by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
There may be more help coming for Jacksonville residents facing foreclosure.
Monday, the City Council Finance Committee approved a bill that could raise the amount given to those on the verge of losing their homes from $5,000 to $8,500. The funds are part of the City’s Local Housing Assistance Plan. The bill was introduced to the full Council last Tuesday, but passed out of Finance as an emergency, bypassing the usual six-week bill cycle.
“This emergency is required due to the fact the community is in crisis for foreclosures,” said Wight Greger, director of Housing and Neighborhoods.
The bill affects fiscal years 2006-09 and those seeking assistance will have to abide by several guidelines. Greger said anyone applying for the funds must first go through financial counseling and financial literacy training. They must also agree to refinance their existing mortgage and keep their new terms current once they have avoided foreclosure.
“We also lien the house for five years,” said Greger, adding there is a new federal program coming soon that will also assist those facing foreclosure. However, it’s based on loan modifications. “I know that one does not provide financial assistance. This one does.”
The bill was also approved by the Council Rules Committee Monday and goes before the Recreation & Community Development Committee Tuesday afternoon.
Committee member Stephen Joost said he wants to make sure a system is implemented to track those who receive the funding. With federal assistance potentially available as well, Joost wants to prevent those facing foreclosure from getting both LHAP money and federal money or loan modifications.
“I am concerned that if the federal government starts doing this (foreclosure assistance), how do we track who is getting what level of assistance?” said Joost.
Greger said the program has been in existence since May and has been “very successful.”
Jacksonville is one of the top foreclosure markets in the nation.
In other news from the Finance meeting:
• A little over $75,000 from the Duval County Teen Court program Trust Fund was approved for the purchase of office furniture for 10 employees transferred from Teen Court to the State Attorney’s Office.
According to Finance member Daniel Davis, desks and chairs and other necessary office items were never purchased for the 10 employees.
“This is desperately needed,” said Davis, adding he recently took a tour of the County Courthouse. “The circumstances and standards of the Courthouse are in pretty rough shape. I had reservations about this, but the money was never spent as it was meant to be spent.”
Joost said he was aware of the issue and made phone calls to members of the private sector seeking any surplus office furniture he could find. He said he missed landing several free desks and chairs by about two weeks.
• The committee deferred two bills pertaining to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. One approves funding for the JSO’s “Teen Driver Challenge Program.” The 12-hour class is designed for 16-19 year olds and takes their high school driver’s education class to another level. According to JSO Lt. David Stevens, the students are taught how to avoid collisions, handle instances when they may drive off the shoulder and learn more defensive driving tactics not taught at school. The students ride primarily with JSO staff in the passenger seat.
The other bill would allow JSO to self-appropriate a fund generated by donations to support a JSO racing car. According to Stevens, the car is used as a teaching tool and is occasionally raced in Gainesville. Stevens stressed that it is funded entirely through donations.
Finance Chair Michael Corrigan asked that both bills be deferred since he could not get anyone from the City’s Risk Management to address any liability concerns.
• The committee approved a bill that will allow the City to purchase and demolish homes near Willow Branch Creek. According to Laura D’Alisera of the Emergency Preparedness Division of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, there are 19 addresses in the area that are habitually flood prone. In a joint agreement between FEMA and the insurance companies, it’s been agreed that purchasing the property and razing the homes is cheaper than repairing them each time Willow Branch Creek floods.
D’Alisera said 90 percent of the $905,500 will come from FEMA while the homeowners will pick up the other 10 percent for the two homes in the legislation. She said once the homes are leveled, the property will be graded and seeded and allowed to grow naturally.
356-2466