Sarasota to consider building affordable housing for city workers

SARASOTA, Fla. - Right across from Sarasota City Hall, City Manager Marlon Brown has a vision for the community. He hopes to build two towers, with space for 192 units to house 400 people.

"It’s really for our workforce, that really carries this economy," he said.

The towers would feature attainable housing for the local workforce like teachers, police, firefighters, nurses and hospitality workers.

"I’ve been here since 2009, we’ve had the private sector give us dribs and drabs of workforce or affordable housing or attainable housing, but it hasn’t really been impactful," said Brown.

Rent would be a fraction of the cost of neighboring complexes and would be based on income. If it passes, the City of Sarasota will look for a private management company to run the complex.

"I think this is very creative. Hopefully others can follow it. We won’t copyright it, but hopefully it can be used throughout the state and the nation to really provide workforce housing for those people who not only work here, but service a lot of the population that already lives here. Why can’t they also enjoy some of the amenities that downtown provides," he said.

Two properties are under contract for $7 million. Brown will ask City Commissioners on Monday morning to approve the purchase. The Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation has committed $1.5 million dollars to the project. The Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Community Foundation of Sarasota Couty are working to provide an additional $1.5 million each.

"The biggest block of people suffering and people who are becoming our new homeless are our working families," said Matthew Sauer, the Collaboration and Impact officer with the Barancik Foundation.

Sauer said the project will have a sizable impact.

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"We are in real danger of losing a good chunk of our workforce who just can’t afford to live here," he said.

Sauer and Brown both know it’s not a permanent fix, but it will help.

"This does not solve a problem necessarily for today, but for the next crisis to happen," said Brown.

Sarasota City Commissioners will discuss the proposal on Monday, April 15 at 9 a.m.

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