Mary Alford (right), the Alachua County Commissioner is sworn in by judge Denise Ferraro (left) at the John R. “Jack” Durrance Auditorium on Nov. 17, 2020. Florida Housing’s appropriation goes towards the following: State Housing Trust Fund 1 in preseason poll for third time, Direct-sales company Southwestern Advantage continues to recruit UF students despite complaints, UF women’s swimming and diving jumps to No. Other Florida communities have already established linkage fees to help them provide affordable housing, Bell said. When the new County Commission is sworn in, it’s up to us to get them to fund … The Trust cannot legally be funded in the charter but this would establish it. Chestnut, who adorned a bright purple tie, said he wants the county to continue its truth and reconciliation process, which focuses on the history of racial injustice in the county. Prizzia, who wore an N-95 mask, said she wants to target food insecurity and affordable housing during her time in office. This doesn’t do everything that it should, but it does lay the groundwork. Currently Public Housing 1, 2, 3 and 4 Bedroom Applications are Closed. Commissioner Robert “Hutch” Hutchinson said county staff will define “affordable workforce housing.”. The commissioners remained distanced, but less than 6 feet, from the judges during their oath. Ivy Bell, the senior planner at the Alachua County Office of Planning and Development, provided commissioners with an overview of linkage fees and discussed the steps necessary in implementing such fees. “It's in the conversations we have with our coworkers, the dinners we have with our neighbors, and the songs we sing in our churches.”. Mary Alford and Anna Prizzia were both elected to the commission Nov. 3. For the second year in a row, Governor Ron DeSantis recommended full funding for the affordable housing trust funds ($387 million). The Trust cannot legally be funded in the charter but this would establish it. The Boys and Girls Club of Woodland Park was a major influence in the Gainesville City Commission’s decision to fund Woodland Park phase two rather than any of the other five applicants. Public Hearing – Question #E – County Charter Cleanup Amendment Removing Unconstitutional Provisions 13. “Positive change begins in our own backyards,” Alford said. The commissioners were sworn in by Judges Meshon Rawls and Denise Ferrero in front of a masked, socially distanced audience of at least two dozen residents and county officials. Coconut Creek adopted its ordinance in March 2006, Bell said. Alachua County shall support the development of new affordable housing within the areas identified in Policy 1.1.3 through the allocation of dedicated funding sources such as CDBG or single family revenue bond programs. Shall the Alachua County Charter be amended to establish an Alachua County Affordable Housing Trust Fund used to create and sustain affordable housing, which may be funded by fees from new commercial and residential development and other sources, all as directed by the County Commission, and to provide for the purposes, revenue sources, appropriation and expenditure of funds… It has expended $1.6 million to provide home-buyer assistance to 24 households and rehabilitation assistance to 19 households. We need a bucket full of cash to address the affordable housing crisis in Alachua County and this amendment is the bucket. The motion calls for county staff to draft a comprehensive plan that would require new developments to include a percentage of affordable workforce housing when constructing a new development, or pay a linkage fee instead. The county will work with Hankins’ land trust to understand how other communities have been successful in developing affordable housing. Tags Affordable housing Alachua County Alachua County Office of Planning and Development Broward County City of Gainesville Communities That Care Land Trust Florida Gainesville Gary Hankins Habitat for Humanity jobs Ken Cornell Robert “Hutch” Hutchinson Senate. The program works to educate residents and students about the history of racism and identify inequities that exist. An environmental engineer, she said she believes the commission needs to cooperate to make residents’ lives better. “From the late 1800s to the late 1950s, Florida had the highest per capita lynching rate in the United States, and Alachua County ranked near the top of the list,” Chestnut said, adding that there are 48 recorded lynchings. The Alachua County Housing Authority was founded in 1967. County Charter Amendment Establishing Alachua County Affordable Housing Trust Fund Affordable housing is one of the most pressing, and most difficult economic issues we face. After each oath, the judges gave congratulatory elbow bumps instead of the usual handshake. After they finished their remarks, District 4 Commissioner Ken Cornell was appointed as the new chair. But if the linkage fee ordinance is carefully worded, so that linkage fees are applied only to luxury and student dwellings, Winzeler said, it could work. Adoption of CRC Resolution 2020-04 12. The Alachua County Housing Authority. Judge Meshon Rawls (left) swears in Charles Chestnut IV (right), for his third term as an Alachua County Commissioner, serving District 5, at the John R. “Jack” Durrance Auditorium on Nov. 17, 2020. The Independent Florida Alligator has been independent of the university since 1971, your donation today could help #SaveStudentNewsrooms. Adoption of … (B) Purposes of Trust Fund. Land use and natural resources fall under the first amendment, county growth management area. “I want everyone to have the opportunity to live a great quality of life, to support their families and enjoy the beautiful place we have here,” Prizzia said. Another ballot measure would establish the Alachua County Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Commissioner Ken Cornell said staff will provide a range of options for the board to consider based on Alachua County workforce housing income data. Summary: This measure would allow the County Commission to fund, using fees from new commercial and residential development and other sources, an Alachua County Affordable Housing Trust Fund. A nexus study, or “link” study, is required by state law to prove such a correlation. The County Commission can fund … The Alachua County Housing Program has been awarded funding through the Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) in the amount of $556,533.00 to assist with Rental assistance payments (including back rent, deposits and utility payments), Mortgage payments and Landlord payments. Coconut Creek’s affordable housing trust fund has collected $2.6 million since 2006, she said. ALACHUA COUNTY AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND. “That is the questions we have been pondering.”