Bradenton Herald
By: Hannah Morse
BRADENTON – Calling off the oft-called “raid” of a state trust fund for affordable housing is another legislative priority for Manatee County commissioners.
The board unanimously approved a resolution to ask the Affordable Housing Workgroup to recommend that the Florida Legislature use all of the funds allocated in the Sadowski Trust Fund solely for affordable housing, for which it was intended.
The legislature has diverted money from these funds for 16 of the last 25 years of its existence. But if Gov. Rick Scott’s budget proposal is any indication, it could be 17. According to the Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau, the governor suggests pulling $92 million of what could be $322 million from the fund to put into other projects.
“This is why we’ve got the crisis now,” Commissioner Charles Smith said, adding that the destruction of homes in the Florida Keys by Hurricane Irma didn’t make it better.The fund was set up by the William E. Sadowski Affordable Housing Act of 1992, which feeds into local State Housing Initiatives Partnership, or SHIP, programs. The Affordable Housing Workgroup was created during the 2017 session to make recommendations on housing needs to the legislature.
“It’s one step,” said county spokesman Nick Azzara about the resolution. “It’s another one that this board can take in support of affordable housing.”
The topic was briefly touched upon at the Pancakes and Politics event Monday.
“You’re really pointing at a thing that’s taking place throughout all political ranks, all the levels of government,” Rep. Julio Gonzalez, R-Sarasota, had said. “Every time you give government the opportunity to sit on some money and tell you that they’re going to use that money for that purpose, watch out, it’s gonna get used for something else, i.e. social security and Medicare.”
Commissioners also green-lighted the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee’s recommendations, which mainly included language as it relates to affordable housing incentives. Committee members suggested a future Land Development Code amendment to “allow for second next highest future land use designation with minimum of 35 percent affordable units” and allow for more county-owned surplus land to be available for affordable housing developers.
During Tuesday’s regular commission meeting, commissioners also:
▪ Voted on the officers for 2018: Commissioner Priscilla Whisenant Trace will become the chair of the Board of County Commissioners; Commissioner Vanessa Baugh will stay on as Port Authority chair; and Commissioner Carol Whitmore will continue as Tourist Development Council chair.
▪ Heard a presentation of an update to the Economic Development Incentive Program.
▪ Approved the Impact Fee Credit and Reimbursement Agreement for the Fort Hamer Road Extension by a vote of 7-0.
Hannah Morse: 941-745-7055, @mannahhorse