Florida waste authority offers grants for blighted properties

Local governments in Palm Beach County, Florida, are eligible for $500,000 to assist in the cleanup or beautification of distressed, blighted or otherwise impacted properties in Palm Beach County. Municipalities, community development or redevelopment districts, special districts, or other governmental entities within Palm Beach County have until 5 p.m. Jan. 11, 2016, to apply.

Examples of projects or activities that would qualify for the grant in Fiscal Year 2015-2016 include:

• Recycling, hauling and disposal costs associated with the demolition of derelict/abandoned structures, land clearing/landscape improvement projects, litter cleanup of land and waterways, vacant lot cleanup, and lake and canal projects.
• Projects that mitigate illegal dumping, including lighting, fencing and gate installation.
• Other beautification, cleanup or maintenance projects.

Applications may be for multiple projects. However, funding will be approved on an annual basis by the SWA Governing Board with no guarantee of future funding of projects for additional years.

Complete details and instructions on this grant opportunity are available in the online application.

The SWA Governing Board approved this Blighted And Distressed Property Clean-Up and Beautification Grant as an additional benefit from revenues generated from the supplemental waste used to fill the excess capacity at Renewable Energy Facility 2. Revenues generated from this activity have already benefitted county residents in the form of a $5 reduction in a single family homeowner’s garbage disposal assessment; a lesser percentage was reduced from commercial and governmental rates.