ReportWire

Tag: Housing

  • Metropolitan Ministries expands to offer housing in Pinellas County

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Metropolitan Ministries marked a milestone Wednesday with a ribbon cutting to officially launch its first residential housing program in Pinellas County.

    What You Need To Know

    • Metropolitan Ministries has partnered with St. Pete Free Clinic to expand housing into Pinellas County

    • Two new facilities are opening to support families experiencing homelessness

    • Officials from the nonprofit organization say it will continue providing homeless prevention programs


    “This is a safe space for families to come in from the outside, and we provide shelter and programming in their journey toward self-sufficiency,” said Kip Corriveau, director of Pinellas Residential Programs with Metropolitan Ministries.

    The nonprofit has long-served those experiencing homelessness in Pinellas County by offering a variety of programs ranging from hunger relief, job training and family support services, to community outreach.

    A new partnership with St. Pete Free Clinic now means providing a residential housing program to go along with those wraparound services.

    “Housing is therapeutic, housing is health care,” Corriveau said. “You really can’t sort of function without having those kind of basic needs of food, clothing and shelter taken care of. You can’t concentrate on anything else if you’re worried about those things, and once those are relieved, you actually can work on employment, job skills, psychological health, all kinds of other issues.”

    “If you don’t have housing, none of those are going to be addressed,” he said.

    Crews put on the finishing touches as residents move in ahead of Wednesday’s ribbon cutting. (Spectrum News/Melissa Eichman)

    The David and Virginia Baldwin Family Residence can sleep more than 100 people and offers an emergency shelter for families. The organization says a second new facility, Lealman Residence, provides affordable housing for families to help them transition to stability.

    Erica Wise, who moved in with Tuesday with her family, is working toward that stability. 

    “It’s been a struggle being on the streets trying to find somewhere to go,” Wise said. “Three kids and pregnant, so this is a blessing. And I thank Metropolitan for giving me the opportunity to be able to come here and get my life together for me and my kids.”

    Spectrum News/Randy Levine

    Spectrum News/Randy Levine

    Wise is one of the first to move in and said she’s grateful.

    “This to me is step one, and I keep building, I’ll be OK,” she said.

    Part of Metropolitan Ministries expansion into Pinellas County includes a new holiday tent site, which will serve more than 5,000 families, starting with the Thanksgiving holiday.

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    Melissa Eichman

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  • State dangles new tax credits for housing projects

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    BOSTON — The Healey administration is offering new tax credits for real estate developers to convert vacant commercial properties as part of broader efforts to build more affordable housing in the state.

    The state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities on Thursday rolled out the Commercial Conversion Tax Credit Initiative, a new tax credit to help convert underused commercial buildings into residential and mixed-use housing. At least $10 million in tax credits will be available in the first round of funding, the agency said.


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    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • Controversial North County housing development wins approval over fire concerns

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    A controversial 453-unit housing development has been unanimously approved by the San Diego County Planning Commission in Harmony Grove, an unincorporated rural residential area in North County sandwiched between Escondido and San Marcos.

    Several neighbors spoke out at the meeting over the controversial proposal because it does not include a secondary access road to escape wildfires.

    They fear entrapment if a wildfire came from the direction of the single dead-end road.

    Winding approval

    The project, Harmony Grove Village South, had been before the commission in 2018 and later approved by the Board of Supervisors.

    However, CEQA litigation from the Sierra Club, residents and other parties had delayed construction.

    The board rescinded approval in 2022 after a trial court sided with residents. However, a state appellate court then found all but one aspect of the project complied with CEQA.

    The aftermath of the Cocos Fire in 2014 left the historic Harmony Grove Spiritualist Association decimated. (Photo by Eric Neubauer)

    The same project as in 2018 is now headed back before the board for the third time, with solar panels and deed-restricted affordable housing added. Project manager David Kovach expects to bring the proposal to the Board of Supervisors on Oct. 1.

