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Suwannee County accepts $750,000 CDBG housing-rehabilitation award, approves ranked applicants
Summary
The county is moving forward with a $750,000 Community Development Block Grant for housing rehabilitation/replacement of owner-occupied low- and moderate-income homes. The board approved the Citizen Advisory Task Force rankings and prioritized replacements for mobile homes; staff expect bids within about 60 days.
Consultant David Fox told the board Suwannee County was funded for a $750,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in the housing rehabilitation category.
"The county got funded or is funded for a $750,000 community development block grant in the housing rehabilitation category," Fox said, and described the program as available to owner-occupied low-to-moderate income households.
Fox explained the applicant ranking process required by the county's housing assistance plan and the grant rules. Households with incomes at or below 30% of area median income (AMI) received highest priority; within each income tier the CATF prioritized disabled or elderly heads of household and larger families.
Fox presented the ranked list of applicants. The top five ranked households were: Audrey Green (Live Oak), Thomas Taylor (Live Oak), Pamela Joseph (Live Oak), Mary C. Smith (Live Oak) and Christopher Smith (McAlpin). He said several of the early-ranked properties were mobile homes that would require replacement rather than rehabilitation under program rules.
Fox explained replacement-unit parameters discussed with staff: two-bedroom replacement units would be approximately 900 square feet and three-bedroom units about 1,000 square feet. He said environmental clearances — asbestos and lead-based-paint inspections for pre-1978 buildings and state-required radon testing — were underway. Fox said staff expect to complete specifications and bid the first group of homes in roughly 60 days.
The CATF found no conflicts of interest among board members, staff or task-force members, Fox said. The commission voted 5-0 to accept the ranking and proceed with the program steps required by the grant agreement.
Fox cautioned that where funds are limited and multiple high-priority applicants require full replacement, the county would move down the ranked list to the next eligible home for which funds are sufficient. Commissioners asked staff to proceed with procurement and to return with contract recommendations when bidding is complete.
