[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6145595,"mediaKeyId","5532699-e9d2ea0ddef05780653316e41f3c9abe","parentId",5532699,"title","ASAP after‑school program: enrollment, outcomes and a debate over sustainable funding","audioSeconds",369,"startMs",6221000,"endMs",6590000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532699-e9d2ea0ddef05780653316e41f3c9abe&start=6221&end=6590","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532699-e9d2ea0ddef05780653316e41f3c9abe/thumbnail_6221000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6145595/Panama-City/Bay-County/Florida/ASAP-afterschool-program-enrollment-outcomes-and-a-debate-over-sustainable-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145595-9da93155ff1a0b3fc2e0d4e31ecbcebb/orig.mp4?Expires=1773622214&Signature=Yxw06mmY8ZKuhKujCeIvBYbpNjYmmKTrspCO1kQrJeeN7VBadfLf1zC07aWyIM1gQhva6LeOuPA6wr17MpgmJrA2rp6W6j5FAv7dKOGLti8kAvpD1aK2nIppVZN5OQrG8jE2RglZXcl1dykDC~BoeY8WUzcxpLufqV~ur9hWW-XeoGxehvjOAfXPMlJgg476CPsQYN3h4pTXl~~tZvnApIEeP4gPEewkBw8eB38eU8-HS-8LkxiZvsshpPQOIGlx38-VLqW01JicPAC-MZvvuIcE4inD5TwASvL9vImrgCMi4GNljWf7PQAeEs5okIdNtB~t-k69NfBrXSGO4lXuBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Panama City, FL","date","2025-08-05T18:34:20.493Z","article","Sheila Ware and other staff briefed the commission on ASAP (the city’s after‑school assistance program), enrollment and program outcomes and explained how the city proposes to cover administrative costs while exploring grant opportunities and use of settlement proceeds.

Ware said ASAP serves children ages kindergarten through 16, operates Monday–Friday during the school year with extended hours by request, and runs summer programming. She gave year‑to‑date enrollment figures for two sites: Glenwood (726 East 14th Court) and Panabilla (1804 Flower Avenue). For the 2024–25 school year Ware said Glenwood had 31 enrolled students (daily average 26) and Panabilla had 23 enrolled (daily average 21); summer program averages were similar. She said the 2025–26 school year had 30 enrolled at Glenwood and 23 at Panabilla with open enrollment pending.

Ware highlighted academic supports and outcomes: students received tutoring, used a computer lab and a reading program called Book Taco, visited nursing homes and logged 1,556 books read with matching comprehension checks over the school year. Ware said ASAP had a 96 percent passing rate for students promoted to the next grade and described recognition programs for honor roll, good conduct and perfect attendance.

Commissioners pressed staff on sustainable funding and coordination with other local youth providers. Jared Jones and others said the city has funds remaining in the Friends of ASAP Inc. account and that staff expect to draw down those funds before touching proceeds from property‑sale settlements related to a prior director’s estate. Jones said staff are exploring grant opportunities with Langston & Associates and that the city can apply for grants directly if the Friends nonprofit is wound down.

Commissioners also discussed possible regional coordination with Boys & Girls Club, Girls Inc., school district programs and the potential to consolidate or better coordinate facilities to reduce administrative overhead while expanding services. Commissioners stressed the importance of ensuring any redirection of funds would preserve the program’s mission to serve students in LMI neighborhoods and that decisions about capital projects or new facilities should be preceded by a clear plan for ongoing operating costs.

