tampa continuous projects account.

Guido Maniscalco

2:00:26PM Thank you very much.

Luis Viera

2:00:27PM Board member Hurtak or Clendenin.

Lynn Hurtak

2:00:32PM I love this project. This is kind of -- what we saw earlier was a smaller project that doesn't have the ability to go for lihtc funding to get some of the funds that this project was able to do. My only hesitation, and this is just more of a personal nature, I really hate parking lots. Just the added money for that kills me, especially because the City of Tampa, this is our land, and we're donating it, like, we own this land, do we not? Yeah. I'm going to support it, but that's just -- if I didn't have to put in the money to buy the other lot, I would be happy. Er.

Luis Viera

2:01:22PM Thank you. Board member Clendenin. If we could get down to a parking ratio that was suboptimal, we would do that. What I mean by suboptimal is people would come home and they wouldn't know if they had a place to park. When you have -- to do this type of community building, you have to work with the canvas you are given. In this case, the city can't expand the land on either one of the parcels so we're doing everything we can. We also want to make sure we're responsible and not have cars spill out in the right-of-way and become a nuisance for the people who supported the project. Put the parking in the rear. I hear you loud and clear. That was intentional. That also was a response to the void on the corner of the property and then the last piece is we're putting in infrastructure. And that's why the additional land is needed. We're not even tapping into the retainage pond to the east. We're doing all of that underground. You need land in order to retain that water.

Lynn Hurtak

2:02:27PM Is there a reason you're not tapping into that? You guys won't do your new test or your study until next august I believe it is.

2:02:36PM Okay. We can't wait for that. My other question along with that is, you said that you want to have adequate parking, but a conversation that we're having on council right now is what does that look like? Because we realize that our current parking minimums are too big in many instances. Just speaking is this over-parked? We're going to ask for a waiver, a variance, because -- but we still want to at least have a one-to-one and then also accommodating the larger parking for the shared live --

2:03:15PM That's what I wanted to know. I want to know just about the parking for this, not about the parking for the economic driver. This is just parking just for this development. Not over-parked. We're asking for a waiver. As a matter of fact, our civil team was like, you can't do that. I said no, no, we're going to consult with the city, but they felt we needed more parking. We said we don't want to have that much parking.

2:03:46PM Okay. Just the visual screamed a lot more parking.

Abbye Feeley

2:03:54PM I want to add to that we have been in discussions with their team. Abbye Feeley. We have been in discussions with their team. In fact, using the .8 that we've been using for live local, they feel that their product that they have built, they need a minimum of one space per unit at least. We've also talked about if we start at one place and then maybe something would have more, later we could get enough money to build a garage versus, but as you know, a garage at $30,000 a space just blows the affordability of the project out of the water. We have been in very robust conversations about how do we minimize that, how do we maybe do things in phases where we can start out and then try something, but we want to make sure the project is successful. I want you to know we had those conversations, and also they will have a cba with this project given the amount of money that they are getting. The WMBE and other commitments that was spoken to, those would go into that cba as part of this project as well.

Lynn Hurtak

2:05:01PM Absolutely. That's what I was thinking. That was going to be my last thing, definitely, what you're doing in terms of committing to small businesses, you know, women owned, minority owned businesses is just phenomenal. This is exactly what we're looking for. It feels like you watched a lot of what we've done or at least talked to the right --

2:05:24PM -- members of staff. Literally thinking about what our council is doing. I do appreciate that. Maybe what happens here is that we build it, where you build it, you see if maybe we don't need to add more parking for the other section. Maybe there is this parking can be shared during the day, in the evening kind of thing. That's just, yeah. I want to make sure we're not over-parking. I do agree with you. Parking belongs right next to the interstate. We've gotten calls and e-mails from people saying I'm worried about air quality. Putting it far away from the interstate is just kind of the no-brainer. You put it on that side of the lot. I appreciate that. Thank you. I still don't love it, the parking part, but I do support the project. I think it's fabulous.

Luis Viera

2:06:13PM Thank you. Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

2:06:16PM Said one for one on parking.

2:06:21PM That's pretty conservative. My biggest concern, not that I'm objecting to the proposal because of this, Ms. Feeley and I had this discussion about other projects, I'll say this for the record on these projects. One, for the City of Tampa and how we're developing things, are we repeating the same mistakes, the sins of the past? I see this is hundred percent affordable project, not truly mixed units. You're institutionalizing all poor people or -- is this the project that is going to appear its ugly head in 20 years that we say why in the world did we do that? I'm surprised with this one and surprised with a couple of others. How are we doing this again? They made this mistake in the '50s and '60s when they institutionalized poor, to be quite frank, people that don't look like me, all in one place and the kids grow up and generational poverty. No examples for success, the neighbor next door. It's all just people struggling every day to get by. I much prefer to see some of the examples that we see around the city and around the country and around the world now when we see true mixed developments where you don't institutionalize poor people all in one place. You have examples for the kids to grow up in. I get what you're working for here, and this is a problematic piece of property. It's not an ideal location. What is the assurance that the other part of the project will get built and how is it being funded?

Lynn Hurtak

2:08:19PM Just a wee clap back to you, our salary, we're under 80%.

Alan Clendenin

2:08:29PM I know. I get it.

