Affordable Housing and increased densities

**wrobert** · 12-12-2007, 10:56 PM

I understand that the BCC last night started the process of some sort of an affordable housing ordinance that will significantly increase densities at the meeting last night. Does anyone have any information on how it is going to work. A county employee was trying to explain it to me, and it appears again that government may be overreaching.

**Busta Hustle** · 12-13-2007, 07:15 AM

it is a trade off to developers that allows for more units per acre if "affordable" unts are included...if you look at Bear Creek, Wolf Creek, Watersound North these are all commissioner attempts to get "affordable housing"...while good intentions may be at the heart of the matter they end up being constant reminders of the small brain approach to long range planning...dear commissioners please get out of residential real estate...believe me there is affordable housing all over the panhandle thanks in part to your leadership...move on to other topics

**wrobert** · 12-13-2007, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by Busta Hustle

it is a trade off to developers that allows for more units per acre if "affordable" unts are included...if you look at Bear Creek, Wolf Creek, Watersound North these are all commissioner attempts to get "affordable housing"...while good intentions may be at the heart of the matter they end up being constant reminders of the small brain approach to long range planning...dear commissioners please get out of residential real estate...believe me there is affordable housing all over the panhandle thanks in part to your leadership...move on to other topics

Now that prices are adjusting they choose to try to fix a problem, a problem that appears to be fixing itslef rather well.

**Smiling JOe** · 12-13-2007, 08:00 AM

Maybe they will allow people to exceed the height restriction for new condo buildings if they sell the bottom three floors as affordable housing.

**John R** · 12-13-2007, 08:06 AM

not sure of the wording since i can't get the walco website to appear, but what works elsewhere is a % of affordable housing per residence based on the primary building's size.

we'll see how this plays out...

**Uncle Timmy** · 12-13-2007, 03:14 PM

Anyone know how they are defining "affordable"?

**florida girl** · 12-17-2007, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by Uncle Timmy

Anyone know how they are defining "affordable"?

Really, affordable for who? If one segment of our society is wealthy, the other is surviving at the Tom Thumb, how can middle range be affordable? I say, affordable would be around $500 per month. And where exactly would you put that kind of housing? Either lower housing costs, or raise wages.

**wrobert** · 12-17-2007, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by florida girl

Really, affordable for who? If one segment of our society is wealthy, the other is surviving at the Tom Thumb, how can middle range be affordable? I say, affordable would be around $500 per month. And where exactly would you put that kind of housing? Either lower housing costs, or raise wages.

I think it is another chicken vs egg thing. If people would not work for lower wages then wages would go up.

Large retirement community interacting with a larger resort community. I wonder it erhe are other places like this in the world.

**Smiling JOe** · 12-13-2007, 03:21 PM

It is defined by the State, I believe. I think it is based on the average earned salary and wages of residents of Walton County, and I seem to recall that price being around $135K, but don't quote me on that. I think you can get the info off of WalCo's website under the "affordable housing" menu, which is under another menu.

www.co.walton.fl.us
Cancel that. I just checked and it is not on their site. I cannot recall where I saw it. Maybe it was in the list of agenda or in the minutes from a BCC mtg.

**Busta Hustle** · 12-15-2007, 07:55 AM

in the case of Wolf Creek (the counties planned community for gov. employees and recipient of a $5 mil state grant) NWF daily news reported from about $84K to $125K...in the old Bear Creek (land aquired by the county from JOE) a whopping 5 or 6 properties were sold i think under 100k the rest of the lots ended up in the regular RE market and most recently 8 lots or so were to be auctioned off to the highest bidder...only 1 was because the offer price was so low...at Watersound North it was pointed out that Joe agreed to some units being sold at "more affordable" prices compared to their other 30-A developments and are now around the low $700's and $175 or so for lots...
the new ordinance 10 years late in coming will probably have the same kind of follow through and results...the county has little ability to enforce or control things that occur say 5 minutes after they legislate them and also have not showed much desire to fine developers that don't quite follow all the rules...catch 22 is with all the impact fees,developer infrastructure cost,traffic concurrency fees, permitting and time costs involved in developing in walco who could provide "affordable" housing?