Ending: Staff said they will pursue grant applications, circulate proposals for long‑term funding and provide cost plans for any proposed facility changes; commissioners scheduled a follow‑up workshop item on MLK Recreation Center staffing and funding.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Commission Virtual Workshop","oneSentenceSummary","Staff reported enrollment, outcomes and operating plans for the ASAP after‑school program and the commission discussed longer‑term funding options including use of settlement proceeds and coordination with other youth providers.","taxTitle","Panama City, Bay County, Florida","taxId",4834,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6145598,"City reviews rehab, demolition and rental‑assistance programs and foreclosure prevention limits",683,2959000,3642000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532699-e9d2ea0ddef05780653316e41f3c9abe&start=2959&end=3642","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532699-e9d2ea0ddef05780653316e41f3c9abe/thumbnail_2959000.jpg","/articles/6145598/Panama-City/Bay-County/Florida/City-reviews-rehab-demolition-and-rentalassistance-programs-and-foreclosure-prevention-limits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145598-5bcfff408400d38e2c59094713765345/orig.mp4?Expires=1773622214&Signature=nNHOYzhMQGEvs5~DD5DfhLMtc3So7p4PRGUwvUHQDZlBTt~WAXoZ3zCyFieNu6buuBJlUqlMAJZg3yGUQFR6SLKbAKkHNq7~XeGKgELGBoqiibZIyvYyKoE144Yn8Hjxk~mfWG5b1F39evrmT-4U-6RfvLdrhAtznftuyFnPUs-6UdXgpBdcQfCjxhcgjl5a2s7vmXxvqyQckTukn~gbmi3~YcDjZ1ahXX7C91yk20KDiOFkcxlryZp1jEGCqOCIpn8hkw5fhqvaL8sSdxpj2Ufy3XhOX3HqTZyqSMuQ9GD1xXd8~ZAHjPFgVgmeGucUjri1eGBAz~MyTpSHUsy6tQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sheila Ware, Housing and Community Services, gave the commission a program‑by‑program rundown of repair, rental and foreclosure prevention services the city administers.

Ware said owner‑occupied rehab and emergency repair are key strategies. She said the department received 373 applications this fiscal year and serviced 310 clients across programs; that included 101 rental assistance recipients and 11 owner‑occupied rehab awards in the fiscal year cited (10 owner‑occupied rehabs completed in the fiscal year and one emergency repair). For owner‑occupied rehab she said the department places a 15‑year lien (0% interest) that is forgiven if the homeowner remains in the property for the lien period; staff work with code compliance and use client resources (insurance proceeds, etc.) alongside program funds to complete repairs.

On demolition and reconstruction, Ware said the program is for properties that cannot be rehabbed because repair would exceed a threshold (she mentioned a commonly used 50 percent of property value rule) or the home is unsafe; she showed before‑and‑after photos and said demolition/reconstruction awards totaled $2,190,000 across the program period presented.

Rental assistance: Ware said the city provides deposits, utility assistance and eviction‑prevention services for properties within city limits and that payments are made directly to landlords or utilities — not to beneficiaries — to protect funds and ensure they cover the intended expense. She said the city had spent approximately $835,000 on rental assistance from 2021 through 06/30/2025 and that two rental units in the NSP portfolio were vacant and available for placement; she stressed that staff perform budget counseling to ensure clients can sustain rent after assistance ends.

Foreclosure prevention: Ware said the city’s SHIP foreclosure assistance maximum had been reduced from $25,000 to $10,000 in the latest LHAP and that the office emphasizes lender negotiations, borrower counseling and exhausting modification options before committing funds.

Commissioners asked about past audit findings and an earlier forensic audit that flagged payments to properties owned by a prior director. Jared Jones and others clarified that the forensic review had found some improper payments tied to the former director’s outside business dealings but that those issues did not involve federally funded properties administered under HHRP or SHIP, per the presentation and the discussion.