    Kovach, representing the developer, and housing advocates at the hearing said Harmony Grove Village South will address San Diego’s housing crisis by adding stock to the missing middle.

    The development includes single- and multi-family units. The developer has also won support from Local 89 by promising to use union labor for construction.

    Current residents of Harmony Grove noted that living in the car-dependent area will still be pricey, even for those in the designated affordable housing. Many are not able to get fire insurance outside of the notoriously expensive California FAIR Plan due to being in a CAL FIRE mapped high-risk fire zone.

    Summer Light, whose house was the only one to survive in the historic Harmony Grove Spiritualist Association during the Cocos Fire, warned new residents to budget $10,000 per year for fire insurance.

    Fire trap

    Residents concerned about future fires and evacuations on the dead-end road the development is located on say that they hope the elected supervisors will be more thoughtful about their decision.

    They wanted the developer to put in a secondary access road so residents would have more than one route to leave depending on the direction a fire travels.

    People who will live past the development on the dead-end road fear that big money will steamroll their concerns about fire safety.

    “The reality is that that this community doesn’t have a very expansive road network. It’s just one main road,” said Elfin Forest Harmony Grove Town Council vice chair JP Theberge in a phone call.

    In the 2014 Cocos Fire, which destroyed 30 homes in Harmony Grove, that 1.5 mile road to Escondido was gridlocked for more than an hour during the evacuation. Residents work together on brush abatement but are surrounded by 15,000 acres of open space.

    A map with the community of Harmony Grove highlighted with one road and arrows identifying evacuation routes.
    Tom Cova, a geography professor at the University of Utah, was hired as a consultant by residents to examine the area’s roads for fire evacuations. Cova estimated with Harmony Grove Village and Harmony Grove Village South, an additional 3,500 cars on the 1.5 mile road would take seven hours to evacuate, as shown in the map above. (Map courtesy JP Theberge)

    Hundreds more cars would need to use that road to evacuate if the development is finished. A consultant hired by residents, Tom Cova, a leader in the nascent fire evacuation sciences, estimated it would take more than seven hours for all residents to evacuate once the development is occupied.

    The appellate court ruled the fire safety and evacuation plans in the 2018 environmental impact report were adequate. County staff consulted with the Rancho Santa Fe fire department and sheriff on fire evacuation plans. No further changes were made to the project proposal.

    Rancho Santa Fe Fire Chief Dave McQuead said at the hearing that in the evacuation plan, a third lane on Country Club Drive could be substituted for the secondary egress. In that plan, two lanes of the dead-end road would be used by evacuees while the third would be used by emergency vehicles.

    McQuead also stated that evacuation methods have improved since 2014 due to evacuating zones instead of squares, as well as using the Genasys app, which came to prominence during this year’s Palisades Fire, to communicate with residents.

    The Cocos Fire was not the first fire to hit the 110-year-old community, nor do residents believe it will be the last.

    “This community wouldn’t exist without a very intense focus on our fire safety,” Theberge said.


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  • St. Pete: Property owner still owes $162,000 in unpaid water bills

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — People living at the Morgan Apartments along 27th Avenue South may be closer to not having their water turned off.

    The city said Thursday that the property owner, Lurin Real Estate Holdings, has paid more payments.

    At one point, Lurin had a balance of over $700,000 for unpaid water bills at Morgan, as well as another complex.

    On Thursday, the city said it received a payment of $72,647, and that a $70,000 payment was received Wednesday. The transactions have not yet cleared the banking system, the city said.

    According to the city, there is still an outstanding balance of $162,931.96. 

    The city had sent a notice to residents that service would be interrupted on Aug. 21 if the company didn’t pay. The city even urged tenant to have alternate plans to live elsewhere.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • New 51-story apartment tower in downtown L.A. gets city nod

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    A residential skyscraper has been approved in the South Park neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles, though it’s unclear how soon construction will begin.

