Affordable Housing Advisory Committee - Regular Meeting

I thought it was very good. So your, not your clients, your buyers went to, drove around the neighborhood, I think yesterday. And they went in the park in the back and they were looking at the school building.

Close this thing. Thank you. Oh, man.

Oh, Nick.

I don't know.

That is strange.

What time do you close? What time? You would never have the guts to do it.

Okay.

Good afternoon. It is 3.45 p.m. on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, and I'm calling to order this meeting of the City of Ocala Community Redevelopment Area Agency Board. So, roll call, please, ma'am.

Mr. Marciano? Here. Mr. Musley?

Here.

Ms. Dreyer? Here. Mr. Hilty? Here. Mr. Mansfield? Here. Mr. Bethea? Here.

HERE, PUBLIC NOTICE.

THE AUGUST 18, 2026 CRA MEETING WAS PUBLICLY NOTICED ON AUGUST 12, 2026 ON THE CITY OF OCALA'S WEBSITE. THANK YOU.

IF EVERYONE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MINUTES, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE. the July 21st, 2026 meeting of the CRA agency board. Do I hear a motion to approve? So moved. Is there a second?

Second.

Is there any comments from the public? From the council? Clerk, call the roll.

Mr. Hilty? Aye. Ms. Dreyer? Aye. Mr. Musley?

Aye.

Mr. Mansfield?

Aye.

Mr. Bethea?

Aye. Agenda item five, is the adoption of a contract for downtown Ocala signage with Walker Consultant. That is 5A. Do I hear a motion to approve this item?

So moved.

Is there a second? Second. Economic Development Manager Roberto Ellis is recognized for the staff presentation.

Thank you. For the record, Roberto Ellis, Economic Development Manager. This project is being requested to update and improve the wayfinding features in our downtown. This will enhance the visitor experience for persons traveling in and out of our downtown. The last major wayfinding update was completed approximately 13 years ago. The scope of work for this contract includes reviewing the existing vehicular and pedestrian wayfinding elements to recommend improvements. The consultant will also provide concepts and thematic graphic designs to strengthen the overall wayfinding downtown, and then also provide a full set of plans for installation. This project aligns with our CRA plan and our Vision 2050, which was recently adopted. Action 4.1 covers citywide gateway plan and calls for an effective wayfinding program targeted in our downtown. The contracted amount is not to exceed $57,210. These costs will be covered by the downtown CRA staff recommends approval.

So are there any comments from the public? From the council?

I had a question. I know that this is wayfinding signs, but can we also, and I don't know if you can do this, but since you're doing the signage, increase the signage to address the private parking lots that citizens know that those are not the city parking lots? Because I continue to get complaints that they park in those and then they get hit with these fees, and they're not aware of them. I don't know if you could do that as part of it.

So the scope will... We'll include identifying city-owned parking lots as well, and we can have that conversation and how to kind of have that separation.

Sir? Yeah. We can do that in another way also. Okay. So you think that people are parking, I think it's a city parking lot. They are. And then they get hit.

And then they get hit with the bills. Yeah. Okay. I get that. I get a lot of emails on that every couple months. Thank you. All right.

Any other comments? Call the roll.

Ms. Dreyer. Aye. Mr. Mansfield.

Aye.

Mr. Musley? Aye. Mr. Hilty? Aye. Mr. Bethea?

Aye. Item 5B is the award of a North Magnolia CRA commercial grant. Do I hear a motion to approve? So moved. Is there a second? Second. Mr. Ellis, you again recognize.

Thank you. For this application is Lang Real Estate LLC. They recently purchased the property and are looking to renovate the building to accommodate offices of the Lang Eye Institute. Based on the proposed scope of work, they're going to be repainting the exterior of the building, and this will also include minor repairs to the surface. If you're familiar with the building, it's the Coca-Cola bottling plant of Ocala. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. IN 1979. BASED ON THE ESTIMATED COST OF $27,200, THEY WOULD QUALIFY FOR THE MAXIMUM GRANT. OF COURSE, THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED ALONG TWO KEY CORRIDORS IN OUR NORTH RAGNOLLA C.R.A. DISTRICT. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AND THE NORTH RAGNOLLA ADVISORY COMMITTEE ALSO RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.