Abbye Feeley

2:08:31PM This was an RFP. We bought this property, the city did with CDBG funds and put it out for RFP. There is an agreement that goes with the award of the RFP. In that agreement that was negotiated by myself, Rebecca John, it requires first that they build the housing because that's our greatest need. As you know, our greatest need is in that 80 and below units right now.

Alan Clendenin

2:08:54PM Remember we had the conversation. You and I have had the conversation about my concern --

Abbye Feeley

2:08:58PM But you just triggered a thought in my head while sitting there, while we put them under affordability period for x amount of time, I don't know that we can't in 15 years say, now we're going to convert x number of units over to market. While that thought just came in and I'm going to work on that in how we look at these things, I think knowing where we are right now and given that we don't want affordability for five years and then everything becomes market because that's how we're getting to what we really need to serve our community, there may be an opportunity to look at that as the inventory grows and perhaps those needs are different. That's just a thought. The agreement for the RFP outside of this funding agreement requires that there is performance and that both parts of the project are built within a certain time frame.

Alan Clendenin

2:09:54PM I know I had probably known that at one point in my life.

Abbye Feeley

2:09:59PM It's been a while since that award and agreement came to you and they started securing their own funding and it was identified they needed assistance with that. That's why we're here today. All these pieces are building on one another and need to be in concert with one another.

Alan Clendenin

2:10:14PM Thank you for the clarification. Right about $80,000 per unit.

2:10:24PM Just for clarification, compared to what we saw this morning, this is 80,000 at substantially more -- I know there are other alternative forms of funding that you've been able to acquire and land donation, it's not quite the burden per unit -- might be interesting to see the total breakdown of what the cost of government is for this. Relatively modest for the return on investment. Again, the placement, the location, everything about it, it kind of checks off a lot of boxes. As we move forward, let's be careful about not creating problematic projects that don't have a mix of people working together and we create a better society moving forward and don't repeat the same sentence. Thank you. Contributing to your lobbyist efforts in tallahassee because a lot of this is not under our local control. This comes from the federal government and from the state. I would love to join your advisory team when you want to talk about these things because I think there is a path to do exactly what you're saying, but hasn't been enough people lobbying for it.

Luis Viera

2:11:44PM Thank you. Board member Hurtak, second round.

Lynn Hurtak

2:11:47PM What it sounds like you're saying is that you get the lihtc funding for 80% and below. [Microphone not on]

2:12:08PM This has nothing to do with the project, but I do want to talk to Mr. McCray about the fact when these come in front of us, one of the things I would love to see in the future and just the housing team in general if this is an RFP of ours, I'm also talking to Ms. Feeley and her team, if it is an RFP of ours, we need to have presentation first by staff saying this is the RFP. We did this. Because, quite honestly, it doesn't do us -- why would we shoot this down? We need to know going in that this is something that we put out an RFP for. We provided the land for. We did all this. Hearing this in a vacuum does not help us make a decision. I think that is a really, really big point compared to what we heard earlier today. Again, it would be helpful to have a quick presentation by staff before we allow a presenters to present. Just, again, it gives me a whole different mindset, having known a little about the project and talking to you about it, and just remembering when we bought it. I asked today, during break, I was like, didn't we buy that? Again, that would be really helpful information because this is building upon what we as a council and we as a board are trying to provide in terms of housing. Just like you all, we're all super busy and we may not remember. It would just be really -- it would be great to help lead in, help build that, because this is -- while -- this is basically a public-private partnership but it wasn't advertised that way if that makes any sense. So he came in because we put an RFP out. These are the things we want to fund. We're grateful for these partnerships, but I think we need to make it a little more robust on how we share that going forward, so we know, like, these are the things where we're going forward that we really want to earmark and make sure we have funding for. Point taken.

Luis Viera

2:14:24PM What is the pleasure of council?

Guido Maniscalco

2:14:26PM Move to approve 8.

Luis Viera

2:14:28PM Motion by board member Maniscalco. Seconded by board member Clendenin. All in favor? Any opposed?

2:14:36PM Thank you. Okay, we go to our next and last item I believe it is. Mr. McCray, go for it.

Cedric McCray

2:14:46PM Good afternoon. Cedric McCray, Tampa CRA director. At this particular point in time, we are here to present to you all the draft FY '26 budget for the Tampa CRA. We can pull the powerpoint up. Appreciate it.

Luis Viera

2:15:03PM For purposes of time, roughly how much do you need?

Cedric McCray

2:15:07PM We can be done within maybe 10 minutes.

Luis Viera

2:15:11PM We'll give you 15.

Cedric McCray

2:15:12PM For any questions. Probably less than 10.

Lynn Hurtak

2:15:15PM I have a meeting at 2:30. I've already talked to Mr. McCray about what I would like to see in terms of just some changes.

Cedric McCray

2:15:30PM Yes.

Lynn Hurtak

2:15:36PM Different changes. Very quickly, I just would like to see in these -- in these individual budgets we're seeing 26, but I also wanted to see 25. 25 revised budget, the consumption, the funds available, like, what's encumbered and what's still available from this past year. I think it will help allow us to see clearer. I asked for that between this meeting and the next CRA meeting. If I have to leave, that's my request.

Cedric McCray

2:16:15PM Yes. Thank you. We will provide that information to the members of the board. We will present each CRA separately. Ms. Orr will be the first manager up.

