The Tampa Monitor has tried to interpret the proposed changes from Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board member/Tampa City Council member Bill Carlson since it first appeared on the agenda late in 2025. In broad terms he has advocated for tighter restrictions between the services the City of Tampa provides to the CRA.
Also in broad terms, he has not been met with resistance to his suggestions from other board members. The problem has come down to execution. Carlson’s attempt to provide an alternative was to offer a different agreement from the one presented by the city—without specifics of what’s different—leaving it up to the other board members to digest and make a determination.
Carlson acknowledge the difficulty. “The reason it’s not easy to compare is because I completely rewrote the document. The city’s document was written to the benefit of the city and focused on real estate where mine focused on process and decision making.”
The Tampa Monitor wanted to understand what specifics he was proposing and spent some time analyzing the two agreements. The analysis started with a script to parse the pdfs on the agenda to plain text in order to create an actual diff of the content of both. From there with the use of an LLM exceptions (Agency vs CRA, etc) were added to the script to exclude language until specific text changes could be identified. The exceptions and differences were then compiled.
The Tampa Monitor shared their analysis with Carlson and he responded by email “This is a great analysis. Thank you. It appears to accurately reflect the differences between the two.”
Detailed Body Section Comparisons
Carlson — “Services Provided by The City to The Tampa CRA”
Simple roster of personnel and services:
Personnel: Services:
- Executive Director - Human resources
- CRA Attorney - Legal
- Communications Dir - Purchasing
- Arts Executive - Information Technology
- District managers - Office Space and services
- Admin assistant - Zoning/permitting infoCRA Resolution — Article I (12 enumerated duties + 2 sub-sections)
Much more detailed operational obligations:
- Implement/update CRPs and Strategic Action Plans
- Real property acquisition (identify, negotiate, monitor)
- Rehabilitation, adaptation, expansion or restoration of property
- Historic structure relocation/preservation plans
- Liaison with public/private organizations
- Representative for Agency-owned/controlled real property
- Property disposition per Redevelopment Plans and applicable laws
- Demolition/clearance of buildings in Redevelopment Areas
- Environmental/public health programs (dump sites, litter, code enforcement, tree trimming)
- Affordable housing development
- General statutory compliance services
- For TIF-funded projects: City staff provides draft scope of services to CRA Director → CRA Director circulates to CAC for affected area → circulates to CRA Board for comment
Section B — City recommends and implements public improvements (construction, repair, replacement, installation)
Section C — City shall:
- Provide recommendations to implement/modify Redevelopment Plans
- Seek alternative public/private funding sources
- Provide ongoing project assessment and monitoring
- Urge FL Legislature to enact helpful legislation
- Dispose of TIF-acquired property only after CAC recommendation and CRA Board approval, per FL law
Executive Director & Staff / Article III §A
| Topic | Carlson Draft | CRA Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Title | “Executive Director” | “CRA Director” |
| Reporting structure | “will lead the agency following the Strategic Plan and CRPs approved by the CRA Board” | “will report functionally to the CRA Board and administratively to the Mayor“ |
| Selection | Not specified | “selection of the CRA Director and the CRA Attorney will be approved by the governing board of the Agency” |
| Removal | “The CRA Board may remove the Executive Director with a majority vote“ | 5-member vote finds unsatisfactory → 6-month improvement period → second 5-member vote of no confidence → “request by the CRA Board that the City remove and replace the CRA Director” |
| Board directives | “No decision or directive to the Executive Director will be made other than by a majority vote of the CRA Board” | No such restriction |
| Interim director | Not addressed | Detailed: CRA Board names interim for up to 90 days; additional compensation allowed per City Personnel Manual; all costs from TIF funds |
| Monthly reporting | “present monthly reports to the CRA Board and provide periodic project updates to board members” | Not specifically required |
| CRA Attorney | “City will provide Tampa CRA with an attorney who has specialized knowledge about Florida law related to CRAs” — coordinates with City Attorney and Council Attorney | “Licensed FL attorney; if not a City employee, contracts with Agency; CRA Attorney reports functionally to CRA Board, administratively to City Attorney; City Attorney is final official legal representative; CRA Attorney may not take legal action affecting the City without City Attorney approval” |
