Working towards revitalization of its blighted areas, the City of Clearwater, FL, undertook a Finding of Necessity (FON) study to evaluate the potential for creating a Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) in its North Greenwood neighborhood. By law, local governments in Florida must complete a FON study to determine whether certain conditions—such as blight or shortages of affordable housing—exist before creating a CRA. Clearwater, a longtime client, tapped Wade Trim’s planning team to carry out the study, which recently won the Best Adaptive Reuse or Redevelopment Award from the American Planning Association’s (APA) Florida Chapter Sun Coast Section.

The study focused on six areas within and surrounding North Greenwood. Socioeconomic and housing datapoints, crime, code enforcement, and taxable values were analyzed. Study results confirmed that the North Greenwood community is blighted and has a higher occurrence, compared to the City of Clearwater overall, of poverty, vacant housing, and substandard housing conditions.

Strong community involvement and coordination with the Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition was critical. Throughout development of the study, the City met with representatives of the Coalition to confirm the study reflected the concerns and needs of residents. Clearwater’s City Council, along with the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners, approved the study, clearing a path for establishment of the North Greenwood CRA that will enable the City to invest specific property taxes into a fund to support future redevelopment efforts.

Wade Trim planners (from left) Sarah Mastison, Amanda Warner, and Brad Cornelius accepted the award at the APA Sun Coast Section Awards ceremony on November 18.