Courtney Orr

2:16:32PM Good afternoon, Courtney Orr, CRA development manager for the urban core. I'm going to start the presentation. Showing the maps of the nine budgets you're going to be hearing about today. And starting with central park. So there's some basic information about central park, its size, when it was established, its sunset year. Fiscal year 26, we have the finalized information to budget a little over $2 million, which is 43% increase over fiscal year '25's funds. Each slide you see here is going to look the same for every single one of the districts that we're going to be talking about. By roman numeral, all the different line items in our budget. Operations and administration are going to cover things like salaries, cost allocation for the use of the other -- for the partnerships with the staff of other departments, and if you do see a zero, it's not that we didn't -- don't have money in that line item. It's because funding will roll over sufficiently. Just wanted to preface that, that when you see zero, it's not that there isn't any money in the line item. It's just it wasn't necessary to be allotted in the line items for fiscal year '26. Redevelopment -- communications and outreach has a little bit of money but end up reallocating additional funding for the RFP that we will advertise. Eventually we'll have to put additional funding in there when we land on the exact number of what that RFP should be put on the street for. Redevelopment and investment, just to give you some ideas, that's what is contained in that particular area. Predevelopment grants, commercial exterior grants, commercial interior grants, special projects grants. That's the money that is in our redevelopment investment, and you can see I didn't have to put necessarily a lot of money because we do have rollover funding coming from fiscal year '25. Affordable housing, that is the 30% set aside for that -- of that 2 million. Capital projects are going to include things like way-finding signage. We're finally getting that project off the ground. So the way finding signage in the urban core. Monies that are allotted toward it. Public art opportunities and the ADA improvements in the parks.

Lynn Hurtak

2:19:19PM Board member Clendenin.

Courtney Orr

2:19:26PM The other ones are zero.

Alan Clendenin

2:19:32PM [Inaudible] so the rollover, did we get a report on the rollover on the CRAs?

Lynn Hurtak

2:19:40PM That's literally what I asked -- that's what I put forward, that that's what I want to see.

Alan Clendenin

2:19:46PM It's difficult to approve a budget without seeing those lines.

Lynn Hurtak

2:19:49PM Correct. That's why I asked for it. If somebody wants to throw this up. That is East Tampa specific, but it gives you an idea of what I thought was so good, and they already make this in-house. If we could switch to the wolf. This tells you, revised budget for the previous year, expenditure, or what's already been expended, funds that are now available. It really gives you much better, clearer idea.

Alan Clendenin

2:20:29PM I think we need this for each CRA.

Lynn Hurtak

2:20:32PM That is what I asked for, between now and next time. But I asked if they could get it to us beforehand, they can e-mail it to us so we can take a look at it.

Alan Clendenin

2:20:42PM I have some observations, unless I have all that information, I won't be able to intelligently talk to it. Thank you.

Courtney Orr

2:20:59PM We covered central park. Now we'll move on to Channel District. There again you can see the acreage of Channel District. Its establishment year, its sunset year, and then how much money we are expecting to receive in fiscal year '26, which is a 17% increase over fiscal year '25. Here again you'll see operations and administration and what that entails as far as cost allocation of partnering with our departments in the city and salaries. Communication and outreach. I plugged in 45,000 there. Again, not knowing exactly what the RFP would be advertised for outreach and communications. Affordable housing, the required 30% of that 13.4 million, the 4 million you see there. Capital projects and infrastructure, we have a lot. A lot of that has already been budgeted because of the ongoing work for the infrastructure improvements that are happening in the Channel District. And we have a couple more streets that we'll be working on. I put in five million for the Whiting Street project that will get started soon. Let's see if there's anything to highlight. Washington Street park renovation. As you're aware, that is going to be renovated, Washington Street park. And then we did purchase the land at 810 Channelside Drive for that to be developed into a new urban park. I didn't put in community policing this year because we do have funding already allocated for security cameras that the CAC requested. Monies are already set aside for that. Nothing for historic preservation or quality of life due to having rollover funds. Here is the big budget. 870 acres. There is a core, non-core, monies distributed equally, though, within those two areas of core and non-core. Sunsets? 2043. We realize 29.9 is almost $30 million for fiscal year '26 to be budgeted with that being an 8% increase over fiscal year 25. There again, operations and administration covered for salaries, et cetera. And affordable housing is almost 9 million of the $30 million. And then capital, see if there are highlights I can give you. Infrastructure, capital, that's going to be things like the just neighborhood improvements that we're working on. Again, gateway and way finding signage. We do have funding in there for the agreement for spp, the money paid toward reimbursement of right-of-way improvements for spp water street development. Parks ADA improvements. Monies are still set aside for the Jackson house roadway improvement project. When ready. Of course, we have a lot of the funding agreements that require a multiyear contribution within each budget. So we have that prepared and the cash flow of how much we need to set aside for each of the funding agreements that have been established with the straz, Tampa theatre, Tampa Museum of Art, for example. The debt service, 4.2 million you see there is to reimburse for the work that has been done on the Convention Center, the improvements done on the Convention Center.

Lynn Hurtak

2:25:26PM Board member Clendenin. Go back to that slide.