| Staff scope restriction | “Under no circumstances will CRA Staff work on City projects that are not directed by the CRA Board and included in the CRPs per Florida law” | No such restriction |
| HR compliance | “comply with City personnel policies working with the human resources department that report to the City Mayor” | “compensated pursuant to the City’s Personnel Manual (as the same may be amended from time to time)” — includes retroactive application with consent |
| Consultants | “CRA Board may request and fund outside consultants hired via the City” | “City shall also assist the CRA Board in the hiring of one or more consultants as directed by the CRA Board” — costs paid by Agency |
Compensation / Article III §B
| Topic | Carlson Draft | CRA Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead cap | “administrative costs will not exceed more than 5% of the funds of each CRA District” | No percentage cap |
| Budget attachment | “The current year’s budget as approved by all parties is attached in Exhibit A” — includes line items per district (salaries, operating, code inspection, clean team/youth program, environmental detective) with blank dollar amounts | Budget incorporated into City’s budget for FY2026 as approved by Mayor and City Council; no exhibit |
| Subsidy prohibition | “no Tampa CRA funds shall be used to pay for or subsidize City services that have not been authorized in advance by the CRA Board and are anticipated in the Community Redevelopment Plans” | No equivalent prohibition |
| Additional cost approval | “agreed to by both parties in writing and approved by a majority vote of the governing body of both parties” | Same concept, plus: “approved by a majority vote of the governing body of both parties and by the Mayor“ |
| Interim director costs | Not addressed | Agency specifically covenants to budget TIF funds for interim director compensation, including additional compensation approved by CRA Board |
Period of Agreement / Article II
| Topic | Carlson Draft | CRA Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying language | None — “This Agreement shall commence on October 1, 2025…” | Adds: “Subject to budget and appropriation and except as expressly provided herein, this Agreement shall commence as of October 1, 2025…” |
| Dates | Oct 1, 2025 through Sep 30, 2026 | Same |
| Early termination | “unless this Agreement is otherwise earlier cancelled as provided herein, or unless extended by written agreement of the parties” | Same |
Payments / Article IV
| Topic | Carlson Draft | CRA Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Payment schedule | “one-twelfth (1/12) of the annual amount” monthly | “equal monthly payments” from Oct 1, 2025 through Sep 1, 2026 |
| Cost allocation by district | Not specified | Specific percentages: Downtown 36.52%, East Tampa 17.85%, Channel District 16.43%, West Tampa 11.82%, Ybor I 5.21%, Drew Park 4.41%, Tampa Heights 2.72%, Ybor II 2.57%, Central Park 2.46% |
| Year-end adjustments | Not addressed | City Budget Office determines if CRA budget needs adjustment; parties cooperate on modifications |
| Area-specific costs | Not addressed | “payments for programs, grants, and services specific to a single Redevelopment Area shall be budgeted, appropriated and paid from that single Redevelopment Area, solely” |
Cancellation / Article V
| Topic | Carlson Draft | CRA Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Notice period | 30 days written notice | 30 days written notice |
| Post-cancellation compensation | “it shall comply with the terms of this agreement” | “it shall be compensated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement including Article IV hereof up to the effective date of cancellation” |
| Scope of compensable work | “services provided, or for the implementation, construction or installation of public improvements” | “services provided, or for the implementation, construction, repair, restoration or installation of public improvements” (adds repair and restoration) |
| Right to outsource | “Tampa CRA retains its right to outsource staff or services to other agencies or to hire its own staff subject to Florida law” | Not stated |
Non-Assignability / Article VII
| Topic | Carlson Draft | CRA Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Who is restricted | “The City may not assign this Agreement without the prior written consent of the CRA Board” (one-way restriction) | “Neither the City nor the Agency may assign this Agreement without the prior written consent of the non-assigning party” (two-way restriction) |
Modification, Amendment, Extension / Article VIII
| Topic | Carlson Draft | CRA Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Amendment authority | “may not be modified, amended or extended except in writing and approved by the CRA Board” (CRA Board unilateral) | “may only be modified or amended in writing with the approval of both the Agency and the City” (bilateral) |
| Prior agreements | Not addressed | “This Agreement amends, modifies, supersedes and replaces any and all prior agreements and understandings between the parties” |
Full Text of Sections Only in Carlson Draft
These sections have no equivalent in the CRA Resolution.
