Activities and Opinions

PUSH presentation to the St. Johns County Commission on homelessness in the county and the commission's need to assume a leadership role.

PUSH members Al and Olivia Deinhart and Mary Lawrence attended this meeting at the gargantuan county auditorium expressly to hear Tom Crawford's presentation of how the Housing Finance Authority will spend the disbursement last July of approximately 2.5 million dollars for homelessness prevention.

All commissioners were present save for Mr Mays, appointee for Mr Manuel's seat. About 40 other people were there.

The auditorium boasts two speakers podia, 5 large LCD screens and a spotty audio system. More on that later.

We sat through invocation, pledge and proclamation of the 4H 100th year anniversary and some picture taking.
Public comment request cards are in the lobby to be filled out before the meeting. Speakers get 3 minutes and there is an overhead to display any photos or print materials to audience members.

Public comments by most speakers were irrelevant to PUSH issues except for Rev Helen Toby, who needed assistance to get to the podium. She told of having to live in her van for 3 nights, unwilling to impose on her children. She lauded the efforts of Ellen Walden (assigned to Hastings but according to Toby, helps out all over the county), Jerry Cameron and Tom Crawford to help solve immediate housing problems. She mentioned Bill Lazar, SJC Housing Partnership, has having constructed a ramp and porch on her house. She worried about the elderly, homeless and those on fixed incomes not having viable housing solutions and decried the lack of a Housing Authority (section 8) in the county. She had a lot of praise for the employees of the county who work on these issues. She evidently had way more to say but ran out the
clock.

The commissioners voted unanimously to decrease the members of the Housing Finance Authority from 7 to 5 to enable term staggering.

Now comes the part we came to hear and the audio goes out so I may have missed the beginning of Crawford's remarks til I moved myself up front to take these notes.

Finally, discussion began on the Neighborhood Stabilization Program's receipt of 2.5 million to purchase foreclosed properties and rehab or rebuild affordable housing. 25% of that money ($728,347.00) will be used to buy properties and turn them over to non profits for low income rental. The other 75% is to be used for down payment and closing costs on rent to own homeowner purchases through SHIP. The county's application for this program is due April 6. Cyndi Stevenson asked where the county stood on the application process. Crawford answered that his employees are undergoing a training process to file these applications as there is this tight timeline of April 6.

A public comment by Randy Martin of Sunwork Solar Systems in Jax revealed that there is money in this NSP program for solarizing and energy efficiency. Comm Bryan asked what the federal payback would be. Martin stated an original cost for solar would be about 24k, with final cost to customer of about 4k; for water systems, he estimated the payback at about half original cost. Both estimated returns would be within 2 to 2.5 years. Martin stated his company is ready to help with this effort.

Crawford explained the federal government will designate areas involving highest foreclosure rates in SJC, (hopefully with income parameters). THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION OF THESE DESIGNATED AREAS ON MARCH 17. Crawford noted that discussions with bankers are already taking place and that there may be additional state funding available to offset staff costs.

Comm Stevenson asked if dollars will be available for financial counseling and restructuring of mortgages. It was stated 2 billion dollars of federal stimulus money has not yet be specified as to use.

Comm Bryan asked if there was a list of pre approved residents. Crawford noted a pool of potential homebuyers. He plans to advertise to business community and will notify eligible non profits about acquiring some of these properties. He plans to use the Housing Finance Authority to act in development implementation: acquiring, rehabbing and dispersal to non profits. Eligibility will be for persons at or below 50% of what is considered "very low income".

Comm Stevenson noted the desirability of keeping people in their homes and houses in neighborhoods being fixed up.

At this point, discussion on this topic ended and we left. Former assistant to Comm Bryant Ms Neeland told us a CD of the proceedings could be obtained by contacting Margarite Laidlaw: mlaidlaw[at]sjcfl.us but was unclear on cost.