[00:00:05]
>> I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. THIS IS THE FORT PIERCE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY . IS DECEMBER 12, 2023.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL .
>> CALL THE ROLE, PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON JR.?
[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
>> PRESENT. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES?
>> PRESENT. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON?
>> PRESENT. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK?
>> PRESENT. >> VOTE OF APPROVAL.
>> SECOND? >> VOTE AND APPROVAL. CALL THE
[5. ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO AGENDA AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
ROLE. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON JR.?
>> YES. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES?
>> YES. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON?
>> YES. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK?
>> YES MA'AM. >> THAT WE HAVE DELETIONS TO
THE AGENDA. >> ARE THERE ANY CHANGES?
>> ALL EXCEPT THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.
>> MOTION AND SECOND. CALL THE ROLE, PLEASE.
>> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> YES, MA'AM.
>> I'M SORRY. I WILL DO THIS AGAIN.
>> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON JR.? >> YES.
>> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> YES.
>> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> YES.
>> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> YES.
>> MAYOR HUDSON? >> YES. AM I HEARING MUSIC?
>> YES, THIS IS TO KEEP EVERYBODY CALM DOWN.
] >> I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMEBODY'S
PHONE. >> APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
COMPUTER, PLEASE? >> IS IS CHRISTMAS SCREENSAVER.
NOW WE WILL MOVE TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
>> OKAY. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR THE COMMISSION. COME FORWARD, HAVE THREE
[7. CONSENT AGENDA]
MINUTES. HE WILL GET A WARNING SIDE. IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO DRESSES? SOMETHING TO MOVE IN.AGENDA. >> IS THERE ANY ITEM THAT ANY COMMISSIONER WOULD LIKE TO PULL, OR I WILL ENTERTAIN A
>> I SECOND. >> THERE IS A MOTION IN A SECOND. CALL THE ROLE, PLEASE.
[a. Commercial Facade Grant Award Recommendation]
>> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON JR.? >> YES.
>> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? >> YES.
>> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> YES.
>> AND SEVEN? >> YES. BUT MAYOR HUDSON?
>> YES. >> OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE THE COMMERCIAL FACADE GRANT AWARD RECOMMENDATION.
>> ALREADY. MR. MEN'S? >> YES, WE HAVE OUR REDEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST. MISS GARCIA WILL GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS THUS FAR, AND ALSO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS NOT ONLY FROM STAFF, BUT FROM THE CRA ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
NOW, I DO WANT TO NOTE, ALTHOUGH WE DID JUST APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, WE DID HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM INNOVATIVE MASONRY OVER HERE TO DISCUSS OR IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EXTERIOR REHABILITATION. BUT, YOU HAVE APPROVED IT , AND THAT IS A DONE DEAL, SO I JUST WANTED TO
LET YOU KNOW. >> OKAY. IT IS A DONE DEAL.
>> YES. I AM JUST WAITING FOR LINDA.
>> ARE YOU DOING IT? OR AM I DOING IT?
>> HOLD ON A SECOND. ALL RIGHT.
>> SO, GOOD EVENING, CHAIRWOMAN HUDSON. I'M PRESENT IN THE COMMERCIAL FACADE GRANT APPLICATIONS. THE INTENT OF OUR FACADE PROGRAM IS TO SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE THE APPEARANCE OF BUILDINGS, AND ILLUMINATE LIGHT WITHIN OUR EPR A DISTRICT. THIS IS A REVERSIBLE GRANT. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN THE REVERSIBLE GRANT MATCHING 50% UP TO $25,000.00. WE HAD A GREAT SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCH THE PROGRAM TWO YEARS AGO. THESE ARE SOME OF THE PREVIOUS PROJECTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED AND AWARDED. SO, WE HAVE THAT 906 DELAWARE AVENUE , THE 1105 WHITE DRIVE , CAPTAINS GALLEY RESTAURANT , AND IN THE ETA NINE DELAWARE AVENUE, THE BLUEBIRD CAFE COMING SOON. OUR EVALUATION CRITERIA. STAFF EVALUATED THE APPLICATIONS FOLLOWING EVALUATION CRITERIA. VISUAL IMPACT WAS ASSIGNED 50 POINTS. DOES THE PROJECT SIGNIFICANTLY TRANSFORM THE BUILDING OR THE PROPERTY? DOES THE PROJECT ELIMINATE LIGHTS? DOES THE PROJECT RAISE THE VISUAL APPEAL OF THE OF PRA? ACTIVATION WAS ASSIGNED 20 POINTS. WILL THIS PROJECT ACTIVATE A VACANT BUILDING OR A PORTION OF A VACANT BUILDING? IT WAS ASSIGNED FOR 15 POINTS. HAS A BUSINESS STATE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A TARGETED TEAR IN THE
[00:05:02]
RETAIL AND BUSINESS STUDY? AND THEN LASTLY, THE FPR A PLAN WAS ASSIGNED 15 POINT. DOES THE PROJECT MEET THE GOAL OF THE FPR A PLAN? WHEN STAFF EVALUATED THE APPLICATIONS , THE RESULTS WAS STAFF RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL WAS 215 NORTH SECOND STREET, GLORIA ROAD. THEY AWARDED OR THEY OBTAIN 205 POINTS OUT OF 300 POINTS. THEIR TOTAL INVESTMENT IS $62,000.00, AND THEIR TOTAL REQUESTED AMOUNT IS 25,000.NOW, WHEN WE PRESENTED THESE TO THE CRA ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THEY RECOMMENDED 215 NORTH SECOND STREET AND 2203 IN ORANGE AVENUE FOR AWARDS. THEY OBTAINED 165 POINTS. THEY REQUESTING 65 -- THE TOTAL ADVANCEMENT IS $65,000.00, AND THEIR TOTAL REQUESTED AMOUNT IS $25,000.00. I WILL GO OVER THE FIVE APPLICATIONS THAT WE RECEIVED FOR THESE COMMERCIAL FACADE GRANTS. TO THE FIRST ONE, 215 NORTH SECOND STREET, GLORIA ROAD , IT IS A CURRENT UTILIZATION THAT IS A LAW OFFICE. THERE FACADE IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE IMPROVEMENT OF THE CURRENT PORCH OVERHANG, WHICH IS THIS AREA HERE. THEY WILL INSTALL A NEW PORCH AND A WOODEN DECK WITH A ROOF COVER, SO IT IS GOING TO LOOK MORE LIKE THIS.
THEY'RE GOING TO UPDATE THE A.D.A. , HAVE A.D.A.
IMPROVEMENTS, IMPROVE THE EXISTING CONCRETE DRIVEWAY HERE, AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE, LET'S SEE , ADD PAVERS TO ALL OF THE UNIMPROVED DRIVEWAYS. ALL AROUND THE BUILDING, THEY ARE GOING TO ADD THOSE PAVERS. THEY WILL REPLACE FACADE AND PLANS, AND UPGRADE THE LIGHTING. 2203 ORANGE AVENUE IS THE FORT PIERCE -- I'M SORRY, THEY'RE GOING TO ADD A SHADE STRUCTURE OR PORCH COVERING THE EXISTING CONCRETE HERE ON THIS SECTION FOR A TOTAL INVESTMENT OF $65,000.00, AND THEY REQUESTING 25,000. 500 ORANGE AVENUE .
CURRENT UTILIZATION IS A MEETING AND EVENT VENUE. THERE FACADE IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE INSTALLATION OF AWNINGS ON THE FRONT WINDOWS , SO THIS IS WHAT THEIR INTENDED USE IS. THREE DIFFERENT AWNINGS, ONE WILL SAY WEDDINGS, ONE WILL SAY SPECIAL EVENTS, AND ONE WILL SAY BANQUETS. THEY ALSO INTENDED TO REPAIR WOOD AND WIND UP LAZING ON ALL OF THE EXTERIOR WINDOWS, ADD L.E.D. LIGHTING TO THE UPPER FACADE ON THE SOUTHEAST AND WEST SIDES OF THE BUILDING, SO ALL ALONG HERE AND HERE , AND THEN ALSO ADD TWO ADDITIONAL SECURITY CAMERAS.
THEIR TOTAL INVESTMENT IS 38,007 82, AND THEY REQUESTING $19,391.00. NEXT IS 701 ATLANTIC AVENUE. THE FUTURE AND CURRENT UTILIZATION IS AN OFFICE/COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL FOR MEGAN'S PLANT BOUTIQUE. IT'S A HOME OFFICE PREPARING TROPICAL HOUSEPLANTS FOR SHIPPING. SO, THERE'S NO CUSTOMER INTERACTION. IT'S A HOME-BASED BUSINESS. BUT, IT IS OWNED COMMERCIAL, SO THAT IS WHY THEY WERE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM. THERE IMPROVEMENTS ARE GOING TO INCLUDE A VINYL FENCE, REPLACE WINDOWS WITH STORM IMPACT WINDOWS, REPLACE THE GARAGE DOOR, LANDSCAPING AND IRRIGATION, AT A 20 FOOT FIVE LONG CONCRETE DRIVEWAY, PAVE THE EXTERIOR, AND A NEW ROOF. THE TOTAL INVESTMENT COST IS ABOUT $60,000.00, AND THEY REQUESTING 25,000. AND THEN LASTLY, 710 ORANGE AVENUE, THE PEACOCK ARTS HOUSE . THEIR CURRENT UTILIZATION NOW IS RESIDENTIAL. THE FUTURE UTILIZATION IS THE PEACOCK ARTS HOUSE FOR ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS AND RESIDENTIAL. FOR THIS APPLICATION, THEY SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION TO INSTALL JOINT WALLS AND INSTALL NEW STOREFRONT IMPACT WINDOWS AND DOORS. THEY ARE REQUESTING $50,000.00 IN THE AMOUNT REQUESTED -- THE TOTAL INVESTMENT IS 50,000, AND THEY REQUESTING $25,000.00. SO, OUR NEXT STEPS. FPRA WILL MAKE ITS DETERMINATION AND AGREEMENT AT OUR NEXT MEETING. APPLICANTS MUST RECEIVE THE BUILDING PERMIT WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF THE FPRA APPROVAL. AND THEN, THE APPLICANTS WILL COMPLETE THE PROJECT, THEY WILL SPEND ALL OF THE FUNDS, AND THEN ONCE IT IS COMPLETE, THEN THEY WILL COME BACK TO US. THEY MUST COMPLETE THE PROJECT WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF BUILDING PERMIT ISSUANCE, AND THEN THE CHECKS WILL BE DISPERSED UPON RECEIVING COMPLETING THE PROJECT. ONCE THEY HAVE CLOSED ALL THEIR PERMITS AND THEY PROVIDE INVOICES AND COPIES OF CHECKS TO US. SO, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS , STAFF RECOMMENDED AN AWARD OF 215 NORTH 15TH STREET , AND THE CRA ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED AWARDS TO BOTH 215 NORTH SECOND STREET , AND THAT ALSO 22 ORANGE AVENUE . I WILL
[00:10:08]
BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. AT THIS POINT , YOU CAN MAKE ANY AWARDS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE.>> AND IN THE CRA ADVISORY COMMITTED ADDED THE SECOND
>> COULD YOU GO BACK TO THE TALLY SHEET FOR ME PLEASE? SO, I DID THIS QUICKLY, SO DON'T JUDGE ME ON MY MASS. BUT IT IS
>> BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE SHEET BEFORE, IT ONLY COMES OUT TO
100, RIGHT? >> OH, YES. WHEN EACH OF VALUE LATER IS 100 POINTS, SORRY, YOU MULTIPLY THAT BY EACH. WE HAVE THREE EVALUATORS , SO THAT IS THE TOTAL POINTS IS 300.
>> OKAY, I THINK I UNDERSTAND THAT. IT'S NOT FORT PIERCE,
IT'S ST. LOUIS SHERIFFS. >> THAT WAS MY MISTAKE.
>> NO, IT IS LOCATED IN FORT PIERCE , AND IT IS A NICE LOOKING BUILDING ALREADY. SO, WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO IS
BUILD A SUNSHADE, RIGHT? >> CORRECT.