Purpose
The Tampa CRA exists under state law and an interlocal agreement to create and implement the Community Redevelopment Plans (“CRPs”) for each CRA District. To keep overhead low and to maximize taxpayer return, Tampa CRA will act as a grant-making organization to support and leverage the work of other organizations in implementing the CRPs.
Obligation to The Taxpaying Public
Tampa CRA funds are collected in each CRA District. By law these funds can only be spent in that CRA District and only on certain types of projects. Since the areas of the city that do not have CRA Districts therefore pay for the public safety and other services not being paid by the CRA Districts, Tampa CRA has an obligation not only to the CRA Districts, but to the residents of all the city to use these funds in a responsible way understanding the entire city’s investment in the CRA Districts and the opportunity costs of not allowing the money to be spent elsewhere.
Name
The legal name of the agency is the Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency. For marketing and communications purposes, the short name of the agency will be “Tampa CRA.”
Branding
Tampa CRA is a separate legal entity that chooses to outsource services to the City. In any communication by Tampa CRA or the City, Tampa CRA must be separately identified and no implication should be made that they are the same entity.
Communication
The City shall supply Tampa CRA with a communication professional who will report to the Tampa CRA Executive Director and to the CRA Board. Any Tampa CRA communication will be led by and coordinated with the Tampa CRA communication professional. The purpose of the communication professional is to help the CRA Board better communicate with the public and potential grant applicants.
Strategic Plan
The CRA Board will once a year update its “Strategic Plan.” The Strategic Plan is the consensus document of the CRA Board that guides decision-making across all the CRA Districts. It will include priorities and measurements that will inform the CACs.
Community Redevelopment Plans (“CRPs”)
CRA Staff will work with the CRA Board, the CAC members and the community to periodically update the CRPs per Florida law. The CRPs are the framework for each CRA District that focus grant requests, the recommendations of the CACs and the CRA Board decision-making. These must be updated no less than every ten years. The CRA Board may request and fund outside consultants hired via the City to assist with these plans.
The Arts/Arts Executive
The CRA Board has determined that supporting the arts is necessary to speed the pace of redevelopment in an area. City will provide Tampa CRA with an “Arts Executive” who will have experience guiding and leading the arts as an industry and in enhancing the physical environment. The role of the Arts Executive will not be limited to public art.
Projects with Third Parties
Tampa CRA projects that provide funding to third parties will be governed by Florida law and Tampa CRA priorities and guidelines. These projects will be evaluated by Tampa CRA staff reporting to the CRA Board. Since Tampa CRA is not directly involved with zoning, permitting and other issues, CRA staff will rely on the third party to coordinate such services directly with the City. CRA staff’s role will be merely to ensure that these projects adhere to state law and CRA Tampa guidelines.
Funding Approval/Proposals
Tampa CRA staff will on a regular basis seek out proposals for grants as guided by the CRA Board, the Strategic Plan and the CRPs. These requests will be well publicized so as to provide transparency and to ensure fairness for eligible applicants. CRA Staff will review proposals submitted on a quarterly basis or as published. Proposals will be selected based on the criteria submitted and on adherence with the CRPs.
Funding Budget
CRA Staff working with City staff will compile and maintain a CRA funding budget that will be updated monthly to the CRA Board. No funding should be recorded in the Tampa CRA budget until it has been approved by the CRA Board, i.e. anticipated funding for projects not yet approved by the CRA Board cannot be held in the budget.
CRA Board Funding Requests
Following their Strategic Plan and the CRPs, the CRA Board may from time to time request funding for a project or category of projects. These proposals must be discussed in a public meeting with feedback from the public. They must be approved by a majority of the CRA Board. Once approved, CRA Staff will publicly request applications for grants to fulfill the intent of these requests.
City Requests for Funding Projects
Funding requests by the City must follow the same guidelines and public scrutiny of third party projects. The City will not have a “back door” for funding and may not reserve budget for City projects without prior approval of the CACs and CRA Board.
