"Florida Matters Live & Local" recently recorded in front of an audience at the Manatee Performing Arts Center in Bradenton to dig into issues affecting the state, like affordability, growth and development.
Why Bradenton?
Florida is undergoing profound changes, and Manatee County is at the crossroads. There's a tug-of-war over whether to develop rural land, and as the population grows, roads get more crowded and there's more demands on infrastructure.
Manatee is mirroring what other counties in Florida are going through.
As growth and development continue and prices tick up, what will residents have to give up? And how will leaders balancing the demands of a growing population and budgetary constraints?
The guests are:
- Manatee County Commissioner George Cruz
- Taylor Neighbors, CEO of the nonprofit Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness.
- Michael Snipes, associate professor of economics at USF St. Petersburg.
Adding to the conversation are questions from the audience.
Here are a few highlights:
Kruse
Local incentives often favor housing for households earning up to 120% of area median income. Kruse argues they should focus more on lower-income residents.
Kruse says smaller homes, duplexes and tiny-home communities could expand housing options without the infrastructure impacts of large apartment complexes.
“We need to start building the bottom and let it funnel down,” Kruse said.
Neighbors
Neighbors says Manatee counted 931 people experiencing homelessness on one January night, but about 3,300 people experience homelessness over the course of a year.
Neighbors adds that people seeking help often face paperwork, eligibility hurdles and limited rental assistance. Even social services workers are struggling with housing costs.
“The world of social services, just to be rather blunt here, is convoluted,” Neighbors said.
Snipes
Snipes says rising housing prices reflect increased demand as people move to Florida, along with other cost pressures. Local governments have limited control over many of those forces.
Snipes says he opposes Amendment 3, warning that reduced tax revenue could mean less money for roads and other public services, adding to affordability challenges.
