Lincolnville CRA

In 2012, the City of St. Augustine hired a consultant to conduct a Finding of Necessity (FON) study to assess conditions of blight in Lincolnville. As a result of finding such conditions, the City Commission established the Lincolnville Community Redevelopment Agency (LCRA) on April 8, 2013.

About

The purpose for establishing the LCRA and the Redevelopment Trust Fund was to address the distressed conditions within the redevelopment area.  The FON determined the presence of six blighting influences, as defined by Chapter 163, Part III of the Florida Statutes. 

The LCRA, the Redevelopment Trust Fund, and the Lincolnville Community Redevelopment Plan were adopted on April 8, 2013.

Governance

The LCRA is governed by the St. Augustine Community Redevelopment Agency and Board, which consists of the City Commission and guided by a separate Steering Committee. The Agency is enabled by the Community Redevelopment Act (1969) to implement redevelopment activities at the local level.

Purpose

The purpose of the LCRA is to promote the preservation and improvement of the Lincolnville neighborhood by implementing and encouraging physical revitalization and economic growth.

Action

A Redevelopment Plan was formed to identify actions for eliminating the existing conditions of blight, and also reflects the community’s desire for change in the neighborhood. To create this plan, a three-day charette was held in January 2013 with members of the public regarding goals for redevelopment in Lincolnville. The charette participants focused on discussing:

• Amenities
• Beautification in Lincolnville
• Connectivity
• Infrastructure
• Land-use
• Sense of place
• The adopted Lincolnville Redevelopment Plan (PDF) identifies the projects and programs that are consistent with this discussion.

Redevelopment Plan Amendment

In 2017, after much public input, a Redevelopment Plan Amendment (PDF) was adopted. The Redevelopment Plan addressed only new or reinforced elements of the original plan.  Based on the results of the community involvement process, three main topics were prioritized: Preserving African-American Heritage by retaining long-term residents, preserving Lincolnville’s historic character, and conducting neighborhood improvements.

Legislature

Under Florida Statute (Chapter 163, Part III), local governments can designate targeted areas as Community Redevelopment Areas (CRAs) to address conditions of “slum” and “blight” within that area. To establish a CRA, a formal "Finding of Necessity" (FON) study must be conducted to assess conditions of blight in a proposed area. A technical term defined in the Florida Statutes, "blight" is an area that exhibits signs of physical and economic distress. CRAs are dependent special districts that utilize Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to fund projects undertaken within the district. TIF revenue is generated by the increase of property values within the designated CRA. The St. Augustine CRA is a public agency overseen by a CRA Board consisting of the members of the St. Augustine City Commission, who are enabled by the Community Redevelopment Act (1969) to implement redevelopment activities at the local level.