CS/HB 17 Summary: Community Redevelopment Agencies

• Community redevelopment agency commissioners must complete 4 hours of ethics training annually beginning October 1, 2018, covering the state constitution, ethics code, and public records/meetings laws.

• New community redevelopment agencies may only be created by special act of the Legislature on or after October 1, 2018; agencies existing before that date may continue operating.

• Existing community redevelopment agencies terminate on September 30, 2038, or their charter expiration date (whichever is earlier), unless the creating governing body approves continuation by super majority vote.

• Agencies reporting no revenues, expenditures, or debt for 3 consecutive fiscal years starting October 1, 2015, are declared inactive by the Department of Economic Opportunity and may only expend funds for outstanding bond obligations.

• Community redevelopment agencies must file annual reports by March 31 each year including audit reports, project performance data, property values, vacancy rates, and expenditure information; reports must be posted on agency websites and published in newspapers.