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Pasco Countymeeting record

FAC-24-0095

Published agenda

Heard once, at the Board of County Commissioners on Feb 20, 2024.

OutcomeApproved by the Board of County Commissioners on Feb 20, 2024
Approved Staff’s recommendation with revision to step four, making it available to affordable housing, merge it into two, then our last resort is a for-profit vote, we take away any sort of financial barrier for not for profits, a house has to start within three years, and it must go to a Pasco County resident of three years with Commissioner Weightman and Commissioner Mariano voting nay.

Official title

Adopt Revisions to Pasco County Administrative Policies and Procedures – Property Management; Acquisition Tracking, and Disposition of Surplus Real Property, Policy No. 300-02

Every appearance1 of 1 are in a recording

TranscriptWhat was said at each appearance is below it. Machine transcription, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 92% of 176 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.

  1. 1
    Board of County CommissionersR39Regular businessApproved
    Approved minutes

    Approved Staff’s recommendation with revision to step four, making it available to affordable housing, merge it into two, then our last resort is a for-profit vote, we take away any sort of financial barrier for not for profits, a house has to start within three years, and it must go to a Pasco County resident of three years with Commissioner Weightman and Commissioner Mariano voting nay.

    Open this item →
    32m
    OakleyChair

    R thirty nine.

    Andrew Baxter

    Good afternoon board. Andrew Baxter, Facilities Management Director. I'm here to where is the Thank you.

    Mike Carballa

    You pass it around so much and then.

    Andrew Baxter

    We've always had it.

    Here to discuss the uh revisions and modifications to our surplus and disposition policy. If you'll recall, we brought forward Uh a agenda item last summer related to surplusing a uh property to habitat for humanity and the board asked us to go back and take a look at our policy. We've met with each of you individually. And we have brought back what we believe to be. A consensus

    view on what we heard from you all. And so I will go through what those revisions were. First that throughout the policy we did uh minor updates just to ensure that all of the processes were aligned with what we actually do. Um we also looked at updating the way we integrate our labeling and GIS work. with the property appraiser and so that's included in the policy. Um there were also revisions to align our naming

    conventions throughout. Um when this policy was first created, the real estate department was actually a department under the development services branch. Um yeah, and so now it is a division within facilities management and so we have Uh just made sure that throughout the policy all of those minor edits are corrected. The major edits and the additions to the policy uh was related to the surplus of

    affordable housing, not for profits. And so what we have is in section five Um A through D, we outline what is the order of operations for the surplus of property. First we check to make sure that there is any county use for this property. Then if there is no county use we move on to notifying other governmental authorities as appropriate quasi-governmental

    or special use cases. Uh if those are not viable uh or there's no response. then we make the property available for public bid. and if we receive no bids, then we would offer it to affordable housing, not for profits. if the property is appropriate for that use.

    So that only occurs after a public bid, and I think that's important to note. Then in uh Then in section 6D we really define some of the stipulations that would come into effect if we move into that sort of a surplus scenario related to affordable housing. And those are basically uh setting a minimum of $1,000 unless otherwise determined by the board. So there's some flexibility in

    there for the board if they so desire it. uh and then also requiring a five-year reversionary clause. if the property is not used for affordable housing. And then finally requiring all affordable housing entities to be vetted through the community development department before they can submit offers. So those are the major adjustments to this policy. And so we look for the board's approval of the policy. Uh or discussion so that we can make modifications. Mr. Chairman

    Mariano.

    OakleyChair

    Yeah, sir.

    Mariano

    Uh I think we've done a great job with this. Let me ask you a question though. When you say you're gonna A four day housing entities to be vetted. Well it's affordable housing because you'll you gotta pretty much know how the record is. Uh never mind. I'm good. Okay.

    So

    Starkey

    Mr. Chairman Mariano. Mariano

    I Where where where'd this one go?

    Well I'm not gonna say anything until it comes back, so we'll just watch the clock tick. I do have a picture. You can go ahead and put my picture on Holiday Drive. And Marcy was here this morning, but I guess she couldn't be here. Okay.

