FL Nonprofits, City Partner On New Affordable Housing Project For Veterans

SARASOTA, FL — Work has been completed on Sarasota’s first affordable housing project dedicated to veterans.

The project, Heroes’ Village, a partnership between Gulf Coast Community Foundation, St. Vincent de Paul CARES and the city of Sarasota, celebrated its ribbon cutting at the end of April.

The housing project features 10 two-bedroom units at 1539 25th Street.

It’s been a long road to completion for the veteran housing project, Jon Thaxton, director of policy and advocacy for Gulf Coast Community Foundation, told Patch. Major issues were either no access to land or no access to the funds needed to build it.

Luckily, one of the foundation’s donors, Bob Thornton, approached the organization about providing the funds to launch such a project.

Not long after this, the city’s Office of Housing and Community Development offered a parcel of land already zoned for affordable housing and an apartment complex. The Sarasota City Commission approved the gift to Gulf Coast

“Without hesitation and unanimity they pledged to give us the land if we could raise the money,” Thaxton said.

Other Gulf Coast donors stepped up to raise an additional $2 million-plus to build and furnish the apartment complex.

From there, St. Vincent de Paul CARES was brought on board to manage the property.

Veterans moving into the affordable housing development will pay no more than 30 percent of their income.

“Their income includes benefits, Social Security, Veterans Administration (benefits), Medicaid, whatever,” Thaxton said.

There’s a long list of applicants for the units, he added. “Tragically, unfortunately, there will be little concern about filling and keeping units filled because the need is so great. There’s up to 10 times more need than available units.”

Thanks to the amount of money raised and the land donated to the project, there is no debt on the building. This means, Gulf Coast doesn’t have to worry about making a mortgage payment on the project, and the rental price for veterans includes just maintenance and management fees, as well as utilities.

“This is why we’re having an affordable housing crisis. Because this just doesn’t happen every day,” Thaxton said, adding, “The housing situation in Sarasota is just so grave for very low-income people. There are just no options out there. This option was only made possible by the generosity of our donors, the city and the (Office of Housing and Community Development.)”

He’s also proud of the high quality of the project, noting that it “looks like any market rate apartment complex where you’re expected to pay $2,000 to $3,000 a month in rent. There are nice appliances, top quality countertops and cabinetry, durable wood tile.”

The foundation’s goal was providing “housing with dignity,” Thaxton said. “We wanted whoever is living in one of these units to feel a sense of pride and dignity that this is their home. They control this portion of their life and that’s key to ultimately being self-sustainable.”

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