Sunrise tables $640,000 loan decision for Pine Island Park "Live Local" affordable housing project, asks developer for revised elevations

The Sunrise City Commission on Jan. 14 voted to table action on a proposed $640,000 city loan commitment to Centennial Management for the Live Local Pine Island Park affordable housing project.

The project, proposed immediately south of Northwest 44th Street just west of Pine Plaza, would be a single 6-story building with 120 residential units targeted to very-low- through moderate-income households (developer materials and staff placed the range at about 22% to 70% of area median income). City Manager Mark Lobelski said Centennial already has state and Broward County funding in place but is seeking the city loan as gap financing. "They're proposing to build 120 residential units," Lobelski told the commission, and he noted Centennial purchased the site early in the process as a signal of commitment.

Commissioners said they supported the goal of adding attainable housing but wanted clearer design work before the city commits gap funds. Several commissioners said the building's six-story elevation in a corridor abutting both a new multi-family development and existing single-family areas deserved further refinement. "If you already invested all your money and this is your one shot deal, then maybe it ain't gonna fly," Commissioner Scudo said, asking staff and the developer to return with facade changes that better tie the project to nearby developments.

Developer Paul Bilton of Centennial Management described the proposal as "Live Local Pine Island Park," noting the project will be 100% affordable and include a half-acre lake and pedestrian access to the adjacent park. Bilton provided unit mix details during the presentation: 33 one-bedroom units, 76 two-bedrooms and 11 three-bedrooms. He told the commission the plans meet the city's minimum unit-size requirements and said the development team has worked with city staff through the review process.

After discussion, the commission voted to table the loan commitment and directed the developer and staff to bring revised exterior elevations and updated renderings back to the commission at a subsequent meeting. The item was tabled to the Feb. 11 meeting so commissioners could meet with the developer and staff about design changes before any final loan commitment.

Why it matters: Sunrise officials framed the project as a response to a local workforce housing shortage. Staff and the developer argued that without municipal gap funding and early site acquisition by the developer, assembling financing for an all-affordable project in this location would be difficult. Commissioners said they want to protect neighborhood compatibility while enabling more affordable units.

What's next: Centennial and city staff will return with updated elevations and renderings; the commission scheduled the item for the Feb. 11 meeting. The larger financing package (state and county awards) remains intact, the developer said, and staff indicated tabling the city's decision would not directly block the other funding sources.