Ending: Ware said the housing office had been HUD‑certified for housing counseling after a December 2024 performance review and that the agency’s foreclosure rate on SHIP mortgages is about 1 percent; commissioners asked staff to circulate the accounting and administrative cost breakdowns requested earlier.","Staff reported program counts and expenditures for owner‑occupied rehab, demolition/reconstruction, rental assistance and foreclosure prevention, and described eligibility rules and administrative practices.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6145604,"City details homeownership programs, infill lots and resale limits on NSP properties",0,3880000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532699-e9d2ea0ddef05780653316e41f3c9abe&start=3880&end=3880","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532699-e9d2ea0ddef05780653316e41f3c9abe/thumbnail_3880000.jpg","/articles/6145604/Panama-City/Bay-County/Florida/City-details-homeownership-programs-infill-lots-and-resale-limits-on-NSP-properties","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145604-c5cad63243ca4d74c500933c0d5cae54/orig.mp4?Expires=1773622214&Signature=Iiue1sGGeUIUux~haYevkkUiQarb2-YUdwFtJk4clWOvp~dQRLRQ9Cm-ex94OQsmFfncArLgBO3c4aGfBHCzCsFmCehSpR8Wv8xjjan5sbRrxDd0wiJmto~sP8nWkWNUDZrvitVWie2wUvJx~AQBPuXlIUHa5hAflSkOGIw0jNZe~G73S7ettEh38RSDa9m7De00sC~gb93XcdPrYZSodOOfWe6dvT2bkF3iLJwjRGLzNK~WBy4NkoxQ3pMBg7QMsU81gDhDza~YZ2hp2MyiyiFD9Pg0VoZJMsTtEUubqBjuLpwrRIY7eaZAHZAn76DRyGIWkWclfBNrTVvZwAYh8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sheila Ware, Housing and Community Services, described the department’s homeownership strategies and why some approaches were scaled back in the current LHAP.

Ware said the city’s purchase‑assistance program is aimed at first‑time buyers and includes counseling, a HUD‑certified homebuyer class and a 15‑year second mortgage at 0% interest that is forgiven if the buyer remains in the home the full period. The program includes up to $50,000 in down‑payment assistance and up to $10,000 for eligible closing costs; Ware said the purchase‑price cap is $300,000. She said every purchase‑assistance applicant receives a one‑on‑one budget counseling appointment and a walkthrough before closing; staff attend closings to ensure the city lien and funding application are properly reflected on the Closing Disclosure.

On infill housing, Ware said the program builds homes on city‑owned lots and is intended for applicants who otherwise could not afford market housing. She said the city conveys the lot to a qualified builder, the builder finances construction, and the builder executes a mortgage and note with the city for the land value; finished homes have sold for roughly $175,000–$270,000 in the program. Ware said 23 infill homes had been completed and seven were under construction, with about 20 city lots still available across the city; she said some lots are being split to maximize unit yield.

Ware also described how the city handles NSP rental properties. She said 31 properties were purchased with NSP funds (a county award the city administered), 18 were resold to eligible buyers and 13 remain in the city’s affordable rental portfolio. Ware said two of the rental units were set up for initial resale and could be sold once their affordability periods expire; the 15‑year affordability period applies to many of the NSP purchases and deed restrictions require buyers to meet the original income set‑aside when a restricted property is resold.

Commissioners asked how many closings occurred this year, how long the city holds funds for applicants who need credit work, and whether purchase‑assistance money remained available. Ware said funds are committed only at the point of obligation (staff do not hold funds indefinitely for individual clients) and that annual SHIP allocations can be programmed toward purchase assistance; she noted programmatic changes over time — lien forgiveness periods, sale‑price caps and down‑payment rules have been adjusted as the LHAP evolved.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to circulate the LHAP and a programmatic breakdown of remaining balances and closings; Ware said staff will provide those figures and timelines for when NSP rental properties exit affordability restrictions and become available for resale.","Staff summarized purchase assistance, infill housing, deed restrictions on NSP rentals and the city’s strategy to move properties back to private ownership when affordability periods end.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6145608,"Panama City housing staff outlines program funding, county shifts and spending deadlines",929,1124000,2053000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532699-e9d2ea0ddef05780653316e41f3c9abe&start=1124&end=2053","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532699-e9d2ea0ddef05780653316e41f3c9abe/thumbnail_1124000.jpg","/articles/6145608/Panama-City/Bay-County/Florida/Panama-City-housing-staff-outlines-program-funding-county-shifts-and-spending-deadlines","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6145608-c79d31eb37b2e924524219e7c84d5c92/orig.mp4?Expires=1773622214&Signature=bcZvolo0zrSa13QhkxGkICoqfn1a4MMiotY0DlHlAOzjwA4VkZnq61P~UJoJ-rGavxD4BpLXYnw2YPiaxnYOM4QgR89i6UfNVc-c6i8T2bQj-ohPzn4O5egbgy~HhyQp0NjuI2skt1bIrHBWN5SUJxZNcbHKZ0x2762~Fh2-9kPSgS453bZ5jJjEdCZ0Dpc9ns~QeMiePeqZTj844VNK~HPx8NjRadB-fp-mSo0FOnMiRUgVQcupfyzSpqkk9IwQJ75fioZadHEb9qp7tWznAa5J9pW2G1HFkWGGUeF~P5R522QnsWwEdckuseECYf2JKmcUZnrkZWIyFvAaPJu1AA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sheila Ware, Housing and Community Services, told the Panama City Commission at a July virtual workshop that the department manages a mix of federal and state housing funding and multiple programs intended to increase and preserve affordable housing.

