- April 29, 2024
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With plans to add as many as 770 multifamily residential units to the city’s low-income and affordable housing stock, the Sarasota Housing Authority on Monday received City Commission approval of zoning text amendments that will allow high-density development on two sites in Newtown.
The SHA requested two zoning text amendments that would allow it to develop property it owns at 1442 and 1456 22nd St. and, in the future, develop the Bertha Mitchell public housing complex into high-density public and affordable housing.
Specific to the two properties, which total 14.65 acres, the SHA requested to change the future land use map classifications from Multiple Family-Medium Density to Multiple Family-High Density, which will allow it to increase density from 25 dwelling units per acre to 50 dwelling units per acre. The two properties, separated by several city blocks, are the last two that it owns in the Sarasota city limits.
On the eventual Bertha Mitchell redevelopment, SHA consultant Joel Freedman told commissioners, “That’s the last hurrah.”
In conjunction with those changes, the SHA sought to amend the Housing Authority Overlay District to include the higher density zoning and to expand it to the smaller site on 22nd Street.
In a reversal of the Planning Board’s recommendation to deny the changes on the 22nd Street property, the City Commission unanimously approved the change that will allow the SHA to build Central Gardens, a 39-unit, four-story apartment building across Central Avenue from its Janie’s Garden apartments.
Then by a 4-1 vote, with Kyle Battie opposed, commissioners agreed with the Planning Board’s 3-2 vote recommendation to approve the changes to the Bertha Mitchell land use change. Battie cited opposition to a high-density, all-public housing development among his Newtown constituents.
Finally, the zoning text amendment to the SHA Overlay District was then approved unanimously.
By approving the expansion of the Housing Authority Overlay District to include the Central Gardens property, the commission:
Most urgent to SHA is the Central Gardens development, for which time is running out to use American Rescue Plan Act funds. Because it is not using federal tax credits — the project is too small to qualify — Central Gardens will be available to a range of low-income categories up to 80% area median income, or $73,000 for a family of four.
Bertha Mitchell, though, is further into the future with no current plans for the site that currently has 84 aging duplex units on nearly 14 acres. It is roughly bounded by Gillespie Avenue, 21st Street, 24th Street and North Osprey Avenue. Under the new future land use, it now has a capacity of 731 residential dwellings, all public housing, with a residential composition that must not exceed an average of 60% AMI, or about $60,000 per year for a family of four.
Not all of those units must be priced at 60% or below AMI. Under new HUD rules, the entire development must maintain an average below that threshold, meaning some will be priced lower and others higher, providing a mix of income levels and demographics.
Still, that much concentration of low-income households was the chief objection of both Battie and Planning Board member Terrill Salem, who spoke during the public comments portion of the hearing.
“Bertha Mitchell isn't on the hot burner right now,” said Freedman. “By designating Bertha Mitchell now for the additional density, it gives the housing authority the ability to understand what they've got, and to be able to start planning now even though it may be five or 10 years.
“The good news about Bertha Mitchell is that the site plan would come back to the City Commission for final approval. When and if that happens — I don't know if you'll be here, I don't know if I'll be here — but it would be a great new community for the housing authority, and there is no more land.”
Central Gardens, on 0.7 acre, is actively being planned and, like the SHA’s Lofts on Lemon, it will bring a mix of income ranges.
According to SHA President and CEO William Russell, seven units will be priced at 30% of AMI ($30,000 per year for a family of four) or less, four units at 50% ($45,700) AMI or less, six units at 65% AMI ($64,155) or less, and 22 at 80% AMI ($73,100) or less.
“This is not a public housing development,” Russell said. “There's going to be a real mix of incomes here, yet at the same time, it will be affordable at all of these income levels for people in our community. Where can you find places to live in our community even for people at 80% of median income? The market is not providing it.”