>> FOR BUSINESS TYPE, WHY DID THEY GET 45 POINTS?
>> IN THE RETAIL AND BUSINESS STUDY, THERE WAS, LIKE, MARTIAL ARTS AS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OR AS ONE OF THE ELIGIBLE BUSINESS TYPES. SO, THE THREE STAFF MEMBERS --
>> GAVE THEM -- >> GAVE THEM THE POINTS ARE
MARTIAL ARTS. YES. >> AND WHAT IS ACTIVATION?
>> IF IT IS A VACANT BUILDING OR A PORTION OF A VACANT
BUILDING. >> AND THEN IF IT ADHERES -- THE CLOSER IT IS TO THE FPRA PLAN, THE BETTER THE SCORE?
>> CORRECT. YES. >> OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
YES, SIR? >> I DO HAVE A QUESTION. THIS MAY BE A LITTLE CONFUSING. LOOKING AT THE PRESENTATION, SEVERAL OF THESE BUILDINGS CERTAINLY, WELL I THOUGHT THEY ALL WEREN'T GREAT IMPROVEMENTS ON ALL OF THESE PROPERTIES.
AND WE ARE ALLOTTING SOME RELATIVELY LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO ONE OR TWO. IS THERE ANY THOUGHT PROCESS TWO, I DON'T KNOW, I'M NOT LOOKING TO CHANGE THE PROCESS, BUT JUST ASKING FOR MY OWN INFORMATION, IS THERE THOUGHT PROCESS LOOKING TO LOWERING THE AMOUNT OF GRANT PER SUBJECT PROPERTY, AND KIND OF SPREADING THE WEALTH AMONGST SEVERAL PROPERTIES? IS THAT A CONSIDERATION? OR AM I
COMPLETELY OFF TARGET? >> NO, WE CAN DO THAT. WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT DOING THAT.
>> I HAD THE SAME REACTION. THAT'S A PRETTY HEFTY AMOUNT FOR BOTH OF THOSE TWO. REALLY, 25,000.
>> YEAH, I WAS JUST THINKING. WE KIND OF GET MORE BULK RENOVATION BY LOWERING IT AND DISTRIBUTING IT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER. BUT, THAT WOULD JUST BE MY OBSERVATION.
>> DOES ANY ONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE I WANT TO CHIME
IN? >> JUST TO MAKE SURE AND CLEAR, THE TOTAL BUDGET WE ARE WORKING WITH IN THIS ALLOTMENT IS 50,000, I AM ASSUMING. THAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF BUDGET TO BE ALLOCATED FOR THESE PROJECTS?
>> NO, THE FPRA BOARD APPROVED IN THE SUMMER, I BELIEVE IT WAS 300,000 FOR THIS , THE SIGN PROGRAM, AND THE PAINT PROGRAM.
IF THE TOTAL ALLOWANCE OF ABOUT 300,000 PER CUSTOMER.
>> SO WE HAVE 50 LEFT THEN? >> NO. THIS IS THE FIRST ROUND WE ARE LAUNCHING THIS PROGRAM. WE'RE LAUNCHING IT NOW, WE ARE GOING TO LAUNCH IT IN MARCH, AND THEN AGAIN IN JUNE. WE ARE RUNNING THIS PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE FISCAL YEAR, ALL PROGRAMS ARE AT THE FISCAL YEAR.
>> RAY. JUST TO ADD TO WHAT MIRIAM WAS SAYING, WE HAD AN ALLOCATION FOR OUR PROPERTY REFRESH GRANTS. OUR COMMERCIAL FACADES, OUR SIGNS, AND OUR PAINT PROGRAM. PAINT IS RELATIVELY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT MUCH MONEY. THAT'S $1000 .00 A POP. MOST DON'T EVEN GET TO THAT LEVEL. THEN WE HAVE THE SIGN PROGRAM WITH A MAX $5000.00 REIMBURSEMENT FOR APPLICANT. THIS WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE HEAVIEST LOAD WITH A MAX OF 25,000. SO, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY HAVE MANY MORE PARTICIPANTS AND MANY MORE AWARDS AS THE YEAR MOVES
FORWARD. >> I UNDERSTAND THAT. I GUESS I AM JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IN MY HEAD, WE ALLOCATED
$300,000.00 -- >> FOR OUR TOTAL GRANT
PROGRAMS. >> YES. SO, STATIC ] IF WE HAD 10,000, WE PUT IT IN THIS BUCKET MAX,
[00:15:10]
BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THREE DIFFERENT THINGS. HE MENTIONEDSIGN, PAINT, AND THIS. >> YES.
>> THAT WE DID NOT BREAK IT OUT. WE SAID 300 TOTAL, AND WE HAVE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT A LOAN.
>> FOR THE PAINT, IF WE GET TO 50, I DOUBT IT.
>> I GOT IT. I JUST TRY TO FIGURE OUT IN MY MIND. I AM CLEAR NOW. SO, GO BACK TO THE INITIAL CRITERIA OF WHY WE ARE
DOING WHAT WE ARE DOING. >> THE INTENT?
>> THE INTENT. ENHANCED APPEARANCE OF BUILDING AND ELIMINATE LIGHT WITHIN THE FPRA DISTRICT. I GUESS THAT IS WHERE I AM HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A TROUBLE. I LOVE THEM.
THEY LOOK GREAT. BUT WHEN I'M TRYING TO ELIMINATE BLIGHT, I CAN'T GET ALL THE WAY THERE. I SEE BUILDINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE GREATLY ENHANCED. THEY HAVE DONE SOME ENHANCEMENTS ALREADY.
I GET THAT. BLIGHT, TO ME, MEANS THAT WE HAVE A BUILDING THAT IS DILAPIDATED, WINDOWS OUT, ET CETERA. SOMEONE IS TRYING TO REALLY RESURRECT SOMETHING IN MY OPINION. IN THE FPRA DISTRICT. SO, I WOULD JUST HAVE US THINK ABOUT THAT IN OUR FPRA . CERTAINLY, THERE ARE SOME BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE SEEN THAT HAVE GREATLY ENHANCED THEIR FACADE AND LOOK , BUT I'M A LITTLE CAUGHT ON THIS. A COUPLE OF THESE BUILDINGS ARE FURTHER ALONG THE PROGRESSION LINE, AND YES, THEY WILL BE GREATLY ENHANCED WITH WHAT WE HAVE SEEN PROPOSED. SO, I GUESS , YOU KNOW, I AM A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE, BUT I'M ALSO LEANING TOWARDS HOW DO WE BEGIN TO SPREAD THIS OUT A LITTLE BIT I THINK ACROSS THAT. BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE MORE IMPACT WE CAN MAKE AND GIVE A LITTLE BIT AND STRETCH IT TO EVERYBODY WILL BE GREAT. TO ME, A 25,000 AWARD WOULD BE A DILAPIDATED BUILDING WITH NO WINDOWS AND IT , A BAD ROOF COMPLETELY, AND NO ONE HAS BEEN IN IT FOR A WHILE. THAT THEN WE ARE TRYING TO REALLY BRING IT BACK. THAT IS A MAX POINT IN MY OPINION. I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD.
>> YES, SIR. I JUST WANT TO ADD , WHEN HE WE DO COMMERCIAL FACADE GRANTS, WE PARTNER WITH A PRIVATE INVESTOR OR PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER. SO, WE ARE LEVERAGING OUR FUNDS WITH THEIRS. WE HAVE PRIVATE INVESTMENT, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTORS THAT ARE NOW EMPLOYED, WE HAVE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FACADES AND THE APPEARANCE OF THE STRUCTURES ON THESE BEAUTIFUL CORRIDORS. I MEAN, TRUTHFULLY, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH AN AWARD TO ALL OF THESE APPLICANTS IF THEY USE THEIR OWN MONEY TO HELP AND IMPROVE OUR CORD OR THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. BUT, AS WITH ALL PROGRAMS, WE HAVE A RANKING CRITERIA. BUT IT IS COMPLETELY UP TO THIS GROUP TO TELL US HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS, AWARD THEM ALL, OR SPREAD THE FUNDS IN A DIFFERENT
MANNER. >> SO, I WILL JUST SAY , I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE 2203 , THE ST. LOUIS PAL. IT'S NOT A FACADE GRANT. IT'S MAKING SHADE , AND IT'S A VERY WORTHY CAUSE , AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THAT BUILDING ALREADY LOOKS, TO FOLLOW BUT YOU SAID, THE BUILDING ALREADY LOOKS GOOD. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I GAVE IT A GOLDHAMMER AWARD, IT LOOKS GOOD. AND THEY ARE USING THAT IN THE APPLICATION! THAT I GAVE IT A GOLDHAMMER AWARD! SO, I AM JUST SAYING THAT I HAVE A
PROBLEM WITH THAT. >> YOU HAVE A VALID POINT. AND COMMISSIONER C. JOHNSON'S POINT IS AS WELL VALID. I THINK INCENTIVIZING THE IMPROVEMENT IS GREAT. US PAYING 50% OF THE IMPROVEMENT , WE COULD SPREAD IT AROUND MORE.
I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET THAT OUT OF ALL THE PROPERTIES THAT YOU SEE IN THIS PRESENTATION, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WILL MOVE AHEAD WITH THOSE IMPROVEMENTS. WHETHER OR NOT THEY GET THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE AWARD ARE NOT, IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. HAVING SAID THAT , AGAIN, I THINK GEOGRAPHICALLY, KIND OF SPREADING THAT MONEY AROUND IN LESSER AMOUNTS , I THINK WE ACCOMPLISH THE SAME THING, BUT WE HAVE MORE SUCCESS IN TRYING TO BE EQUITABLE IN PARLAYING IT OUT TO MORE PARTIES. THAT IS KIND OF HOW I AM LOOKING AT IT. I THINK THERE'LL WORTHWHILE OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE THEY ARE IMPROVING PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I JUST THINK THAT I GET IT, I JUST THINK THE SELECTIONS WERE MADE, BUT LOWERING THE AMOUNTS IN A SHOTGUN APPROACH TO THE WHOLE THING, AND SPREADING AROUND , I JUST FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE ABOUT THAT.
IMPACTING MORE PROPERTIES EVERYWHERE.
>> AND I HAVE TO MAKE ONE MORE CLARIFYING STATEMENT. I WAS JUST NOTIFIED THAT FOR COMMERCIAL FACADE GRANTS ALONE
[00:20:02]
, WE HAVE $300,000.00 APPLICATOR FOR THE FPRA . OUR PAINT AND SIGN PROPERTY REFRESH PROGRAM IS 100,000. SO, WE HAVE $300,000.00 IN THIS PROGRAM ALONE, NOT COMBINEDWITH PAINT AND SIGN. >> YES, SIR.
>> SO, THOUGHTS? >> MADAM MAYOR?
>> AND YOU GO BACK TO THE SCORESHEET?
>> SURE. >> SO, THE TOTAL INVESTMENT COST, OR IS THAT THE INVESTMENT PLUS?
>> THAT THE TOTAL PROJECT COST ACCORDING TO THEIR ESTIMATES
THAT THEY SUBMITTED. >> OKAY. I'M KIND OF ON THE SAME PLANE AS ONE OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS HERE , BECAUSE WILL HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM, WE ARE INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE REDEVELOPMENT PHASES. I BELIEVE WE EVEN UPPED THE BUDGET THIS PAST BUDGET YEAR.
>> YES, WE DID. >> YES, WE DID. THAT WAS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. SO OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING THIS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE, LIKE YOU SAID, HOW CAN WE SHARE THAT AROUND OVERALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY OR THE CRA AREA? SO, I THINK A PERCENTAGE BASED, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IN THIS APPLICATION HERE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, THESE FIVE APPLICANTS, YOU KNOW, IF WE JUST SAY WE ARE GOING TO HOLD OUR BUDGET, HOLD OURSELVES TO A BUDGET OF 50 OR 60 GRAND, LET'S DISTRIBUTE IT
MAYBE? I DON'T KNOW. >> DIDN'T USED TO BE A $5000
.00 GRANT? >> I THOUGHT IT WAS. NO?
