Moving Notice: Effective July 27
We are moving our offices from the BB&T building to City Hall. For any questions, please call 561-844-3408.
Riviera Beach Senior Spotlight
Redeveloping the Neighborhood with Riviera Beach’s First Solar Home
Riviera Beach, FL (June 18, 2021) – Today, the Riviera Beach Community Development Corporation, City of Riviera Beach, Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, Mesocore, Palm Beach County, Community Partners of South Florida, and Truist Bank joined together with their honored guests to officially break ground on the First Solar Home in Riviera Beach at 928 West 7th Street. The Riviera Beach Community Development Corporation will be using a Mesocore A 1000 house for this project. This model offers a great open concept home design with 2 full baths and 3 bedrooms.

Today, in breaking ground on the first solar home, we are opening a new chapter in that history of progress of technology. Mesocore CEO Joe Esposito spoke on the groundbreaking; “We are very excited to be working with a local agency that shares our desire to provide quality housing and are looking forward to the success of this collaboration.”

Mesocore Solar Homes is located in Riviera Beach and manufactures prefabricated homes ranging in size from 150 square feet up to 1,100 square feet. The home being delivered to this site has been primarily built offsite with all finished plumbing and electric. The home will have an integrated solar system and battery back up as well as a rain collecting cistern.

Tari Bolden, from Truist Bank, said, “It was amazing to witness this historic moment; Our first solar house in the great city of Riviera Beach.”
This will be the first of many new solar homes in Riviera Beach through the Neighborhood Reclaim program. We are excited for the redevelopment of this great city.
Riviera Beach’s Redevelopment is Booming: Neighborhood RECLAIM Ribbon Cutting for a First Time Homebuyer
Riviera Beach, FL (June 28, 2021) – Today, the Riviera Beach Community Development Corporation, City of Riviera Beach, Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, Community Partners of South Florida, The Reentry Center, and Urban Farmers, Inc. joined together with their honored guests to welcome Ms. Shakeela Lowery as a first-time homebuyer in Riviera Beach. This house was renovated completely to make it a comfortable and beautiful place for her family to live in for years to come.

The photo above is what the house looked like before renovations. They took the 3 bedroom and 2 1/2 bathroom house and added on a garage, full bath, and updated the house which brought up the value of the property. This is the first rehabilitation project for the Neighborhood RECLAIM program. The tour was held on August 8, 2019 and was attended by officials from the Florida Department of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice, Palm Beach County Department of Public Safety, the City of Riviera Beach Reentry Program, Riviera Beach CDC and CRA, and Urban Farmers. At this convening, officials described the unique program’s purpose, goals and initial action plan. This community reintegration led by the CDC, is a pioneering program for the City of Riviera Beach.

“Homeownership is one of the first cornerstones in building generational wealth and stabilizing a community. I can assure you that the elected officials are aware of the challenge that we have in our community of moving more to owner-occupied dwellings. That is a commitment on the City and CRA side that we will do everything in our power to welcome residents and homeowners to our community. It will take all of us working together collaboratively. I am confident that we will see the redevelopment of our community with all of us working together,” said Mr. Jonathan E. Evans, MPA, MBA, ICMA-CM, City Manager/Executive Director of CRA.

The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony took place on Monday, June 28, 2021 at the new home of Shakeela Lowery at 950 West 1st Street Riviera Beach, FL 33404. Guests in attendance were Darryl Leonard, CDC Board Chair; Orie Bullard, Riviera Beach, Reentry Center; Lynda Charles and Scott Hansel, Community Partners of South Florida; CDC Board Members; Commissioner Tradrick McCoy; Commissioner Douglas Lawson; Mayor Ronnie Felder; Mr. Clarence Sirmons; Mr. Jonathan Evans, City Manager/Executive Director of CRA; Shakeela Lowery, Homeowner; and Annetta Jenkins, Executive Director of CDC. For more information, contact Annetta Jenkins, Executive Director of Riviera Beach Community Development Corporation, at 561-844-3408.
Before photo of the house.
Singer Island Community Garden Phase I Ribbon Cutting and Dedication Ceremony
Riviera Beach, FL (June 20, 2021) – The Riviera Beach Community Development Corporation, City of Riviera Beach, Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, and Singer Island Community Garden Steering Committee celebrated the Phase I completion of the Singer Island Community Garden. The garden is located on the southeast corner of E. Blue Heron Boulevard and Lake Drive in Singer Island, FL.