Other City Involvement
Other than providing administrative services to the Tampa CRA and the CRA Staff, the City and City staff will have no role with the Tampa CRA other than to make official requests of the CRA Board and CACs. The CRA Board may from time to time request information from City staff just as any third party would.
Project Funding Cancellation
Contracts for funding third party and City projects must contain a cancellation clause due to non performance, e.g. failure to meet CRA Board approved guidelines, failure to deliver on time, etc. This is to protect the investment made by the public in these projects.
Exclusivity
The CRA Board hereby agrees to buy certain services from the City. However, this is a non exclusive agreement.
Provisions Only in CRA Resolution
These provisions have no equivalent in the Carlson draft.
Article I §B — Public Improvements
“During the term of this Agreement the City shall recommend to the Agency the implementation, construction, repair, replacement or installation of public improvements which are necessary to effectuate the Redevelopment Plans and are otherwise consistent with applicable laws. Subject to the funding and approval of such public improvements by the Agency pursuant to this Agreement, the City shall implement, construct, repair replace or install such public improvements.”
Article I §C — Supporting Activities (5 items)
- Provide recommendations on matters to implement/modify Redevelopment Plans
- Seek alternative funding sources from public and private sector
- Provide ongoing assessment and monitoring of redevelopment projects
- Urge FL Legislature to enact legislation aiding redevelopment
- Dispose of TIF-acquired property only per Community Redevelopment Act, adopted plan, and only after notifying and obtaining recommendation from CAC and CRA Board approval
Article III §A — CRA Director Reports to Mayor
“The CRA Director will report functionally to the CRA Board and administratively to the Mayor.”
(Carlson has director reporting only to CRA Board.)
Article III §A — Interim CRA Director (90-day provision)
“Absent a permanent CRA Director, the CRA Board may name an ‘Interim CRA Director’ to fulfill the essential duties of the CRA Director until a permanent CRA Director is hired or a third-party consultant is engaged to provide such services (the ‘Interim CRA Director Services’) for a period not to exceed 90-days after the CRA Board’s approval of an Interim CRA Director.”
Article III §A — CRA Attorney Legal Authority Limits
“Per the City Charter, it is understood that the City Attorney is the final official legal representative of the City and the CRA Attorney may not take any legal action in the name of or that may affect the City without the approval and consent of the City Attorney.”
Article III §B — City Personnel Manual (retroactive amendments)
“For purposes of this Agreement, any references to the City’s Personnel Manual will include any changes approved to the City’s Personnel Manual after the Effective Date of this Agreement, which changes may be applied retroactively with the consent of the City and the Agency.”
Article III §C — Performance Review Process
“A vote of no less than five (5) CRA Board members, finding that the CRA Director has failed to perform in a satisfactory manner, shall serve to put the City and the CRA Director on notice that the CRA Director shall be given six (6) months to improve their job performance to the satisfaction of the CRA Board. The notice shall require that the CRA Director’s job performance be reviewed again by the CRA Board at the end of that six (6) month period, after which a vote of no confidence by no less than five (5) CRA Board members shall constitute a request by the CRA Board that the City remove and replace the CRA Director.”
(Carlson: simple majority vote removes director immediately.)
Article IV — Percentage Allocation by CRA Area
Downtown (Core & Non-Core): 36.52% | East Tampa: 17.85% | Channel District: 16.43% | West Tampa: 11.82% | Ybor I: 5.21% | Drew Park: 4.41% | Tampa Heights Riverfront: 2.72% | Ybor II: 2.57% | Central Park: 2.46%
Article IV — Budget Year-End Adjustments
“Prior to the end of each fiscal year, the City’s Budget Office shall determine if the previously approved CRA budget for that fiscal year needs to be adjusted relative to the Agency’s obligation to pay the City for such salaries and compensation as provided in this Agreement. If so, the City and the Agency agree to reasonably cooperate with one another as necessary to approve any required adjustments.”
Article VIII — Supersedes All Prior Agreements
“This Agreement amends, modifies, supersedes and replaces any and all prior agreements and understandings between the parties regarding the subject of this Agreement.” (Carlson draft does not include this language.)
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