Bradenton, Florida, a city of approximately 54,000 residents situated on the Gulf of Mexico coastline and south of Tampa Bay, calls itself “The Friendly City” and for good reason. City leaders, residents and businesses are working hand‐in‐hand to make Bradenton an even better and stronger community.

Like most of the country, Bradenton is facing serious economic difficulties.

• It has a $2.7 million budget shortfall due to the diminishing housing market and concerns about the economy, state‐mandated revenue cutbacks, and a decrease in interest earnings and tax revenues.

• The local housing market continued to perform worse than the state and nation in November, with the sales of existing single‐family homes down by 13 percent from a year ago.

• Lenders filed more than 5,500 foreclosure suits in Manatee County Circuit Court in 2008, breaking the previous year’s record of 2,620 in less than six months. Two banks closed and many retailers shut their doors. The Bradenton‐Sarasota‐Venice market has the 11th highest percentage of homes in foreclosure among the nation's top 100 metropolitan areas, reported by RealtyTrac Inc.

Despite these tremendous challenges, Bradenton has a lot going for it. In recent years, there has been a concerted effort to revitalize the downtown area. The influx of hotels, condominiums, parks and cultural entities have enriched the area by providing job opportunities, encouraging community involvement, removing blight and improving the quality of life. The artist community Village of the Arts, the new

Promenade at Riverwalk and the Norma Lloyd Park Complex each exemplify how a community can be transformed through cooperative efforts and financial support.