    The City Council last week signed off on a proposed 51-story apartment tower at 11th and Olive streets, a few blocks east of Crypto.com Arena and the L.A. Live entertainment district.

    New York developer Mack Real Estate Development declined to talk about the planned tower, but documents filed with the city show a tall tower with 536 rental units and ground floor spaces for bars, restaurants and other retail uses. It would have parking for 581 vehicles both underground and above ground.

    The site at 1105 S. Olive St. is now a surface parking lot.

    When asked when construction of the project might begin, a representative for Mack Real Estate said the company had no comment.

    Even though demand for housing is high in Los Angeles, it’s challenging to construct ground-up multi-unit housing in the current financial climate, urban development consultant Hamid Behdad said.

    Costs have risen and grown more unpredictable on multiple fronts, Behdad said, raising uncertainty for developers about whether they will be able to rent or sell new units profitably after completing them.

    Top hurdles include high interest rates for borrowing money to finance construction. New tariffs are driving up the cost of imported construction materials while raising uncertainty about how long the tariffs may last or what new ones may arise.

    Labor costs have also been increasing in recent years, Behdad said, and the recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids have added a destabilizing effect on the construction labor pool.

    Some developers who have downtown projects approved but not built are trying to sell them to other developers or investors, he said.

    “Nothing is easy,” Behdad said.

    South Park, though, is one of downtown’s most vibrant neighborhoods where thousands of new residences have been built in recent years, said Nick Griffin, executive director of the privately funded Downtown Center Business Improvement District, a nonprofit coalition of more than 2,000 property owners.

    There is “a demonstrable underlying demand for housing more across the city and region, but specifically in downtown with the occupancy rate at a pretty steady 90% or so,” he said.

    The location of Mack Real Estate’s planned project has already proved desirable to developers, Griffin said.

    “There have already been several significant projects built along that stretch and there are another four large-scale projects within a couple of blocks, so you’re you’re talking about a significant residential hub” that stands to attract new residents and more development, he said.

    Griffin said he hopes developers like Mack Real Estate are getting their projects ready for market conditions to change in the next six months to two years.

    “Financial conditions are going to align themselves at some point in the not too distant future,” he said, “and they want to have their projects teed up and ready to go.”

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    Roger Vincent

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  • Let’s imagine a future that works for all of us

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    Los Angeles knows how to weather a crisis — or two or three. Angelenos are tapping into that resilience, striving to build a city for everyone.

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  • Salem City Council approves ordinance to regulate condominium conversion

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    SALEM — A new ordinance will regulate the conversion of properties with two or more residential units into condominiums through a permitting process and new tenant protections.

    The City Council approved the new rules 7-3 at its meeting Thursday.


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    By Michael McHugh | Staff Writer

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  • Winter Haven adding more multi-family units; business owners benefiting

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    WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — More people are making the move to Polk County, and that’s driving up the demand for more housing.

    The city of Winter Haven is experiencing that growth, and officials are focusing on bringing more multi-family units to the downtown area.

    What You Need To Know

    • Winter Haven adding more multi-family housing due to growing population

    • About 300 multi-family units are currently constructed in the city

    • Growing population and housing is also having an impact on businesses in downtown

    • Vegan Monarch Bakery and Café is seeing people from all over the country stopping in


    From selling food and sweets at flea markets to now owning a brick-and-mortar location, Mika Altidor said getting here wasn’t easy.

    “I’m first-generation American, first to do many things and first to make this dream a reality,” Altidor said.

    She was born in Michigan but spent most of her life in Winter Haven.

    She has seen just how much the city has grown and transformed over the years.

    “It’s nice to be a part of the change and be a part of development and to have my family be a part of this too,” Altidor said.

    She opened her business, Vegan Monarch Bakery and Café, in 2021, serving vegan meals and treats.

    She said the downtown area has grown over the years, but the most prominent addition has been more housing.