>> FOR SOME REASON, MANY YEARS AGO. NO? ALL RIGHT, MY
MISTAKE. >> WE JUST COMPLETED ONE LAST YEAR THAT MARIAM MINISTERED. I BELIEVE IT WAS A $25,000.00 PROPERTY FOR DELAWARE. CORRECT?
>> YES. >> IT INCREASED WITHOUT US NOTICING IT? I DON'T THINK SO.
>> IT WAS A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO THAT THERE WAS A LIMITATION OF
$5000.00. >> THE SIGN PROGRAM IS 5000.
>> IS THAT THE SIGN PROGRAM? >> YEP. WELL, IT HASN'T BEEN ALL THAT LONG THAT THE FPRA HAS HAD MONEY TO SPEND, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN PAYING DEBT DOWN.
>> THESE ARE THE ONLY APPLICATIONS THAT WERE
RECEIVED? >> THE QUALIFYING APPLICATIONS, YES. WE RECEIVED ANOTHER FEW MORE, BUT THEY WERE NOT
COMPLETE . >> THESE ARE THE ONLY QUALIFIERS WE HAVE ? TOTAL OF FIVE?
>> YES. >> WELL, I WILL JUST TALK. I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THE FIRST ONE, ALTHOUGH I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH REDUCING THAT 25,000 EITHER. I READ THROUGH ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS, AND I THINK THAT THEY ALL HAVE SOME MERIT. BUT, THEY DON'T ALL DESERVE 25,000 -- NOT DESERVE, BUT, I THINK THAT THERE COULD BE SOME OTHER
DISTRIBUTION CONSIDERED. >> WE HAVE $120,000.00 CONSIDERED , GIVE OR TAKE, OF REQUESTED DISBURSEMENTS HERE.
MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE AS WE COME UP WITH A CAP , AND THEN LET THE TEAM GO BACK AND COME UP WITH A DISTRIBUTION ON THAT.
THAT WOULD BE AN IDEA. 120,000 IS A LOT ON FIVE PROPERTIES.
>> IT'S ANXIOUS. >> GO AHEAD , COMMISSIONER
>> OKAY. $300,000.00, RIGHT? WE ARE GOING TO ROLL THIS PROGRAM UP TWO MORE TIMES? OR ONE MORE TIME?
>> TWO. >> TWO MORE TIMES. RIGHT? SO, IF YOU DO THE SIMPLE MATH , WE ARE LOOKING AT IF WE CAN SPEND 100,000 THREE TIMES? WE WILL GET MORE BANG FOR OUR BUCK AS
FAR AS GETTING MORE -- >> MORE PROPERTIES.
>> MORE PROPERTIES TO DO. IF WE THINK THAT WAY, SIMPLE MATH, YOU LOOK AT IT RIGHT HERE, THESE FIVE PRODUCT -- PROPERTIES THAT ARE READY TO LOOK WELL, IF WE COME UP SOMEWHERE AND SAY OKAY, THESE FIVE , WHAT I AM HEARING FOR MY COLLEAGUES THIS THING SPREAD THE WEALTH, RIGHT? SO, SOMEBODY HAS TWO, I'M NOT QUITE IS A TAKE A LOSS, BUT THEY HAVE TO ELIMINATE 20,000 OUT OF THESE NUMBERS AND SOME
>> THESE KIND OF NUMBERS NEED HAVE EVERYBODY EQUAL TO 100.
THEN WE WILL HAVE THE NEXT HUNDRED FOR A SECOND ROUND , AND PEOPLE HERE THAT, AND THEN THE THIRD ROUND, SOMEBODY REPLIES TO THE SECOND ROUND IN FIRST-ROUND THEY DIDN'T GET IT.
LET ME GET MY STUFF TOGETHER, GET IN ON THE THIRD ROUND, AND THEN WE CAN -- IS JUST EVEN NUMBERS. EVEN MATH. BUT IF THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS ALLOWED, OR I DON'T KNOW HOW
[00:25:01]
YOU GUYS WANT TO OPERATE IT. OR YOU SAY, OKAY, THAT IS THE EASY MATH. 120, THAT LEASE, WHAT, 180? THAT LEAVES 180 FOR THE NEXT TWO TIMES, RIGHT? YOU'RE ALREADY TAKING 10. IF WE DO IT THREE TIMES, I WOULD RATHER HAVE A ROW NUMBER OR A NUMBER IN MY HEAD THAT YOU KNOW, OKAY, YOU WANT TO GIVE 100,000 , YOU KNOW, SINCE WE HAVE THESE FIVE, WE WANT TO GIVE 100,000 TO HELP THESE PROPERTIES ACCOMPLISH WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.BECAUSE GIVING 50 TO TWO WHEN I KNOW THREE COULD USE SOME MONEY TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE GOING, I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT. THAT IS WHAT EVERYBODY IS SAYING. SO NOW, THE HARD PART, AND I GUESS THAT IS WHAT WE ARE UP HERE FOR, IS TO DECIDE. NOW WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHO IS GOING TO GET TO 20, WHO'S GOING TO GET TO 15 , THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE GOT TO DO.
IF THAT IS WERE WE'RE GOING, WE WILL HAVE TO BITE THE BULLET AND SAY HEY , THIS IS WHAT WE WANT. EVERYBODY, GET A PIECE OF THE PIE, SO TO SPEAK , AND WE START SEEING THESE BUILDINGS GO UP. I WOULD RATHER SEE FIVE AND TWO. I THINK THAT IS WITH THE
PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS. >> YES. WE WERE TALKING .
>> JUST REALLY QUICK. WE HAVE, OUR STAFF, WE HAVE EVALUATED THE APPLICATIONS BASED ON VISUAL IMPACT ACTIVATION, BUSINESS TYPE, FPRA PLAN COMPATIBILITY. AND THUS, WE HAVE COME UP WITH A RANKING AND A RATING. BASED ON THAT RANKING AND RATING, YOU CAN COME IN WITH A TIERED SYSTEM OF AWARDS. AND IT DOES NOT HAVE TO EQUAL A CERTAIN AMOUNT. YOU CAN JUST HEAR THE AWARD. IT'S ALL UP TO YOU HOW YOU WANT TO DO THIS. BUT I THINK SOMETHING FAIR AND CONSISTENT WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THIS BOARD FOR ALLOCATION OF THESE
FUNDS. >> COMMISSIONER J. JOHNSON?
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. THERE'S NOT A WINDOW INTO YOUR BRAIN, BUT I KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO SAY THAT. FORTUNATELY OR
UNFORTUNATELY. >> THAT'S HOW IT GOES, YEAH?
>> WE HAVE TWO SEPARATE THESE TWO.
>> EXACTLY. BUT SEE, IT TO GET A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. I KNOW WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS THREE TIMES. WE CAN DO IT MORE
THAN THREE TIMES, CAN WE NOT? >> WE CAN LEAVE IT OPEN.
>> WE CAN LEAVE IT OPEN ALL THE TIME. THAT IS MY POINT. WE ARE JUDGING AT LOOKING AT EVALUATING THIS BASED ON THE MERITS OF WHAT WE SEE IN FRONT OF US. RIGHT? WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE SIMPLICITY OF 100, 100, 100, AT THE SAME TIME, ROUND TWO, WE HAVE 10 QUALIFYING PARCELS. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE ARE DOWN TO A LESSER NUMBER FOR YOUR DISTURBING. RIGHT? I UNDERSTAND. I UNDERSTAND. I MAKE IT COMPLICATED, I SUPPOSE. BUT I AM EVALUATING IT BASED ON THE MERITS OF WHAT I SEE IN FRONT OF ME. AND HONESTLY, IF WE SPEND IT, IF WE LEAVE IT OPEN, THAT IS FINE. IF WE GET TO THE END OF THE BUDGET YEAR, OUR GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE PROPERTIES. RIGHT? IS TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN.
HONESTLY, MY RECOMMENDATION IS, YOU KNOW, WE WILL HAVE MORE DISCUSSION , BECAUSE YOU BRING UP A VALID POINT, MAYOR, ABOUT 2203. I'M GUESSING IT'S A VALID POINT.
>> YOU'RE WORKING WITH KIDS AND EVERYTHING, IT'S ONLY GOOD THING, BUT IT IS NOT A FACADE.
>> RIGHT. INTERESTING. I DID NOT THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY,
BUT IT IS INTERESTING. >> MADAM MAYOR?
>> YES, SIR? >> AGAIN, IT GOES BACK.
COMMISSIONER GAINES, I'M TRYING TO TRACK WHERE YOU ARE. WE HAVE 300,000 TOTAL FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR. AND FOR ME, THE WAY MY BRAIN WORKS , I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US PUT MONEY IN BUCKETS.
MEANING THAT LAST YEAR, WE DID 10,000 ACROSS THE CITY. LET'S CARVE OFF 10,000. THAT LEAVES US WITH 290,000. RIGHT? AM I
TRACKING? >> NO, HE SAID 300,000.
>> WE HAVE 300 FOR THIS PROJECT READ
>> FOR FACADES? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I AM CLEAR NOW. BUT , IT
IS 100, 100, 100? >> IF WE DO IT THAT WAY EVENLY.
>> I THINK I'M TRYING TO ESTABLISH SOME CRITERIA, ANYTHING WE NEED TO DO THAT TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GIVE MANY SWINGS AT PAT FOR PEOPLE TO DO THIS. SO, WE ARE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING. WE HAVE NOT THOUGHT ABOUT DO WE PUT 50, 50,
[00:30:05]
50, AND DO IT SIX OR SEVEN TIMES? OKAY, I'VE GOT IT NOW.>> I WANT TO SET A PRECEDENT, BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, WE COULD HAVE MORE, WE CAN HAVE A REAL WOW FACTOR, WHATEVER.
>> AVERAGES AT THE LAST POINT, AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE INTENT, WE ARE TRYING TO TAKE BLADES. AND THE PROJECT THAT I SEE HERE AREN'T PLATED PROJECT IS IN MY OPINION.
>> AND PEOPLE HAVE INVESTED MONEY IN THEM. WE NEED TO MAKE
IT EVEN BETTER. >> WE HAVE THE LIGHT IN THE FPR. I JUST WANT US TO THINK ABOUT THAT AS WE LOOK AT THESE PROJECTS GOING FORWARD. BECAUSE WE HAVE GOT TO GET THOSE CONTINUING TO HAVE BLIGHT THERE TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE, AND WE HAVE TO PUT SOMETHING THERE. IT MAY NOT BE A LOT. THERE'S A
WHOLE BUNCH OF BUILDINGS. >> RIGHT?
>> I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION. CAN HE GO TO THE SCREEN, MARIAM, WHERE IT HAPPENED? REQUIREMENTS?
>> REQUIREMENTS? SURE. >> THAT WASN'T THE ONE THAT WAS THE PERCENTAGE BREAKDOWN, ET CETERA. THERE'S ANOTHER SCREEN?
>> YES. JUST THAT ONE OTHER CONCERN I HAD, AND I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THE WATERS EVEN MORE MONEY, BUT I WAS CONCERNED.
THIS IS PICKING UP ON COMMISSIONER C. JOHNSON COMMENT. WE HAVE A GRANT OF $20,000.00. IF YOU LIVE IN $2000.00 PROJECT, THE CITY WILL BENEFIT YOU POTENTIALLY AT $25,000.00. IF YOU HAVE A $250,000 YOUR PROJECT , YOU WILL GET $25,000.00. AND THAT IS GETTING TO THE BLIGHT ISSUE.
THE MORE EXTENSIVE THE PROJECT, YOU WILL STILL BE MAXED OUT. IF I GOT A $50,000 YOUR PROJECT, I'M GETTING 25, DOING PRETTY GOOD VERSUS $250,000 PROJECT, I'M STILL DOING GOOD, BUT NOT ANYWHERE NEAR THIS. I AM NOT SURE IF THAT IS DISTURBING ANYBODY ELSE, BUT IT CONCERNS ME FOR THESE LARGER PROJECTS. BUT I DON'T WANT TO MUDDY THE WATERS.
