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Panama City reviews housing programs as federal, state and local funding shrinks
Summary
At a Panama City virtual workshop, Housing and Community Services Director Sheila Ware outlined programs funded by NSP, SHIP, HHRP and CDBG, described remaining property holdings and said staffing and strategy have been reduced as allocations tightened. Commissioners pressed for dates, accounting and options to stretch smaller annual allocations.
Sheila Ware, director of Housing and Community Services, told the Panama City Commission at a virtual workshop that the department has reduced staff and is refocusing as federal and state disaster funding has declined.
"Our mission with the housing and community services is to provide and assist families with obtaining safe, suitable, decent, affordable housing through the various programs," Ware said, and noted the office previously had seven full-time employees but "have downsized now and have 4 and a half that work directly with the housing department."
Ware reviewed the department’s major funding sources, including Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grants, the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP), hurricane recovery HHRP grants and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money. She said the city administered some county NSP and HHRP awards after Hurricane Michael but that Bay County reclaimed administration of some disaster funding in 2021.
Ware said the city and county purchased 31 properties with NSP 1 county funds; 18 were resold to eligible applicants and 13 remain as affordable rentals managed by the city’s housing office. Combining NSP…
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