By Brian D’Antoni Sundaze Gazette · Sept. 8, 2026
AI assisted research and drafting; human editorial standards apply; Brian D’Antoni approves publish.
If you own or lease commercial space in West Palm Beach’s redevelopment geography—Downtown/City Center, Historic Northwest, Northwood Village, Pleasant City, or the Broadway Corridor—the useful question is not “are there grants?” It is which desk, which boundary, which live dollar figure, and what you must not start before a signed agreement.
This map is built for commercial owners and tenants who need an owner-impact how-to, not a brochure rewrite. Default figures below come from the City’s live CRA Incentives page and the Downtown Development Authority’s published incentives and FY25-26 Façade Submittable path. Where a Strategic Finance Plan (SFP) Amendment 19 figure conflicts with the live incentives page, this package discloses the conflict and tells you to confirm with staff—Genia Baker or Kelsey King—rather than inventing a reconciled number.
West Palm Beach’s CRA stack is a different map, different staff, and different dollar tables than neighboring Broward CRA grant calendars; treat this as a Palm Beach County owner brief, not a county-wide copy-paste.
How to use this map in one sitting
Print or bookmark four links before you call anyone:
- WPB CRA Incentives (canonical live figures)
- Community Safety CCTV Grant application (.doc)
- March 2, 2026 CRA agenda / Res. 26-7 packet
- DDA incentives hub and the FY25-26 façade Submittable
Then answer three questions in writing: (A) Is my address inside Downtown/City Center CRA, Historic Northwest-only tracks, Northwood/Pleasant City CRA, Broadway Corridor, and/or the DDA district? (B) Am I the fee owner, or a tenant who will need owner consent? (C) Is my scope façade/exterior, merchant interior aesthetics, beautify/minor cosmetic, CCTV/security, or something larger (REDA/SIP/streetscape) that is negotiated differently?
Wrong geography is the most expensive “almost eligible” mistake. CRA language on the incentives page is explicit: grant funding must be allocated only within CRA District boundaries. DDA façade money is a separate taxing district with its own stacking rule against City/CRA for the same scope.
Desk map: who to email first
| Geography / track | Primary commercial contact | Email / phone |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown/City Center CRA incentives (incl. Historic NW-facing Downtown tracks) | Genia Baker | gbaker@wpb.org · 561-822-1437 |
| Northwood / Pleasant City CRA incentives | Kelsey King | kking@wpb.org · 561-822-1551 |
| Community Safety CCTV Grant | Carlos Rodriguez, Security Manager | CARodriguez@wpb.org · 561-822-1466 |
| CRA general | CRA front desk | CRA@wpb.org · 561-822-1550 |
| DDA façade / downtown incentives | Teneka James-Feaman | TJames@DowntownWPB.com · 561-833-8873 |
Send one clean email: property address, owner vs. tenant status, photo of the elevation you want to improve, rough scope list, and whether you are asking about CRA, DDA, CCTV, or stacking. Do not start contractor work “to get a head start” on any program that forbids pre-agreement spend—especially CCTV and DDA façade.
Downtown / City Center CRA: façade and larger development tools
Canonical source: Incentives — Downtown/City Center.
Façade and Exterior Improvement Program (LIVE). The CRA states this grant provides 80% of a façade project for a grant up to $7,500; or in the Historic Northwest, 80% of project costs for a grant up to $75,000. Typical improvements listed on the page include paint, stucco, awnings, lighting, landscaping, parking lot improvements, and architectural enhancements.
SFP Am.19 conflict — disclose and confirm. Some Strategic Finance Plan Amendment 19 materials owners may still have in older packets reference different Downtown façade caps (commonly summarized in secondary notes as $20,000 / $100,000). Those figures conflict with the live incentives page ($7,500 / $75,000 at 80%). Do not invent a reconciled number. Email Genia Baker (gbaker@wpb.org, 561-822-1437) and ask which figure controls your address and fiscal year before you bid the job.
Other Downtown/City Center tools on the same page (not the focus of a storefront paint job, but relevant if your project is larger):
- Relocation and Development Assistance — tenant relocation, acquisition, build-out, rehab/renovation for certain uses.
- Real Estate Development Accelerator (REDA) — projects over $5 million; land mark-down, infrastructure, TIF, or other large-scale tools.
- Housing Investment Program — residential projects investing up to $5 million.
- Strategic Investment Streetscape Program (SISP) — commercial/mixed-use up to $5 million; up to 50% of streetscape costs.
