New Smyrna Beach, Florida

6 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 10 NEW SMYRNA BEACH , FLOR IDA single family properties owned by the city and they will be building affordable housing on those lots.” New Smyrna Beach has a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) district that encompasses a certain defined geographic area. As property values in that district go up, that increment, the percentage at which it grows, goes into a trust fund and those dollars are then reinvested in that special district to promote commercial and residential redevelopment. According to Edwards, “We’re partnering with the Housing Authority on a $20+ million combination of single family residential, also multi-family spread throughout the community, as well as short-term rentals such as condos along the beach. As in many communities across the country, affordable housing is a key issue that the city is now trying to address. Edwards admits, “It’s an ongoing problem in the State of Florida… as we continue to grow, property values are going up. Because of that, we partner with the New Smyrna Beach Housing Authority which is a quasi-governmental entity that receives funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Habitat for Humanity is also a strong partner for us in that area. They submitted a proposal to acquire some deeded