    No, not those. Those are Live Works. The one on Holiday Drive. All right, let me get my

    Oh, don't tell her. That one. Okay, and then my staff sent me some talking points here and I'd have to find it. Okay. So In twenty nineteen, a survey done by the Florida Housing Coalition, it was it wasn't a formal survey and it was not int intended to yield statistical data, but the response shed light on how effectively The local government surplus land statutes are being implemented and provide guidance on how to improve awareness and activities. related

    to the disposition of surplus land for affordable housing. sixty eight local governments responded to the survey and sixty two percent of them donate surplus land parcels to non profit organizations. So This is the one that we turned down to habitat. On my drug infested Holiday Drive, which I drove. Those of you who weren't elected yet I took Mike Moore down the street and I showed you I showed you how bad the street was not

    Um We have five vacant parcels on this street now because we've condemned a bunch of stuff, but this is not This is not that one that was really bad that had all the fentanyl in it. That's a little down the street, where it's all trailers. Um But we could have had a house under construction on this by now and a family living in it. But instead it's sitting there looking like this in the neighborhood. So Um C housing costs and material costs are so expensive now. These

    guys building these houses and getting families in for the first time. They need every penny they can get. And so if it had a little bit of a little bit of a little So I I just wanna go back to you all again and do what we were doing before. and suggest that we d we first offer these to not in certain neighborhoods. I mean not every parcel is correct, but but if it's a parcel where we deem the the house could be of benefit to the neighborhood

    and it uplifts it Um and that they guarantee that the the and I don't remember who gave me this idea, but it is a very good idea. The recipient of of those who receive these these parcels must be Like a three year resident of Pasco County. And um I was that you? I don't know. Someone once gave an idea on a if if we were to give any tax abatements on

    future affordable housing that we need to stipulate that it's Pasco residents who are getting that affordable housing, not people coming up from another county. So I I really like that idea. So I would like to go back to you and say on residential properties In the neighborhoods that are suitable, we should just offer these. Um For zero to a a a non profit building a house because if we You know, we have this opportunity in

    holiday. We have Um We have Metropolitan Ministries building their Family homeless shelter. And then we have Dominium. Building The affordable housing project by Enclode High School. Sixty percent AMI. And then we have AMP skills that can help these people get a good job and and Metropolitan ministries is also putting their commercial kitchen back in. So people can

    get um certifications in culinary, and they're also gonna be teaching people how to get Um licenses for day care. I mean we have this really cool ecosystem coming where people can Who were homeless, can go live somewhere for a few years, save up some money, get a job, qualify for a habitat or some what are the other organizations that build um t you know, to to build this community and I just wanna say

    again that that we should consider just donating these. I mean what's a thousand dollars to us, but it means something to these to these new homeowners and to habitat, uh, because obviously They didn't bet on it. When we said no one you can't have it for free, they didn't bid on it. And so it's still sitting there like this. This is a recent picture. So a surplus land dip disposition program may be useful to revitalize neighborhoods that have experienced blight or destabilization.

    You know, we're getting Tallahassee. uh legislating to us things that we don't want because so many communities have turned their back on workforce housing. And And um I just really feel strongly that this is one of the major tools in a toolbox Is to help These guys get the land. So I Marcy, I don't know if you wanna say anything to on this subject.

    Are you sure she's on?

    Starkey

    Marcy? He's they're looking to promote him.

    OakleyChair

    Here name that.

    Starkey

    So I just want to remind you sixty Yeah, go ahead.

    Unidentified speakerVoice A

    So I I I guess if it is sort of appropriate or unappropriate for me to just say, Amen, Commissioner Starkey. It is a great tool in the toolbox and Um and I think that the last time uh Ah, des this item came before you. Uh all it it was explained that we already, you know, these lots already go through everybody else to see if anybody wants it

    and and nobody uh bids on it and no other agencies, no other departments. Uh there there is no interest. So it's not as if uh the county in any way, shape or form has given away or given up. the opportunity to get funding from other sources. In addition to no other interest Uh the other thing is is that while we are carrying these properties, we're

    incurring in it we're incurring costs, whether it's our office or facilities, the county is incurring costs by maintaining these properties and to put them out for places like Habitat or Sun Coast Housing or the different housing agencies that we have to put a home on it and then have it bring in taxable in taxes into the county. It just i and

    then turn the neighborhood around, it's a win win. Um and And I would agree that $1,000, uh uh, we would save way more than $1,000 by putting the property out to a housing agency.

