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Commission approves pilot to place county surplus lots into workforce‑housing program; rejects low bids
Summary
Commission rejected below‑market bids on surplus county lots and authorized a pilot program partnering with Riverside Bank to build owner‑occupied homes for very low and moderate income buyers.
The St. Lucie County Commission on Nov. 15 authorized a pilot workforce‑housing program to use county surplus lots for owner‑occupied housing after rejecting a group of bids that county staff said were below fair market value.
Housing Manager John Franklin told the board the parcels in question had escheated to the county for unpaid taxes and that state law extinguishes prior ad valorem taxes on tax deeds; the county can convey lots free of outstanding ad valorem taxes, though other government liens such as code enforcement may remain. Staff recommended rejecting the low bids and partnering with Riverside Bank, which has agreed to finance construction of homes targeted at very low and moderate income and workforce buyers.
Commissioners asked staff to add minimum bid thresholds to future surplus lot sales and to consider routing properties that do not meet minimums into the housing pilot. Franklin said the county would improve procedures and coordinate with the housing program to identify parcels suitable for the pilot before bidding.
The board approved staff’s recommendation to reject low bids and to authorize the pilot program with Riverside Bank.
