Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward announced two weeks ago that he would be presenting a workforce housing plan to Pensacola City Council in November. Other than a couple community meetings held three or four years ago, the Hayward Administration has not sought input from the neighborhoods where the workforce housing will be built.
The Escambia Board of County Commissioners is taking a different approach.
The BCC wants community input on how it will proceed on future workforce housing projects that may make 1,896 residential units available if all are built.
The Escambia County Neighborhood & Human Services Department’s Neighborhood Enterprise Division is hosting a community discussion on the potential development of workforce housing properties under the Florida Housing Finance Corporation’s 9 percent Housing Tax Credit Program Thursday, Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. at the Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place, Room 104. One or more developers will be in attendance to provide information about the housing and answer questions from the public. Two or more Escambia County commissioners may attend.
The proposed rental developments are:
Abbington Oaks, 128 units, 625 E. Olive Road
Arbours at Park Ridge, 88 units, 8651 Airway Drive
Cumberland Yard, 88 units, 1440 W. Nine Mile Road
Encore Park, 112 units, 5061 Mobile Highway
Escambia Station, 96 units, 200 Blk. E. Nine Mile Road
Heritage Homes, 88 units, 1250 Fairchild St.
Hollowbrook Senior Apartments, 80 units, 620 & 640 E. Nine Mile Road
Lucas Creek, 90 units, 7815 Lilac Lane
Meadowbrook Commons, 64 units, 5406 Lillian Highway
Myles Marsh, 96 units, 2250 W. Nine Mile Road
Patricia Pointe, 106 units, 9701 Chemstrand Road
Pensacola Commons, 96 units, 5555 Esperanto Drive
Pine Forest Apartments, 92 units, 1900 Blk. Bush St.
The Place @ P Street, 88 units, 1201 N. P St.
The Retreat at Fairchild, 140 units, 1300 Blk. Fairchild
St.Sierra Pointe, 80 units, 8808 University Parkway
Sierra Pointe, 80 units, 8808 University Parkway
South Shore Apartments, 88 units, 6100 Mobile Highway
Sugar Mill Woods, 96 units, 7000 N. Blue Angel Parkway
Tidewater Apartments, 100 units, 1421 E. Olive Road
The developments are requesting a commitment of $37,500 each from the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners if the projects are approved for funding by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, to be considered by the board at its regular meeting Thursday, Nov. 3 at 5:30 p.m. The proposed developments in Escambia County are among many others throughout Florida competing for FHFC funding.
For more information about the Florida Housing programs and applicants in Escambia County, click here or contact Meredith Reeves with the Escambia County Neighborhood Enterprise Division at ned@myescambia.com or (850) 595-4968.
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Once Mayor Hayward delivers his workforce housing plan to the City Council, let’s hope the City will hold neighborhood town hall meetings to let the residents weigh-in on the proposal–particularly if his plan calls for the development of the old Blount School property on C and Gregory streets.