Alan Clendenin

2:25:31PM That's okay. I can talk off of it. Are you all anticipating in your budget, specifically in the channelside, whatever is happening in the adjacent quadrants for interconnectivity between these new projects coming up, like the expansion of water street, how channelside integrates and connects with that, street improvements, with the projects, are you anticipating street park improvements and interconnectivity there in these budgets or in these capital improvement projects?

Courtney Orr

2:26:01PM Yeah, the only thing we have set aside currently in the channelside district is the current work being done by kimmins in the infrastructure work.

Alan Clendenin

2:26:12PM Probably as we're moving forward in the duration, we have to start thinking about that as we move along, how these neighborhoods are going to interconnect with each other so we have that in there. Is there a report -- I know what we're setting aside is 30%. Is there a report what the bucket looks like? The 30% cash on hand. How much money we have cash on hand for affordable housing in downtown and in channelside and ybor, those three CRAs?

Courtney Orr

2:26:43PM We have that. Whatever the rollover amount.

Alan Clendenin

2:26:47PM I would appreciate that for the future. I had a question about the debt service. You answered that. I think that's all I had. Thank you.

Lynn Hurtak

2:26:54PM Board member Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

2:26:56PM We're talking about big money here. Like always, it's very useful to have it, especially going to use it the right way. Has anyone from any parts of any sports been in contact with the CRA or the administration regarding any amount of properties or monies they may want to get from the CRA regarding some future, maybe -- stadium.

Courtney Orr

2:27:23PM I'll let Director McCray take that.

Cedric McCray

2:27:26PM Good afternoon. No, sir. The answer is no.

Charlie Miranda

2:27:36PM I don't know if this was the administration or not, just for our knowledge, logically in the mind of anyone operating on this side of government, if some big space was to be bought or leased between two entities, not us involved, it is their property, they can do what they want. Something is built on it, continue to be revenue for the city if it is a stadium or building, high-rises, restaurants, hotels and apartments or something like that, ever done a study on that?

Cedric McCray

2:28:09PM Repeat the question one more time, Mr. Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

2:28:12PM I forgot the question. If there is a certain plot of land that doesn't change and you build something big like a stadium, what revenue does the city get in ad valorem taxes or any other benefits?

Abbye Feeley

2:28:25PM Abbye Feeley. So right now, most of the stadiums are on county property, so they are non-taxed.

Charlie Miranda

2:28:36PM We haven't compared it with anything that could go there that would be taxable, am I correct?

Abbye Feeley

2:28:45PM If it's not government owned or government facility it would pay tax.

Charlie Miranda

2:28:50PM The developer develops it for other uses, condominiums, apartments, restaurants, whatever, then the city is losing other tax revenues would have gotten instead of paying. The average taxpayer.

Alan Clendenin

2:29:12PM [Inaudible]

Charlie Miranda

2:29:13PM The reason I want to know, I don't know what the value would be long-term to the taxpayers versus something that's not a value to the taxpayers.

Abbye Feeley

2:29:21PM I think those types of conversations would come to you. We wouldn't talk about them now saying, oh, this is the CRA and think it projects this and then not. That would come in a different thread.

Lynn Hurtak

2:29:38PM Thank you. I just have one question or rather a comment for my colleague when it comes to affordable housing, we just had two people coming to us in East Tampa. And if you think East Tampa is expensive, wait until they are building downtown. So I have a feeling this affordable housing money, when that RFP comes out, they will be asking for assistance as well. So I think that we owe it -- I think that's kind of what we're seeing right now is that how piling that money up could be beneficial. He don't need to have a conversation about it. I'm just saying, it could be something as the RFP comes forward. Again, I do want to talk about that later about RFPs.

Alan Clendenin

2:30:27PM I am ready for the conversation when it comes.

Lynn Hurtak

2:30:29PM I know you are. But I think today is a great example of why we're stockpiling that money for better or worse language. We just finished downtown. We had some good questions, including stadium conversations. So you missed that.

Luis Viera

2:30:44PM Damn it. There you go.

Courtney Orr

2:30:50PM That wraps up downtown. Hand it over to Director McCray for Drew Park and we'll continue on.

Luis Viera

2:30:58PM Councilwoman Hurtak has to leave for a city appointment.

Lynn Hurtak

2:31:00PM Yes, I do. I'm very sorry. I don't have anything for later. So thank you.

Cedric McCray

2:31:14PM If I could have the powerpoint back up, please. Drew Park, there was a 12% increase in the tax increment revenue that has come forward for FY '26. And operates in administration. We have allocation for affordable housing initiatives and then we also have some monies for infrastructure improvements. Ms. Keys was here a month or so ago speaking on behalf for Drew Park, and they made a few requests as CAC. Some of those things are formally coming into fruition related to a neighborhood park, and we're currently working with Parks and Recreation now to complete that process. Looking at hundred percent completion of the drawings later this summer. And then hopefully we'll be inviting members of the board to a ground breaking at some point by the end of the year. She also expressed the need for mobility connectivity and safety improvements. They allocated funding to that -- the upgrades and permit ready designs that are being completed as we speak. Look forward to the completion of that in 2026. There also is landscaping and streetscape safety audit that was requested. We allocated funding for that as it relates to Drew Park. I will pause with any questions.

Luis Viera

2:32:50PM Any questions from board members?

Alan Clendenin

2:32:54PM That percentage of the TIF money was so big. Would you attribute that because of economic development or the fact that most of these properties are not homesteaded so the tax base grows?

