affordable housing and rents just took a major hit here (Sarasota: mortgages, income)

[wondermint2]

Sarasota County Commission approves phased approach for Loveland affordable housing campus

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...us/ar-AA1k0UoM

With little comment and unanimous approval, the Sarasota County Commission approved the a phased construction plan for the “Senator Nancy C. Detert Home of Your Own” inclusive housing community on the campus of Loveland Center.

As part of the change, Loveland will first build an 83-unit apartment complex that can be rented by individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities or seniors age 65 and older who live on no more than 65% of the annual median income for Sarasota County.

While the apartments will be built on 7.5 acres on the east side of Loveland’s campus at 157 South Havana Road in Venice, a proposal to build 38 two- and three-bedroom villas that would be available for purchase will be phased in as future financing allows.

Will Habitat for Humanity be involved?

Habitat for Humanity of South Sarasota County had planned on partnering with Loveland but the nonprofit had to drop out because some aspects of Loveland’s approach to units conflicted with Habitat for Humanity bylaws – notably the plan to allow for rooms to be subleased – according to Christina McCauley, executive director and CEO for Habitat.

[wondermint2]

Mark Vengroff does a lot for affordable housing in the area. He's kind of like the anti Pat Neal.

Another affordable housing complex coming to Bradenton after Manatee County OKs loan

For full article:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/another-a...050000320.html

County officials approved a $3.5 million loan to help cover the construction of a Bradenton apartment complex looking to add another 182 affordable housing units in the area.

Robin’s Apartments, just south of U.S. 301 on First Street East, will see new development on a vacant part of the property. The additional complex will include a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments for residents at lower income levels.

Mark Vengroff, managing partner of One Stop Housing, said his organization plans to open The Nest by the end of 2025.

“Every one of our properties has a waiting list of over 100 people, which gives you an idea of the demand,” Vengroff said in an interview with the Bradenton Herald.

The Manatee County Commission approved the request for a $3.5 million loan to be paid back over the next 20 years, despite a vote earlier this year to deny gap funding requests from affordable housing developers. One Stop Housing will also pay the county about $82,000 in interest every year, according to the loan agreement.

[wondermint2]

This is an opinion piece form Matt Walsh - the CEO and founder of Observer Media Group.

We need a housing leader

Politicians and government won’t solve the affordable housing shortage. It will take a champion, or champions.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...ousing-leader/

What’s the solution? There are no solutions, only tradeoffs.

Here is the choice: More supply to meet demand and alleviate the pain? Or more of the same: Residents and local governments restricting, blocking and rejecting housing styles they don’t like?

This is for sure: More government housing trust funds, subsidies and intervention will never really solve the problem. Nor are those methods morally right — taking from one to convey an unearned benefit on another.

If lowering or capping the cost of housing is the objective, here is what it will take: 1) A champion, or champions, to lead the cause; 2) A champion, or champions to build coalitions of residents and employers; and 3) The resolve to solve the problem. Who will step up?

One more saying: The only reason something is not accomplished is because it wasn’t made a priority.

[wondermint2]

Food, Jobs, and Social Support on the menu at the One Stop Cares Thanksgiving Event

For full article:

https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/11/1...outputType=amp

One Stop Cares will be hosting a Thanksgiving Event to provide not only a delicious meal to people in need, but opportunity as well.

More than a third of all renters in Sarasota and Manatee counties are cost-burdened and living paycheck to paycheck.

Those who stop by the event will enjoy a delicious and have opportunities to meet with local organizations to talk about jobs.

The Thanskgiving event will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at Robins Apartments located at 2303 1st St Bradenton FL 34208, from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Attendees will enjoy a hot and healthy Thanksgiving meal and receive small gifts and personalized handwritten messages of hope and encouragement. Restaurants are preparing over 500 meals to be served at the event. Participating restaurants for the event are:

- Ana Maria Oyster Bar

- Village Café

- Craigers

- Sunnyside Café

- Taco Spot

In addition to the hot meals being served to the participants, Hunger’s End will be handing out an additional 600 bags of food for people to take home with them for the holiday. There will be a Children’s Craft Area to fee up parents to engage with the various organizations in attendance.

To learn more, click here:

https://onestophousing.com/

[wondermint2]

Grassroots organization hosts Thanksgiving banquet ahead of holiday Sunday in Newtown

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/gr...wn/ar-AA1k6j9A

Residents of the Newtown community in Sarasota are invited to join the Leaders Rights Organization on Sunday, Nov. 19 for the group's fourth annual Community Thanksgiving Banquet at Fredd Atkins Park.

Now in its fourth year creating a holiday gathering space in the historically Black neighborhood, the organizers anticipate serving approximately 400 holiday meals for residents in Newtown this year.

What began as a way to spur community engagement and voter activity in Newtown soon grew into something more purposeful in its first year. Now, the grassroots community organization, led by Sarasota resident Alania Martinez, hosts the outdoor banquet in Newtown each year in hopes of providing hot meals to those in need, including displaced residents often overlooked during the holiday season.