    It is something Altidor said has been positive for her business.

    “We get to see more of that foot traffic,” she said. “We get to see more of that business from the residents and then make that human connection,” she said.

    Right now, Winter Haven has about 300 multi-family units.

    As the city continues to grow, it is also looking to incorporate new housing opportunities like townhomes.

    Eric Labbe is the director of Winter Haven’s Economic Opportunity and Community Investment.

    “We’ve been adding about a thousand units per year within the city limits of the city of Winter Haven,” he said. “That’s total housing, single and multifamily. We will probably continue that trend for a couple years.”

    City leaders say for a community to be considered a healthy one, they need to have 33% to 35% of rental product.

    Winter Haven is on track to meet that percentage with 30% as of right now.

    Altidor and several other business owners have seen the change in the customer base, too.

    “I like the fact that people are driving intentionally from Orlando and Tampa to come here,” she said.

    So that she can continue sharing a taste of her café — always ready to serve new and old customers with a smile.

    Construction is currently underway on the newest apartment complex in downtown Winter Waven.

    The Breeze Apartments is nearing completion and is expected to be ready for residents in the next few months.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Manatee companies invest in building new affordable workforce housing complex

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — A new workforce housing project aims to help the affordable housing crisis in Manatee County.

    One Stop Housing is partnering with 12 local companies to build the complex and said that the county has agreed to a $5 million loan that will help with construction costs.

    What You Need To Know

    • One Stop Housing said it will take about three years until Forest Cove is complete
    • S&B Metal Products said it will have seven units available for their employees when the complex is ready

    Creating something from a vision is a skill Neil Sipes has polished.

    He has been a press brake operator at S&B Metal Products in Bradenton for five years and has worked in the industry for more than a decade. Part of his job includes putting pieces of metal together to make a final product.

    “I like the projects that we do. They’re very creative. I have a lot of creative freedom,” he said.

    But when he first moved to Florida, one thing stood out.

    “It is an expensive area,” he explained.

    A dozen companies in Manatee County are investing in a workforce housing complex called Forest Cove that will be built in Bradenton. There will be two five-story buildings with 156 units. Mark Vengroff, the CEO of One Stop Housing, says it’s a way to provide workers with affordable housing and help companies retain employees.

    “A lot of times, a lot of these companies that we’ve been hearing is that they finally find the right candidate. They fly them over (for) the interview, they love the company, they love the job. But then they drive around, they realize, ‘I can’t afford anything on that salary,’” he said.

    One Stop Housing data shows 40% of Sarasota and Manatee County residents are cost burdened, meaning 30% of their total annual salary is spent on housing. The rental rates at Forest Cove would range from just under $1,000 for a studio to nearly $1,700 for a two-bedroom apartment. Sipes is hoping to live in a one-bedroom unit so he can save money.

    “For a year or two years until I can get a down payment on a house,” he said.

    Sipes, like so many, is fighting the rising cost of living. But now his company is fighting too, helping its employees battle the housing crisis.

    One Stop Housing said it will take about three years until Forest Cove is complete. S&B Metal Products said it will have seven units available for their employees when the complex is ready.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • A new kind of housing for those in need

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — The Bay area’s affordable housing crisis impacts a variety of people across the region.

    According to Community Assisted & Supported Living (CASL) President Melissa Larkin-Skinner, 31,000 people in Florida experience homelessness. And about a quarter suffer from some kind of mental health issue.

    The goal of a new housing development in Winter Haven is to ease those numbers.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Bay area’s affordable housing crisis impacts a variety of people across the region
    • A ribbon cutting took place Tuesday at Jersey Commons, Polk County’s newest affordable living community
    • Community Assisted & Supported Living (CASL) President Melissa Larkin-Skinner said this type of housing and services can help with several issues

    A ribbon cutting took place Tuesday at Jersey Commons, Polk County’s newest affordable living community.