- Strategic Investment Program (SIP) — commercial/mixed-use up to $5 million, formula tied to tax increment.
Applications and questions for Downtown/City Center: Baker at the contacts above.
Historic Northwest–only CRA tracks (LIVE figures + SFP conflicts)
Still under the Downtown/City Center contact path on the incentives page, but labeled for Historic Northwest:
Northwest Beautification Façade and Exterior Improvement Program (LIVE): 90% of a façade project up to $7,500 for smaller exterior improvements (paint, landscaping, awnings, lighting, signage). SFP conflict: Amendment 19 materials sometimes cite $10,000. Live page controls for this map; confirm with Baker if your packet says otherwise.
Contributing Structure Rehabilitation Grant Program (LIVE): 85% up to $75,000 for contributing-structure rehab in Historic Northwest. SFP conflict: Am.19-type summaries sometimes cite 80% / $100,000. Disclose conflict; confirm with Baker—do not average the percentages.
Merchant Assistance Program (LIVE): Restaurant and retail businesses located in the Northwest Target Area for three (3) years or more; CRA grant up to $15,000 per business, inclusive of consultant training time and minor aesthetic improvements to the interior. SFP conflict: Some Am.19 notes cite $25,000. Live page says $15,000. Confirm with Baker before you budget the gap.
Beautify Northwest Program (LIVE): Minor cosmetic help (painting, lighting, signage) for Historic Northwest businesses; up to $3,500.
Residential-facing NW programs (Paint/Plant/Pave; Light Up the Northwest) appear on the same page for homesteaded or residential security lighting contexts. This commercial map flags them so you do not confuse a residential track with a storefront façade grant—ask Baker which form matches your use.
Northwood / Pleasant City CRA: façade, Beautify, and development tools
Canonical source and contact: Incentives — Northwood/Pleasant City; Kelsey King, kking@wpb.org, 561-822-1551.
Façade and Exterior Improvement Program (LIVE): Aesthetic exterior improvements to commercial buildings and site; 80% of project cost up to a maximum CRA grant of $10,000. Confirm geography and remaining funds with King before you sign a contractor.
Beautify Northwood Program (LIVE): Businesses along Broadway, North Dixie Highway, and in Northwood Village; minor cosmetic improvements (painting, lighting, landscaping, signage); up to $3,500. King is the desk.
Larger tools mirror the Downtown frame with Northwood/Pleasant City specifics: REDA (generally >$5 million, negotiated), Strategic Investment Program (formula / up to $5 million), Strategic Investment Streetscape (up to 50% of ROW streetscape for projects up to $5 million), Relocation and Development Assistance, and Housing Investment Program (HIP) language including per-unit incentives for qualifying residential projects as stated on the page.
Residential Paint/Plant/Pave for Northwood Village/Pleasant City (up to $20,000 exterior, with owner-occupied vs. non-owner-occupied rules on the page) is listed for completeness; commercial owners should not self-assign residential forms.
Community Safety CCTV Grant: the security track owners ask about first
This is the newest high-attention commercial incentive in the CRA stack. Primary documents:
- Live program summary on Incentives
- Application packet: CCTV Security Grant application form
- Authorizing frame: CRA agenda March 2, 2026 — Resolution No. 26-7
- Context: March 19, 2026 CRA Happenings · May 15, 2026 CRA Safety Initiatives release
Eligible geographies (application + Res. 26-7): Historic Northwest, Pleasant City, Northwood Village, and the Broadway Corridor.
Who / what: Occupied commercial / non-residential property owners or authorized business tenants (vacant/abandoned properties are ineligible per the application packet). Property should be in a high-crime area or location with demonstrated public safety needs, and in compliance with zoning, code, and licensing requirements.
Award shape (LIVE / packet): Up to four (4) professionally installed CCTV cameras, including mounting hardware and standard installation; maximum $3,000 per property; framed as at no cost to the applicant subject to grant terms. Cameras must be compatible with the West Palm Beach Police Department Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC); WPBPD must approve equipment before purchase. Placement focus: entries/exits, public-facing areas, high-traffic or high-risk zones. CRA must approve the installation contractor. Equipment funded by the grant remains CRA property for two (2) years from installation under the packet terms.
