Leon County says poverty, infant mortality and unemployment improved sharply in 32304 after targeted investments

Leon County staff on Wednesday presented a five-year progress report on neighborhood outcomes in ZIP code 32304, saying concentrated public investments and partner projects have produced measurable gains in poverty, income and health.

“Poverty in 32304 declined from 56% to 48.7%,” Marcus West of the county’s Human Services and Community Partnerships Division told the commission during a condensed presentation of the March 31 summit. He said median household income in the zip code increased from $26,000 to $32,000, a 24% rise, and infant mortality fell from 10.6 to 8.4 per 1,000 live births.

Those shifts, West said, reflect a mix of targeted programs and sustained funding. “Over the past five years, the county has invested over $34 million in economic development, health care, housing and human services in 32304,” Abby Thomas added. She also said Blueprint — the region’s major economic investment program — has directed $319 million to projects in 32304, representing about 62% of Blueprint-funded activity in the area.

Staff highlighted specific program outcomes the board has supported. A county-supported title-clearance initiative has helped 20 families clear ownership issues so they can access financing and benefits, and a home-ownership development program funded since 2023 has allocated roughly $1 million to underwrite lower construction costs on 16 homes in the neighborhood. County staff also reported $198 million in bond commitments and about $5.8 million in direct funding targeted toward roughly 1,200 new affordable housing units countywide, some serving 32304 residents.

Commissioners framed the report as evidence that the board’s strategy is working while emphasizing it is incomplete. “These numbers are measurable. They tell the story of a five-year look at the area called 32304,” Commissioner Bill Proctor said, praising the summits and the partnerships that followed. Several commissioners — including Miner and Maddox — credited Proctor’s earlier leadership in convening stakeholders and urged staff to expand community outreach and continued tracking.

Staff urged the commission to sustain investments and noted the work is data-driven and ongoing. The presentation identified 16 action steps — drawn from summit discussions and program evaluations — that staff will continue to implement and measure.

There was no formal board adoption of a new ordinance or funding allocation tied to the presentation at Wednesday’s meeting; commissioners nonetheless praised the results and asked staff to keep refining program metrics and community engagement. County staff said it will continue reporting progress and working with partners to address remaining housing gaps and other barriers in 32304.