    Starkey

    Thank you. Thanks,

    Marcy. Chairman Mariano.

    Kathy Pearson

    Kathy Pearson, Assistant County Administrator Public Services. I wanted to reiterate too that there's a five-year reversionary clause of the property is not used for affordable housing. I almost think it should be three myself, but Um five years if they can't get their act going, well you got to lose it comes back to the county and we start all over again. So that's a really important fact to consider also.

    OakleyChair

    Thank you. Five years is a long time. Yeah. Maybe we should change that to three years.

    Andrew Baxter

    I w I would like to clarify one other thing that Marcy commented on related to what Commissioner Starkey is proposing. If we would go back to the way we were doing it before, um that would occur. prior to a public bid. So We would offer it to the county. We would offer it to

    Starkey

    go so the county departments first.

    Andrew Baxter

    Yep, county departments first.

    and then we would go to public sale and this idea of housing not for profit would actually be part of step two instead of creating the way we broke it out is now it's step four. There would be no step four if we went back to the previous way we were thinking about it.

    Mariano

    That's fine with me. Yes, sir.

    What's the time difference from doing the bid for the profits to take a look at it? And let's say they don't do act on it, have the paperwork ready to go put it back out in the street to go for nonprofit. What's the time difference? Thirty days, sixty days?

    Andrew Baxter

    Rick. Can I hear the question one more time? I d I want to just make sure I understand it.

    Mariano

    If you're going to put it out of the market for the profit group to bid. Okay. And it fails. What's the time constraint to go right back out again to offer to the nonprofits?

    Andrew Baxter

    Assuming that everything is sort of geared in that process to immediately Rebid. Uh I would think a few days. Um

    Mariano

    I mean I I'm I'm fine just the way you get it set up. I don't mind going back to the three years, but

    Starkey

    What you know what? Someone could pick this up on holiday drive. And um throw a tra a nasty old trailer on there and what have you done for the community?

    Mariano

    Put those conditions in.

    Starkey

    We don't know. What conditions?

    Andrew Baxter

    W when we when we would sell for public bid. We do put these type of conditions in already uh to ensure that it's

    Starkey

    been sitting there since this is still sitting there. Not making anybody any money. When we could have had a habitat home on there. Should

    OakleyChair

    we vote?

    Starkey

    For a thousand dollars, you're gonna keep a family from getting a house?

    OakleyChair

    Well didn't habitat get a uh Uh yeah, they would build one there or

    Starkey

    no they w We were s we were we were surplusing it. We had this program humming along Just fine. And then all of a sudden We put the brakes on on it, helping people get their starter home. Um And now that whole project is dead. Uh can you show the can you show the house? This is the habitat house that were you there?

    Starkey

    Uh no.

    Starkey

    I was here with the representatives, Senator Hooper. Uh the sheriff. This is this is near mile stretch where where my hoarder is. We we did this ha we we went and did this house with habitat and This has so improved that neighborhood already. Kathy.

    Kathy Pearson

    Kathy Pearson. Board I just was wondering if you would maybe consider piloting this and and let us try a few homes and see where we go with this. instead of making a full bledged property right now, I mean Just just a thought and just raising that question because I think it can work. I think we've got Habitat, we've got other not for profits wanting wanting to do this. um, what does it hurt to at least try it for a few houses. So I'll just throw that out there.

    OakleyChair

    So Kathy, come back. So if they're wanting to do this, why are we still having property sitting?

    Andrew Baxter

    At the board's direction because it was not approved. We've been waiting to have this policy come before you.

    Kathy Pearson

    Commissioner, this all started a few months ago and we brought a piece of property to you all and it was um we we got outvoted to do it. So that's why we came back to you with a new policy. So that's where we're at.

    OakleyChair

    Okay.

    I remember the one with the the habitat before, but the lots were too low.

    Starkey

    Oh that's that that's something different. Um But yeah, uh that was in uh Leisure LinkedIn. Yeah, that's in Leisure Link. I know that. So these are random um lots that come to us when we've dem we've demoed uh something and they're not paying their taxes and they they what's the word is sheep and

    OakleyChair

    yeah.

