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A nine-member board has been appointed to manage a $40 million fund dedicated to initiatives in affordable housing, economic development, and tackling homelessness in the OutEast area.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A significant project to rejuvenate Jacksonville’s historic Eastside neighborhoods is officially set in motion.
On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council gave the green light to establish a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) Board consisting of nine members. This board will have the crucial task of supervising the allocation of substantial funds intended for neighborhood advancement. These funds are part of the city’s expansive $1.45 billion “Stadium of the Future” agreement with the Jacksonville Jaguars, designed to stimulate long-term development in the neighboring communities.
The board’s responsibility includes strategically directing $40 million over the coming seven years, focusing on creating affordable housing, fostering economic growth, and addressing homelessness.
Travis Williams, the president and CEO of LIFTJAX—a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating generational poverty through community development—highlighted the board’s formation as a significant turning point for the Eastside community.
“People here for the most part aren’t looking for necessarily help; they’re looking for opportunity,” Williams said. “We have the opportunity now to change that narrative where folks are like, no, my dreams can come true OutEast, and I can raise my family and there’s opportunity for my family.”
Williams, who was born and raised in the Eastside, added that the board could leverage existing work in the community.
“My hope is that, from our perspective, is that these dollars go to continue great work that’s been happening, that it can be a leverage to great work that’s happening,” he said.
The CBA stems from negotiations connected to the city’s stadium deal, which created the largest Community Benefits Agreement in NFL history. In addition to the city’s $40 million commitment, the Jaguars have pledged to spend $2.5 million in Eastside neighborhoods over the next 30 years once their stadium renovations are completed.
Councilmembers expressed excitement about the board’s potential impact.
“This new board is going to do a ton for the community,” Councilmember Jimmy Peluso said.
“Pouring money back into that community, it will not look the same as it does now,” Councilmember Ju’Coby Pittman said.
Councilmember Ron Salem noted the importance of coordinating neighborhood growth with the stadium project. “We’re gonna have a beautiful stadium in two years and we want a neighborhood next to it that looks the same way,” he said.
Williams says the initiative is about more than rebuilding infrastructure. It is about fulfilling long-held dreams and redefining what’s possible for the community.
“They dreamed of their neighborhood coming back, and we get a chance now to make a lot of their dreams come true with this neighborhood, returning not just to its glory days but really building a vibrant future for the next 100 years of the neighborhood,” Williams said.
The nine-member board will include four members appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council, four appointed by the council president and confirmed by the council, and one current employee of the Jaguars.
Community leaders say the success of the board will depend on transparency, strong oversight, and making sure residents have a real voice in how the funds are spent.