THAT IS JUST MY OBSERVATION. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
WHEN THIS GRANT GOES OUT , I THINK THE LANGUAGE SAYS UP TO 25,000. THEY KNOW IF IT COMING WITH THE 20 $50,000 YOUR
PROJECT. >> I GET IT. IT'S 25. I GET WHERE YOU'RE GOING, THOUGH. I GET WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
>> I GUESS I JUST WANT MORE PARITY IN SPREADING AROUND. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS.
>> GARCIA, YOU SAID THESE WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT WEE
ELIGIBLE OR FIVE X >> QUALIFIED THAT SUMMITTED ALML
OF THE REQUIREMENTS. YES. >> THAT SUBMITTED? THERE WERE OTHERS, BUT THERE WAS SHORT PAPERWORK OR SOMETHING?
>> CORRECT, YES. THEY DO NOT PROVIDE THE RESIDENCE. ONE OF
THEM -- >> WE HAVE FIVE, BUT THAT IS NOT THE EASY THING TO DO. BUT THAT'S MY THOUGHT PROCESS.
>> TO TABLE THIS FOR NOW, AND HAVE THEM COME BACK WITH THAT
PERHAPS? >> I'M JUST SPECULATING TO SUGGEST THAT WE WANT TO AWARD EVERYBODY THAT CAME INTO THIS PARTICULAR ROUND, POTENTIALLY EVEN ELIMINATE THIS BECAUSE IT IS NOT A FACADE ISSUE, ANALYZE THAT TO DETERMINE IF THAT IS THE CASE, AND CONFORM THAT, WE HAVE FOUR. FOUR QUALIFYING PROJECTS. I DON'T KNOW. IT IS MESSY. I AM JUST SUGGESTING , SPREADING AROUND SEEMS TO BE A LOT MORE OF AN ADVANTAGEOUS APPROACH. WITH THIS, WE HAVE FUN THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. I LIKE THAT IDEA A LOT. WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS IS THIS A FACADE PIECE OR NOT?
>> THE STAFF ONLY HAD ONE RECOMMENDATION, AND DID NOT INCLUDE THAT ONE. THE COMMITTEE , SOMEBODY ON THE COMMITTEE
MUST HAVE PROMOTED THIS. >> YES, THEY SPOKE REGARDING THE PAL CENTER BECAUSE OF HOW IT BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY.
>> THEY COME TO THE CRA? >> NO, THEY WERE NOT PRESENT.
JUST CONVERSATION AMONGST THE COMMITTEE.
[00:35:02]
>> YES, SIR? >> HOW MANY OTHER APPLICANTS WERE THERE THAT DO NOT QUALIFY? DO YOU RECALL?
>> THERE WERE 10 ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS.
>> 10 ADDITIONAL? SO, THEY ARE VERY CLOSE POSSIBLY TO QUALIFICATION. RIGHT? SO, MY POINT IN THE QUESTION IS NOT NECESSARILY HOW MANY COULD WE HAVE, AS MUCH AS IS THE WORD OUT THERE? THAT IS REALLY THE BASIS OF MY QUESTION. TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORD IS OUT THERE. AND BECAUSE WE HAVE 300,000, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO REDEVELOPMENT, WHICH WE ARE . YOU KNOW, A BUDGET IS A BUDGET. HOWEVER WE SPEND IT IS HOWEVER WE SPEND IT. WE ALLOCATE AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS, YOU KNOW, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AT THE SAME TIME. SO, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO MAYBE JUST HOLD OFF ON THE 2203 UNTIL WE GET A LITTLE MORE CLARIFICATION ON THE ACTUAL VERIFICATION ON THE FACADE PORTION OF IT. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION. WELL INTENDED, I UNDERSTAND IT, VERY GOOD USE.
>> IT'S A GOOD CAUSE. >> RIGHT. BUT YOU BRING UP A POINT. I DO NOTHING ABOUT IT THAT WAY. WHEN YOU SAID IT, I THOUGHT YES, I AM A DEFINITIONS PERSON. SO, I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD DO THAT. BUT ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T AGREE HAVE TO RECOMMEND THE HIGHEST FOR EVERY SINGLE APPLICANT. THE HIGHEST 50% OR THE 25,000. SO, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BASED ON THE SCORING THAT OUR COMMITTEE PERFORMED, THEY DID A GOOD JOB WITH THE SCORING. YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH, YOU
KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE -- >> WOULD YOU PUT THAT BACK UP ON THE SCREEN FOR ME PLEASE? SCORING?
>> I WOULD BE COMFY IN THE RANGE OF, YOU KNOW, 15 OR 20,000 FOR THE TOP RANK, AND THEN COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, 10,000 FOR EACH AMONG THE LAST THREE THERE TO BE HONEST WITH
>> AND THAT WE ARE NOT OVERSPENDING ON SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY ON ITS WAY TO ALREADY LOOKING GOOD.
>> THERE'S MORE BENEFIT. >> YES.
>> I AM LAUGHING, BECAUSE I HAVE ALREADY CALCULATED THE
NUMBERS. >> HOW IS IT? TO FIGURE IT OUT?
>> WELL, I HAD, YOU KNOW , I HAD, OKAY, 15, 15 WAS TOO
HIGH, 10, 10, 10 . >> EXACTLY WHAT I JUST SAID.
>> OKAY, EXCEPT FOR VALUING NUMBER TWO.
>> YOU KNOW I AM -- I WILL FIGHT FOR THE KIDS. AND I UNDERSTAND . I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE BUILDING LOOKS NICE.
BUT THEN I GO BACK TO MY WHOLE ORANGE AVENUE CORRIDOR IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD. SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD RATHER GIVE SOMETHING.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO GIVE THEM 25, BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID , SOMETHING, BECAUSE WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO SPUR WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IN ORANGE AVENUE, ANYWAY, AND THEY TO DO A LOT FOR THE KIDS. THEY DO DO A LOT FOR THE KIDS.
SO, THAT IS MY ONLY OTHER THING ON THAT. IF WE SAID NO TO THAT, I THINK I WOULD TRY TO FIGHT FOR THEM. BUT, I CAN AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO GIVE THEM 25. IF THAT IS THE LOWEST NUMBER ON HERE, THAT IS FINE WITH ME SITTING RIGHT HERE. BUT THAT IS THE NUMBERS I CAME UP WITH,
JEREMIAH. >> SO, WE WERE RIGHT ON TARGET.
I HEARD THEM SAY 15, 15, 10, 10, 10. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> I'M FINE WITH IT. I THINK WE JUST HAVE A TECHNICALITY FOR NOW. NO SAYING THAT THEY WANT, BUT IT IS NOT A FACADE. IT IS PROBABLY A MUCH NEEDED SHADE.
>> ABBY OBVIOUSLY FOR THEM TO HAVE AN OUTSIDE.
>> RIGHT. >> AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD OFFER UP THE CONTRIBUTIONS TO SHOW THAT THEY HAD THE FUNDS, OR THE MATCHING PHONES, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHO FILLED OUT THAT APPLICATION. YOU REMEMBER WHOSE
NAME WAS ON IT? >> YES. THE NEW SHERIFF.
>> OKAY. >> I HEAR MY COLLEAGUE. I HEAR MY COLLEAGUES. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE SCORES , IF YOU LOOK AT THE SCORES , YOU KNOW, WE DID NOT COME UP WITH THE CRITERIA HERE. BUT THEY MAXED OUT, YOU KNOW, AND A COUPLE OF CATEGORIES. SO, I KNOW WE WANT TO GO BACK, BUT THEY MAXED OUT IN A COUPLE OF OUR CATEGORIES THAT WE SET OUT. SO, WHATEVER
[00:40:01]
THEY DID TO NOT BE IN THE TEAM THAT DID NOT MAKE IT , THEY DID WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO IS ON THE CRITERIA THAT WE PUT OUT. SO, WHAT I AM FEELING NOW IS THAT, OKAY, WE PUT OUTTHIS CRITERIA, IT CAME BACK IN, AND THEY DID WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO. IT WAS LIKE OKAY, WAIT A MINUTE, WE DO LIKE THE CRITERIA BECAUSE IT IS NOT A FACADE. THAT'S THE ONLY PROBLEM I'M HAVING. IF THEY WERE JUST COMING IN THE FIRSTTIME -- >> IT IS CALLED A FACADE GRANT.
>> AND UNDERSTAND, MADAM. BUT THEY FOLLOWED OUR CRITERIA THAT WE SET OUT. TO AT LEAST TWO OF THE CRITERIA , THEY GOT THE MAXIMUM POINTS. WHOEVER GRADED THEM GAVE THEM THE MAXIMUM POINTS. IN THE BUSINESS TYPE, AND THEN THE FPRA , THEY GOT
THE MAXIMUM POINTS. >> I GET IT. I KNOW THAT.
>> OKAY. I WILL BE QUIET. >> NO.
>> AGAIN. I AM FINE. I HEAR EVERYBODY, AND I AM FINE WITH NOT SAYING OKAY, WE WILL GRANT THEM $25,000.00. I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I DON'T WANT TO NOT GRANT HIM ANYTHING, BECAUSE THEY DID WHAT WE ASKED THEM TO DO. THAT'S ALL I AM SAYING. IF YOU DROP IT DOWN, LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE DON'T THINK IT IS A FACADE, BUT YOU DID EVERYTHING THAT WE ASKED YOU TO DO, SO HERE IS $5000.00, I AM GOOD WITH THAT. BECAUSE IT IS US TO UP TO MAKE THE AMOUNT. IT IS NOT SAY THEY WILL GET $25,000.00. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
>> YES. >> I CAN LIVE WITH THAT.
>> OKAY. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
>> I HEAR WHAT HE IS SAYING , AND HE HAS A POINT. I STILL THINK THAT VISUAL IMPACT IS THE HIGHEST ONE. AND IT DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH VISUAL IMPACT . IT HAS TO DO WITH HELPING THE KIDS, WHICH IS A GOOD THING. WHICH IS A GOOD THING. BUT I WOULD SAY, I DON'T FORGET QUALIFIES MYSELF.
THAT'S JUST MY THING. >> COULD YOU GO BACK TO THAT
PROPOSED? >> THE PROPOSAL FOR THE PAL? SURE. HERE IS THE AERIAL VIEW.
>> SO, THE FRONT PART OF THAT BUILDING IS FACING ORANGE.
THAT IS THE FRONT PART. >> CORRECT.
>> ALL RIGHT. AND THAT PROPOSAL SAYS CONCRETE AREA, WE ARE PUTTING A STRUCTURE ON THE SIDE THAT WOULD PROVIDE US
>> FOR THE CONCRETE OVER HERE.
>> CORRECT. >> AND I AM ASSUMING THERE IS A FIT THERE. I AM ASSUMING THAT SHADE OF STRUCTURE WOULD PROBABLY BE WITHIN A FENCED AREA, BECAUSE OTHER PART LOOKS LIKE THE PARKING LOT. SO THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY SHADING
GO BACK TO THE SCORING SHEET? SO MORE TIME? WHERE YOU HAD ALL OF THEM? OKAY. WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY GOT TO VISUAL IMPACT OF 75 POINTS ON THAT. BECAUSE THEY DON'T EVEN SHOW WHAT THAT STRUCTURE LOOKS LIKE. YOU'RE GOING TO TELL ME YOU'RE GOING TO PUT SOMETHING THERE, WHERE IS ALL IS THE OTHER PROPOSALS ACTUALLY SHOWED YOU BEFORE AND
AFTER PICTURES. >> COMMISSIONER J. JOHNSON, I AGREE WITH THAT. THAT'S MY POINT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE.
WE DID IN GRADE THE STUFF. >> I UNDERSTAND.
>> EVEN WITH THE VISUAL, EVEN WITH THE VISUAL POINT SYSTEM , THEY WERE GIVING 75, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN MY OTHER THREE.
