Announcements

Osceola County, Florida - Osceola County is currently reviewing three areas for possible implementation of a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). The three areas are U.S. Hwy 441 from Columbia Avenue north to the County line, East U.S. Hwy 192 from Partin Settlement Road to the eastern limits of the City of Kissimmee, and West U.S. Hwy 192 from the western limits of the City of Kissimmee to the western County line.

The County is attempting to determine the presence of "blight" conditions in the study areas in order to determine if they are eligible to be designated as a CRA. According to Florida Statutes, Section 163, two of fourteen factors must be present in order for an area to be considered blighted and eligible for a CRA.

The blighted conditions include:

• aggregate assessed values of real property in the area for ad valorem tax purposes have failed to show any appreciable increase over the 5 years prior to the finding of such conditions;
• faulty lot layout in relation to size, adequacy, accessibility, or usefulness;
• and unsanitary or unsafe conditions

The CRA is funded through tax increment financing. Upon adoption of the CRA, the ordinance freezes the tax base. Thereafter, all taxes assessed on future increases in the value of the property are diverted to fund projects within the CRA.