by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
In July 2006, the State legislature enacted a law that made the development of new affordable and workforce housing a priority. Escalating costs in the housing market have contributed to an inadequate supply of housing options for low- to moderate-income residents.
One of the requirements of the legislation (HB 1363) was a directive for all local governments to prepare an inventory of municipally-owned land that would be suitable for affordable and workforce housing by June 30, 2007. The legislation also mandates that the list be updated at least every three years.
Using an Affordable Housing Suitability Model developed at the University of Florida’s College of Design, Construction and Planning, the City’s Department of Housing and Neighborhoods evaluated on a case-by-case basis a list of more than 37,000 parcels owned by the City or the Duval County School Board.
Records that did not match the mapped parcel database were excluded, as were properties with buildings since those sites were considered to be already developed.
Due to anticipated delays in receiving land use approvals, properties of 10 acres or more and properties that did not already have suitable land use classification and zoning that would allow residential development were also eliminated as possibilities.
Land zoned as Planned Unit Developments (PUD) were excluded because they serve an existing project and properties in active use including Municipal Stadium, parks, fire stations and public hospitals were removed from the list.
Properties considered to be needed for future access, easements and rights-of-way were also deemed ineligible as were parcels located in Special Flood Hazard Areas.
Being located more than 300 feet from water mains and sewer connections or lacking direct access to roads also eliminated some parcels.
The remaining inventory of 670 suitable sites was adopted as part of Ordinance 2007-656 enacted by the City Council June 26. Most of the parcels are smaller than an acre; the largest on the list is a 7.5-acre tract on Old Middleburg Road. Land area of the qualified properties is 254 acres or roughly 0.08 percent of the total area of Duval County excluding conservation land, marsh and water.
Housing & Neighborhoods Department Deputy Director Wight Greger said identifying suitable City-owned properties is just the first step required to increase the supply of affordable and workforce housing. The next step is to determine how the land will be acquired by developers.
“We might simply transfer it or we might sell it for a minimal amount with the provision that it would be used for affordable or workforce housing,” said Greger. “We haven’t even discussed the transfer process.
“Currently, we have in place a real estate process that dictates that City Council would have to enact an ordinance in order to transfer any of these properties. We probably still will do that.”
One of the best examples of how the ordinance can help create more workforce housing, Greger said, is the part of the plan that includes the culinary training program at the Clara White Mission.
Over the last 18 months, 200 people have graduated from the program and the not-for-profit organization would like to build a complex where graduates will be able to live after they find food-service jobs in the community. The City property involved is at the corner of Ashley and Jefferson streets adjacent to the mission.
“Our intention is to build an apartment facility with 50 residential units on two floors above ground-floor commercial space that could be leased,” said Clara White Mission Vice President Meg Fisher.
“It will be a way for people who were formerly homeless to move out of our transitional housing and into permanent workforce housing, but in a location and environment that will allow us to continue to provide necessary support services.”
Fisher said the design phase of the project has been completed but the project is on hold until the City decides how it will transfer the property.
“We hope we can break ground next year,” she said.
The Council also enacted an ordinance June 26 that created a new position within the Housing and Neighborhoods Department, that of “Affordable Housing Coordinator.” The job requires a bachelor’s degree and at least five years experience in housing development.
The coordinator’s responsibilities will include serving as a central resource of information regarding all processes required to bring an affordable or workforce housing development to completion. The AFC will also assist developers in the completion of such projects and communicate with other City departments to ensure that affordable and workforce housing developments are not delayed within processes managed by other City departments. In addition the coordinator will be authorized to expedite permitting processes when appropriate.
Having an Affordable Housing Coordinator on staff might also contribute to an increase in the number of affordable and workforce housing developments by making the processes involved more accessible to a greater number of potential developers, especially small businesses.
“Big developers understand the system, but that’s not enough,” said Greger. “The Affordable Housing Coordinator will be the shepherd to help increase the supply side. I think by making the system easier to use, we might be able to increase the pool of developers who are committed to building affordable and workforce housing.”
Creating a new position in City government during this time of property tax reform leading to reorganizing City government and revamping the budget could provide yet another fiscal challenge, but according to mayor’s office spokesperson Susie Wiles, there is already a plan in place.
“The Affordable Housing Coordinator position has been approved for the next fiscal year by the Mayor’s Budget Review Committee. It will be funded by a state grant, a federal grant or a combination of the two,” she said.
Wiles added the person who gets the job may be a new hire or currently work in another City Department, but the job responsibilities will not be assumed by anyone currently within the Housing & Neighborhoods Department.