Cedric McCray

2:33:09PM Residential component in Drew Park is a lot less as it may be in East Tampa or other areas, so, yes.

Alan Clendenin

2:33:15PM Surprised to see such a significant growth in Drew Park. Thank you.

Luis Viera

2:33:18PM Thank you, sir. Anyone else? Okay. Thank you, sir. Go ahead.

Cedric McCray

2:33:22PM I'll move on to East Tampa. As you're familiar, East Tampa is the largest CRA, not only in the City of Tampa, but in the State of Florida, 7.5 square miles. The increase was at 12% for FY '26 and as I kind of alluded to before lunch, the East Tampa CAC felt compelled to increase the amount or recommended amount above and beyond the 30% for affordable housing initiatives and those line items that are there. We also have a few programs as we've been assembling properties in East Tampa, the last couple of years, destination church in Southeast Seminole Heights are exactly 1202 East Curtis Street for future development. As we're talking about RFPs, that one is currently being developed by Ms. Parks and her team. We have the gator building site, which was purchased back in 2019-2020. We're looking to redevelop those parcels as well. As you may recall, a month or so ago, you approved the purchase of two other sites adjacent to that location. We've had community engagement with the East Tampa CAC related to that and will follow up later this fall with more renderings and things of that nature. Another priority, and we put money in the budget, I believe 1.5 was allocated. Related to the stormwater pond on north 22nd. And that is something that we're working with our Stormwater Department and Parks and Recreation as it relates to design and build-out of that location. Also, we have some ongoing conversations with the CAC, and we've hired a consultant to do way-finding signs in East Tampa. So we've had a couple of meetings with the East Tampa CAC related to that as well, with the overall budget currently projected to be at $14 million for the East Tampa CRA. I'll pause for any questions.

Luis Viera

2:35:38PM Any questions? Okay. Continue, sir.

Cedric McCray

2:35:41PM Thank you. I will bring up Tampa Heights riverfront. Work with because we do pay 74% back to the community development district where water works is. We do have a less amount of money to budget in Tampa Heights riverfront. There was a 6% increase over fiscal year '25, but you can see that these numbers are fairly small because of majority of that money, which is roughly 1.5 million on an annual basis, there's 1.6 million in the capital projects and infrastructure to account for the monies that we pay back to the community development district. That one is short and sweet. I would like to call out, and we'll talk about this on the last slides, that due to the fact of paying that 74% to the community development district, we can only afford to put in approximately 15% of affordable housing. So it's hard for us to achieve the required 30% in order to do other important projects to the community. That concludes Tampa Heights.

Luis Viera

2:37:11PM Any questions on Tampa Heights? Seeing none, we'll continue.

Brenda Thrower

2:37:17PM I'm the closer. Brenda Thrower, CRA manager for West Tampa and Ybor City. I was supposed to follow Mr. Robinson today, so you would have heard this whole story beforehand. But he will be with us next month. Talking about West Tampa, this is our second largest CRA and the youngest, established in 2015, and then expiring, of course, in 2043. From increment standpoint, just shy of $10 million. A nice solid 10% increase from last year. Moving into the budget, here we have how the budget is laid out. O and a, that is our cost share for West Tampa at 697. When it comes to professional services, we do have money in that line item already, so we didn't allocate any more, and we're also going to be working on the CRP this year. So we already secured that funding under that line item. So that one no additional funding is needed there. For communications and outreach, we already had money saved up in that item as well. Couple hundred thousand dollars in community outreach, so no additional money was needed there. For redevelopment investment, West Tampa has been doing really well. They have been really participating in the grant programs that we have available, the commercial grant programs. So the only item that really wasn't that funded was predevelopment grants. So we added the money for 390,000 into that line item. Affordable housing, that's our 30% right there. Again, West Tampa has been chipping away at affordable housing and also from strategic acquisitions. So we just purchased the Cypress Street properties last month, so we're looking for other opportunities with the strategic acquisitions. Moving into capital improvement projects, very active CIP program going on in infrastructure. We are in the process of really working on almost five parks in West Tampa, including Salcines, rey park, freedom park, and then the fremont linear park opening up those cross streets and money set aside for MLK. So there is a lot of activity with parks, as well as mobility. The quick build along main street was completed, so we have money there to also keep working along with projects along main street. When it comes to transportation and mobility, this is year two of the west riverwalk, Tampa multimodal network project. $10 million project over 3 years. We're in year 2. That's what that funding represents right there, that allocation of 2.3. And then community policing, we don't have a lot of money in that -- we didn't allocate any this year, but we do have about $300,000 sitting in an account to do community policing initiatives in the district. Historic preservation, there is a zero there, but we actually encumbered money from last year for a cultural resource study to update the historic properties within the CRA of ybor -- of West Tampa. So that's going to be going on. And then quality of life, this is everything for district improvements. This is where we would have opportunities for new projects throughout the year as well as we have a main street clean team and alleyway clearing program going on. That sums up $9.6 million for West Tampa. Any questions?

