Foundations present Sarasota County housing action plan to Venice council, urge shared funding and zoning reforms

Representatives of four philanthropic foundations and housing experts presented a Sarasota County housing action plan to the Venice City Council on Tuesday, saying the county faces a shortage of roughly 15,000 affordable and attainable units and urging local governments to pursue funding and zoning changes together.

The analysis — funded by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, the Barancic Foundation, Gulf Coast Community Foundation and the Patterson Foundation and prepared by the Florida Housing Coalition — finds rents and home prices rose substantially from 2020–2024 while wages have not kept pace. The presenters said 70% of local workers earn at or below 80% of area median income and that many of the county’s most common jobs pay too little to afford available housing.

“Affordable and attainable housing is something our community is really concerned about,” said Kristen Russell, vice president for community impact at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, who opened the presentation and called the study “absolutely a collaborative effort.” Russel and other presenters emphasized the need for a regional, coordinated response rather than single‑jurisdiction action.

Matt Sauer, presenting policy ideas, said the action plan offers a “menu of options” including a housing trust funded through a share of new‑growth property tax assessments, incentives to the private sector (including fee waivers and donated public land), zoning reforms to permit more housing types and density near job centers, and partnerships that direct land donations and other resources to affordable projects.

John Thaxton of Gulf Coast Community Foundation, who helped coordinate the project, told council the report’s value is a baseline: the county can now measure progress against a quantified shortage. He also pressed the council to use public land and every policy decision to consider housing impacts.

Council members asked about local actions Venice could take. Council member Rachel Frank noted recent local changes to allow accessory dwelling units and said the city has a forthcoming public‑land opportunity when Fire Station 52 relocates; she asked the council to consider letting the Venice Housing Authority pursue housing on that parcel.

Presenters stressed there is no single “silver bullet.” Sauer said the private market will not close the affordability gap alone and called for incentives and partnership. Thaxton urged patient, coordinated action: “It took us 30 plus years to dig our way into this hole,” he said, adding the coalition now wants a suite of policies and measurable goals.

Council members thanked presenters and signaled interest in continuing the conversation; staff follow‑up and possible referrals to local advisory bodies were discussed.