News & Views: Press Releases

April 14, 2008

Sanibel Community Housing & Resources Closer to Goal As 30th Anniversary Approaches

submitted by Community Housing & Resources, Inc.

A year of hard work has resulted in 10 additional affordable housing units on Sanibel, bringing the total to 74 and marking significant progress toward the goal of 104 units on the island.

Impressive results were reported for 2007 at Community Housing & Resources, Inc.'s annual meeting on Saturday, April 12. CHR is a private nonprofit corporation that provides and manages below-market-rate housing (BMRH) on Sanibel and is designated as the city's housing foundation. The housing benefits people who work on Sanibel but can't afford to live on the island, and long-time residents who can no longer afford Sanibel rents. Today, 119 people live in the program's 74 units, and 65 people are on the waiting list.

“The waiting list is an indication of our program's success. It shows that people want to live in our housing units and that the community recognizes the quality of our program,” said Executive Director Scott Marcelais, who is in his third year with CHR.

In addition, membership in the CHR corporation grew more than 25 percent last year, bringing the total number of members to about 400.

Marcelais attributes the program's success to CHR's “tremendous board of directors,” he said. “And our relationships with the city of Sanibel and Lee County have never been better. We also have a very dedicated and hardworking staff.”

In addition to Marcelais, CHR staff includes Patti Bohm, Cyndie Hoggatt, and Dennis Minten.

“Our tenants are the lifeblood of the corporation,” Marcelais continued. “Their dynamic involvement in the Sanibel community through current and past workforce affiliation and volunteerism is the reason we exist and pursue the socio-economic diversity the people of Sanibel desire.”

In the past year, CHR and its subsidiary, the Coast & Islands Community Land Trust – which is working to add limited-equity ownership properties to those available for rent – have made great strides:

• CHR entered into a five-year contract with the city of Sanibel to act as its housing foundation, the longest contract in its 29-year history. The city provides administrative funding for the organization based on the contract. “Historically, these contracts have been one to three years. Few if any Florida cities the size of Sanibel, or in the country for that matter, provide such funding from local resources,” Marcelais said.

• The city contract required both five-year and annual plans, which are now in place and fully approved by the board, Sanibel city staff and City Council. The plans will be presented to the Sanibel Planning Commission's Below-Market-Rate Housing Subcommittee on April 22. This is the first time such a long-term agenda has been in place for Community Housing & Resources.

• Five BMRH campuses, including a new one at Algiers Way , are being put into 50-year ground leases with the city. Two others, Beach Road and Sanibel Highlands , are being put into 99-year ground leases that automatically renew because of their potential for conversion to limited-equity ownership. “Once again, this effort demonstrates the close working partnership we have with the city,” Marcelais said, “as well as the city's commitment to provide affordable community housing.”

• The landmark project at Court Place will be the first development project to include limited-equity ownership. It is a 14-unit project in duplex configurations. Eight of the two- and three-bedroom, two-bath units will be limited-equity ownership and six will be rental. CHR conveyed the land to its Community Land Trust, has cleared all the exotic vegetation and completed the site survey. More than $500,000 in funding has been obtained so far, and the board looks forward to completion of the project in the spring of 2009.

• CHR has also preserved some existing affordable housing on the island with the acquisition of the 10-unit property known as Woodbridge behind the 7-11 store along the shores of the Sanibel River . Renamed “Riverview,” the property will be totally rehabilitated, inside and out. “Maybe even more exciting than the renovations is the landscaping that will open up the property to the river,” Marcelais said. He added that the rear section of the land may eventually be a small-scale development site.

• Marcelais and his team conducted a survey of all available rental properties on the island with an eye toward adding units to the below-market-rate housing program. Participating landowners enter into a minimum three-year lease with CHR. “This is a very inexpensive and efficient way we can add to our inventory,” Marcelais said. Three private units were added last year to the one already in the program, and Marcelais anticipates increasing private-market participation over the next few years.

Community Housing continues to investigate all possible opportunities, including ways to introduce below-market-rate housing to any potential development of a town center. CHR is also working with the principals to consider a mixed-use arrangement with the new medical center to be built on Tarpon Bay Road . “We also are continuing to press the federal government to consider alternative uses for the former Island Water Association property on Sanibel-Captiva Road ,” Marcelais added.

Near-island opportunities are in the offing as well, particularly in the Community Land Trust's partnership with Shell Point. Talks have slowed due to the drastically changed real estate market in the area, but the partnership remains strong. All potential partnerships are continually evaluated to increase on- and near-island affordable workforce housing.

Next year is the 30 th anniversary of Community Housing & Resources. Marcelais hopes to celebrate with a ribbon-cutting at Court Place, bringing CHR's total number of units to 92, close to the three percent goal of 104 units.

“We're going to get there sooner than you think,” he said.

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