YOU KNOW, THE 150, THAT'S THE MOST YOU CAN GET. SO, THEY GAVE IT TO THE ATTORNEY BUILDING, YOU KNOW , WHO IS BOLD AND P.A. BUT EVEN WHOEVER THE STAFF WAS, AND WHATEVER THEY LOOKED AT, THEY GAVE THEM 75.
>> WHICH I AM DISAGREEING WITH . THAT STAFF RANKED IN THAT HIGH. OKAY? BECAUSE WHILE I AM SUPPORTING AND CAN SUPPORT THEM, IT IS HARD FOR ME VISUALLY TO SEE WITH THE END PRODUCT LOOKS LIKE, AND HOW DID THEY GET THERE. I'M ALL ABOUT
SUPPORTING THE KIDS. >> RIGHT. SO YOUR HESITATION IS YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE WHAT IT IS?
>> EXACTLY. >> I CAN LIVE WITH THAT. I CAN
LIVE WITH THAT. >> OR, BECAUSE, TO ME, THEIR PACKAGE, GO BACK TO THAT SCREEN ONE MORE TIME. THEY DID NOT
[00:45:03]
SHOW US THE END PRODUCT. >> I CAN LIVE WITH THAT. I GOT
>> I AGREE WITH THAT. SHOW ME WHAT YOU ARE DOING. MACEO
VISUALLY LOOKS. >> BECAUSE I GUESS I'M GOING ON RECORD TO SAY THAT I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE WITH THE EVALUATORS AT THIS POINT ON WHERE DID THEY GET 75 WITH JUST
>> I ASK A QUESTION? IS IT 75? THAT 25÷3?
>> IT COULD BE ONE EVALUATING WHO GRANTED THEM 75 POINTS, OR ON A VALUE OR 25, 25, AND 25. SO, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A MIX OF
ALL OF THEM. >> NOT TO BEAT THIS THING TO DEATH, BUT YOU HAVE A VALID POINT. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE BUYING. SECONDARILY, A FACADE IS NOT NECESSARILY JUST ON THE
FRONT OF THE BUILDING. >> THAT IS WHERE I WAS GOING.
I'M OKAY WITH THAT. ONE MY MIND FLASHES BACK, I NEED TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. A RECENT ONE OF THOSE OTHER PICTURES, WE SEE WHAT THE END RESULT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
>> YES, SIR? >> BEING THAT THIS IS AN OPEN PROGRAM, WE HAVE $300,000.00 IN A PILE THAT PERSPECTIVE CONTRACTORS, BUSINESS OWNERS ARE GOING TO APPLY FOR , AND SEEING THAT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION UNKNOWN, AND I GUESS A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AS TO THE RANKING, WHY DON'T WE JUST REMOVE THISAT THIS TIME , AND THE APPLICANT CAN, AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ? BEING THAT THIS IS AN OPEN PROGRAM, IT CAN BE CONSIDERED AT ANY TIME.
>> SO, IF THEY PROVIDE THE INFORMATION, IF WE CAN HAVE THE
THING BACK NEXT MONTH? Ú>> YES. FOR YOUR REVIEW AND
DETERMINATION OF FUNDING. >> I THINK THAT IS THERE.
>> IF APPROPRIATE. >> I DON'T WANT TO KICK IT DOWN
THE ROAD. >> I WANTED TO COME HERE AND PRESENT, THEY WILL DOES PROVIDE THE INFORMATION. RIGHT?
>> PROVIDE THE INFORMATION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
>> THAT'S AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE.
>> I AGREE. >> WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET THROUGH IS IT WENT THROUGH, THEY HAD A SUMMITTED FLEET. I'M TRYING TO GET IN MY MIND A MONETARY AWARD FOR THEM. I CAN SEE IT IS NOT 25,000. BUT WHAT I AM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS A 10, IS A FIVE, IS IT 7500? A VISUAL WILL HELP ME.
>> WE WILL SEEK ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THIS APPLICANT , AND THEN IT WILL BE PROVIDED TO STAFF FOR YOUR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION AT A FUTURE MEETING. SO THEN, THAT BRINGS US TO COMMISSIONER J. JOHNSON FORMULATION OF 15, 10, 10, 10.
YES, SIR? >> BUT WE ARE NOT DOING THAT.
WE ARE GOING TO WAIT? OR ARE WE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD?
>> I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FOUR.
>> GOT IT. OKAY. I AM FINE WITH THAT.
>> I BELIEVE IT JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE. THEY PROVIDED IN THEIR SPECIFIC APPLICATION, THEY PROVIDED ENGINEERED -- RE-ENGINEERED BUILDING PLANS. THEY DID NOT PRESENT WHAT IT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, WHAT COLOR DID THEY PICK. IT WAS A
>> BUT WAS AN ENGINEERING DRAWING. RIGHT?
>> YES. WAS ENGINEER DRAWINGS. AS OF WEDNESDAY EVENING WHEN WE HAD OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE CRA ADVISORY COMMITTEE ASKED ME TO REACH OUT TO PEARSON AND REQUEST THAT INFORMATION. BUT AS OF TODAY, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED IT.
>> IT DELAYS IT A MONTH. >> THE BILL ON THAT AS WELL IS THE BUSINESS TYPE COMPONENTS. YOU KNOW, JUST WHATEVER DESCRIPTION QUALITIES THEY CAN PROVIDE . YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING . TO SUPPORT YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY , THE RATE BE ANOTHER PROGRAM WITHIN THE CRA THAT WE VOTE ON WITHIN OUR BUDGET THAT PROVIDES EXACTLY THAT, AND OUT THERE A SPECIFIC FACADE GRANT. WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM $50,000.00. I DON'T KNOW. I DO KNOW, BUT I JUST WANT TO DO THE RESEARCH SO THAT WE ARE NOT DISCUSSING IT APPEAR UNTIL IT IS APPROPRIATE.
>> I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING. AND YEAH, THEY DO GOOD THINGS.
THAT IT IS TEED UP THAT WE GET THIS THING BACK HERE NEXT MONTH. I DON'T WANT TO KICK IT BACK DOWN THE ROAD.
>> NO, BRING IT BACK. >> I AGREE. YEAH, WILL MAKE A
DECISION. I AGREE. >> MADAM MAYOR, I HAVE ANOTHER
QUESTION NOT ON THIS TOPIC. >> OKAY.
>> SEVERAL OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE IN HIS HISTORIC PRESERVATION DISTRICT. YOU'LL HAVE TO GET AN APPROVAL BEFORE
PERMITTING. CORRECT? >> CORRECT.
>> I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS NOT BEING SIDETRACKED WITH THIS PROCESS. OKAY, I AM GOOD. IT'S NOT A DEBATE.
>> 15, 10, 10, 10? >> THAT WAS MY THOUGHT PROCESS.
YES, SIR. >> TO SOMEBODY WANT TO MAKE A
MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? >> I AM READY FOR THAT PART.
>> MADAM CHAIR, AND MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GRANT THE APPLICANT , THE FIRST APPLICANT 15, THE THIRD APPLICANT 10, THE FOURTH APPLICANT, THE ONLY TO NAME THEM?
[00:50:05]
>> YOU MIGHT WANT TO NAME THEM. >> ARRAY, NO PROBLEM. SCRATCH THAT. I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE AWARD GLORIA BOWDEN 15,000 , 500 RIDGE AVENUE, 10, 701 ATLANTIC AVENUE, 10, 710
ORANGE AVENUE, 10,000. >> IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND. >> CALL THE ROLE, PLEASE.
>> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK? >> YES.
>> COMMISSIONER GAINES? >> YES.
>> COMMISSIONER C. JOHNSON? >> YES.
>> COMMISSIONER J. JOHNSON? >> YES.
>> MADAM MAYOR, BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE RECORD IS CLEAR THAT WE RE-EVALUATE 2203 . A HAVE TO BE PART OF THE NOTION, WE JUST HAVE TO VOTE BEFORE. CHAIR, IF YOU WANT A MOTION, THAT IS FINE.
>> I THINK WE ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT. WOULD YOU LIKE A MOTION? DO YOU HAVE DIRECTION PACK
>> I RECEIVED YOUR DIRECTION . WE SHALL PROCEED.
[b. Oaks at Moore's Creek Phase II Update]
>> IT WILL BE PROPERLY DOCUMENTED IN THE MINUTES.
>> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. >> OKAY, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS OAKS AT MOORE'S CREEK PHASE TWO UPDATE.
>> ALL RIGHT. >> MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE FPRA BOARD, WE HAVE WITH US A SPECIAL PROJECT COORDINATOR, WHO IS GOING TO INTRODUCE -- WHO IS GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENT TEAM THAT SOME OF YOU MET EARLIER TODAY
FOR THE FACE OF VELTMAN. >> ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE GOING TO
INTRODUCE SOMEBODY FOR US. >> THANK YOU, MR. MEMES.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND THE BOARD. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR PARTNERS IN THE OAKS AT MOORE'S CREEK PHASE TWO OBTAINABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECT THAT WE BROKE GROUND ON TODAY. WE HAVE DEVELOPER DANIEL ROSEMOND WITH US. ALSO, HIS ASSISTANT, THE QUEEN MARIA, AND WE ALSO HAVE COREY , I FORGOT YOUR LAST NAME, COREY. O'GORMAN. THEY ARE PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM THAT THE CITY FPRA HAS BEEN WORKING WITH TO BRING THIS PROJECT TO FRUITION TODAY . I WILL ASK DANNY TO COME UP AS HE PULLS UP HIS PRESENTATION TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE PROGRESS , AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE DID.
>> WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SIR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME HERE TO THE MICROPHONE? IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. SINCE
MADAM MAYOR. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS DANIEL ROSEMOND. AS AUDREY MENTIONED, I AM THE CEO. WE ARE A NONPROFIT, AND WE ARE THE DEVELOPERS OF THE OAKS AT MOORE'S CREEK PHASE TWO. TONIGHT, WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON OUR EFFORTS TO DO THE OUTREACH TO POTENTIAL BUYERS. THIS HAS BEEN, AS MR. MIMS ALLUDED TO THIS MORNING, THIS IS BEEN A VERY LONG PROCESS. ONE OF THE VERY CHALLENGING ASPECTS OF THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN TO REALLY NOT ONLY ENGAGE POTENTIAL BUYERS, BUT TO KEEP THEM ENGAGED OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
THAT HAS BEEN VERY, VERY INTERESTING TO SAY THE LEAST.
