Hillsborough County commissioners will vote Wednesday on whether to strip funding from a nonprofit that serves one of its poorest neighborhoods.
Why it matters: At risk is a quarter of the recurring funds for the University Area Community Development Corporation, which last year helped residents recover from Hurricane Milton.
- The nonprofit serves the University Area, where 76% of residents are minorities.
Catch up quick: Commissioner Chris Boles (R) introduced a motion in July to make it harder for nonprofits to obtain funding from the county and to phase out those that have received recurring allocations.
- He exempted nonprofits that operate out of county-owned facilities, which, at the time, covered the University Area CDC.
Driving the news: Now, Boles wants to narrow the exemption so that it only applies to nonprofits that both operate programs in county-owned facilities and manage them.
- That change would exclude the University Area CDC, whose management agreement ended in December.
The big picture: The University Area CDC could stand to lose $212,500 of its $850,000 allocation in the fiscal year 2026 budget, under a county plan that slashes recurring funding entirely by 2029.
- The nonprofit cleared debris and restored landscaping at eight properties and three homes in Milton’s aftermath, in addition to serving over 10,000 individuals hot meals.
- The University Area CDC says 84 cents of every dollar it spends goes into its programs and services.
Zoom in: The University Area is home to around 26,000 people, most of whom are Hispanic and Black. About 69% of residents earn $50,000 a year or less, and dozens of them depend on the nonprofit for housing…