Second attainable housing town hall set for March 1

A second attainable housing Town Hall session with the public will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 1 in the meeting chambers at Sarasota City Hall, 1565 First St. It is a follow-up to a standing-room-only town hall in January, when staff outlined how attainable housing could be incorporated into future developments within downtown zone districts.

The meeting will also be live-streamed and available on demand through the city of Sarasota website. 

A comprehensive plan amendment adopted by the City Commission in 2022 provides for the opportunity to increase the attainable housing inventory in the four downtown zone districts: Downtown Bayfront, Downtown Core, Downtown Edge and Downtown Neighborhood Edge. In exchange for attainable housing on-site downtown, there would be an option for a density bonus up to four times the base density, plus additional considerations.

An overview of proposed incentives to encourage attainable housing will be presented, frequently asked questions will be addressed and citizens will have a chance to provide additional input.

The January town hall can be viewed on demand via the city's website, archived on the Meetings/Agendas/ Video webpage under Public Forums & Community Meetings of Interest.

Additional information about the city’s attainable housing initiatives and strategies is accessible on the Planning Department webpage.