    Tri-County Human Services, in partnership with Blue Sky Communities and CASL, is opening its new 68-unit apartment community in Winter Haven. Fifteen of those units are designated for high-need indviduals. 

    The other 53 units will be home to others for those experiencing homelessness or living with disabling conditions. 

    Larkin-Skinner has been in the behavioral health treatment field for 30 years. She said this type of housing and services can help with several issues.

    “People can’t fully take advantage and thrive with the services, the mental health treatment services, when they don’t have a safe place to be, or live or lay their head and they are constantly wondering, ‘Where am I going to spend the next night? When I am going to eat again?’” said Larkin-Skinner.

    Get more information on Jersey Commons by visiting its website.

    Jersey Commons is Polk County’s newest affordable living community. (Spectrum News/Fadia Patterson)

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    Fadia Patterson, Jason Lanning

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  • Pasco Hope sees residents move into permanent housing

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — In October 2024, Pasco Hope opened their doors to take care of people who lost their homes in the that year’s hurricanes. 

    Taking care of anywhere between 75 to 100 people at a time, director of shelter services Danielle Husband said they’re beginning to move more residents into permanent housing.  

    “We have intakes every week in here, but we also have positive exits, which is also very exciting,” Husband said. “We’ve had about 15 households leave us, now moving into permanent housing, which is absolutely phenomenal to see in such a short amount of time.” 

    Uryana Gonzalez Montijo, one of the residents living at the shelter, lost her home in Hurricane Helene. 

    She said the memories from the night of the hurricane still linger. 

    “I was outside for the longest time before I even went back to my place and could actually walk through and get to my place,” she said.  

    Montijo has settled into her new life,  but is looking forward to something more. 

    She’s expecting to be at the shelter for a few more weeks. 

    Pasco Hope is helping her move into a new place and she can’t wait for a new chapter of her life to begin. 

    “It’s just a blessing,” she said. “I’m just so overjoyed and everything like that. I’ve never had any of stuff that they’re helping me with.”  

    Learn more about Pasco Hope on its website. 

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    Matt Lackritz

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  • Study shows Lakeland ranked highest in the nation for foreclosures

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — While the country saw a drop in foreclosures last year, recent data shows Florida’s rates jumped to the highest in the nation. The metropolitan area with the most filings was the city of Lakeland.

    What You Need To Know

    • Recent data from Attom reveals that Lakeland had the highest foreclosure rate in the country in 2024

    • Real estate broker Bob Miller attributes the high foreclosure rates mainly to skyrocketing insurance premiums

    • Miller advises homeowners to shop for new insurance, contact their bank and consider reaching out to real estate attorneys or licensed brokers for help to avoid foreclosure


    According to the real estate analytics firm ATTOM, one in every 172 Lakeland homes was foreclosed on in 2024. The statistics didn’t come as a surprise to real estate broker Bob Miller, who knows firsthand how it feels to lose a home.

    “Back in 2008, when the market crashed, we had actually lost our house,” he said. “What got me involved is we had enough money to pay the mortgage, but the attorney’s fees had gotten so high that I really felt it was unfair and really made me want to get a part of the system and figure out how to help other people.”

    Miller points to factors like high interest rates and the impact of Polk County’s growing population on prices as reasons for the filings. But he says the number one contributor is insurance premiums.

    “They’re just getting totally out of hand. Most people are seeing an increase in their payments between 30 to 50% of their monthly payments, and people just can’t take it anymore,” he said.

    Rather than giving up, Miller advises homeowners to shop around for insurance. If that doesn’t work, he says to pick up the phone and call your bank.

    “When the bank has no knowledge, they’re forced to hire an attorney,” Miller said. “They’re forced to get someone to contact you. And once the attorney gets involved, those payments are going to be 50%, if not 100%, as much as you owe the bank.”

    Miller also recommends contacting a real estate attorney or licensed broker if you need help. Most importantly, he says to remember there are options.

