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Press Release
Palm Beach County, Riviera Beach CRA and Community Come Together to Repair and Renovate a Blind War Veteran's Home
JULY 9, 2019, RIVIERA BEACH, FLORIDA—The home of Mr. Jeffrey Perkins, a blind military veteran having served in the United States Army and a longtime resident of the City of Riviera Beach, had fallen into a state of severe disrepair. In addition to a long list of smaller repairs and improvements that had become necessary, sections of his residence’s roof had caved in as a result of termite and water damage.
Without the financial or physical means to make the repairs himself, a host of volunteer efforts unfolded through several public-private partnerships. The Riviera Beach CRA is happy to announce that the improvements to Mr. Perkins’ home have been completed. A celebration marking the successful project’s culmination for Mr. Perkins took place on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 and was attended by representatives from the CRA, City and County elected officials, nonprofit organizations, contractors and individuals who helped make this possible.
“While headlines involving revitalization projects often depict the drier facts such as economic impact and development details, if you drill down into the story, you’ll see that behind every CRA initiative, there are people who benefit,” said Scott Evans, Interim Executive Director of the Riviera Beach CRA. “It’s these people, the residents, workers, and visitors to the City of Riviera Beach who ultimately are helped by our work, and Mr. Perkins is the ideal example of what we do and why we do it. We’re proud to be a part of the redevelopment of the City of Riviera Beach, and we’re grateful to have been able to assist Mr. Perkins with his home. Thank you so much to everyone involved. We could not have done this without you all.”
Special recognitions for the participating public and private entities and individuals who participated in the revitalization of Mr. Perkins’ home were given. Mr. Perkins participated in the Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Economic Sustainability Veterans Housing Preservation Program, the CRA’s Housing Beautification Program, and Rebuilding Together Palm Beach County.
Sincere thanks from the Riviera Beach CRA to the following entities, without whom, this enterprise could not have taken place:
- Paint Your Heart Out (nonprofit organization)
- Riviera Beach Community Development Corporation (nonprofit organization)
- Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches (nonprofit organization)
- Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Economic Sustainability
- Sunny South Construction, Inc. (general contractor)
- Colomé & Associates, Inc. (architects)
- Sears Heroes at Home Grant Initiative
- Newman Windows and Doors
- Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners
- Numerous staff and individuals who donated their time and effort
The Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency
The Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency is at the heart of dramatic transformations underway within its district. Formed in 1984 by the Riviera Beach City Council, the CRA provides funding for a wide scope of projects that incentivize economic growth through business attraction and retention; finances new and improved infrastructure for real estate projects; and generally works to expand the tax base by creating a welcoming environment that eliminates blight and improves the perception of safety in the area.
The Agency’s main mission is to guide the city’s redevelopment efforts. This includes making investments of public funds in key infrastructure improvement projects that have the capacity to act as a catalyst for additional private funding and development, create jobs and help to improve the quality of life for city residents. For more information about the Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, follow the official Facebook, Instagram @RBCRA and Twitter @RivieraBeachCRA pages or visit www.rbcra.com.