The event took place on Sunday, June 20, 2021 at 4pm with light refreshments that followed the event. The garden is another green space to add to the Riviera Beach’s redevelopment and beautification.

The garden mission is to improve the economic, physical, mental, and social health of our community through community gardening. We strive to broaden knowledge of our food system, promote organic gardening, and to increase consumption of organic, fresh, fruits, and vegetables. We serve as a community gathering place, horticultural resource, and a source of pride and inspiration.

The Phase I completion ribbon cutting ceremony had guests in attendance such as Commissioner Dr. Julie Botel; Annetta Jenkins, Executive Director of CDC; Singer Island Steering Committee Team: JB Dixon, Sandy Thomas, Mike Kane, Johanna Holland, Dennis Reichel; Dr. Susan Bennett, Darryl Leonard, CDC Board President; and various other members of the community.

Raised beds are available or rental or sponsorship. Volunteers are always needed. At this time, access hours for the community garden are by appointment. The park portion is currently open. For more information, contact Tamara Seguin at tseguin@rbcra.com or 561-844-3408.
Does Your Business Need Attention?
Do you own a business located in the Riviera Beach CRA District needing some attention? Let us help advertise for your business for free through our social media platforms and website.

  • Must be located in the Riviera Beach CRA District
  • Must have a discount offer and code to give to residents

For more information on this program, call 561-844-3408 or email khicks@rbcra.com
The Riviera Beach CRA Clean and Safe Free Smart Home Tool Kit Program delivers a package to enhance safety for community.
The Riviera Beach CRA's Clean and Safe Program brings to you for free the Smart Home ToolKit. Smart Home coordinates and delivers items in a package that enhances the safety for families in the community. One of the Clean and Safe strategies in neighborhoods is to encourage the community to work together as a team. The goal for this project is to increase safety and security, reduce and prevent crime, and enhance the Neighborhood Watch Program experience.

The residents or homeowner that applies for this program must live in the Riviera Beach CRA District, have internet service and a smartphone, willing to be an active participate in the installation of the service, and an active member of the Neighborhood Watch Program. Once the resident has completed the application and deemed eligible for the tool kit, they will receive free:
 
  • Exterior Motion Sensor Lights – Strategically placed lighting makes your home more secure against burglars.
  • Smoke Detector – Provided by our partnership with the Red Cross to supply the smoke detectors and the Riviera Beach Fire Department to help with installation.
  • SmartWater – A traceable liquid applied to deter theft and identify offenders for prosecution.
  • Ring Doorbell – Detects motion when people come to your home and notifies you on your smartphone
  • Uniform Address Numbers – Code-compliant house numbers to enhance visibility for safety personnel.
  • Yard/Window Signage – Visible deterrent to discourage burglars.

We are happy to partner with the American Red Cross for this program as they have donated over 100 smoke alarms to the Riviera Beach CRA residents, plus fire escape planning materials, home fire checklists and more. These items will be given to each household when all items are installed. The Riviera Beach Fire Department has also donated their time to this project as they will be assisting with installation of all smoke alarms and testing them to make sure they are ready to be used.

We will be accepting new applications for this program online at www.rbcra.com. You can also pick up a paper copy at the Riviera Beach CRA office at 2001 Broadway, Suite 300 Riviera Beach, FL 33404.
Are you Ready to Buy Your First Home?
Join us for the Riviera Beach Homebuyer’s Club Workshop Series on May 13 - July 22 from 5:30pm-8pm each night.

This is a free 6 session workshop series that provides education and preparation about the home buying process and learning money management strategies.

Register for this class now by clicking on the button below or calling 561-841-3500 ext 1002. This is conducted by Community Partners of South Florida and the Riviera Beach CRAA and Riviera Beach CDC.
Saturday Breakfast Bowls & Decorative Garden Painting Classes
Other CRA Items of Interest


Do you need an Ocean Walk Walking Buddy? Call: 561-707-9602

Do you need a Marina Village Walking Buddy? Call: 961-707-9015

Do you see something unsafe or unsightly in the District? Call: 561-693-1171

See the Riviera Beach CRA Website for business opportunities including RFQs, RFPs, ITBs and Letters of Interest

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