Program budget: Resolution No. 26-7 approves $120,000 in CRA funds for the program. The March 2, 2026 agenda materials allocate $60,000 to CRA Downtown/City Center (fund 105) and $60,000 to CRA Northwood/Pleasant City (fund 107). The May 15, 2026 city release states the Commission approved $120,000 and that the CRA aims to finance at least 40 camera installations this fiscal year, with the first round of grants approved in May 2026. Applications are reviewed on a rolling / first-come, first-served basis with priority for demonstrated public safety need. Verify remaining funds with Carlos Rodriguez (CARodriguez@wpb.org, 561-822-1466)—do not assume a tranche is still open because the program total was $120,000 on paper.
Hard process rules owners miss:
- Complete the application; attach evidence of public safety need, contractor estimates, and implementation timeline. Incomplete applications are not considered.
- Tenants: property owner must complete the owner consent form.
- Staff review → WPBPD equipment compatibility review → Grant Agreement drafted → applicant signs with W-9 → CRA Board approval at a public meeting → fully executed agreement returned.
- No CCTV installation or other grant-covered security work may begin until the Grant Agreement is fully executed. Purchase or install before that date is not reimbursable.
- After approval, a City Purchase Order may take up to four weeks. Reimbursement generally follows paid invoices/receipts and verification; disbursements are described as quarterly after staff review, with checks often 4–6 weeks after disbursement approval.
- Grantee is responsible for video storage, maintenance, repairs, and data backup; WPBPD gets access to recorded footage; bi-annual inspections for functionality and RTCC connectivity.
Contact Rodriguez early if you are unsure whether your Broadway or Northwood address sits inside an eligible corridor polygon.
DDA façade (separate district, separate stacking rule)
The West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority is not the CRA. Its Business Incentives page lists:
Façade Improvement (LIVE published terms): Grants to business or property owners for up to 50% of the cost of exterior improvements (awnings, signs, landscaping, and similar) in the DDA district. Storefront: up to $10,000. Building façade 25,000 sq ft or larger: up to $20,000. Apply via the FY25-26 Façade Improvement Incentive Submittable.
Owner-side operating rules to treat as controlling until DDA staff tell you otherwise in writing: no work before written DDA approval; first come, first served; allow up to about 12 weeks for process timing in planning; 18 months to complete once approved; cannot stack the same scope with City/CRA; verify funds are still open with Teneka James-Feaman (TJames@DowntownWPB.com, 561-833-8873) before you assume FY25-26 money remains.
Note on the same DDA page: the separate Business Incentive Grant (up to 25% / max $75,000, $125 fee) is listed as closed until further notice—do not confuse that closed track with the façade Submittable. Grand Opening Assistance (up to $1,000 plus Chamber membership value) and Parklet Grant are additional DDA tools; ask James-Feaman which form matches your project.
Cross-cutting rules: geography, desk, early start, stacking
Confirm geography. A Clematis or Flagler address may be DDA + Downtown CRA. A Tamarind/Rosemary Historic NW address may unlock NW-only CRA tracks. Broadway / N. Dixie / Northwood Village may point to Beautify Northwood and/or CCTV corridor eligibility. Ask staff to confirm your parcel against district maps; do not rely on a marketing neighborhood name.
Right desk. Baker for Downtown/City Center and Historic NW commercial incentive applications; King for Northwood/Pleasant City; Rodriguez for CCTV; James-Feaman for DDA; CRA@wpb.org / 561-822-1550 when you are not sure which inbox.
Do not start early where stated. CCTV: no grant-covered work before fully executed Grant Agreement. DDA façade: no work before written DDA approval. CRA façade/beautify programs typically run as grant agreements with reimbursement mechanics—ask your desk whether any soft costs before agreement are allowed; default assumption should be no.
Stacking. DDA published posture: do not stack the same façade scope with City/CRA. Different scopes (e.g., CRA Merchant Assistance interior aesthetics vs. a separate DDA exterior awning, if both desks agree in writing) are a staff conversation, not a self-certified stack. CCTV is a security program with its own agreement; do not assume it automatically combines with a façade award without asking.
SFP Am.19 vs. live page. Anytime your binder says Downtown façade $20k/$100k, NW Beautification $10k, Contributing Structure 80%/$100k, or Merchant Assistance $25k, treat those as conflict flags against LIVE $7,500/$75,000 (80%), $7,500 (90%), 85%/$75,000, and $15,000. Confirm with Baker/King; this Gazette package will not invent a middle number.
Owner checklist (print this)
- [ ] Pin the address on CRA district + DDA district maps with staff confirmation.