    “The worst thing for you to do is sit there and let the bank move on you. They don’t want your house, but if you force their hand, they have no option,” he said.

    Miller is confident the city will bounce back from the high foreclosure rates. He assures that the current numbers aren’t as high as they were in 2008.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Increased need for housing for those with disabilities in Manatee, Sarasota

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — There is a need for housing that can accommodate those with disabilities in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

    The Haven, a nonprofit based in Sarasota, has built more homes on its property and has released new plans to build more to keep up with the demand.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Haven has increased the number of people with disabilities it serves by 15 percent from 2024 to this year

    • In 2012, The Haven had 20 people with disabilities living on campus; now the number has increased to 70

    • It is expanding and building its biggest group home yet at more than 6,000 square feet
    • It will break ground at the end of April


    It has increased the number of people with disabilities it serves by 15 percent in the last year. Last year, it served 650 people with disabilities, and that figure grew to 750 in 2025.

    It was move-in day for Adam Carmona.

    “I’m excited about living here. This is a good opportunity,” he said.

    Carmona is 31 years old and has autism. He says moving into his own place is a new beginning.

    “I want to grow up, you know? I want to be independent. I don’t want to live with my parents,” he said.

    He moved into a new group home, called “Michael’s House.”

    It is the eighth group home built on The Haven’s campus and just opened up for residents to move into this month. The rent varies from $800 to $1,200 a month, and it is for people with disabilities ages 18 and up.

    According to officials at The Haven, when residents move in, they can stay for the rest of their lives.

    In the Michael’s House group home, Carmona will live with seven other people. There are staff on-site 24 hours a day, and the facility provides a structured schedule and plans social events. Those interactions are something Carmona is looking forward to.

    “Well, I think it’s going to feel good. I mean, I just feel like when I live out here, I feel like I want to be doing things. I want to be active. I also need to make sure I’m out in the community,” he said.

    Brad Jones is the president of The Haven.

    “Housing is one of the greatest needs right now for adults with disabilities,” Jones said.

    He says waiting for about a decade is common because of the high demand, which was the case for Carmona.

    “We have a major residential waiting list of over 350 people. It’s a really exciting time, for not only the resident when they move in, but also their family. And it’s like a huge relief that, ‘Ok, this is happening.’ You know, this is going to be around long after I’m gone,” he said.

    Jones says over the past 12 years, the campus has built five group homes, so now this year, there’s a total of eight. Over those 12 years, they expanded their programs and increased their resident count. The Haven now has 70 residents, but to get more people with disabilities into a home requires time.

    “We can only do that when we have donations and philanthropy to build these homes,” Jones said.

    Carmona has decorated to make this room feel like his home, including hanging his Special Olympics ribbon.

    “It’s second place for bocce,” he said.

    This new room is a way for him to live a more independent life, a goal The Haven hopes to help many others achieve, too.

    To keep up with the demand, The Haven is also adding a ninth group home to its campus. It will be its biggest home yet at more than 6,000 square feet.

    It will be called “Jake’s Place.” That will break ground at the end of April, and The Haven is expanding on Desoto Road with their purchase of more land to build more housing.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Florida real estate agent talks dropping mortgage rates

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    BRADENTON, Fla. — One of the biggest steps in a person’s life is purchasing a home, but when mortgage rates are high, that can be quite difficult.

    For the last seven weeks, those rates have dropped.

    What You Need To Know

    • Mortgage rates have dropped seven weeks in a row

    • There are more homes on the market compared to last year

    • Rates are still higher than what they were a few years ago


    For seven years, real estate agent Stephanie Seacat has shown off all sorts of homes to prospective buyers and said there are always changes in the industry.

    “As those rates continue to go down, there’s going to be that frenzy again,” said Seacat. “Now is the time to buy and refinance down the road.”

    According to Mortgage Buyer Freddie Mac, the average rate for a 30-year mortgage in January was just over 7%. This week, it is 6.63%.