AND WE WILL GET INTO SOME OF THOSE DETAILS AS WE GO ALONG IN THE PRESENTATION. SO, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW ON THE PROJECT , THESE WERE THE FOUR MODELS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO BUILD . AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY ARE ALL THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH. VERY GENEROUS SQUARE FOOTAGE BASED UPON WHAT IS BEING BUILT IN THE SPACE IN THE AFFORDABLE OBTAINABLE HOUSING SPACE TODAY. AND ALL 15 SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES ARE BEING SOLD TO FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS BETWEEN 80% AND 120% AMI. THAT IS THE PROJECT IN A NUTSHELL. THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE EXECUTED WITH THE FORT PIERCE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WAS TO PROVIDE A POTENTIAL HOME BUYER PLAN THAT WAS EXHIBIT G IN OUR DEVELOPING AGREEMENT. IN THAT EXHIBIT, WE IDENTIFIED OUTREACH TO EMPLOYERS OFFERING CITY EMPLOYEES PARTNER WITH LOCAL REALTORS AND HOUSING AUTHORITIES, APPEALING TO VETERANS , COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL VENDORS, AND ESTABLISHING A PROJECT WEBSITE. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO STAND HERE AND TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE MET OR EXCEEDED ALL OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS IN OUR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. WE DON'T SAY THAT BOASTFULLY, WE SAY THAT TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSCORE HOW IMPORTANT THIS PROJECT IS FOR US AS AN ORGANIZATION. AND, HOW WE REALLY, REALLY WANTED TO
[00:55:02]
EMPHASIZE LOCAL PARTICIPATION FROM THE HOMEBUYERS. WE, I THINK BEYOND WHAT HAS BEEN EXPECTED , AND WHAT WE WILL COVER IN THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT ARE JUST SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY MORE CALLS, EMAILS, MEETINGS, ET CETERA. WE STARTED OFF BY A FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS PROGRAM WORKSHOP THAT WAS HOSTED BY THE CITY'S GRANT DEPARTMENT BACK IN SEPTEMBER 18TH OF 2021. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE PARTICIPATED IN REMOTELY AT THE TIME. IF YOU'LL REMEMBER JUST ON THE HEELS OF COVID, THERE IS A SATURDAY WORKSHOP . WE DEVELOPED INFORMATIONAL FLYERS, AND WERE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THE GRANTS DEPARTMENT AT THE TIME . IN THE FLYERS, WE PROVIDED THE MODEL RENDERINGS, THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AT THAT TIME IN 2021 FOR ST. LOUIS COUNTY , AND OUR CONTACT INFORMATION. THE FLYERS WERE DONE IN SPANISH, ENGLISH, AND CREOLE, BECAUSE WE WERE ADVISED BY THE GRANTS DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAD A WIDE RANGE OF INDIVIDUALS OR HOUSEHOLD OR POTENTIAL HOMEBUYERS THAT WERE GOING TO BE COMING TO THE WORKSHOP. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE MOST, I THINK, PROUD OF THAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT MOVE FOR US WAS ESTABLISHING A PROJECT WEBSITE. THIS PARTICULAR WEBSITE WAS A WAY FOR US TO CAPTURE ANY POTENTIAL BUYERS THAT WANTED INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT. RATHER THAN HAVING PEOPLE GET MISINFORMATION OVER THE PHONE , OR NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WERE SAYING, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE HAD A LANDING PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO TO TO GET THE PROJECT INFORMATION. BUT WE WENT ONE STEP FURTHER IN WORKING WITH THE CITY'S SPECIAL PROJECT OR NADER. WE WANTED TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENTS THAT THE CITY WAS MAKING IN THE LINCOLN PARK NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFICALLY. WE THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM MANY BUYERS WAS A LITTLE APPREHENSION ABOUT BUYING A NEW HOME IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. SO, WE WANTED TO GIVE THEM, AS WE TALK ABOUT THIS MORNING, MAYOR, WANTED TO GIVE THEM A VISION OF WHAT WAS COMING. ALL RIGHT NOW, BUT IN THE FUTURE. WE WANTED THEM TO SEE ALL OF THE INVESTMENT THAT THIS BOARD AND THE CITY COMMISSION ARE MAKING WITHIN THE CITY. SO, WHAT THE LANDING PAGE CONTAINS IS ALL OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT THE CITY IS DOING, AND WE EVEN PROVIDED SOME INFORMATION FOR CALLERS THAT TALKS ABOUT WHAT HOME VALUES DO OR HOW THEY ARE IMPACTED BY PUBLIC INVESTMENT WITHIN A FIVE MILE RADIUS. ALL OF THAT IS CONTAINED IN THE PROJECT WEBSITE. IT ALSO HAS A SECTION WHERE THE POTENTIAL BUYERS CAN ANSWER A SIMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE TO GET STARTED.THEY PROVIDE THEIR NAME, THEIR HOUSEHOLD INCOME , AND WHETHER THEY ARE WORKING WITH A LENDER. SO, WE GET THOSE EMAILS, AND WE IMMEDIATELY RESPOND TO THOSE POTENTIAL HOMEBUYERS. THE MAJOR EMPLOYERS IN THE CITY, WE HAD A PRETTY EXTENSIVE LIST.
HOWEVER, WE SORTED THIS LIST BY EMPLOYERS THAT HAD A MINIMUM OF 300 EMPLOYEES. SO, WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A SLAMDUNK , AND WE WERE, AGAIN, CHALLENGED BY A RELUCTANCE BY SOME OF THE HR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION TO THOSE EMPLOYEES. AND WHAT WE SENT THEM WAS A VERY SIMILAR FLYER LIKE WE SHARED WITH THE HOME BUYER WORKSHOPS. WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FILTERED TO THOSE HR DEPARTMENTS POSTED ON, YOU KNOW, A BULLETIN BOARD. AND EVEN IF THEY HAVE BULLETIN BOARDS IN WORKSPACES ANYMORE. MOST THE TIME, PEOPLE GET STUFF ON THEIR PHONES. BUT WE REALLY THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT. WE EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE EITHER GOT NO REPLIES, OR THERE WAS A RELUCTANCE IN SAYING THAT WE DON'T DO ANY MARKETING FOR OUTSIDE DEVELOPMENT, OR PRIVATE PARTY PROJECTS. SO, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A CONCERN ON OUR END AS A TEAM, GIVEN THE STATE OF THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA , WE THOUGHT SURELY MAJOR EMPLOYERS WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO TRY TO GET THIS INFORMATION OUT THERE. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE LEARNED THAT THERE IS SOME RELUCTANCE OR CONCERNS AND GETTING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROJECTS LIKE THE OAKS AT MOORE'S CREEK IN THE HANDS OF THE EMPLOYEES. WE ALSO MET WITH INCUBATOR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER. THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM FLORIDA HOUSING CORPORATION. THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS, OR THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING A HUD CERTIFIED COUNSELING AGENCY . AT THE TIME WHEN WE HAD OUR MEETINGS WITH
[01:00:03]
AND KEEP IT NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY HAD A LIST OF HOMEBUYERS THAT THEY HAD BEEN WORKING WITH EITHER DOING CREDIT REPAIR , OR REALLY JUST IDENTIFYING PRODUCTS THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO BUY. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FOUND, OR ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM OUR OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THANK YOU NEIGHBORHOODS. A LOT OF BUYERS WERE APPROVED, BUT THEY CANNOT FIND A PRODUCT THAT THEY COULD EITHER AFFORD , OR WHERE THEY WANTED TO LIVE. SO, IT WAS THIS QUANDARY WERE WE FELT THIS PROJECT FIT VERY, VERY NICELY IN. WE ALSO HAD MEETINGS WITH PARTNER LENDERS, AND WE IDENTIFIED A COUPLE OF THE LENDERS THAT WE HAD OFFICIALLY PARTNERED WITH, AND WE ACTUALLY PROVIDED THESE PARTNER LENDERS AS PART OF THAT WEBSITE THAT I SHOWED YOU A FEW MOMENTS AGO. THIS WAS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED AND I HAVE LEARNED IN THE COURSE OF MY CAREER IS THAT FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS REALLY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FIRST STEP IS. SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS TO HAVE PARTNER LENDERS THAT IF, IN FACT WHEN THE ANSWER THE QUESTIONNAIRE, IF THEY ARE NOT WORKING WITH A LENDER, WE GIVE THEM A COUPLE OF OPTIONS. WE WEREN'T STEERING THEM TO ONE LENDER OR ANOTHER. WE JUST SAID THESE WERE A COUPLE OF LENDERS THAT WE HAVE CHOSEN TO PARTNER WITH. YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THEM. THEY EACH HAVE DIFFERENT UNDERWRITING CRITERIA, THEIR PROGRAMS WERE A LITTLE BIT. , BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE MEETINGS TOOK PLACE OCTOBER 5TH, AND THESE ARE JUST A SAMPLE OF THE ONES THAT WE HAD IDENTIFIED. WE HAD REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL OTHER LOCAL LENDERS, BUT THESE WERE THE ONES THAT WERE RESPONSIVE AT THE TIME. WE ALSO HAD HOMEBUYER TOWN HALL MEETINGS. THERE WERE TWO MEETINGS HELD VIA ZOOM. ONE OCTOBER 30TH AT 3:00 P.M. , AND THE SECOND ONE WAS ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25TH AT 10:30 IN THE MORNING, MAINLY BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME POTENTIAL BUYERS ON THAT LIST THAT INCUBATOR NEIGHBORHOOD HAD THAT HAD WORKED ON OURS, AND THEY WERE ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE MORNINGS. THEY WEREN'T AVAILABLE IN THE AFTERNOON MEETING TIME. WE HAD OVER 50 POTENTIAL HOMEBUYERS JOINING THOSE ZOOM TOWN HALL MEETINGS.IT WAS VERY WELL PARTICIPATED. THE RESULTS WERE NOT AS MUCH AS WE WOULD HAVE HOPED. AND I WILL GET TO THAT TOWARDS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION. WE ALSO HAD OUTREACH TO THE FORT PIERCE HOUSING AUTHORITY. MISS BENJAMIN, THEY EXPLAINED THAT THEY HAVE A PROGRAM FOR PARTICIPANTS THAT WERE COMING OUT OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY RENTAL PROGRAM THAT CAN , THEY PUT MONEY ASIDE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT TO BUY, AND IT IS ALMOST LIKE AN ESCORT ACCOUNT WHEN THEY IDENTIFY A PROPERTY, THAT ESCORT ACCOUNTS CAN GO TOWARDS THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. BECAUSE THIS PROJECT HAD BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS EITHER MOVED OUT OF THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY AREA, OR THEY HAD SOME CREDIT REPAIR ISSUES. THESE ARE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS NOW THAT WE ARE GETTING READY TO BREAK GROUND. THESE ARE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS, AND SOME OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS IN THAT PROGRAM WITHIN THE FORT PIERCE HOUSING AUTHORITY ARE GOING TO OBVIOUSLY BE IN PLAY WE HOPE. WE ALSO INSTALLED THE SIGN ON 13TH STREET ON PROPERTY THAT WAS OWNED BY THE CITY, I BELIEVE. MISS ANDREA AND I ENGAGED IN A LOCAL LICENSE REALTOR. THOSE OF YOU THAT ATTENDED THIS MORNING, YOU MET HER . VERY WELL CONNECTED. BORN AND RAISED IN THE FORT PIERCE COMMUNITY. SO, SHE HAS A LOT OF CONNECTIONS WITH FOLKS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. SO, SHE HAS BEEN REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO WALK INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THE PROCESS OF COLLECTING THE DOCUMENTS, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY RESPOND TO THE QUESTIONS FROM LENDERS. SHE IS THERE AT THE TOP LEFT OF THIS. THIS IS A COMMITTEE PODCAST THAT TOOK PLACE RECENTLY ON OCTOBER 28TH, I BELIEVE. THAT IS ME AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CENTER PICTURE. I PROMISE YOU THAT I AM NOT ASLEEP. I WAS AWAKE. I WAS FULLY ENGAGED. I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT WAS THE SHOT THAT WAS TAKEN , BUT I PROMISE YOU, I WAS PRESENT. THIS IS A SITE PLAN THAT OUR TEAM HAS WORKED ON . THIS IS REALLY TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE FOLKS THAT WE HAVE IN PLAY RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE SIX BUYERS WITH RESERVATION DEPOSIT AGREEMENTS. WHAT A RESERVATION DEPOSIT AGREEMENT IS IS A DOCUMENT THAT TELLS US HEY, I HAVE BEEN PREAPPROVED FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT , AND THIS IS THE MODEL AND THE LOT THAT I HAVE SELECTED. WE PROVIDE THIS BECAUSE AS WE GET INQUIRIES, WE SEND IT OUT TO THE NEXT BUYER ,
[01:05:03]
