APRIL 14, 2026
City of Madison, Florida Community Redevelopment Agency Board
- District 1: Charlie Mae Givens
- District 2: Tim Sanders
- District 3: Terry Martin / Jonathan Akins
- District 4: Ramsey Coulter
- District 5: Jesse Solomon
- Co-Chair: Jennifer Poore, Madison County Chamber of Commerce Co-Chair: Doug Brown, Madison County Development Council
Download Full Community Redevelopment Agency Annual Report & Master Plan
INTRODUCTION & BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CITY OF MADISON CRA
A Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) in Florida is a local government entity established to revitalize designated areas exhibiting “slum or blight”. Funded by Tax Increment Financing (TIF), CRAs use increased property tax revenues from a defined area to fund improvements like infrastructure, affordable housing, public safety, economic development, and business incentives.
The activities and programs offered within a Community Redevelopment Area are administered by the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). CRAs are a five-to-nine-member board created by the local government (city or county) to direct redevelopment projects and related activities within Community Redevelopment Area(s). The Board can be composed of local government officials and/or other individuals appointed by the local government. Although a jurisdiction may establish multiple Community Redevelopment Areas or Districts, there may be only one CRA per jurisdiction. The CRA maintains the Redevelopment Trust Fund for each Community Redevelopment Area and expends those funds only in the Community Redevelopment Area.
Under Florida law (Chapter 163, Part III), counties or municipalities designate areas as Community Redevelopment Areas when certain conditions exist. Since all the monies used in financing CRA activities are locally generated, CRAs are not directly overseen by the State, though they must comply with Florida law.
To document that the conditions required under Florida law exist, the County or Municipality seeking to establish the Community Redevelopment Area must conduct an assessment of the proposed Community Redevelopment Area by preparing a Finding of Necessity Study. If the Finding of Necessity Study determines that the required conditions exist, the County or Municipality may establish a Community Redevelopment Area to be governed by the CRA to provide the tools needed to foster and support redevelopment projects and related activities within the Community Redevelopment Area.
The CRA is responsible for developing and implementing a Redevelopment Plan that addresses the unique needs of the Community Redevelopment Area. The Redevelopment Plan includes the overall goals for the Community Redevelopment Area, as well as identifying the redevelopment projects and related activities for the Community Redevelopment Area. Examples of traditional redevelopment projects include:
- streetscapes and roadway improvements
- building renovations
- new building construction
- flood control initiatives
- water and sewer improvements
- parking lots and garages
- neighborhood parks
- sidewalks and street tree plantings
The Redevelopment Plan can also include redevelopment incentives and grants such as façade improvements, infrastructure improvements, fire prevention system upgrades, signage, and structural improvements. The Redevelopment Plan is a living document that can be updated to meet the changing needs within the Community Redevelopment Area; however, the boundaries of the Community Redevelopment Area cannot be changed without conducting a new Finding of Necessity Study.
Tax increment financing (TIF) is a unique tool available to Counties and Municipalities for funding of redevelopment projects and related activities. TIF is utilized by leveraging public funds to prompt or otherwise attract private investment activity into Community Redevelopment Area(s). The assessed value of all real property in the Community Redevelopment Area is determined as of a fixed date. This represents the “Base Value”. Taxing authorities, which contribute to the Redevelopment Trust Fund, continue to receive property tax revenues from the Base Value. These Base Value revenues remain available to the taxing authorities for their purposes. However, any property tax revenues from increases in the assessed value of real property within the Community Redevelopment Area, referred to as “increment,” are deposited into the CRA’s Redevelopment Trust Fund and restricted for use within the Community Redevelopment Area for redevelopment projects and related activities.
It is important to note that property tax revenue collected by School Districts and other special districts specified by Florida law (Florida Statute, Chapter 163.387) are exempt from contributing to the Redevelopment Trust Fund. Unlike TIF districts in some states, in Florida taxing authorities direct increment revenues to a Redevelopment Trust Fund after they are received from the Tax Collector.
The increment revenues can be used immediately, saved for a particular project, or can be bonded to maximize the funds available. Any increment revenue generated by a Community Redevelopment Area must be used within the Community Redevelopment Area for specific redevelopment purposes described or otherwise contemplated within the Redevelopment Plan and may not be repurposed or otherwise allocated for general government purposes.
The City of Madison established a CRA district in the 1980’s. The CRA district was developed in alignment with Florida statutes governing Community Redevelopment Agency activities. A finding of necessity process identified slum and blight conditions within the proposed CRA district. The finding of necessity resulted in the establishment of a CRA district as depicted in the included map.
A CRA board was created. The original CRA board developed and implemented a CRA plan. Shortly thereafter, the CRA activities entered a period of limited activities with little expenditure of CRA funds. The CRA funds have been a part of the City of Madison’s annual audit since the program began.
In November of 2024, the Madison City Commission implemented steps to continue CRA activities within the CRA district (see Ordinance 2024-05). The Commission appointed a CRA board consisting of seven members (see membership list on Page 1). Each commissioner appointed a board member. The Executive Directors of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism and the Madison County Development Council were also selected for membership and designated as co-chairs of the CRA board. The charge to the CRA board is to prepare and present for adoption a Redevelopment Plan that addresses the unique needs of the CRA district. With a current funding balance of $1,358,447, the plan is to include the overall goals for redevelopment within the district and identify specific projects for consideration and implementation.
CURRENT VISION and WORK of the CRA BOARD
After the City Commission established the aforementioned CRA board, the CRA board began meeting twice a month to consider ideas for possible inclusion in a redevelopment plan. While the CRA district does not include the entirety of the Madison city limits, the CRA board sought to consider projects for implementation in the CRA district that would benefit not only the CRA district but the entirety of the City. This is especially true of the downtown area and Lake Francis, both of which are included in the CRA district but are frequented by folks living outside of the CRA district. The work will only be considered successful if all residents benefit from the redevelopment projects.
The CRA board has worked diligently over the period of a year to develop project recommendations for the consideration and approval of the City Commission.The CRA board also sought to identify projects that would be immediately noticeable and beneficial. These were referred to as potential ‘quick wins’. Upon approval of the plan, the CRA Board will move quickly to begin the submitted projects.