    Starkey

    They come back to us and it's

    OakleyChair

    So that's these are ones we get back in. Yeah. Correct. From someone that just

    Andrew Baxter

    come There's other ways that they come to us, but the typical way is through achievement. Yeah.

    Starkey

    And someone could have bought those tax someone could have bought those if they wanted them. The the public a a for profit company can go buy those tax receipts and take 'em before they come to us. So that's their opportunity. We're not stopping a a for profit company from doing anything. What we're stopping is is the ability to provide more workforce housing for comf For citizenship. But

    OakleyChair

    most of your for profit companies coming in on something like that, they're not getting a h habitat house which is A lot there's a lot of donations in a habitat house. Yeah, but that's so affordable. And uh for profit company coming in and building w way cost of materials and all right now. You're not gonna find 'em coming. So Just makes it too expensive for the neighborhood.

    Starkey

    So so I'm not sure what your point is, but do you like the idea of of us going back to how we were doing it where if we get a surplus lot like we did on Holiday Drive, We we offer it in a rotating manner. to the nonprofits. They have Habitat got one. I think this is the way you were doing it. Then it's the n another one that's registered with us. They get the first stab at it and it and it goes in this circle and that's how we

    OakleyChair

    were doing it. It goes in order.

    Starkey

    Yeah. Um but I would add that the recipient has to be at least a three year resident. From Pasco County.

    OakleyChair

    Well I'd also want to put in the stipulation that Uh if nothing happens with it in three years then it comes back to us to

    Starkey

    Yeah, I'm okay with that.

    OakleyChair

    Five years is a long time for nothing. Just Yeah. I mean that doesn't help anything.

    Starkey

    Right.

    Andrew Baxter

    Yeah. Oh th so clarification on the reversionary clause is that five years a reversionary clause doesn't mean we have to wait five years for a anything to happen. once i if we would transfer this to say habitat, they build a house if somebody moves in year one, year two they pay their bills, year year three they pay their bills, on year four they just stop paying and they're evicted. then the property could revert back to us is what that file is.

    OakleyChair

    That's the stipulation? Yeah. Mm.

    Starkey

    I thought it was

    OakleyChair

    thinking it'll still be in the same lot and nothing happened.

    Starkey

    Yeah, we're saying if you don't start building the house within three years.

    OakleyChair

    Correct.

    Starkey

    I don't think we're getting the timers

    Andrew Baxter

    when we transfer it. The timer starts when we transfer it. But if if for whatever reason it stops being used for

    Starkey

    that's that's between Habitat who holds the zero mortgage and and them, not us by the Yeah, no. It's just that if they they need to start building the house By three years. Within three years. We don't want the empty lot sitting there, not helping the neighborhood. And not helping a family.

    And it has to be Pasco resident.

    OakleyChair

    we gave the feeding Tampa Bay that That property we gave to them to use for feeding Tampa Bay they ended up selling, but we're now we've taken care of that, I guess, haven't we?

    Starkey

    Yeah.

    OakleyChair

    Reversionary clauses are what we add to just about every one of our

    Andrew Baxter

    Right.

    OakleyChair

    Well I'm okay with this and and I believe in habitat houses. I I think they do a great job.

    Starkey

    They're not the only there's three or four in Tampa Bay that are doing good work. So and now one one community now is starting to get into that as well, which is a great organization. Yeah.

    OakleyChair

    So what's the pleasure to the board?

    Weightman

    Chairman I have a question. Thank you. Remember when we talked with notifying

    Do we just go to step out? My eyeballs are floating. Um On the before it went to the not for profit. Was it step three that we discussed sending direct mail to adjacent officers?

    Andrew Baxter

    Yes, sir. That was that discussed on our discussion with you that uh If we stayed with this four step процес. then notification on the public bid. uh would also go to the n the neighboring parcels of that of that potential parcel that we're looking at.

    Weightman

    And we've agreed that that's in in the rules of engagement.

