Fort Walton Beach CRA invites residents to help shape future redevelopment plans on June 17

Fort Walton Beach, Florida – Fort Walton Beach residents will have another chance this week to weigh in on the future of the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency District.

The city’s CRA will hold its monthly Citizens’ Input Meeting from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at the City Hall Growth Management office, 105 Miracle Strip Pkwy SW. The meeting is designed as a direct forum for residents to hear updates on current and upcoming CRA projects and to share ideas about improvements they believe would benefit the district.

The format is simple, but the purpose is broad. City officials use the meetings to keep the public informed about redevelopment work, while also giving residents, business owners and other community members a place to speak before projects move further along. The city said public participation remains an important part of shaping the district’s future.

“As valued members of the community, your insights and collaboration are essential as we work together to shape the future of our neighborhoods and enhance the overall well-being of our residents,” the city said in its announcement.

The Fort Walton Beach CRA was created as a special district to fight blight, improve infrastructure and strengthen public safety through targeted design and investment. Its goal is to support a downtown area that is safer, more attractive and more economically active.

The CRA District covers 607 acres, or about 12 percent of Fort Walton Beach. Its boundaries stretch from downtown north along Eglin Parkway to Hughes Street and west along U.S. Highway 98 to Wright Parkway. The agency funds improvements by using a portion of property taxes collected within the district.

Past and current CRA efforts include work at the historic Gulfview Center building, the mural project at the Fort Walton Beach Public Library, added community policing to address vagrancy, renovations at Sound Park and Chester Pruitt Park, and additional leased space for public parking downtown and near Fort Walton Beach Landing park.

Residents who cannot attend Wednesday’s meeting will have more opportunities. CRA Citizens’ Input Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Upcoming dates include July 15, Aug. 19, Sept. 16, Oct. 21, Nov. 18 and Dec. 16.

The CRA has an administrator, while members of the City Council serve as the CRA Board of Directors. The next CRA Board Meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in the City Council Chamber.