Luis Viera

2:41:05PM Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

2:41:06PM I think we saved the best for last. You all seem to be able to take a little and spread it and go a long way in what you're doing in West Tampa. Obviously, it is one of the more exciting areas of Tampa as far as what's happening. You talk about a mix community of mixed incomes and folks. A lot of exciting opportunities here. It's a shame, and I'll hit on this, obviously you all have heard me whine about it before. That 30% set aside in our area, the dirt is just so expensive, it is not fiscally responsible for us to do. It is a shame we can't use that money in the CRAs for money from the General Fund and use General Fund money in places like this. Like main street in West Tampa, it could be mixed income. All kinds of exciting things we can do in that area. East Tampa, same kind of thing. All kinds of great things we can do and provide housing. Both of the areas are basically downtown. For large metropolitan cities, they are downtown. They are just on the outskirts of downtown. They are the proximity to urban core and for workforce, it's so close and we can provide transportation back and forth, like with route one, what we're doing, do something similar into West Tampa to get to the workforce areas. I would really love to see us revisit those numbers so we get the biggest bang for the buck, the biggest return on the investment for the citizens of the City of Tampa, if we could do some kind of shuffling to take some General Fund money from these areas that maybe we're spending, spend in West Tampa, spend in East Tampa, get the better projects going for smaller amounts of money and use that money in those expensive areas to do those mobility projects and all those things that cost a lot of money. I love the fact that, by the way, the Tampa multimodal, please, let's start talking. Just a small portion of that is on the river. This is a mobility project that's going to be able to help connect neighborhoods, move people through, build sidewalks and bike walks for people to move through neighborhoods. I think from the beginning it was a mistake to label it as a riverwalk because it is a small portion of it. So much bigger than that. I love that we continue to refer to it as that. Other than that, kudos. I think this is a really good budget in West Tampa. Spread the money in appropriate ways. There is a lot of opportunities there for people to improve their homes. We still have a lot of senior citizens living in that area. We can do some grants and help people out. I love it. Thank you.

Luis Viera

2:43:55PM Thank you very much. Anyone else?

Charlie Miranda

2:43:57PM There has been some development started just off of Howard on main street. Really, really looking nice. I'm sure you'll see -- from both sides continue that. Really looking nice. The apartments are getting filled up in that area. Looking really, really nice. Thank you all.

Alan Clendenin

2:44:20PM The gator building property and the things doing there, you know I'm excited about all that. Let's double down on that and continuing moving forward on those projects. I think those are great opportunities, too. We need to bring the services and housing to these areas and create little downtown districts. Let's try to make that happen.

Brenda Thrower

2:44:40PM Thank you so much. Last one. We are ending with ybor. Ybor, the y always puts us at the end here. One of the oldest CRAs right behind -- let me back up one -- 1987 this was established, expiring last ten years of Ybor City. This is ybor one. And in terms of tax increment, it's $4 million. It's not a lot of money, but it's money. We just made it over the $4 million mark. We've been holding at 3.9 a long time. It is a steady 10% increase from last year. In terms of projects going on in ybor, again, we start off with o and a. That is our cost share. Professional services, that we are going to be doing the CRP update for ybor, too. Even though we have ten years left, we're definitely going to consolidate all the plans of the past and really update the CRP. Communications and outreach, you see this as a lesser item. Last year probably saw around hundred thousand dollars. We have less because we're moving into this shared contract to do Tampa CRA with an outside firm. So we're all kind of cost sharing in that. So it's a little bit less. Moving into redevelopment investment, that's grants. Ybor has participated in the commercial grant program. Right here we added 30,000 just toward the predevelopment line item since we didn't have a lot. Affordable housing, we have 30%. If you want to know, 3.3 million from last year. You add this on, so we're a little over, what, four, almost five million dollars in affordable housing. We're looking for strategic opportunities to buy property but there hasn't been a lot of activity from the programs, just mainly because it's a commercial district, ybor one. Capital improvements projects, you all know the big one. It is the Ybor City brick program. We'll do the next two blocks. We've been having to bank money from last year. The next two blocks we will be moving east so it will be between 17th and 19th street. Had to do some design work. The intersections needed some design. So that will be next project that -- priority project that we're working on, along with centennial park. These are things that will be put into the CRP. As well as some signage upgrades. Those are kind of main things in capital improvement projects. Transportation mobility, that number is the streetcar allocation. Every year we have set aside, really $225,000 for Ybor City, but we give -- we split it up between ybor one and two, the 188,000 is dedicated to the streetcar. Community policing, 20,000. We do support the ybor innovative squad and ybor task force, roughly around $250,000 a year. We already have money in that account. There was no need to put additional money. So we're adding about 20,000 more to true that up. Historic preservation, we don't really have a specific project for that. Every grant we do in Ybor City, because it's an old district, commercial grant is going to go to an historic building. We don't really separate it out that way. We do have that line item because it is consistent with all the other budgets. Finally, quality of life and community improvement, Ybor City is very program heavy in terms of Ybor City yes team, the clean team, the intensive pressure washing team. I get compliments all the time how clean Ybor City is and it's very rewarding. We do keep it clean and safe and our yes team works very close with the Police Department and Code Enforcement and all those agencies. So that pretty much wraps up ybor one. Are there any questions?

Luis Viera

2:48:37PM Any questions? None. Go ahead.

Brenda Thrower

2:48:41PM Last but not least, ybor 2, surrounding area of ybor 1.

Luis Viera

2:48:46PM I'm going to turn off your timer. You're fine.

