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Bradenton, Florida 34208
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HOPE VI

The HOPE VI Program was developed as a result of recommendations by National Commission on Severely Distressed Public Housing, which was charged with proposing a National Action Plan to eradicate severely distressed public housing.

Hope VI is an Urban Revitalization grant awarded by the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) for the revitalization of severely distressed public housing developments. In order to receive a HOPE VI grant the Public Housing Authority must apply and compete nationally against all other housing authorities, no matter the size. This is a very competitive process, which as as 200 applications have been submitted in a given year and only 20 to 25 being funded on a yearly basis. The Bradenton Housing Authority applied in 1997 and 1998 unsuccessfully and then won an award in 1999.

  • In 1999 the Bradenton Housing Authority was awarded our 1st HOPE VI grant in the amount of $21,483,332. The HOPE VI award is just the first step in the revitalization process. This money is used along with other housing program dollars and private investing to complete the now estimated $80 million dollar revitalization project now called Bradenton Village. Bradenton Village at completion will consist of approximately 449 units, 199 replacement public housing units, 92 homeownership units and 158 tax credit rental units. The former Rogers Garden property and the adjacent Singeltary Neighborhood to the north of the City of Bradenton will benefit from these efforts.
  • Again in 2001 we were successful and were awarded a HOPE VI demolition grant in the amount of $1,572,500. This funding was used for demolition of the former Rogers Garden and Rogers Addition apartments.
  • In 2002 the Bradenton Housing Authority put in another HOPE VI Revitalization Grant application to demolish and rebuild the former oller Garden Apartments which was located in the Singeltary Neighborhood fronting on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
The Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) mission is to help Floridians obtain safe, decent housing that might otherwise be unavailable to them. The FHFC works to increase affordable homeownership opportunities for Floridians, ensure that Florida Housing's programs are well matched to the housing needs of Floridians, and communicate the importance of affordable housing to Florida communities.

  • To assist the HOPE VI developments construction financing, the Housing Authority and its development partner Telesis Corporation apply through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) 9% Tax Credit Program. Under this program we are able to compete in the Front Porch Florida set aside for tax credits. When we receive an allocation of tax credits, out developer seeks investors to purchase the allocation of tax credits which then becomes equity for construction and permanent financing.
  • The Bradenton Housing Authority received an allocation of approximately $2.5 million from the Homeownership Assistance Program (HAP). This program enables us to use the money for 0% interest during construction of the Homeownership units.
The Manatee County Government had various parcels throughout the Singeltary Neighborhood. The Manatee County Commissioners sold the properties to us for $100 a piece with the promises that we would build affordable housing units on them. The parcels we acquired from the county were added to an additional 30 parcels we acquired from land-owners in the neighborhood, and added the former Zoller parcel and a portion of the former Rogers Garden parcel. These parcels make up our 117-unit Phase III-A.

The City of Bradenton has been committed to the success of the Bradenton Housing Authority's revitalization efforts with the following:

  • The City of Bradenton gave an initial commitment to the Bradenton Housing Authority that if we were successful in obtaining a HOPE VI grant, they would give a vacant parcel of land to us, which was known as Rousch Field.
  • The City in 2003 committed to donate a second parcel of land where the former Department of Motor Vehicles office was located. This is the site for the senior building in our Phase III-B application.
  • The City works with us to ensure that approvals are in place so we meet the necessary time constraints placed on us with the various funding sources we seek.
The City of Bradenton created the Central Community Redevelopment Agency (CCRA) in July 2000 with the boundaries running in target areas between 6th Street West and 27th Street East and includes the Bradenton Housing Authority's HOPE VI revitalization areas.

  • Originally the CCRA was created as a way to show the City's commitment towards the HOPE VI - Bradenton Village project. The CCRA committed $7.5 million dollars towards this project over a 30-year period. Here is how it works:
    • The property values for the CCRA boundaries were frozen at the time the CCRA was created.
    • For example - your property was valued at $85,000 at the time the CCRA was created in 2000 and your property is located in the CCRA boundaries in 2001, and your property value rose to $90,000. The additional $5,000 of value or the amount of taxes would not go to the City or County but towards the CCRA efforts. This is known as tax increment financing (TIF).
    • Since we are constructing 449 units, many of which are being or have been built on vacant land, this process enables us to leverage these dollars to be put back into our revitalization efforts.
Florida has a new opportunity for communities presently working toward holistic community revitalization. It is called Front Porch Florida. This initiative lead by Governor Jeb Bush is designed to provide those communities the means by which to participate in the process to once again take back their neighborhoods and make it an exciting place to live, work, and play. There are currently 20 designated Front Porch Florida Communities across the State of Florida.

  • Bradenton was designated a Front Porch community in July of 2002 and The Bradenton Front Porch Florida Revitalization Council was formed. This designation is very significant for the Bradenton community. It allows the Bradenton Community to receive technical assistance, financial support, tax credits, and other incentives as a means by which to address and resolve problems as determined by the residents of this community.
  • One more very important benefit we receive with this designation is that we can apply for Tax-Credits throught the FHFC under a Front Porch set-aside. Without the Front Porch designation, we would have to compete in the medium county grouping which due to the complexities of the HOPE VI mixed finance transaction, it would make it even more difficult to receive tax-credits.
The Housing Authority of the City of Bradenton does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, familial status, age, religion or handicap, in compliance with the Fair Housing Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
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