Some of South Florida’s trendiest districts benefit from taxpayer dollars set aside to help the neediest neighborhoods. And it’s all perfectly legal. It happens thanks to decades old legislation and community redevelopment agencies – or CRAs.

CRAs operate under different rules than local governments. They can exist for decades and redefine their original mission. But how are they kept in check, and who is managing the tax payer dollars

Policy makers love CRAs because projects can move on a fast track. Politicians love it because they do not have to justify projects to the public through a vote.

But do CRAs still work to combat slum and blight?