Brenda Thrower

2:48:51PM I'll go quick. Ybor 2, surrounding area that was established in 2004 is actively growing. We had 11% increase from last year. Still around $2 million, $2.1 million. In TIF revenue for next year. Things that we'll be getting involved with here, again, we have our o and a line item cost share, professional services. That is a contribution that ybor 2 will be putting towards the new RFP working for Tampa CRA, the communications contract, I'm sorry. The 50,000 is for the CRP. That's the community redevelopment plan update. We will be engaging just one firm for ybor one and two. At the end of the day, we end up with two plans. We have to by state statute. That's how we're approaching that. That would be their contribution. Then the communications and outreach, we have 20,000 set aside there to participate in that. Contract. Redevelopment investment, we put $63,544 towards the predevelopment grants. We had some healthy balances in all the other commercial standard grants and special projects that were good there. Affordable housing is 30%. That's our allocation. And if you want to look at where we are at with that, we have in the rollover about $1.5 million for ybor 2. That, we do have some strong leads on some property that we may be able to acquire. If so, we'll bring it forward to you after it goes through the CAC. So we're looking at some strategic acquisitions. Capital infrastructure, that's the bricking. Four blocks in ybor 2 east of 22nd street. We're actually kind of banking money to complete those blocks when we start moving down the avenue and we get there. We have about 400,000 in the account right now. Also doing district signage upgrades up near the german american club in that little pocket. Transportation mobility, that is the streetcar. That's the $37,000 that we put -- contribute to the streetcar each year. That is their allocation. And then community policing, we did add $10,000 here. There was a lot of additional Code Enforcement activity, patrolling of the ybor parking lots, and they are south of 7th avenue and actually in ybor 2. We put a little money there to help out with that -- those extra services. Again, historic preservation, we don't have anything specific in that line item, because everything we do in ybor, seems like it is historic preservation. Quality of life, there are yes team services in the surrounding area, in the neighborhood. They mainly handle landscaping, streetscape. One of the things the community wanted was some sidewalks. So we have a line item under quality of life that we could actually engage and do infill of sidewalks and so forth. That pretty much sums up ybor 2. Any questions?

Luis Viera

2:52:02PM Any questions.

Alan Clendenin

2:52:03PM Kudos on the clean team, for all the CRAs that have them. It really does make a huge difference. Tampa looks good and a lot of that is because of the clean teams. I forgot to ask a question about central park. Is there a plan or a budget for the band shell in perry Harvey park?

Cedric McCray

2:52:32PM Yes. We are actually having conversations with Parks and Recreation. I did have some previous conversations with the former director prior to him transitioning from the city.

Alan Clendenin

2:52:44PM That we can set aside CRA money as we start budgeting.

Cedric McCray

2:52:47PM We're looking to work with them to see what we can do to bring that to fruition.

Alan Clendenin

2:52:55PM Is there anything in this budget set aside that would help fund that along for multiyear funding? But we do have available funding that could be reallocated toward that effort.

2:53:09PM Thank you.

Luis Viera

2:53:09PM Anyone else on this? Thank you, Councilman Clendenin, for mentioning it. I know board member Maniscalco had also motioned for that because obviously for the folks who don't know, the big issue there is for the late councilwoman gwen Henderson and I know there have been talks about naming it and all that. I know we want to honor her memory and legacy. I have a dumb question. This facility that board member Clendenin was just talking about, you know what, so dumb, I was going to say how long do you think it would take but how would you know. Disregard. Great. I'll withdraw that. Anything further?

Cedric McCray

2:53:55PM We have one more component of the budget. Housing component. Ms. Parks will speak to that.

Belix Parks

2:54:08PM Good afternoon, board members. As you can see here, the 30% allocation for 2026 goes as follows: for central park, we have $604,000. For channel CRA roughly around 4 million. For downtown, we'll have about 8.9 million. Drew Park, we'll have about 1 million. You see here for East Tampa, about 4.3 million. As mentioned previously by Courtney about Tampa Heights, this is about 15% set aside, so we're at 335,000. West Tampa CRA, we're about 2.9 million. And then ybor CRA combined about 1.9 million. A total of $26 million allocated for affordable housing. The next slide is just letting you know the specifics. As you know, the need for affordable housing initiatives, which as you know that's all five of them. The CAC mentioned increasing their allocation to about 26 percent. 6.7 million. Tampa Heights, $335,000. We just wanted to explain to the public again, due to our contribution to the cdd, we can only set aside about 15% for that district.

Luis Viera

2:55:47PM Any questions from board members? Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

2:55:55PM I don't support making it a requirement allocation. I don't support the 30% requirement. I think this should be a budgetary item and flexible with the actual needs and the fiscal responsibility of budgeting. While I do support allocating 46% in the budget, I don't think it necessarily needs to be a requirement. Each board member needs to make that determination based on how the budgets are presented. It's interesting because the Tampa Heights example is a classic example why an arbitrary number like 30% just doesn't work. We put a requirement on a CRA that is fiscally impossible for them to meet. Again, I get that my good friend Mr. Dingfelder and a couple other councilpersons thought this was a good idea at the time, as it matured and moved on, we probably should revisit this at some point. Two great examples. Want to put more money in East Tampa. Tampa Heights doesn't work, and we're kind of boxing in money that could be higher and better use and others that maybe we could, again, swap out for General Fund money and move some money back into these areas where we can afford it, West Tampa, East Tampa, can afford to build much more for much less. That's my thing.

