CLEARWATER â City leaders concerned about blight and vacant properties in downtown and the rest of the community redevelopment district have had several discussions about whether to take the carrot or stick approach.
On March 15, they decided to give carrots a shot, approving a pair of programs that, starting May 1, will offer commercial businesses as much as $50,000 to improve their properties.
The first program aims to improve the visual appearance of properties through small-scale exterior building and site improvements.
âThe objectives of the program are, in short, to make buildings look better in the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) commercial ground floor buildings,â CRA director Amanda Thompson said.