    Even with rates dropping, mortgage rates are still quite a bit higher than what they were just a few years ago.

    There are other changes Seacat is noticing, such as fewer people at open houses.

    Last year, she would expect 10-15 people to come out, now 5-10 would be a good day.

    “I put another home on the market last week and we had about seven come through,” she said. “It also depends on price points of the home.”

    According to Realtor.com, there are more houses available to choose from for buyers compared to last year.

    Seacat said she’s seeing different types of buyers.

    “What we’re seeing is there’s a lot of local movement that’s happening in the market meaning locals are starting to buy and homes are starting to go pending so that’s a new trend that started to happen this year,” she said.

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    Matt Lackritz

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  • Denver opens severe weather shelters amid this week’s snow, freezing temps

    Denver opens severe weather shelters amid this week’s snow, freezing temps

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    Denver city officials are opening three additional severe weather shelters this week as the first snow of the season falls in the city and temperatures dip below freezing.

    The Stone Creek shelter at 4595 Quebec St., formerly the Best Western Hotel, and city facilities at 2601 W. Seventh Ave. and 375 S. Zuni St. will be open from 1 p.m. Monday to 11 a.m. Thursday, according to a city news release.

    People needing shelter can walk up to the shelters directly, and people with pets should go to the Stone Creek shelter, city officials said.

    The Denver Animal Shelter also offers a Safe Haven Program, which provides two to four weeks of shelter for pets of families experiencing homelessness during severe weather events, city officials said.

    Denver officials said the city’s regular access points are also expanding their capacity for the cold weather, including:

    • Lawrence Street Community Center, 2222 Lawrence St., for individual men
    • Samaritan House, 2301 Lawrence St., for individual women
    • Urban Peak, 1630 S. Acoma St, for 15-to 20-year-olds

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    Lauren Penington

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  • San Jose leaders propose program that gives developers more control downtown

    San Jose leaders propose program that gives developers more control downtown

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    Downtown San Jose could see an economic boost if city officials adopt a potential initiative for fast-tracking large developments.

    Mayor Matt Mahan and Councilmembers Dev Davis and Pam Foley are proposing an “Innovative Project Pathway Program” aimed at creating a streamlined approach to development in the downtown core. It would apply to developers interested in constructing new residential and commercial projects. The program could open the door to rezoning areas of downtown to accommodate new development and modifying the city’s general plan.

    At Wednesday’s Rules and Open Government Committee meeting, Foley said the city has been criticized in the past for how slow the process is, but the project pathways program proposal will turn things around.

    “This allows the developer to bring in a project that could be beneficial to the city, and for us to make a quicker decision,” Foley said at the meeting. “Hopefully, we’ll actually get some shovels in the ground.”

    Councilmember Sergio Jimenez asked city employees how the program differs from existing development reviews.

    “In this instance, it would be streamlining for those large projects, as opposed to having multiple conversations with staff and with council offices,” Michael Lomio, Mahan’s land use and economic development policy advisor, said. “This really creates a dedicated policy lane for those most important projects.”

    San Jose Downtown Association CEO Alex Stettinski said he agrees downtown needs more investment to cut down on the close to 30% office vacancy rate and create a more vibrant ecosystem. Creative housing or business concepts without clear policy processes would benefit the most under a project pathway program, he said.

    “If we recognize as a city something really interesting and say, ‘This is innovative and we’d like to make this happen’ — this would enable us to do that,” Stettinski told San Jose Spotlight.

    Others, like land use consultant Erik Schoennauer, said the pathway program could be beneficial citywide.

    “Equally as important is that the city should adopt a citywide residential incentive program this calendar year, which they are analyzing right now,” Schoennauer told San Jose Spotlight. “We have 36 projects citywide, that are either approved or near approval, which can’t get financing to start construction.”