THAT WAY THE KNOW WHICH LOTS ARE ALREADY SPOKEN FOR. NOW, ON THIS LIST, LOT NUMBER EIGHT, I BELIEVE HAS RESCINDED HER RESERVATION DEPOSIT, BECAUSE HER AND HER HUSBAND ARE MOVING OUT OF STATE. THEY ARE MOVING TO GEORGIA. SO, INSTEAD OF SIX, IT IS ACTUALLY FIVE. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE EIGHT ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL BUYERS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE. SO, WE ARE WORKING WITH SEVERAL OTHER POTENTIAL HOMEBUYERS.ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN QUITE THE CHALLENGE, AS YOU ALL HAVE HEARD , OBVIOUSLY, THE INTEREST RATE HIKES HAVE BEEN A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE. BUT, THE FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS OFTEN TIMES , WE HEARD THIS THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS , WHEN THEY ARE GIVEN THE CRITERIA OF EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO PROVIDE, YOUR W-2S, AND YOUR TAX RETURNS AND WHAT HAVE YOU, IT BECOMES OVERWHELMING. I WAS WATCHING SOME OF THE FACES OF THE INDIVIDUALS AS THE DIFFERENT LENDERS WERE GOING THROUGH THEIR UNDERWRITING CRITERIA, AND IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A DEER IN HEADLIGHTS THINKING I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE, LET ALONE BEING ABLE TO FILL OUT THE APPLICATION. WHICH IS WHY MS. COLEMAN HAS BEEN REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL. NOT SO MUCH AS A REALTOR, BUT 70 TO REALLY GUIDE THEM AND SAYING OKAY, LET'S WORK ON ONE THING AT A TIME, AND SENDING THEM CONSTANT REMINDERS OF HEY, DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS OPPORTUNITY. JUST DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE TO GET THESE DOCUMENTS IN PLACE. BUT THAT HAS BEEN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED, AND IT IS NOT UNUSUAL. AGAIN, FOR FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS, IF YOU HAVE NEVER BOUGHT A PROPERTY, IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY OVERWHELMING, AND YOU CAN EASILY GET DERAILED OR DISCOURAGED. SO, WITH THAT, SOME CHALLENGES FACED WITH OUR HOMEBUYERS, AS I MENTIONED, LACK OF RESPONSIVENESS TO DOCUMENT PRODUCTION FROM THE LENDERS. EACH LENDER WILL HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE UNDERWRITING CRITERIA. SOME OF THEM REQUIRE CREDIT SCORES THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN OTHERS, WHICH HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE. AS YOU ALL KNOW, INTEREST RATE INCREASES HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED BUYING CAPACITY. IF A PERSON WAS ABLE TO BUY $3000 YOUR HOME A YEAR AGO , THAT BUYING CAPACITY IS DOWN TO, LIKE, 230, 240 WITH THE INTEREST RATES TODAY. THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE ALSO FACED HAS BEEN WHEN WE STARTED THE PROCESS OF DOING OUTREACH TO POTENTIAL HOMEBUYERS , ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS HE NEEDED TO PROVIDE WAS A PREAPPROVAL LETTER JUST TO SEE WHERE YOU'RE AT IN TERMS OF YOUR MORTGAGE CAPACITY. THOSE PREAPPROVAL LETTERS HAVE A SHELF LIFE OF ABOUT 90 DAYS. SO, IF YOU'RE NOT IN FACT READY TO START, YOU NEED TO GO BACK INTO A PREAPPROVAL LETTER. YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, BECAUSE IT WILL DING YOUR CREDIT SCORE. IT IS BEEN A CONSTANT, THEY MENTION, YOU HAVE TO KEEP FOLKS ENGAGED WHILE NOT NECESSARILY GETTING THEM TO A POINT WHERE THEY ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO QUALIFY. SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ALSO BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. MIMS, AND MISS ANDREA HAS BEEN ADDITIONAL SUBSIDY NEEDED TO QUALIFY SOME OF THE BUYERS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT THE FPRA AND THE CITY HAVE ISSUED , AND WE ARE STILL IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL HEARD ME SAY THAT THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY NECESSARY.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS ORGANICALLY, AND I MENTIONED THAT DURING MY REMARKS THIS MORNING . IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY INTENTIONAL, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EACH ONE OF YOU FOR HAVING THE COURAGE AND THE FORTITUDE TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH REGARD TO THE CONVEYANCE OF THE LAND, AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORK THAT IS THERE. THAT IS VERY, VERY LAUDABLE. BUT I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU GO ALL THE WAY. GO THE DISTANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SUBSIDY THAT IS NEEDED TO GET THESE BUYERS OVER THE HUMP IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. WE PUT TOGETHER THE PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENTS TO ENSURE THAT IF, IN FACT , THE SUBSIDIES THAT ARE PROVIDED TO EACH OF THESE BUYERS , IF THE BUYER DECIDES TO SELL THE HOUSE IN TWO OR THREE YEARS, THOSE SUBSIDIES COME BACK TO THE FPRA. IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE MONEY, AND THEN BE ABLE TO FLIP THE PROPERTY. WE ARE PROVIDING PROTECTIONS IN THE PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENTS, AND IN THE DECLARATIONS COVENANT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE PUBLIC DOLLARS THAT ARE INVESTED AND COME BACK IF IN FACT INDIVIDUALS DECIDE TO LEAVE PREMATURELY. WITH THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
>> ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER?
>> ACTUALLY, I JUST WANT TO START WITH A COMMENT. THANK YOU VERY VERY EXTENSIVE PRESENTATION. WE ALWAYS WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES. WE HAVE PEOPLE DEEP IN THE PIPELINE.
SO, THE STILL 13. I THINK WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 15.
>> RIGHT. >> SO, WHAT ARE THE PLANS TO CONTINUE TOWN HALL ZONE MEETINGS, ET CETERA? ARE THERE
[01:10:03]
PLANS FOR THAT? >> THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY PLAN TO THAT. WE ARE STRATEGICALLY WAITING UNTIL WE BEGIN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRST COUPLE OF UNITS TO HAVE
>> REACTION OF THE HOLIDAYS ARE A LITTLE BIT TYPICAL. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF LUMINARY DATES IN THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY THAT ARE SCHEDULED. SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT WERE IN THE FIRST TOWN HALL MEETINGS ARE GOING TO BE INVITED AGAIN, BUT WE THINK THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT MOMENTUM. ONCE THEY ACTUALLY START SEEING DIRT TURNING, PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE MUCH MORE MOTIVATED. BECAUSE WE HEARD THE COMMENTS FROM A LOT OF FOLKS. WHEN IS IT GOING TO BE BUILT? WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE BUILT? SO, I THINK IT IS GOING TO HIT DIFFERENT, AS HE COULD SAY, THESE DAYS. IT IS GOING TO HIT DIFFERENT ONCE WE START TO SEE THE DIRT TURNING, AND PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE MUCH MORE ENGAGED AND MOTIVATED
TO RESPOND. >> I GLAD YOU SEE THAT. BECAUSE FORT PIERCE IS A C, DO COMMUNITY. SO, WHEN HE SHOWED THAT LIST OF COMMUNITY NON-RESPONSES , I WAS TAKEN
ABACK. I'M SURE WE ALL WERE. >> EMPLOYERS?
>> YES. A NUMBER OF US SIT ON THESE BOARDS AT THESE ENTITIES THAT YOU LISTED THERE. I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE ANOTHER RUN AT THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU INITIALLY AVOIDED SENDING THAT TO THIS BOARD OR MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, BUT I KNOW PERSONALLY THAT I TALK WITH A NUMBER OF THOSE CEOS OR HEADS OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE TRYING TO ALIGN THEIR CURRENT PROGRAMMING TO GET YOUNG PEOPLE TO BUY HOUSES THIS YEAR. A PRIME EXAMPLE IS THE COLLEGE , AND WANTING THEM TO STAY HERE , AND THEIR OPPORTUNITIES. I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO TAKE ANOTHER RUN AT THAT WITH THAT LIST, AND SEE IF WE CAN MAYBE HELP OUT , BECAUSE WE KNOW THE HEADS OF THOSE. SOMETIMES, IF YOU GO THROUGH, I GUESS HE WENT TO THE HR ROUTE, YOU GOT WHAT
YOU GOT. RIGHT X >> WE'VE GOT NO REPLY FROM THE
CITY. >> IS A LITTLE EMBARRASSING.
RIGHT? >> I WILL SAY, AS YOU SAW THIS MORNING, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF CITY EMPLOYERS THAT ARE PART OF THIS. SO, CLEARLY THEY HURT SOMEHOW , AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT MOTIVATED HOMEBUYERS ARE GOING TO FIGURE IT OUT. THEY WILL FIND A WAY. EVEN IF THEY MAY NOT COME THROUGH A CONCERTED EFFORT THROUGH THEIR EMPLOYER, THEY ARE GOING TO FIGURE IT OUT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, THROUGH WORD-OF-MOUTH, ET CETERA. BUT I TOO WAS DISAPPOINTED SPECIFICALLY WITH THE INDIAN RIVER COLLEGE, BECAUSE I THOUGHT , I MEAN, I WAS TELLING MR. MIMS, I SAID THAT I FULLY EXPECT FOR US TO HAVE THE UNITS SOLD OUT, AND A WAITLIST OF OVER 100 PEOPLE. I WAS MY NATIVE EXPECTATION. BUT I APPRECIATE THE OFFER, AND I WILL CERTAINLY WELCOME THAT , BECAUSE I THINK THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY ALIGN THE PHILOSOPHIES OF A LOT OF MAJOR EMPLOYERS. I HAVE HEARD IT FROM A COUPLE OF OTHER CLIENTS WHO ARE SAYING EMPLOYERS ARE HAVING A HARD TIME KEEPING EMPLOYEES,
BECAUSE OF THE COST OF HOUSING. >> RIGHT.
>> SO, MANY EMPLOYEES , ESPECIALLY ENTRY-LEVEL EMPLOYEES, ARE MOVING OUT OF STATE BECAUSE THEY CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. WHEN WE HAD THE NO RESPONSES, IT WAS ALMOST LIKE, WHAT ARE WE DOING? THERE'S A DISCONNECT THERE. SORRY CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE
OFFER. >> MY LAST COMMENT, BECAUSE WE ARE A PARTNER IN THIS, YOU'VE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE IS INVESTED IN THIS. I THINK AS A SUGGESTION, THOSE PEOPLE THAT I MET THAT ARE ALREADY ALIGNED , I THINK WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO CAPTURE THAT ON VIDEO.
ESPECIALLY THOSE CITY EMPLOYEES. AND PUT THAT OUT THERE. BECAUSE WHEN OUR COMMUNITIES SEE PEOPLE THAT THEY SEE EVERY DAY THAT YOU SIGNED UP, IT IS A DIFFERENT RESPONSE. AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO STRIKE WELL IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. WE HAVE A PERSON THAT WORKS IN THIS BUILDING EACH AND EVERY DAY . THEY WILL DO MORE FOR MARKETING THAN ANY OF US COULD EVER DO IF YOU PUT THEIR FACES OUT THERE.
IF YOU CAN GET THEM TO AGREE, I THINK THEY WOULD.
>> AGREED. THANK YOU. >> WHILE YOU THINK ABOUT IT, I CAN AGREE THAT IF ANYBODY COMES TO AN EMPLOYER AND SAYS WE WANT TO PROMOTE OUR PRODUCT, THE STANDARD ANSWER, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHY WE ARE AN EXCEPTION IN THIS PARTICULAR. I THINK THAT IS THE WAY THAT WE CAN HELP , BECAUSE, YEAH, IRS HE WAS ON THEIR , AND EVEN THOUGH DOESN'T RISE TO THE LEVEL 300 PLEASE, I CAN SEE WHERE THAT MIGHT HAVE SOME EMPLOYEES THAT WERE INTERESTED.
AND THEY HAVE NOT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROJECT. THEY HAVE DONE THEIR PART. AND WE ENCOUNTER THIS WHOLE PROBLEM WITH
[01:15:02]
PAPERWORK DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE. BUT WHEN WE DEAL WITH FEDERAL OR STATE FUNDS THAT REQUIRE CERTAIN DOCUMENTATION, WE ENCOUNTER THE SAME PROBLEMS. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THEIR EYES GET WIDE, AND THEY GO I DON'TKNOW WHERE THAT IS. >> AND IT IS NOT UNUSUAL OR UNIQUE TO THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. IS JUST THE NATURE. IT IS THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT THAT ANYBODY WILL MAKE WHEN YOU BUY A HOME. IT BEGS THE REASON THAT NEW APPROACH THIS VERY, VERY SOBERLY. FOR MANY PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE MAYBE WORKING TWO JOBS JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET, YOU JUST DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO ASSEMBLE ALL OF THOSE DOCUMENTS , AND YOU GET DISCOURAGED. SO, I UNDERSTAND. THAT IS WHY WE HAVE NOT BEEN SWAYED BY OUR CONTINUAL EFFORTS. WE WILL DO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF OUTREACH TO POTENTIAL BUYERS.