- [ ] Decide owner vs. tenant path; if tenant, get owner consent forms ready (required for CCTV; often required for façade).
- [ ] Pull BTR / occupational license, proof of occupancy, and code-compliance status.
- [ ] Photograph elevations and public-facing corners (especially for CCTV and façade).
- [ ] Get written contractor estimates that match program eligible uses.
- [ ] For CCTV: confirm vendor equipment is RTCC-compatible before purchase; wait for executed Grant Agreement.
- [ ] For DDA: submit Submittable; wait for written approval before mobilization.
- [ ] For CRA façade/beautify/merchant: email Baker or King with address + scope; ask which LIVE form and which dollar figure controls FY.
- [ ] Ask explicitly: remaining funds? board calendar? reimbursement vs. direct-pay? stacking prohibition for this scope?
- [ ] Calendar CRA Board meeting dates if your award needs Board approval (CCTV does).
- [ ] Keep a single folder: application PDF/DOC, estimates, W-9, photos before/after, paid invoices, P.O. numbers.
FAQs
Can I use CRA Downtown façade and DDA façade on the same storefront? Not for the same scope. DDA’s published stacking posture says you cannot stack the same scope with City/CRA. Different elevations or clearly different eligible scopes require written confirmation from both desks.
I am in Historic Northwest—do I use the $7,500 Downtown façade or the $75,000 Historic Northwest track? The live Downtown Façade program language provides 80% up to $7,500, or in the Historic Northwest, 80% up to $75,000. Separately, Northwest Beautification Façade is 90% up to $7,500 for smaller projects. Baker confirms which track and form match your property and scope.
Does Merchant Assistance cover kitchen equipment? LIVE language: up to $15,000 inclusive of consultant training time and minor aesthetic improvements to the interior for restaurant/retail with 3+ years in the Northwest Target Area. Confirm eligible line items with Baker; do not assume FF&E beyond what staff lists.
Is CCTV first-come, first-served? Application packet: first-come, first-served with priority for high-crime / demonstrated need. City May 15 release: rolling review; first round May 2026. Remaining capacity: ask Rodriguez.
Can vacant storefronts get CCTV? Packet: property must be occupied and actively used; vacant or abandoned properties are ineligible.
What if my contractor already ordered cameras? If the Grant Agreement was not fully executed, that spend is not reimbursable under the CCTV grant terms. Stop and call Rodriguez before spending more.
Where do I find Res. 26-7 language? In the March 2, 2026 final CRA agenda PDF: creation of the Community Safety CCTV Grant Program for Historic Northwest, Pleasant City, Northwood Village, and Broadway Corridor; $120,000 CRA funds; Chair authorized to execute grant agreements.
Who handles Beautify Northwood vs. Beautify Northwest? Beautify Northwest (Historic NW, up to $3,500) — Baker path. Beautify Northwood (Broadway / N. Dixie / Northwood Village, up to $3,500) — King.
What to do this week
Monday–Tuesday: Confirm your parcel’s district(s) by emailing the right desk with the street address in the subject line. Attach two elevation photos.
Wednesday: If you are CCTV-eligible geography and occupied commercial/non-residential, download the application .doc, start the owner-consent path if you are a tenant, and ask Rodriguez whether funds remain after the May 2026 first round.
Thursday: For façade or beautify scopes, send Baker or King a one-page scope (paint, awning, lighting, signage, lot) and ask which LIVE program and match rate apply—and whether any SFP Am.19 figure in your old packet is obsolete.
Friday: If you are inside the DDA, open the FY25-26 Submittable, confirm with James-Feaman that FY funds are still open, and do not schedule construction until written DDA approval lands.
Do not: mobilize a CCTV installer “pending paperwork,” assume SFP Am.19 caps still control, or email every CRA inbox with the same blast. One address, one desk, one clear ask.
Source anchors (keep these open)
- WPB CRA Incentives (LIVE)
- CCTV Grant application (.doc)
- CRA agenda 03/02/26 — Res. 26-7
- CRA Happenings 03/19/26
- CRA Safety Initiatives 05/15/26
- DDA incentives
- DDA FY25-26 Façade Submittable
- Contacts: Baker 561-822-1437 · King 561-822-1551 · Rodriguez 561-822-1466 · James-Feaman 561-833-8873 · CRA 561-822-1550
Figures change when boards amend programs or when fiscal-year pots run down. Treat staff confirmation as the last mile before you bid, mobilize, or stack.
