BOCC Hears Part 4 of the Affordable/Workforce Housing Saga

Chapter 13 of the Manatee County Land Development Code is intended to provide for a variety of housing opportunities for present and future residents of Manatee County. Special emphasis is given to households with special needs; Florida Statutes Chapter 163 and 420.

Chapter 13 stipulates incentives which may be available to developers for affordable/workforce housing developments (AWHD). Affordable housing developments are defined as single-family owner-occupied or multifamily rental developments in which a minimum of 10 percent of the total units are affordable to households at or below 120 percent of the Area Medium Income (AMI).

Workforce housing developments are defined as single family, owner-occupied developments in which a minimum of 10 percent of the total units are available to households with an income no higher than 20 percent above the Moderate Income Level (MIL), (school teachers, police, fire/EMS, etc.).

Developer Pat Neal was the first to speak. Neal said timing was everything and that the millennials were back in the market. He noted that he used to sell houses in 1970 for $18,000 on Longboat Key; but his offerings–if there were any–got lost when he tried to educate everyone about what he called, "the cost of time" and how government procedures waste it.

Benac acknowledged Neal as a green-field builder, not an urban core re-developer, yet she asked Neal how the county could go about implementing an affordable housing program.

Neal gave an example to what he might be convinced to do: "I'll say two words, Bayshore Gardens." Neal suggested buying all of the homes in Bayshore Gardens, and if enough acreage could be obtained, he would build a grandiose mixed-use development. Commissioner Whitmore complemented Neal's idea saying, "Nothing is impossible for you."

Next was Harvey Vengroff who spoke about not needing government subsidies and proceeded to describe how for years he and an investment group have been successfully building affordable housing. Vengroff said that in the last five years they have sold 70 of the many homes the group owns, and only two fell into bankruptcy.

Vengroff also manages apartment houses that cater to low income renters and bragged of the success he has had to date. "We help them get jobs, a ride to work and watch the kids," adding, "We're in it for the long haul."

As inspirational as Vengroff was, he was matched by Brianne Heffner with Southport Financial Services. Heffner said they have 47 properties in the state and 167 across the country, and described many programs where assistance for development is available; such as, leveraged based funding, permit fee wavers and water and sewer tax reductions.

Heffner said the Florida legislature resumed funding for the State Housing Incentive Partnership (SHIP) program, at the amount of $1.9 million to Manatee County.

Diane Shoemaker, Executive Director for Manatee County Habitat for Humanity spoke, as did Phillip Brown, the president of United Way Manatee County. Both were in complete support of moving forward and getting things done.

The next All Things Housing meeting (#5) will be on May 17 in the Manatee Room of the 4th floor at 1112 Manatee Avenue West in downtown Bradenton. The commission is seeking citizen input.