In 1995, the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its Brownfields Action Agenda which included activities and plans to assist states and localities to reverse the spiral of contamination, declining property values, and increased unemployment often found in inner city areas. The Brownfields Initiative was designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and reuse brownfield sites.

In 1998, EPA, the State of Florida and Jacksonville entered into a cooperative agreement to encourage the redevelopment of the city's brownfield properties. Jacksonville was awarded an "EPA Pilot Program" designation and subsequent grant to gain a comprehensive understanding of the economic barriers currently surrounding the revitalization and reuse of brownfields and to establish a process of defined policies, procedures, and mechanisms for implementation of a Brownfields Program. The Jacksonville Brownfields Program is currently under the auspices of the Housing and Neighborhoods Department, Community Development Division.