On November 7, the Blueprint IA Board held a meeting and discussed a report to consider the use of local sales tax revenue for affordable housing. Staff prepared the report at the direction from the Board at a previous meeting.
The report recommends not using sales tax revenue for affordable housing at this time because the limited funds are committed for other economic development projects intended to create jobs, and this use of the revenue would require an amendment to the Interlocal Agreement after public hearings.
Board member Jack Porter made a motion to accept the report and to move forward with the substantial amendment process to include affordable housing as an element the Board may fund.
Board members Bill Proctor and Curtis Richardson both explained they would not support the motion. They noted issues such as not having enough access to land and wanting to fulfill the projects that were voted on in the previous election.
However, Board member Dianne Williams-Cox stated, “I would like to see us look at projects that might have a little money left over, that might need a little reallocation somewhere and see if we can use some of those dollars to help us.”
Williams-Cox asked Porter if she would amend her motion to focus on infrastructure dollars rather than looking into economic development (Porter accepted the amendment).
Board member David O’Keefe expressed the importance of having affordable rental housing to support our growing City and noted, “Those folks that are homeless, that are working, living outside of Walmart, those folks that are struggling to pay rent, they also pay those sales taxes every time they buy stuff.” He continued, “I think that their trust in us, for next time, may be the strongest when they see a more direct benefit.”
Additionally, Board member Rick Minor noted the Board needed to proceed with caution on this issue since the voters did not vote for Blueprint dollars to go toward affordable housing. He then asked to make an amendment to the motion for an economic analysis from staff to figure out what type of project would provide to Blueprint in terms of ROI which is typically 6 to 1.
Porter accepted the amendment.
Mayor John Daily said he would not support the motion, and made a separate motion to accept the report. Board member Christian Caban noted that while he supports affordable housing, he has a different solution in mind. He explained that the Board needed to look at the Comprehensive Plan and make sure current zoning allows builders and developers the opportunity to increase density in the urban areas of town. Caban noted the affordable housing project could affect other important projects voters have voted on. Additionally, Caban supported Daily’s motion.
After discussion, Daily withdrew his substitute motion, and the Board passed a Porter’s motion to accept the report and to initiate the substantial amendment process to include affordable housing infrastructure as an element the Board may fund.
Mayor Dailey, City Commissioner Richardson, and Leon County Commissioner Caban voted against the item.
Blueprint IA to Initiate Process to Allow Spending for Affordable Housing added by Staff on
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Absolutely not! The city and county have available land now that can be sold to developers to build affordable housing and without their interference. What happened to the Frenchtown project that was supposed to be build at the former homeless shelter site. Answer is nothing, because the developer was no longer interested due to silly stipulations tied to developing the property. Rick Minor mentioned the Live Local Act bill passed by a bipartisan legislature to address workforce housing because local government does not real estate savvy to foster affordable housing development without their stupid regulations killing a lot of the projects. Tallahassee/Leon county job is to provide an inventory of gov’t owned property suitable for workforce housing, and they need to stay out of the way and let developers build those projects in accordance with SB 102. Stop these silly proposals just to seek reelection.
Demand a referendum to repeal the one-percent sales tax that funds this boondoggle called “Blueprint.” Politicians will always morph a funding stream into something for which it was never intended. It’s called bait and switch. The only way to avoid that is to never create the funding stream in the first place. Repeal it ASAP!
@Mr. Lyle
“……social illusion of equity.” That’s one of the best phrases I’ve ever heard. It speaks volumes.
You should copyright it.
This is absolute hogwash. Vote smarter. Get rid of Blueprint, top to bottom. (If you can find the bottom)
“ Board member Rick Minor noted the Board needed to proceed with caution on this issue since the voters did not vote for Blueprint dollars to go toward affordable housing.” Well articulated.
Lawsuit waiting to happen if $$ used for housing and not infrastructure as voted on.
“Affordable Housing” is a political cause no different than “climate change”. Neither have a clear definition or solution so random spending in their name is justified as “progress”. Remember that today’s “progress”ives have never seen a blank check they didn’t like.
@Snidely Whiplash. Your comment needs to be deleted.
I like how the politicians have transitioned the term “government housing projects” into a softer more woke-palatable term of “affordable and/or workforce housing”. Taxpayer dollars should not be used in some feckless attempt to help people “feel” like they’re more successful and accomplished than they truly are. You will live where you can afford to live. If you want nicer things, work harder to afford them.
Stop making the rest of us pay for the social illusion of equity. The rest of us are not responsible for the lazy among us, nor should we be forced to finance your attempts to deal with the manufactured manipulation tool known as “white guilt”.
Haven’t totally made my mind up about some of these commissioners but I’d rather they do these ideas than give money to their campaign managers to build a distillery or to the FSU boosters.
Affordable housing is a great way to transition crime out to – not just the great white way neighborhoods off Thomasville Road – but to all other neighborhoods in which white folks are enjoying just a little too much safety, joy, and happiness.
I think they need to build a mental hospital and admit themselves for evaluation.
I don’t know why this is even an issue, they just spent 21 million on amenities for a football stadium.
I think they should build a big circus tent downtown and call it the Blueprint Place Making Place. It needs to be a big top that’s way bigger than anything the Flying Circus has…
Ask yourself why rents are high. Then work to reduce those costs. Reducing property taxes is a good start.
Do any of you know what you’re doing? Your against a Motion, then you are FOR the Motion then you Vote against the Motion. Blue Print was NOT meant for Housing. STOP WASTING OUR TAXES.