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The Historic Black Towns and Settlements Historic Preservation Conference is part of the 26th annual Zora Festival, honoring the life and work of author Zora Neale Hurston.

Richmond McCoy, CEO of Urban America Advisors, who’ll be at the conference, says some of the challenges facing Eatonville include generational poverty and unemployment.

“A lot of these issues could be and should be addressed in whatever development that goes forward,” says McCoy.

McCoy says Eatonville has an opportunity with the 100 acre site of the old Robert Hungerford Preparatory High School. He’s confident a developer will buy the site, but there must be input from residents.

Plans for a controversial multi-million dollar development on the site were last year put on hold.

McCoy says Eatonville also has an opportunity to promote itself as a tourism destination.