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Century Declares Portion Of Town As ‘Blighted’, Forms Community Redevelopment Area
September 14, 2017
The Town of Century has officially declared a portion of the town as “blighted” and established a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).
Once the CRA is in place and operating, it will work to improve conditions within the area. As property tax values rise, most of the increase is funneled back into the redevelopment area for further improvements.
The CRA area is 510 acres, bounded by Jefferson Avenue to the south, Jefferson Avenue to the east, State Road 4 to the north and the centerline of North Century Boulevard to the west. It also extends north on the east side of North Century Boulevard to include commercial properties up to, and including, the former Burger King.
Essentially, CRAs use redevelopment funds within a deteriorating area to transform it into one that again contributes to the overall health of a community. The money can roll over year to year, up to a 40-year life for a CRA.
CRA funds can be used for a variety of public purposes, including items specified in the agency’s redevelopment plan, planning and surveys, acquisition of real property, affordable housing development and community policing innovations.
In establishing the CRA, the Century council found that the area is blighted, with a predominance of deteriorated or dilapidated housing in the area. Nearly half of the homes in the area were scored as dilapidated and in need of rehabilitation or reconstruction.
The median value of an owner-occupied home in Century is $40,000, compared to the Escambia County median housing value of $81,700. The average median household income in the Century area is $24,583, compared to the Escambia County’s median household income of $46,001.
The council also voted to appoint themselves as members of the Community Redevelopment Agency — a separate and distinct legal entity independent from the Century Town Council. The council may choose to appoint two additional CRA members.
Comments
17 Responses to “Century Declares Portion Of Town As ‘Blighted’, Forms Community Redevelopment Area”
@chris
To retire…no need for a job, very little traffic, low property tax, grocery store nearby, short ride on a back road to Atmore , movie, Brewton, over the line cheap AL gas…Odom’s bar package store, nail salon…walking park Flomaton….shhhh, don’t tell any one…let the street roll up at night…the street lights are still on…Bondurant Hardware, few good eating places…and so forth…
I think there should be some regular citizens on this committee too. Citizens who represent a variety of backgrounds like small business owners from retail to manufacturing or teachers, etc.
I’m not knocking the efforts of our city council, they have the best of intentions and are dedicated to our town. But we need new ideas and insights.
“It is a good place to retire.” For real? Compared to what, North Korea?
sold my house 4 years ago in century at a 70 thousand dollar loss because of surrounding neighborhood and drug deals happening in my driveway . I’m sure I cant get any assistants ? system always fails the tax payers that fund these programs . lol
>>>How much does a CRA member get paid?
Nothing but a “thank you”
How much does a CRA member get paid?
centry is and has been on life support for a long time it is time to pull the plug
Managed properly the area within the CRA can be the “New Century.”
Thank you to the town council for taking on this additional responsibility to manage it.
Renovated older homes with character and history can attract buyers to the rural area. it is a good place to retire.
The Century signs at each end of town need to be looked at up close and at least repainted. People from all over stand there and take pictures. It advertises the Town.
Even if the Beautification Gateway project for the Retention Pond was not elected for Triumph funds, I think it should still be considered and/or modified.
Wonder if any of the council members own rental property in the blighted area?If so then that seems like a conflict of interest to me!! Just saying?
>>>Excuse my ignorance but wouldn’t there be a conflict of interest if the council members are also the members of the CRA?
State law provides that the governing body can sit as the CRA board.
Those young people who don’t want to work need to be told that to have that mind set means they will always be a slave to someone, no matter how big and bad they act.
Excuse my ignorance but wouldn’t there be a conflict of interest if the council members are also the members of the CRA?
well said Sam!
Centuries of nothing have added up to blight.
“DAWN OF A NEW CENTURY” Make the entrance into Florida appealing. Give the youth something to do as volunteers…they are more like hurricane looters.
Sam,
You are so right. I would love to see those figures as well. Middle-class means more than middle-income. It has to do with a certain mindset and values. Many people of this community, sadly do not want to improve because it would mean becoming responsible for their own actions and futures. This is certainly not the case for everyone in the “blighted areas,” but for a big majority.
So now a “portion” of the town is declared legally “blighted.” I doubt throwing money at it will make it better. Many of the residents in Century don’t care about Century, and until that changes, it will remain a low or zero income area.
A silk purse from a sow’s ear?
Century has always been a victim of economic circumstance. You are going to have to have incentive, something to offer manufacturers for to locate to/at Century.
I personally see nothing on the horizon, short of a Faustian Bargain or a blessing from the Lord helping Century; though there is potential and hope.
Call it what you want. A majority of the folks in that area don’t work or have low wage jobs. The younger people have no jobs or don’t want one. Would like to see figures on people on welfare in century. Most jobs require a drug test. That eliminates a lot of the residents. No jobs, no tax revenue, no growth, means poverty and blight.