The City’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) plans to waive certain development fees and offer qualified homebuyers down payment assistance.  

All impact fees including water and sewer will be waived to private developers building affordable houses in the city’s core improvement area. 

“We saw quick growth and fast home sales with our efforts in the Northwest Neighborhood,” said CRA Project Manager Darrell Starling. “We hope to see the same type of growth in the core of the city,” he added.

The CRA’s core improvement area lays alongside US Highway 27 and Scenic Highway between Florida Ave., Emerald Ave. and SR 60. Plans to revitalize the area include streets lined with trees, enlarged sidewalks, a multiuse trail and much more.

 “This incentive program is geared to help bring more affordable housing to the core of the city,” City Manager James Slaton said. “It’s going to offer more opportunities to homebuyers,” he mentioned. 

The Developer Incentive Program requires developers to sell houses to buyers at or below 120% area median income. Qualified homebuyers may be eligible to receive down payment assistance from the CRA.