>> AND IS GOOD FOR THE REALTOR FOR HELPING THEM. THAT IS WHAT WE ENDED UP DOING IN A LOT OF WAYS. AND ALSO, THERE WERE SEVERAL REALTORS . THERE WERE OTHER REALTORS THERE.
>> YES. >> MIGHT BE ANOTHER AUDIENCE.
RIGHT? >> WE HAVE ACTUALLY OPEN THAT
>> EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE ENGAGED ONE TO REPRESENT US, SHE HAS BEEN SO GRACIOUS TO SAY IF YOU HAVE BUYERS THAT MEET THE CRITERIA , WE WILL WORK THAT OUT. SO, WE ARE NOT EXCLUDED ANYONE JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING WITH ANOTHER REALTOR.
SO, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO POINT OUT.
>> NOT TO GET INTO THE WEEDS ON THIS , BUT YOUR BUYERS, OBVIOUSLY , ARE GOING THROUGH UNDERWRITING WITH EXTENSIVE PAPERWORK . THESE PROCESSES ARE REQUIRED. BASED ON THE TIMELINE THAT IT WILL TAKE YOU, THEY HAVE A RATES, LOT, AND A COMMITMENT NOW MOVING FORWARD GETTING INTO CONSTRUCTION AND ALL THAT. IS THERE ANY REAL RISK HERE FOR THE BUYERS THAT THE TIMELINE TO GET A COMPLETED RODDICK TO CLOSING IS GOING TO SUBJECT THEIR RATE LOT AND COMMITMENT DOCUMENTS FROM THE LENDER ? ARE THERE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO COME IN AND REQUALIFY AGAIN, AND POTENTIALLY PAY MORE MONEY, ET CETERA ET CETERA? HOW ARE YOU MANAGING THE WHOLE PROCESS? OF OUR CHALLENGE IS THE PACE OF DEVELOPMENT OR PRODUCTION. IF WE CAN PRODUCE ALL 15 WITHIN A SIX-MONTH PERIOD, THAT WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE. BUT SINCE WE HAVE TO STAGGER THAT, THEN THAT RISK IS CERTAINLY REAL . WE WILL TRY TO MANAGE THAT THE WAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN MANAGING UP UNTIL NOW . JUST TO KEEP PEOPLE REALLY ENGAGE AND GIVE THEM AN IDEA AS TO EITHER UNIT WILL START CONSTRUCTION. AND REALLY, JUST COUNSELING THEM AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING THAT WILL DO TO MENTALLY AFFECT THEIR CREDIT SCORE, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT AVOIDING DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
SO, IF THEY CAN EARN A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THE FLORIDA HOUSING INCOME LIMITS CHANGE EVERY YEAR. THEY PUBLISH ABOUT APRIL EVERY YEAR . SO, NEXT APRIL OR THE SPRING, IT WILL BE A DIFFERENT INCOME LIMIT. SO, MAKING SURE THAT THE LENDERS ARE COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR POTENTIAL BUYERS IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY ARE AT IN TRYING TO LOCK IN THOSE RATES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, OR SAVING THE MONEY THAT THEY NEED FOR DOWN PAYMENT IS ALSO THE THINGS THAT WE ARE COMMUNICATING TO THEM. SO, IT IS A VERY DELICATE DANCE THAT WE WILL HAVE TO PLAY WITH EACH OF THOSE PARTIES.
>> I GUESS MY WHOLE POINT IS THAT YOU NEED TO SEE SOMEBODY THAT HAS TO WALK NOW AND COMMITMENT READY TO DO IT LOSE THAT BECAUSE OF THE TIMELINES FOR CONSTRUCTION. BUT I AM ASSUMING THAT YOU ARE BUILDING THE UNITS THAT YOU HAVE COMMITMENTS FOR FIRST SO THOSE FOLKS AND GET TO BILLING AND
>> 2023 IS ALMOST DONE. EVERYTHING ONE OF THOSE WILL REQUIRE THE TAXES FROM 2023. THEY WILL GO REALLY, MORE PAPERWORK? THAT IS JUST THE WAY IT GOES. I LIKE THE STRATEGY. I LIKE TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO THAT. JESSE CAN HELP THEM CONTINUE ON IN THAT SYSTEM . EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE COMMITTED TODAY, 90 DAYS FROM NOW, THEY MIGHT NOT BE. SO, WORKING WITH HIM CLOSELY I THINK IS AN IMPERATIVE PORTION OF THIS , BECAUSE IT IS NOT GOING TO BE DONE WITHIN THE TIMELINE THAT THE LENDERS REQUIRE.
>> AS YOU SAW, ONE OF THE BUYERS THAT HAS SIGNED A RESERVATION DEPOSIT AGREEMENT ALSO DECIDED TO MOVE OUT OF STATE. SO, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN SO THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THE RESERVATION DEPOSIT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN FULLY REFUNDABLE. BECAUSE OF THAT, WE JUST ONE OF THEM TO LOCK IN THE LOCATION. IF IN FACT THINGS HAPPEN, THEN THEY CERTAINLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PULL OUT .
>> THEY LOCK IN THE LOCATION OF THE PRICE?
>> THE MODEL PRICE IS BLOCKED FOR THE MOST PART. BUT THERE WILL BE SOME OPTIONS WITH REGARD TO THAT.
>> JUST MANAGE THESE FOLKS, BECAUSE THEY WILL NEED SOME HANDHOLDING TO GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. THAT IS THE MOST
>> WHAT IS THE INCOME? ACTUAL NUMBER?
[01:20:02]
>> IT DEPENDS ON HOUSEHOLD SIZE. DEPENDING ON THE HOUSEHOLD SIDE, FLORIDA HOUSING PUBLISHES THE 80% LEVEL UP TO 120%. BUT DEPENDING ON HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE REPORTED IN THE HOUSEHOLD, THERE IS A STALE.
>> IF YOU'RE A FAMILY OF FOUR, WHAT COULD YOU ANTICIPATE IS
THAT? >> RIGHT NOW IT IS 67 . 67,000
FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR. >> THANK YOU. EVERYONE USES THE PERCENTAGES, AND IT JUST IS NOT QUITE -- WHEN I WANT TO SHARE IT WITH PEOPLE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO, YOU KNOW ?
>> WHAT WE DID IS IF YOU REMEMBER FROM THE SLIDE ON THE FLYERS, WE ACTUALLY PROVIDED THEM THE TABLE SO THAT THEY COULD SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN MY HOUSEHOLD, AND WHAT IS THE INCOME. BECAUSE YOU GENERALLY KNOW HOW MUCH YOU MAKE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THOSE WORKSHOPS WE TALKED ABOUT IS PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW THAT CHILD SUPPORT OR DISABILITY COUNTS TOWARDS YOUR HOUSEHOLD INCOME. SO, WE MADE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT ALL OF THAT COUNTS TOWARDS YOUR INCOME. SO, YOU EITHER MAY NEED TO THAT OR GO OVER THAT.
AND WE HAVE BEEN EDUCATING OUR LENDERS AS WELL, BECAUSE SOME OF THE LENDERS ARE TRADITIONAL MORTGAGE LENDERS. THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE PRODUCTS FOR FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY WHAT THE CRITERIA THAT THIS BOARD HAD SET FOR THIS PARTICULAR
PROJECT. >> THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE?
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> YOU'RE WELCOME, MADAM MAYOR.
[9. STAFF COMMENTS]
FELT REALLY GOOD ABOUT IT. THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT.>> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, SIR.
>> OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE STAFF COMMENTS.
>> MR. MIMS? >> AS YOU KNOW, WE DID WIN AN AWARD FOR OUR DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER ACTIVITIES HAPPENING THROUGHOUT OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY . WE INCLUDED AT THE WORK CENTER. ALSO, OUR PROGRAM, WE HAVE SOME MORE AWARDEES THERE . OUR SIGN PROGRAM, WE HAVE MORE AWARDEES THERE, AND WE ARE ALSO LAUNCHING THE SECOND ROUND OF THE MURAL PROGRAM. THAT ANNOUNCEMENT CAME OUT TODAY , AND AS YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE VERY PROUD OF. I AM SURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET SOME GREAT PROPOSALS AND APPLICANTS AND ARTISTS THAT WE WILL WORK WITHIN THIS NEXT COMING ROUND. ALSO TODAY, YOU ALL APPROVED A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE WITH REGARD TO OUR PURSUIT OF THE BRIGHTLINE STATION. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF SURROUNDING COMMUNITY SUPPORT , AND I WILL JUST NAME A FEW . ST. LOUIS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. WE HAVE THE CITY OF FELLSMERE , WE HAVE THE CITY OF -- . ALSO, LINCOLN PARK MAIN STREET HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR SUPPORTERS. AND ALSO, THE CITY OF VERO BEACH.
AND WE HAVE A TON MORE COMING IN. THOSE ARE JUST LETTERS OF SUPPORT. I WILL BE MEETING WITH EACH OF YOU ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS THROUGHOUT THIS WEEK AND NEXT WEEK TO GO OVER OUR PROPOSAL, AND GO OVER OUR FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK , AND ALL OF THAT GOOD STUFF AHEAD OF THE DATE THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED TO BRIGHTLINE. I THINK THAT YOU ALL WILL BE HOPEFULLY PLEASANTLY SURPRISED WITH OUR PROPOSAL , AND OUR GAME PLAN, AND THE WONDERFUL THING IS WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS DESIGN TEAM WITH A LOT OF EXPERIENCE. I THINK WE ARE POISED TO DEFINITELY HAVE A STATION HERE IN THE FUTURE. THAT IS THE GAME PLAN. BUT AGAIN, THAT IS IT. OH, AND ONE MORE THING. WE DID HAVE THE YOUNG LADY THAT CAME IN HERE LAST MEETING, DON HOEPPNER. SHE RESCINDED HER LETTER OF INTEREST FOR THE PROPERTY. BUT, WE DO INTEND, OF COURSE, WE DO INTEND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR EXTERIOR REHABILITATION THAT YOU APPROVED TODAY. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL WANTED TO DISCUSS THAT . I GUESS REMOVAL OF HER LETTER OF INTEREST, BUT OUR INTENTION IS TO CONTINUE TO APPROVE AND IMPROVE THIS FACILITY. IN THE FUTURE , WE WANT TO HAVE A DEVELOPMENT TEAM THAT MEETS OR EXCEEDS THE GOALS OF THE FPRA WITH A DEVELOPMENT THAT IS PRIMED , AND, I GUESS ADEQUATE FOR THE AREA BASED UPON OUR STUDIES , BASED UPON THE INPUT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM OUR COMMUNITY. BUT, WE DO INTEND TO PUSH FORWARD WITH OUR EFFORTS TO REDEVELOP THAT SITE. DID YOU WILL WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT? I WANTED TO BRING THAT UP TODAY.
EXPLAINED WHY SHE WAS RESENDING IT IN THE LETTER. I THINK THE
[01:25:04]
TIMETABLE, SHE WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE TIMETABLE.YOU HAVE SEBASTIAN TWO, DON'T YOU? SEBASTIAN CAME IN REAL
EARLY. >> I PROBABLY HAVE SEBASTIAN.
DO. >> IS A LONG LIST OF THEM,
MAYOR, SO THEY ARE COMING IN. >> IT IS WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU
GOT SEBASTIAN. >> RIVER SAY COLLEGE. YES. THEY
ARE ALL COMING IN. >> THE SEBASTIAN PEOPLE ARE
VERY KEEN FOR FORT PIERCE. >> YES, WE DO. WE HAVE
SEBASTIAN. >> ALL RIGHT. OKAY. YES, MA'AM? CHRISTMAS. I GUESS I WILL SEE YOU ALL MONDAY NIGHT. WILL YOU
BE HERE MONDAY NIGHT? >> I SHOULD
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.