    Andrew Baxter

    It is it is not currently in the rules. That is on that's something that again what what we presented was Sort of a c collaboration version of what we thought we heard from the board in the first discussion that There's been a lot of other things actually discussed here today that are starting to make me wonder. uh exactly where we're headed, but uh we can come back to you. So whatever you want to add or subtract.

    Weightman

    Within within the notification within the notification process Not everybody's not going to be able to do is going to be following online. You know, if there's a rezoning or your ho uh your property's impact and you're within five hundred feet, you receive a physical letter from the county.

    And n this is this is the step before the not for profit. I think that neighboring property owners who may or may not, you know, be retired, may not have internet, and I talked about this with Mr. Breitenbach, and it's we don't need any special rules. But we mail them a letter on that the second step of private sector opportunity. to purchase uh these these properties. Hey, this is going for bid Here's a letter. They may not following on

    bonfire and bonfire's a pain in the rear to operate anyway, these online bid platforms that governments use. So they get a letter and mail, then they're notified, oh okay, maybe I want to buy this, maybe I want a little bit bigger yard or what have you. And if they choose not to buy it, they choose not to buy it. But I think neighboring properties should be noticed, especially if they're joining Hey, this property's for sale by your government. You have an opportunity to purchase it if you want to. Before it goes, if they all decline, and

    what do we say on average? Maybe ten letters per parcel, maybe? So it's not many, it's not a lot of work. work. Yeah. Very good. But I think it's it's transparent to the property owners that hey, this is happening. Here's an opportunity if they choose not to buy it. Then we move forward to sell it to the not for profit. But I think the the the sell price oughta be higher than a thousand. I'm I'm kind of around that fifteen hundred to two to two thousand mark on selling these Especially if the county is a very good thing. Has taxpayer money invested in the cleaning it up, I think our

    taxpayer needs to be made whole. I just you know that that's where I'm at with it. But I'm I'm willing to compromise because I appreciate what we're trying to do here for affordable housing and the cost of living and home ownership. But A dollar is definitely a no go and I think need to be higher, higher than a thousand, but I think that the noticing to the neighboring property owners a simple letter from the county uh saying this is for sale, you have the opportunity to buy it and they may pay more. Um

    Then they have they say no, then we then we go we go through that that that next step. So that's been my conversation with With the team and Um those are just my thoughts on that.

    OakleyChair

    Well I I'm kinda confused on it because we're talking about doing away the thousand and now we're talking about Well, he wants to do away

    Starkey

    with it. I

    OakleyChair

    don't

    Starkey

    I I mean he wants to keep it, I don't. And I would not be for this Um because I think it's a barrier to getting more affordable houses and I think And I also don't think it helps us uh in our tax base because if if one of my drug trailers buys more land for more people to live on Um what what has that done for our tax rolls and the community? I my my goal is to get more people in housing. And

    to lift up the neighborhoods.

    Weightman

    But but are you

    Starkey

    we we we benefit a lot more than fifteen hundred dollars when a house is ba is on a tax roll. Yeah.

    Weightman

    But are we verifying to put a family in their first time home next to a drug house? That's a double edged sword here. How are we hey come buy this, move in and this family's all excited, then they're next they have a very dangerous neighbor that could blow 'em up if something goes wrong in

    Starkey

    their operations.

    Um we haven't heard from our commissioner that's at home. Um I'm not sure where Jack is. I know where you are. I think I know where we are, so

    Weightman

    I've come a

    Starkey

    long way all day from where I was.

    BradfordVice Chair

    Commissioner Weightman, let me give you my thoughts. Um I think a thousand a dollar a thousand dollars. is the appropriate amount. Why do that still a lot of Well my Uh fifteen hundred, six thousand. Uh that could be in the future. But I think A fifty thousand dollars of cost.

    Starkey

    I don't understand.

    you're saying don't don't surplus this to the non profits? That's your

    BradfordVice Chair

    Were they not?

    It's a nonprofits. Uh don't use it. And uh over the neighborhood. Take a thousand dollars. uh to a neighborhood family is appropriate.

    OakleyChair

    That's what he said.

    Starkey

    Well

    OakleyChair

    I I didn't understand what he's saying.

    Then he's okay with a thousand dollars for selling to someone that's not the nonprofit.

