A Manatee County community that has been crippled by crime for years is finally getting some relief.

  • Manatee Co. Commission approves Rubonia Neighborhood action plan
  • Plan outlines major problems community is facing  

The Manatee County Commission unanimously approved the Rubonia Neighborhood action plan, which will qualify Rubonia for federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

This plan outlines the major problems the community is facing including: potential flooding and the need for streetlights and sidewalks to help prevent crime.

Rubonia, a small community just south of I-275 and west of U.S. 41 at the northernmost extent of Terra Ceia Bay, was developed in the 1920s and home to more than 300 people.

"At the end of the day, it’s been overlooked for so many years," said former Rubonia resident Derrick Randall, who moved a few years ago when he joined the Army.

Now back in Manatee County he is fighting for the community he grew up in, and this new action plan will help. 

“It’s about the environment, it’s about housing, it’s about all the effects out there to try and help their area," said Manatee County Neighborhood Services Director Cheri Coryea.

In Rubonia, the average income of a family of four is a little more than $23,000. The average family income in the metropolitan areas in Manatee County is more than $60,000.