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Alachua County votes to buy Sunrise Inn to preserve 35 subsidized units and seeks HUD help
Summary
The County approved exercising an option to buy the Sunrise Inn for $1.95 million to retain 35 residential units — including 30 vouchers tied to the property — and directed staff to work with HUD, federal lobbyists and the county’s delegation on funding and relocation options before any long-term renovation decisions.
Alachua County commissioners on [meeting date] authorized staff to exercise an option contract to purchase the Sunrise Inn, a two-parcel property with 35 residential units that currently house 30 property-based HUD subsidies the county says would be lost if the site were sold to a private buyer.
Claudia Tuck, director of Community Support Services, told the board that the option price is $1.95 million and that due diligence shows substantial remediation and renovation needs: an estimated $350,000 to address asbestos, lead and mold and roughly $1.55 million in immediate repairs, with additional capital needs over five and 10 years. “We recommend exercising the option to prevent the loss of the 35 affordable housing units,” Tuck said.
Commissioners debated the purchase’s policy and budgetary implications. Commissioner Prizia pressed staff to approach HUD about whether the county could demolish and rebuild the site while preserving the vouchers; she said demolition plus rebuild could allow more and different unit types. Assistant County Manager Tommy Crosby and other staff noted legal and financial constraints around using the infrastructure surtax for purchases of improved property and said general-fund reserves would likely be required up front.
Several commissioners emphasized the public purpose of retaining vouchers. Commissioner Cornell said the vouchers — not just the bricks and mortar — are the critical asset and that the county should act to avoid displacing residents who rely on those subsidies. Commissioners asked staff to pursue multiple tracks: (1) exercise the option now using reserves if necessary, with authority to seek reimbursement or surtax eligibility later; (2) open immediate conversations with HUD and the county’s federal lobbyists to explore relocation assistance or voucher-preserving flexibilities; and (3) return to the board with a report and options within 90–120 days prior to major long-term renovations.
Saint Francis House, the current owner/operator partner, and Alachua County Housing Authority representatives attended and said they are willing to work with county staff and HUD to preserve housing for residents and to explore temporary rehousing options if renovation or reconstruction proceeds.
The board voted to proceed with the purchase option and directed staff to pursue HUD and legislative engagement and to bring back funding and redevelopment scenarios for the board’s consideration. The motion authorized the purchase to be funded from reserves with the ability to reimburse the county if funds are later deemed eligible from other sources.
Next steps: staff will continue due diligence, engage HUD and the county’s federal lobbyists, and return to the board with options for renovation, demolition/rebuild scenarios, funding strategies, and short-term rehousing plans for affected residents.
