Fruitville housing project stirs controversy

There are lots of reasons why Shawn Wilson sees the land at 2901 Fruitville Road as a perfect site for a project designed around housing individuals who were previously homeless.

It’s right on a bus line, he said. It’s near downtown, which is important for access to services and jobs. But it’s not too close to downtown, which could be an issue if it placed residents near a nexus for the existing homeless population in Sarasota.

That’s why Wilson, president and CEO of Tampa-based affordable housing developer Blue Sky Communities, wants to build an 80-unit apartment complex on the Fruitville Road property. According to the application, 50% of the units are intended to be leased to “homeless persons with a disabling condition.”

“We are just really happy to be able to be a part of the solution,” Wilson said. “I know the city and county have struggled for years to try to address the homelessness issue.”

The development team initially submitted plans for the project, called Arbor Village, last year. The city’s Planning Board unanimously approved the proposed site plan at a February meeting.

Despite that approval, the project is facing a hurdle. On Feb. 23, attorney Dan Lobeck submitted a letter to the city appealing the Planning Board decision on behalf of George Perreault. Perreault owns the office property at 2801 Fruitville Road, which neighbors the Arbor Village site.

The City Commission will decide whether to hear that appeal at its April 2 meeting. Ahead of that discussion, Lobeck argued the apartment complex was a bad fit for its surroundings. He said Perrault and other neighbors were concerned about housing individuals with disabling conditions near where they work and live.

In documents submitted to the city, Wilson said more than half the units are intended to house “people with a diagnosable substance abuse disorder, serious mental illness, developmental disability or chronic physical illness or disability.” The documents state those conditions are not expected to impair residents’ ability to “live independently with appropriate supports.”

Despite the disclaimer that residents are expected to be able to live independently, Lobeck suggested the apartment project could disturb neighboring properties and create a vagrancy issue.

“There’s legitimate concern on the part of my client,” Lobeck said. “If their tenants are faced with vagrants that have serious psychological problems and drug and abuse problems wandering around and through their complex, what will that do to the viability of the businesses?”

Wilson challenged that characterization of Arbor Village’s future tenants. He said Blue Sky hasn’t had issues at a similar Pinellas County project.

He said the development isn’t a treatment facility, but it will have staff on site. Blue Sky is partnering with CASL, a Sarasota-based housing and assisted living nonprofit, on the project. A case manager will work with residents to help them find employment — and, for those who cannot work, access to disability programs.

“Our residents are not just hanging around the property all day or otherwise being a nuisance,” Wilson said.

Only one resident, Valerie Brunger, spoke against the project at the Planning Board meeting. But others living nearby are raising similar complaints about housing individuals who were once homeless. Madonna Sullivan, president of the Park East Neighborhood Association, spoke about the plans at the March Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations meeting.

She highlighted the fact some of the residents would suffer from substance abuse issues. She pointed out the project’s proximity to schools and children’s centers as one reason the surrounding neighborhood was concerned. She said many people didn’t know the project would house individuals with disabling conditions until they read a February newspaper article.

Residents have also criticized the city for only sending notice regarding the project in English, arguing the Spanish-speaking population in the area was unable to find out more about the plans.

Wilson said the Arbor Village project team has as much incentive as anyone to ensure there are no issues associated with the property. After reiterating that the apartment is designed to house individuals capable of independent living, he said the developer was committed to effectively managing the project long-term.

“We’re going to do everything we can to make sure there’s no negative impact to the neighborhood,” Wilson said.