Luis Viera

2:57:17PM Thank you, sir, anyone else?

Belix Parks

2:57:18PM Thank you.

Luis Viera

2:57:19PM Anything further, sir?

Cedric McCray

2:57:21PM No, sir. That concludes our presentation related to the FY '26 budget.

Luis Viera

2:57:25PM Any comments or anything from council members? Thank you, sir. We appreciate you and all your wonderful staff. Correct me if I'm wrong, folks, that's the end of this agenda. Now it's time for motions and everything. Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

2:57:42PM Just a couple of announcements. One, I don't know if everybody got this e-mail, it was just addressed to me. There is going to be a controlled burn tomorrow off of Bruce b. Downs which will definitely affect the public if the wind is blowing. Controlled burn south of Bruce b. Downs in that big swampy wooded area. Also good news, I put it on my social media page, I had a meeting with the mayor yesterday. The mayor has agreed to restore the full budget from FY '24 money for paving for the City of Tampa. So that will go back to the original request that we had. So moving forward. I'm happy about that and appreciate the mayor's consideration and the administration working with us to make that happen. Thank you.

Luis Viera

2:58:28PM Thank you, sir. Board member Maniscalco? Board member Miranda? I have a few. I don't know who I give this to. I guess to you. I have a couple from board member Hurtak. A motion to council to cancel the October 16 CRA meeting as it is the week of the fra conference.

Guido Maniscalco

2:58:48PM Motion from Councilman Viera, second from Clendenin. All in favor?

Luis Viera

2:58:54PM Thank you. Then a motion to schedule a special call CRA meeting to address the CRA housing matrix. I guess we can come up with dates. I would assume, kelly, this is a request to get with staff on potential dates, correct?

Guido Maniscalco

2:59:14PM Motion from council member Viera. A second from council member Clendenin. All in favor? Anything else?

Luis Viera

2:59:19PM The last one is, this one is mine --

Cedric McCray

2:59:23PM I wanted to say, we were asking for -- the request was made for the workshop related to the housing. Probably definitely something we need to have a conversation with the board members. And looking at potential dates and we will reach out to your respective staff moving forward.

Luis Viera

2:59:43PM My next motion, something I've been toying around with, I wanted to, frankly, wait until after session to propose this. You look at a lot -- our CRAs are very diverse and very different. Obviously, you have East Tampa, Ybor City, West Tampa, and ones like downtown. And channelside, but they all deal with blight, which -- allegedly -- which all comes down to an issue, frankly of equity and justice. That's what CRAs are meant for in many, many ways. I want to propose that staff come back with a report on the feasibility of having what I would call an equity seat on each one of our CRAs. We can define what that is. Again, we can work on the specifics of it. It could be a civil rights organization. It could an equity organization and so forth. But I really, really think that every CRA, one of our CRAs should have a seat that is designated to an organization. Again, we can better define this that promotes equity and justice here in Tampa. I think that's something that will be consistent with what CRAs are supposed to be for. Again, we can fully discuss it and have it come back in November or whatever. I don't know if CRA members have any questions on that.

Charlie Miranda

3:01:03PM Do we have any --

Luis Viera

3:01:07PM I think so.

Alan Clendenin

3:01:14PM I'm not sure. Because the example in Tampa fits with the model you just described. CRAs in general, if you look around in certain other areas, maybe not as much -- Tampa is not necessarily the example of what a CRA is. Maybe more the norm than not the norm. I think there are other areas that CRAs are applicable that don't concern the folks that live in our CRAs in Tampa. I don't necessarily --

Luis Viera

3:01:44PM CRA.

Alan Clendenin

3:01:47PM Only CRA Board is us.

Luis Viera

3:01:48PM Sorry. CACs. Yes, sir, CACs. Thank you for the clarification. Again, all that I want is for this to come back just for a discussion. It's not to implement it. Just for feasibility. And that's all.

Alan Clendenin

3:02:05PM We had this discussion about boards, composition of boards. This battle was kind of fought.

Luis Viera

3:02:10PM How about I do this? Since we only have four board members. I'll return this next month. Probably smarter. You all can think about it.

Alan Clendenin

3:02:19PM Maybe after the district five seat is filled.

Luis Viera

3:02:22PM That's fine. We can motion for it to come back after the district -- because I wouldn't have that discussion until the district five person. I'll motion for this for next month, but it will come back if I get the majority when we have that filled.

Guido Maniscalco

3:02:38PM Motion to receive and file.

Luis Viera

3:02:40PM Motion made by -- I didn't. No, no. we'll wait to have a full board. Fuller, if you will. Motion by board member Maniscalco. Second I think by board member Miranda. All in favor? We are finished. Thank you, board. Thank you, staff. Disclaimer: this file represents an unedited version of realtime captioning which should neither be relied upon for complete accuracy nor used as a verbatim transcript. Any person who needs a verbatim transcript of the proceedings may need to hire a court reporter. ▶ meeting video community Redevelopment agency - 07/24/25 - part 2published: July 25, 2025▶ watch on youtube the information contained in these pages represents an unedited version of realtime captioning which should neither be relied upon for complete accuracy nor used as a verbatim transcript. Persons requiring a verbatim transcript may need to hire a court reporter. © - City of Tampa (813) 274-8211