$2 million in improvement grants available to revitalize 8th & Waldo area
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The City of Gainesville will soon begin accepting applications from property owners who qualify for one of four categories of improvement grants aimed at updating homes, businesses, and vacant lots along NE 8th Avenue and Waldo Road. The grants were approved by the Gainesville City Commission last October, and the program is funded by the Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area (GCRA) as part of the City’s Eighth and Waldo transformational project. The GCRA is a 10-year program (2019-2029) that is funded by Alachua County and the City of Gainesville
“We’ve talked extensively about our community’s vision for modernizing Citizens Field and the Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center,” said Gainesville Mayor Harvey L. Ward. “Using a portion of that funding to bring fresh renovation into the neighborhoods is exciting.”
Alachua County Commission Chair Ken Cornell said, “As the majority funding entity of the GCRA, the County is very supportive of programs that provide direct benefit to our residents in east Gainesville.”
Each of the four funding opportunities targets a different outcome, with guidelines in place to increase safety, encourage economic growth, and enhance neighborhood identity and pride. Owners of the approximately 91 homes and businesses in the designated corridors can apply for grants aimed at boosting curb appeal, upgrading lighting and accessibility, remodeling existing buildings, or developing vacant parcels. Awards vary in size, with lower amounts of up to $7,500 for smaller homes and as much as $100,000 for commercial and institutional sites.
“The program provides financial incentives to help home and property owners make important upgrades,” said GCRA Director Rick Smith. “We hope the additional public investment will spark a wave of redevelopment that leads to commercial expansion, job creation, and private sector partnerships.”
The first phase of the program is launching this month with an educational campaign aimed at eligible homeowners, small landlords, churches, and businesses in the area outlined in the map above. Over the coming weeks, the GCRA will host a series of community engagement sessions to share more detailed information about eligibility criteria, acceptable plans, and the program’s four funding levels. These sessions will also help potential recipients navigate the application process and begin preparing strong project proposals.
With a rolling application deadline, funding will remain available to qualified applicants through future phases of the program. Information about property criteria, a map of both corridors, and an explanation of grant categories is posted on the Economic Development Eighth & Waldo section of the City’s website. Application dates and guidance on how to apply will be shared at the upcoming community meetings.
Potential applicants are encouraged to email GCRAprograms@gainesvillefl.gov for more information.
More $$$ for the Eastsiders. Makes you want to make sure you pay your ‘fair share’ for all their DEI projects.
Wonder home many of Ward’s eastside properties will benefit from this program?
Follow the money: Just like the SE 4th Ave and Porter’s Quarters, who quietly bought up the property….
Don’t forget Cynthia and her boyfriend have property to rent and to sell. Nice for her. Silly old woman being kittenish.
I think everyone on the east should moved to haile plantation and see where they go at then. What makes you think the east side doesn’t expect a new look. Some of yall are ridiculous, evil minded sore losers. That needs to be pulled out of the 1920’s.
$2 million from a county-paid slush fund. They got to make that area look really pretty for the out-of-towners they think will come to their new athletic complex
Meanwhile, they are getting $5.6 million from ACPS for 37 acres (citizen’s field), so they are charging ACPS $150k/acre, which the city says is a deal, because the land is really worth $10 million (LOL). Then they expect ACPS to spend an additional $20 to $40 million rebuilding a shiny new stadium
“As the majority funding entity of the GCRA, the County is very supportive of programs that provide direct benefit to our residents in east Gainesville.”
Which county citizens are supportive? I’m guessing most are not. They’re just too dumb and keep voting for the same commissioners or they don’t vote at all.
Has anyone asked why this place turned into a dump to begin with? Keeping up property appearances is apparently not a priority for of the people who live there. They have other things they’d rather spend money and time on. Don’t expect this place to stay nice after a few years when all the money is used up.
If there were real opportunities here, businesses would move into the area.