Sarasota City Commission discussing options for affordable housing

A staff presentation made in front of city commissioners, looking at a variety of options for affordable housing.
Ideas discussed and being considered include increasing the density in areas where it’s appropriate, allowing for mixed-use on some of the major corridors and reducing parking requirements for affordable housing projects.
One of these types of projects already in the works include Lofts on Lemon, which will feature more than 150 units at 9th street and Lemon Avenue.
Some commissioners say the city hasn’t done the best job in meeting the affordable housing needs of the community.
“When you think of the availability of housing for the people that live, work and play in this community and getting them to be able to live in the community that they support, I think that’s critical,” said Hagen Brody, a Sarasota City Commissioner. “I look at it as infrastructure, I look at it as a traffic issue and a complex issue but an issue I think that we can solve.”
Since this was a workshop no final decisions were made tonight. Another workshop on affordable housing will be held in the near future.
In addition to affordable housing, city commissioners also talking about plans for the Bobby Jones Golf Course. Three options were discussed. Those options will be back in front of the commission for a decision very soon.
Source: Mysuncoast