The Dade City Community Redevelopment Agency approved its Sept. 8, 2025 minutes and unanimously approved a city purchase of the Centennial Bank parking lot, the CRA chair announced. The board also accepted the resignation of Jacqueline Hancock, appointed Ben (Van) Gordon to a resident seat on the redevelopment advisory committee and reappointed two advisory members for full terms.

The board spent the bulk of its meeting on proposed amendments to three CRA grant programs — residential paint, building exterior and parking‑lot paving — and on recommended administrative and marketing changes intended to increase participation. Staff said the residential paint program launched in April 2025 and has awarded neither applications nor reimbursements to date; staff recommended raising residential grant limits and simplifying application materials.

The staff recommendation would raise paint‑grant maximums to $2,500 for single‑story homes and $5,000 for two‑story homes, replace long application forms with a one‑panel interest form and add trifold marketing materials, Miss Van Ervin, city manager acting as CRA staff, told the board.

Board members pressed for stricter accountability. Member Schott said grant recipients should be required to hire licensed, insured contractors registered with the city and provide two bids, mirroring existing commercial‑grant rules. “I do think they need to be registered with the city. It needs to be a licensed contractor who does painting, and I think they ought to get two quotes,” Schott said. He also urged shortening the required occupancy period after reimbursement from six months to four.

Other members raised how the program should treat homeowners who plan to do their own painting. Commissioner Church asked whether a DIY applicant could submit hardware‑store receipts instead of contractor bids; staff said the RAC had discussed that option when it designed the program and that material receipts could be used for reimbursement but that the advisory committee later favored contractor‑based accountability.

Staff also confirmed the program includes a clawback clause if recipients sell the home within a specified period after award; staff said the period is one year and that clawback language appears in the acceptance letter applicants sign after award.

After extended discussion the commission agreed to postpone final changes so staff can put the board’s directions in writing and return with a consolidated guideline and the clawback language. The item was continued to a future CRA meeting for formal adoption.

The CRA also approved the reappointments of Ava Larkin (downtown business owner) and Patrick Simon (Dade City resident) to three‑year terms, accepted Hancock’s resignation, and appointed Ben (Van) Gordon to fill a resident seat; all motions carried 5–0.