. The Trust cannot legally be funded in the charter but this would establish it. We need a bucket full of cash to address the affordable housing crisis in Alachua County and this amendment is the bucket. Housing trust funds are distinct funds established by city, county or state governments that receive ongoing dedicated sources of public funding to support the preservation and production of affordable housing and increase opportunities for families and individuals to access decent affordable homes. Sweeping cash out of the trust fund is not what DeSantis wanted. Public Hearing – Question #D – County Charter Amendment Establishing Alachua County Affordable Housing Trust Fund 11. Wheeler was appointed the new vice chair. Shall the Alachua County Charter be amended to establish an Alachua County Affordable Housing Trust Fund used to create and sustain affordable housing, which may be funded by fees from new commercial and residential development and other sources, all as directed by the County Commission, and to provide for the purposes, revenue sources, appropriation and expenditure of funds… Nexus consultants help administer the study by compiling development impact statistics and formulating plans to fix the issue, and consulting costs range from $40,000 to $100,000. We provide rental subsidies and manage affordable Public Housing units for low income families, seniors, and persons with disabilities throughout Alachua County, Florida. The Trust Fund can also accept … Linkage fees seem likely to generate only a small amount of the money Alachua County will need to provide affordable housing throughout the county, he said. The proposals were announced during the Alachua County meeting on Tuesday. The County Commission can fund the Trust Fund from fees on new commercial and residential development and other sources and accept donations of any kind. Prizzia said she wants to use her role to ensure the trust runs properly. The newly elected commissioners and District 2 Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler will make up the commission’s first female majority since the 1990s. By some estimates, there are more than 30 million small businesses in the country and about 2.5 million in Florida. “Y’all have been able to talk, cuss and discuss, but when you walk through that door it’s not personal and you’re still friends,” Wheeler said. The County Commission can fund the Trust Fund from fees on new commercial and residential development and other sources, but the charter amendment does not itself create or authorize any new taxes or fees. Before the new county commissioners were sworn in, two outgoing commissioners, Mike Byerly and Robert Hutchinson, were honored with short speeches and artwork featuring a map of Alachua County. This referendum creates an Affordable Housing Trust Fund to create and sustain affordable housing in our community, to ensure everyone has a safe place to live. Alachua County Office of Planning and Development, Gainesville Moving To Require Businesses To Regulate Shopping Cart Containment, Mutts, Masks And Modifications: How Veterinarians Are Handling COVID-19, The Point, Dec. 23, 2020: Coronavirus And Beyond: These Were 25 Of The Top Stories Of 2020, Pandemic Still Affecting Small Town Businesses Across North Central Florida. Please consider giving today. The money from that fee would be used to fund the building of sufficient low-cost housing in another location in cooperation with local housing providers. When the new County Commission is sworn in, it’s up to us to get them to fund it with linkage fees, a new tax, or transfers. Between state and federal resources, Florida Housing received $395 million, and Florida Housing applauds his efforts. The third amendment could remove the requirement for candidates to submit electronic and paper treasurer reports to the supervisor of elections. County Charter Amendment Establishing Alachua County Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The cost of land makes building affordable housing difficult, Cornell said. Board of County Commissioners; Departments; Members; List View; Calendar View; Search: select: select: notes closed captions Help: 3 records; Group. Hutchinson said he is confident the county can acquire enough information internally to avoid high consulting fees. Wheeler told both men she admired how they dealt with conflict during their years on the commission. Alachua County voters are considering local issues large and small this fall. Support local measures on this fall's ballot. OUR MISSION: To develop diverse communities of owner-occupied housing which support low to moderate income working families and individuals, ensuring affordability. The proposals are on the County Growth Management Area, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the County Commission Candidate Treasurer Report. It leaves decisions to later on raising and distributing money for the fund… deposited in the local housing assistance trust fund are necessary to administer and implement the local housing assistance plan. Communities That Care CLT (CTC-CLT) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit property developer based in Gainesville, Florida, serving Alachua County. “To be or not to be; To Hutch or not to Hutch; To Byerly or not to Byerly,” Richardson read. Two new Alachua County commissioners and one incumbent were sworn into office in person Tuesday afternoon. Clear sorting; Clear grouping; Group by Name; Group by Meeting Date; Group by Meeting Date (Month) Group by … Voters approved an amendment forming a new Alachua County Affordable Housing Trust Fund that would be “used to create and sustain affordable housing.” The amendment’s passage creates no new taxes as the trust fund will be funded entirely from real estate development fees and donations. If the county raises the cost of building housing for all individuals, it also increases the costs for affordable housing, he said. More than a dozen county employees, City of Gainesville officials and residents congratulated both men for the time they spent on the commission. Fees there range from $0.15 to $2.42 per square foot of solely commercial construction. County Charter Amendment Establishing County Growth Management Area; Relationship Between County and Municipal Ordinances for Protection of Certain Natural Resources; Identification and Elimination of Racial and Gender Bias in Alachua County Policies; County Charter Amendment Establishing Alachua County Affordable Housing Trust Fund Prizzia said she wants to use her role to ensure the trust runs properly. Affordable housing is one of the most pressing, and most difficult economic issues we face. Alachua County’s Poet Laureate Stanely Richardson shared a poem he wrote about Byerly and Hutchinson. No less than 50 percent of the funds used in each county to provide such housing assistance shall be for the benefit of low-income families. Hutchinson said it is time for the county to take action on affordable housing. For that reason, the county needs a comprehensive plan for affordable housing. 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