    Starkey

    Okay, to start a bid at one thousand to

    OakleyChair

    the public. Right, to the public. Okay. Isn't that right, Mr. Bradford?

    BradfordVice Chair

    That's correct, sir.

    OakleyChair

    Okay.

    Starkey

    Okay, then I'm gonna I wanna call a vote right now. I move to uh approve this with Taking away the one thousand for nonprofits. And I don't want to let her go into the neighbors to for them to bite either because that's not for in my mind, cleaning up the neighborhood and they could have bought it when it was on the courthouse steps so they they had their opportunity. Yeah. So that's my motion.

    Mike Carballa

    So I just want to clarify. So we've listed an order of operations here. What I'm what I'm hearing you say, Commissioner, I think I think Andrew's on the same wavelength. four, which is right now step four is making it available to affordable housing, you want to Move that up above. Basically merge it into two is is to what what I'm hearing you say. And then our last resort is a for profit vote. And then we take away Any sort of financial barrier. for

    non profits. Not for profits. Yeah. Basically reverting back to the old policy.

    Starkey

    Yeah. Uh but we want to add that it Two things. How uh a house has to start within three years. And it must go to a Pasco County resident of three years.

    Is three years a good is good? Seems like it

    Unidentified speakerVoice B

    Yeah, I think three years. Okay.

    Mr. Chairman could we also define what affordable means because I'm About to litigate that issue, so I wanna So I like some direction on when you

    Starkey

    say a form without

    Mike Carballa

    for profit entity and call it a day.

    Starkey

    Yeah.

    Unidentified speakerVoice C

    Well it would have to it would have to be qualified through your community development. And for for those affordable.

    Starkey

    They have certain income levels that they all work with.

    Unidentified speakerVoice B

    Well my understanding from RC is that's below eighty percent of AMI. Is that Herd what is that her policy?

    Starkey

    Marcy?

    She's on, she's fumzing up to the camera. Oh she said yes.

    Mike Carballa

    Well actually then I have a clarifying question for Marcy then. I mean, is that I mean so when habitat for humanity, for example builds a home and then they get a mortgage and they sell it to someone, I mean do they have to meet the eighty percent criteria? Is that a hard and fast rule?

    Unidentified speakerVoice A

    Well, uh it is and it isn't. So Habitat has this interesting rule where when they start working with somebody, um, they have to serve that person. So even if that person uh is working with them for 18 months or two years, they may have qualified for 80% and below. when they first started, but it might go higher. That doesn't mean that We have to. continued

    to serve them. Uh so um so we've had that issue with them before. So so generally speaking, habitat does help people that are eighty percent or below, but if they're working in their system long enough, they might end up making more money than that.

    Mike Carballa

    Or even during the course of their ownership of the home could eventually find themselves in in a different bracket, correct?

    Unidentified speakerVoice A

    Well we would hope that they would. Uh and and

    we don't check it.

    Starkey

    I mean they all have qualifying rules for them to be uh providing a charitable purpose for their recipients.

    Unidentified speakerVoice B

    If if the policy requires community development to deem it to be affordable, then I'm fine with it. I just wasn't clear that the policy was doing that.

    Starkey

    Yeah. They they they do have to do that.

    Unidentified speakerVoice B

    Okay.

    OakleyChair

    Okay. So that's your motion.

    Starkey

    That was my mission.

    OakleyChair

    All right, I got a motion.

    Starkey

    Mr Bradford, I might need your second.

    BradfordVice Chair

    Mm-hmm.

    Starkey

    A

    Starkey

    second end?

    OakleyChair

    Second. We got a motion and a second. Roll call vote.

    Starkey

    Okay, District Two, Commissioner Weightman.

    Weightman

    Uh opposed based on the notification process?

    Starkey

    District three, Commissioner Starkey. Aye. District four, Commissioner Bradford. All right. District five, Commissioner Mariano. No. District One, Chairman Oakley.

    Starkey

    Uh

    But and ha uh and just for clarification, how many of these do we get a year?

    Andrew Baxter

    Less than ten. Somewhere in the neighborhood of six to ten. Yeah.

    Starkey

    It's But it means a lot to those ten families.

    Andrew Baxter

    Yeah.