Author: Sylvia

We Deserve Answers; City of Pensacola, CRA/Council…

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Over the past several days, multiple documents, land records, bond filings, and meeting archives revealed that major decisions about the redevelopment of the former Baptist Hospital campus have NOT been happening at the CRA or Pensacola City Council meetings like the public was led to believe.

Instead, many key decisions, including financing, project details, developer partnerships, and public hearings, have been happening through a different board entirely.

ECHFA (Escambia County Housing Finance Authority)

YES, there is another governing body involved.

YES, they hold their own meetings.

YES, several meetings were held recently about the proposed developments on the Baptist campus.

What the public wasnt told.

The developer connected to the Baptist property (Paces Foundation / Soho Partners) also operates under multiple names:

Paces Preservation Partners

The Paces Foundation, Inc.

Soho Housing Partners

Avery Place Apartments LLC

Kupfrian Manor LLC

This makes it VERY difficult for the average resident to track what is happening. ECHFA held public hearings on these projects, without the CRA or City openly announcing them.

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What the Records Tell Us:

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Why the Family May Have Sold, and How We Can Stop It from Happening Again

For decades, the property at 1102 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Drive sat in the hands of the
Crumbsby family. It was heir property, land passed down through generations, once representing stability and pride. But by 2018, after years of probate proceedings and out-of-state heirs, the family sold both lots for $14,250.

Today, those same parcels hold newly built “twin” homes that sold for more than $400,000 each, and property taxes that used to be a few hundred dollars have soared to nearly $5,000 a year.
The records suggest the heirs’ decision wasn’t about greed, it was about pressure and distance.

The original owner had passed away, leaving several relatives scattered across different states. Maintaining a vacant lot from hundreds of miles away, paying yearly taxes, and navigating legal paperwork was likely overwhelming. Add in a developer’s offer of quick cash, before the family could realize what was coming to the neighborhood, and the sale became almost inevitable.

Once that land left the family’s hands, so did a piece of their legacy. The return on that $14,000 sale is now reaping profits for developers, not descendants. What was once affordable, Black-owned ground is now part of a new wave of redevelopment that few of the original families can afford to return to.

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Maintained Blight: How Neglect Fuels Redevelopment Narratives…

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A perfect example is a gas station that CRA has owned since 2017 that has been left boarded up with graffiti all over it. This is located at 1700 Dr Martin Luther King Jr. However, on that same street, $400+k homes are built and continue to be built in and around that area. Yet, CRA continues to collect TIF from homeowners. Gentrification is surely happening. The renovations to Fricker Center and Hollice T Williams “Stormwater” Park, are not coincidences.

Across many historically Black neighborhoods in Pensacola, the pattern of “maintained blight”, has quietly shaped redevelopment for decades. Maintained blight refers to the selective neglect of public and private properties in order to justify future redevelopment efforts. It creates an image of decline that allows officials and developers to argue that an area is failing and in need of outside investments.

Major corridors such as Jordan Street show how this process unfolds. Homes and yards on back streets often remain well-kept, but the main corridor, visible to commuters and city officials, reflects years of inconsistent maintenance, vacant properties, and boarded homes. The result is a carefully framed perception of blight, even when many residents continue to take pride in their properties and neighborhoods.

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I Was Shocked but I’m Not Surprised

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Yesterday, I walked through my community handing out flyers about tomorrow’s CRA
meeting. I also passed out a page explaining what TIF (Tax Increment Financing) and “blight” really mean; two terms that have quietly shaped the future of our neighborhoods for decades.

I was shocked to learn how many of my neighbors had never even heard of TIF or blight. I
was shocked to see how many homes are for sale or boarded up; homes that once held
families, laughter, and life. And I was shocked to realize that not one person I spoke with,
knew what was happening with the old Baptist Hospital site.

But deep down, I wasn’t surprised.

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The History of Segregation in Pensacola, Fla.

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Lets start from the beginning…

Early Days of Segregation in Pensacola, Florida

The story of segregation in Pensacola, Florida is part of a broader history of racial separation, disenfranchisement, and violence in the American South. For the Black communities in Pensacola, the Jim Crow era and its antecedents had deep and lasting consequences; on neighborhoods, businesses, schooling, political power, and memory.

This document explores the early days of segregation in Pensacola: how it began, key milestones, the local context, and some of the enduring legacies.

Antecedents: Slavery, Reconstruction and Early 20th Century

The region that became Pensacola was built in large part by enslaved African Americans under Spanish, French, British and American rule; the Black presence in the area is centuries old.

Following the Civil War and Reconstruction, white political dominance was restored across Florida, including Escambia County (Pensacola), and “separate but equal” laws and practices of segregation took root. By the early 20th century, Pensacola’s Black population was significant; almost evenly matched with whites at the century’s beginnig, but as segregation, intimidation, and racial violence increased, the Black demographic and business presence began to be pressured.

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Our History as Black People in Pensacola, Fla.

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I have been doing research, collecting data/statistics and the more I learn about our history, as Black people, living here in Pensacola…The City of Pensacola needs to make things right.

I’ll be posting every day or every other day about our lives here in Pensacola.

Disclaimer: The information shared by Empower Black Families is based on publicly available records, credible data sources, and community research. It is provided for educationa, informationals and advocacy purposes only.

Empower Black Families does not intend to defame, misrepresnt, or cause harm to any individual, organization or entity. While all efforts are made to ensure accuracy, readers are encouraged to verify information independently and consult original sources.

The materials presented are designed to promote, dialogue, transparency, and accountability around issues impacting Black families and communities in Pensacola and beyond.

By using, sharing, or referencing this material, you acknowledge that it represents advocacy work and research findings; not legal, financial, or medical advice.

Standing for Truth and Transparency

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For weeks, I’ve reached out to the Mayor’s Office, CRA/Council, and County Commissioners about what’s happening around the former Baptist Hospital site and surrounding neighborhoods.

So far, there’s been silence.

The latest email wasn’t opened by CRA/Council, though the CRA Division viewed it last night.

Meanwhile, Black neighborhoods continue to be labeled as “blight,” while homes are sold off and developers move in. Families who’ve lived here for generations are being priced out of their own community.

This isn’t about anger, it’s about accountability and awareness. Pensacola deserves transparency. Our neighborhoods deserve investment, not displacement.

If you care about what’s happening in our city, follow Empower Black Families on Facebook. Together we’ll share the facts, history, truth and make sure our voices are heard.

Learn more at EmpowerBlackFamilies.org

#EmpowerBlackFamilies #Pensacola #StopGentrification #CommunityMatters #Transparency #OurNeighborhoodsMatter

Empower Black Families

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Empower Black Families is a community-centered initiative focused on providing support, resources, and guidance to help individuals and families navigate everyday challenges and build long-term stability. 
 
Our goal is to create a space where community voices are heard, needs are understood, and meaningful solutions can grow. 

Why This Work Matters – Our communities have experienced generations of systemic barriers that have limited access to opportunity, resources, and economic stability. While many continue to push forward, there are still gaps in support, access, and information that impact everyday life. 
 
This work is about more than assistance; it is about understanding real experiences, identifying challenges, and helping people move toward stability, independence, and long-term growth. 

Get Involved – There are three ways to get started: 

1. Book a Community Advocacy Session 
Schedule a one-on-one session to receive guidance and support.  Click to Book Sessions 
 
2. Share Your Experience 
Complete the Community Listening Session Questionnaire to help us better understand our community’s needs. Click to Fill Out the Questionnaire 

3: Help Spread the Word About Our Organization 

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