ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The first step towards revitalizing an area of St. Augustine has been approved.
The city commission unanimously approved the creation of a Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) in West City, an area west of the city's historic district and east of West Augustine.
Tax dollars from several revenue streams, including St. Johns County and St. Augustine will be funneled into the CRA to address things like boarded buildings, and overgrown and narrow sidewalks.
The city hired an outside consultant to collect data in the area. In order to qualify for a CRA, the state requires evidence of what they call "slum" or "blight" being present.
The consultant found the presence of slum, including fire hazard conditions, and several instances of blight including but not limited to unsanitary or unsafe conditions and defective roadways and bridges.
The city said it will tackle these challenges with help from the community.
“We rely on our residents to kind of explain to us what, where they see the need, and we use that public engagement to build out our community redevelopment plan. And that's how we address the challenges," City of St. Augustine Neighborhood Service & Community Redevelopment Division Manager Jaime D. Perkins said.
The city will now hold public meetings to gather input as it creates a redevelopment plan for the neighborhood.
It said it hopes to have a final plan adopted by October.