Ware said the department had reduced direct housing staff from seven full‑time employees to \"4 and a half\" working directly in housing and that the office administers programs funded through Neighborhood Stabilization Program grants (NSP 1 and NSP 3), the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP), Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money and Hurricane Housing Recovery Program (HHRP) disaster grants.

The city received NSP 3 funds; the county had awarded NSP 1 and asked the city to administer the county’s award, Ware said. She reported 31 county‑conveyed NSP properties were purchased and 18 of those were resold to eligible applicants while 13 remain affordable rentals managed by the city. Ware said the properties carry affordability periods (she said 15 years from date of purchase for NSP purchases) and that the city estimates about $70,000 in annual rental income from the portfolio. Ware said two rental units are currently eligible for resale and were expected to be sold by the end of the year.

On SHIP — Florida’s State Housing Initiatives Partnership program created under the William S. Sadowski Affordable Housing Act — Ware said allocations are set by population and documentary stamp collections. She said Bay County receives the larger share and the city receives about 20 percent of the county allocation; Ware gave the county’s 2024 allocation as $1,104,884 and the city share as $264,750. Ware reminded commissioners that SHIP requires a Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) every three years and that the most recent LHAP was approved by the commission on 07/23/2024.

Ware summarized HHRP disaster funding awarded after Hurricane Michael. She said the city received $8.4 million under HHRP 1 and $2.6 million under HHRP 2, assisting 186 and 56 households respectively; she said the combined economic impact based on property values that returned to the tax rolls exceeded $30 million.

Commissioners pressed staff on two recurring operational issues: (1) why Bay County chose to take administration of its HHRP funds back in‑house, and (2) whether the city had requested and received deadline extensions. Ware and Jared Jones, city management staff in the meeting, said the county’s decision reflected a different philosophy of getting funds “out the door” more quickly and that the city had sought and received limited extensions for HHRP in coordination with COVID and other disaster funds. Ware said the county and city filed required HHRP reports, with the county and city reports due and submitted by 06/30/2025.

The presentation stressed constraints: many grant sources carry set income targeting, set eligible activities and required set‑aside percentages or administrative caps, so funds cannot be freely reallocated across unrelated uses. Ware told commissioners that state templates and Florida Housing requirements limit how the LHAP can describe local strategies and that adding strategies later requires an amendment to Florida Housing before funds are spent.

Ware and commissioners also clarified that properties purchased with NSP and other set‑aside funds carry deed restrictions that follow the property; when a restricted property is sold during the affordability period, the buyer must meet the income eligibility that applied to the initial purchase. Ware said the city and county were fully reimbursed for NSP purchase and repair expenses.

Ending: Ware said the department continues to track deadlines and performance reviews for HUD counseling and state reports and will provide additional documentation requested by the commission. Commissioners asked staff to circulate the LHAP and other supporting documents for follow up.","City staff summarized federal, state and local housing funding streams — including NSP, SHIP and HHRP — described how the county moved administration of some disaster recovery funds back in-house, and flagged expenditure deadlines and affordability periods for property programs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

ASAP after‑school program: enrollment, outcomes and a debate over sustainable funding

City reviews rehab, demolition and rental‑assistance programs and foreclosure prevention limits

City details homeownership programs, infill lots and resale limits on NSP properties

Panama City housing staff outlines program funding, county shifts and spending deadlines