IS THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC COUNCIL? HAVEN'T NONE? CALL THE ROLL.

Mr. Holti?

Aye.

Mr. Mansfield?

Aye.

Mr. Musley?

Aye.

Ms. Dreyer? Aye. Mr. Bethea?

Aye. Item 5C is the award of the West Ocala CRA residential grant. Do I hear a motion to approve this item? So moved. Is there a second? Second.

Mr. Ellis? Thank you. This subject property is located in the West Ocala CRA at 2036 Northwest 2nd Street. The applicant is a first-time applicant who is also a city employee, Ramona Williamson. The proposed project includes repainting the building and replacing the roof at the property. Based on the estimated cost, the CRA grant would cover up to $11,546. Staff recommends approval. And the advisory committee also recommends approval.

Any comments from the public? Council? Call the roll.

Ms. Dreyer? Aye. Mr. Musley?

Aye.

Mr. Hulte?

Aye.

Mr. Bansfield?

Aye.

Mr. Bethea?

Aye. Item 5D is the award of a West Oak Ellicey Order A grant. Do I hear a motion to approve this item?

So moved.

Is there a second?

Second.

Mr. Ellis? Thank you. So this is a commercial property improvement grant for a 1.25-acre parcel located along Southwest 27th Avenue. This project is being constructed in two phases, which will cross two fiscal years. Phase one will involve site improvements, including clearing, grading, stormwater infrastructure, signage, and sidewalks. The estimated cost for Phase 1 is approximately $447,000. The applicant also submitted a second application for Phase 2. This will primarily involve construction of the structure on the property. The estimated cost for Phase 2 is an additional $362,000. In the past, the CRA has accepted applications for multiple phases when the Applicant is requesting permission to start the project. Based on this, the applicant would qualify for the maximum grant in the current fiscal year, which is $50,000, and an allocation would be made in the next fiscal year for an additional $50,000 for phase two. This was recommended for approval by the advisory committee, and staff also recommends approval.

Are there any questions or comments from the public? Council members? Call the roll.

Ms. Dreyer? Aye. Mr. Mansfield? Aye. Mr. Musley? Aye. Mr. Hilty? Aye. Mr. Bethea?

Aye. Item 5E is the award of an East Ocala CRA grant. Do I hear a motion to approve this item? So moved. Is there a second?

Second.

Mr. Ellis? Aye.

This applicant, thank you, this applicant is Ms. Shannon Lugo. The property is located at 925 Northeast 5th Street in the East Ocala CRA. It's a residential building that was constructed in 1938, and the applicant is going to be replacing 23 windows that are original to the home. The grant will cover up to $13,712. Staff recommends approval.

Comments from the public? Council. Call the roll.

Mr. Holti?

Aye.

Ms. Dreyer? Aye. Mr. Mosley?

Aye.

Mr. Mansfield?

Aye.

Mr. Bethea?

Aye. Item 5F is the award of an East Oak Heller CRA grant. Do I hear a motion to approve this item?

So moved.

Is there a second?

Mr. Ellis? This is a commercial grant application for the property at 1926 East Silver Springs Boulevard. The applicant will be making wider site improvements. However, the grant application covers replacement of the sign. There's a pole sign currently at the property. They'll be adding a monument sign instead. And they'll be making landscaping improvements in connection with the wider site improvements. This is the Save a Lot building that's now converted to a beauty supply store. Based on the estimated project costs, which is approximately $86,000, they would qualify for the maximum grant, and staff recommends approval.

Any comments from the public? Council? Call the roll.

Ms. Dreyer? Aye. Mr. Musley?

Aye.

Mr. Hilty?

Aye.

Mr. Mansfield?

Aye.

Mr. Bethea?

Aye. Do we have any public comments for this agency board? Council comments? Having none, this board is adjourned.