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Health & Fitness

What is the Dunedin Housing Authority and Why Does It Own Apartments in Clearwater?

A brief history of the Dunedin Housing Authority and the reasons it purchased Fairway Gardens Apartments.

In 2011, the Dunedin Housing Authority (DHA) . I’m sure, as you read about the apartments in the Dunedin Patch, you asked many questions — what does DHA actually do? Why would they buy in Clearwater? Who is in charge here?

In this blog entry, I’ll provide you with a bit of history about DHA and the factors behind the decision to buy Fairway Gardens — and I hope to answer all of your questions.

DHA was formed in 1966 to provide safe, decent and affordable housing for low-income residents within its jurisdiction, which includes the city of Dunedin and a 10-mile radius of the city. A governing body of commissioners, made up of five volunteers who are appointed by the Mayor of Dunedin and confirmed by the City Commission, develops the policies and goals of the housing authority. However, DHA is not a city department, but is an independent quasi-governmental entity and a political subdivision of the State of Florida, operating under Chapter 421 Florida Statutes and receiving federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

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The DHA Board of Commissioners’ first major accomplishment as a newly minted housing authority was the construction and operation of a public housing development called Highlander Village. Built in mid-1970, it was located adjacent to the city of Dunedin’s water treatment facility and was comprised of six buildings, including 50 apartments, community space, administrative and maintenance offices and storage.

After more than 30 years of use, the DHA board decided to demolish the buildings, due to the age and general obsolescence of the development's major building systems and the lack of available federal funding for renovation. In 2004, DHA applied for and received a federal grant for demolition. Residents were issued housing assistance vouchers, also known as Housing Choice Vouchers or Section 8, and were relocated to the private market apartments of their choice. Demolition took place in 2005, and the land was sold to Habitat for Humanity.

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For several years, the board debated the dissolution of the agency, since they had very little money, no residents and no major income. However, in August 2009, they instead embarked on a partnership with the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) to share resources as part of an interlocal agreement under SPHA’s Economies of Scale (EOS) program. Through this agreement, SPHA provides executive management services and operations oversight to DHA. As an extension of the contract, the Clearwater Housing Authority (CHA) also provides DHA with financial management and compliance services. The implementation of these resource-sharing agreements allows the participating housing authorities to operate more efficiently with less staff and save much-needed dollars.

With these cost-saving measures in place, one of the major goals for the new management team was to rebuild DHA’s public and affordable housing programs. SPHA staff, along with DHA board members, began to search for affordable multi-family properties. They soon discovered that, while the current economic recession has been devastating to many parts of Florida, the real estate market in the city of Dunedin did not suffer as greatly. With its proximity to the beaches, quaint downtown and relaxed ambiance, the demand for housing in Dunedin remained high, keeping the prices for property at a premium. After an exhaustive search, the board elected to continue to look for available properties outside of city limits, but still within DHA’s jurisdiction of service.

Staff identified two buildings with 20 total apartments in the nearby city of Clearwater (and within a 10-mile radius of Dunedin) and brought them to the board for consideration in December 2009. The buildings had been foreclosed and were bank owned, adding to their affordability. Each building featured six one-bedroom/one-bathroom units at 650 square feet and four two-bedroom/one-bathroom units at 750 square feet. Conveniently located minutes from both downtown Dunedin and downtown Clearwater, the buildings sat along the west side of a promising residential street, across from a library and overlooking a public golf course. However, the abandoned buildings, which were empty and run-down, were detracting from the value of the neighborhood.

Known as East Gateway District, it is a designated redevelopment area of the city of Clearwater. Residential areas in this low-to-middle income neighborhood were interspersed with pockets of poorly maintained properties, many of which were rentals, and underutilized and obsolete strip commercial developments. By purchasing and renovating the buildings, DHA would be an active partner with the city in the revitalization of the neighborhood, while simultaneously increasing the affordable housing stock, property values and community pride.

The DHA Board of Commissioners voted to move forward with the purchase the buildings, pending the approval of the CHA Board of Commissioners. The CHA Board made public their support of the purchase in the form of a unanimous resolution in February 2010. Following months of negotiations, DHA bought the two buildings for $730,000 in October 2010, and renovations, including fresh paint, updated cabinetry and countertops, new vinyl flooring and HVAC systems, began shortly thereafter. The buildings were renamed “Fairway Gardens” in keeping with the new vision for the neighborhood and .

During the official grand opening ceremony for Fairway Gardens, staff and board members from DHA, SPHA, and CHA were joined by Dunedin Mayor Dave Eggers, Dunedin Economic Development Director Bob Ironsmith, representatives from the offices of Florida Senator Bill Nelson and U.S. Representative Michael Bilirakis, HUD officials and other stakeholders. The participating housing authorities were lauded for their innovative and successful partnerships, and the mixed-income Fairway Gardens model was celebrated as a smart way to offer more low-rent housing options for local families in need.

DHA Chairman David Kelly said, “We are thankful for the strong relationships established between the municipal housing authorities as we all work together to fulfill our missions of service in this region. This cooperative relationship will allow us to provide more options for affordable rental housing to those in need.”

To date, DHA has leased 15 of the units to public housing eligible families with incomes from zero to 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). These residents receive subsidized rent for their apartments, dependent on funding from HUD.

Due to the community’s immediate need for affordable apartments, DHA decided to make the remaining five units part of the housing authority’s new affordable housing program. These one- and two-bedroom apartments are offered at below market rents ($550 for one-bedroom and $675 for two-bedroom) to qualifying applicants with incomes limited to 80 percent of the AMI. There is no wait list or housing subsidy attached to these five apartments. They are a great option for lower income working families who need a quality place to live and cannot afford to wait for an opening in a housing assistance program.

Two of the affordable apartments are still available for rent. Trash, lawn care and pest control is included, and there is no application fee. Please call the property management office at 727-446-1045 for details or check the Fairway Gardens’ website at www.fairway-gardens.com.

Because of the cooperation of housing authorities and local cities, the residents of Fairway Gardens now are proud to live in beautiful apartments, which are a benefit to the entire neighborhood. DHA has been able to reestablish its public housing program and to create an affordable housing program, offering hope for self-sufficiency and a better way of life to its low-income residents.

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