[wondermint2]

Manatee County officials urge WWII veterans to seek VA health care

https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/11/1...a-health-care/

The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced that all World War II veterans are now eligible for no-cost VA inpatient and outpatient health care. Manatee County officials are urging these heroes to seek the health care they need.

Under this expansion, all WWII Veterans who served between Dec. 7, 1941, and Dec. 31, 1946, are now eligible for VA health care, regardless of their length of service or financial status.

These Veterans will not have to pay inpatient or outpatient copays, enrollment fees or monthly premiums. Veterans who enroll may also keep their private providers, Medicare and most other insurance to meet their health care needs.

All WWII Veterans are encouraged to enroll in VA health care.

”We are standing by to help these Veterans with the application process,” said Manatee County Veterans Services Manager Renee Medina. “The Manatee County Veterans Services Office is an important link in helping Veterans and their dependents obtain the earned benefits they so greatly deserve.”

The Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller is offering free services to veterans through November.

[wondermint2]

Manatee Meals on Wheels hosting drive-through turkey dinner distribution

https://news.yahoo.com/vins-people-m...104527485.html

Meals on Wheels PLUS will hold a Thanksgiving Food Distribution for 500 families Monday, 4-6 p.m., at its headquarters, 811 23rd Ave. E., Bradenton.

Families will receive a traditional Thanksgiving meal that feeds five to six people – including a frozen turkey with side dishes – to prepare at home at this drive-through distribution.

Quantities are limited and provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more details, call 941-747-4655. Or visit: https://MealsOnWheelsPLUS.org.

[wondermint2]

Hypocrites? This is an opionion letter to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Sarasota County organizations talk the talk about affordable housing. Where's the action?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opini...n/71558384007/

Actions don't match words on housing

"I read Nov. 13 how the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce is concerned about affordable housing for its members’ employees.

And then I remembered how the chamber led the fight to keep Florida’s minimum hourly wage at $8.56 ($17,000 annually) and $5.54 for tipped employees ($11,000 annually).

Fortunately, the opposition lost and Amendment 2 passed.

I also read that the Gulf Coast Community Foundation is offering up suggestions on the affordable housing issue. And then I remembered how in 2018 this organization sold 300 acres in east Venice for nearly $18 million to a Neal land development company; the land was zoned for 1,500 homes.

Neal is now building on that very land; current advertisements show a 1,524-square-foot villa at $467,000 and a 1,700-square-foot home at $522,000.

The same week I read about a restaurant group in Venice being applauded for building employee rental housing. And then I remembered that the president of that group was an extremely vocal critic of the minimum wage increase.

Are these really the right groups to be having a conversation on affordable housing solutions for workers?"

[wondermint2]

Two affordable apartment buildings headed for Tamiami Trail

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...tamiami-trail/

Two affordable housing developments that include 132 units and continued their progress toward city staff endorsement last week as they appeared before the Development Review Committee.

Resubmittals were heard for New Trail Plaza and an expansion of Oakridge Apartments, both 100% affordable housing projects on North Tamiami Trail.

Partial sign-off was granted for New Trail Plaza, a four-story, 90-unit apartment building plus a three-story mixed-use building with 3,040 square feet of commercial space and six additional residential units.

St. Petersburg-based Blue Sky proposes to build the development on a 3.5-acre parcel of at 4644 N. Tamiami Trail. The site is currently vacant and is part of a 6.3-acre Sarasota County-owned site.

Planned is a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom rental apartments, all developed as attainable units for those earning at or below 80% of the Sarasota County average median income.

A few blocks north on Tamiami Trail, Sarasota-based One Stop Housing is proposing to expand its Oakridge Apartments at 4900 N. Tamiami Trail. The affordable housing developer is planning a three-story, 36-unit affordable apartment building on 4.91 acres.

Also part of the North Trail Overlay District with future land-use classification of Urban Mixed Use, the site includes 120 existing affordable multifamily units owned and operated by One Stop Housing, plus a 3,713-square-foot restaurant and reception office.

[wondermint2]

How homelessness in Manatee extends beyond Bradenton streets -- and the help out there

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...69bbc691&ei=50

People without homes seen on Bradenton street corners only hint at a bigger problem in Manatee County.

"The unhoused population is like an iceberg. Most of it is below the surface," Kathleen Cramer, executive director of Turning Points, told a Giving Tuesday breakfast crowd of 370 at the Bradenton Area Convention Center.

The number of Manatee households living below the ALICE threshold — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — has risen 16% since 2019, from 57,768 households to 66,818.

Essentially, that means ALICE families earn just above the federal poverty level but less than what it takes to make ends meet.

In all, 31% of households in Manatee County live below the ALICE threshold, and 10% live in poverty. Many are without homes through no fault of their own. About 1,500 school-age children in Manatee County are experiencing homelessness, Cramer said.

Against that backdrop, Turning Points serves over 8,000 people a year who are unhoused or one paycheck away from becoming homeless out of its base at 701 17th Ave. W. in Bradenton.

The nonprofit Turning Points offers help with basic needs, including clothing, dental and medical care, and rent and veterans assistance.