    There are at least 13 housing projects totaling more than 1,500 new homes stuck in limbo waiting for city funding. Without future affordable housing dollars from funding sources like Measure E to kickstart the rest of the projects in the pipeline, these proposals could remain on hold.

    A proposed multi-family residential incentive program would allow developers more tax and fee reductions to encourage construction, similar to the downtown high-rise incentives program approved earlier this year, but it would also leave the city with less funding.

    Land use and development expert Bob Staedler said the most important action city officials could take is streamlining the environmental review process. He said putting the proposed project pathway program into practice will ultimately depend on staff workload.

    “As cliche as this sounds, the devil’s in the details,” Staedler told San Jose Spotlight. “Talk of improving things is great, but we just have to see the willingness of [the] council to direct city staff to make changes.”

    Doug Bloch, spokesperson for unions affiliated with the Santa Clara and San Benito Counties Building & Construction Trades Council, said his organization represents multiple San Jose union workers — and factors like high interest rates and construction costs are preventing much-needed housing production from advancing.

    “San Jose needs the flexibility to consider non-traditional projects so that we can build more housing,” Bloch said Wednesday.

    This story was originally published in the San Jose Spotlight but was provided to NBC Bay Area through the Bay City News service.

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    Vicente Vera | San Jose Spotlight

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  • $9.6M in upgrades coming to FBI Academy at Quantico – WTOP News

    $9.6M in upgrades coming to FBI Academy at Quantico – WTOP News

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    The U.S. Department of Energy has pledged over $9.6 million for the FBI to make energy-efficient renovations to agent housing at the FBI Academy in Quantico.

    This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partner InsideNoVa.com. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.

    The U.S. Department of Energy has pledged over $9.6 million for the FBI to make energy-efficient renovations to agent housing at the FBI Academy in Quantico.

    The grant funding was awarded through the Department of Energy’s Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies, or AFFECT, program, which was created by the bipartisan infrastructure law.

    The renovations will include upgrades to major mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire and life safety systems at Jefferson Dormitory, which houses agents during intensive training at the FBI Academy, according to U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s office. Spanberger’s 7th Congressional District of Virginia includes Quantico.

    The federal grant dollars will also help upgrade the building’s physical infrastructure to allow for the installation of rooftop and carport solar panels to support electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

    “Smart investments in renewable energy sources are investments in our clean energy future. Not only will these federal dollars support the law enforcement professionals at FBI Quantico and help make the campus more energy efficient, but these infrastructure upgrades will save Virginia taxpayers money on energy costs,” Spanberger, who helped negotiate and supported the infrastructure law, said in a news release. “I’m proud to see that the bipartisan infrastructure law continues to make real investments to bring our aging physical infrastructure into the future.”

    Managed by the Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program, the AFFECT initiative was created under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act — or bipartisan infrastructure law — to support the federal government’s transition to net-zero emissions at federal facilities. The second and final disbursement of funding for 67 energy conservation and clean-energy projects at federal government-owned facilities across 28 states and territories brings the total federal investment under the program to $250 million, according to Spanberger’s office.

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    Ana Golden

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  • New home sales rise 4.1% in September

    New home sales rise 4.1% in September

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    CNBC's Rick Santelli and Diana Olick report on the latest economic data to cross the tape.

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  • Why bond yields are rising and what stock investors should do about that

    Why bond yields are rising and what stock investors should do about that

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    Cars drive past the Federal Reserve building on September 17, 2024 in Washington, DC.

    Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images News | Getty Images

    Bond traders are at it again, pushing Treasury yields higher and signaling the Federal Reserve was too heavy-handed when it cut interest rates by a half-percentage point last month. The recently rising yields have put pressure on the stock market — and specifically, names in our portfolio tied to housing.

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  • Home sales fell in September to slowest pace in almost 30 years

    Home sales fell in September to slowest pace in almost 30 years

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    Sales of existing homes in the United States have dropped to their lowest level since 1995, the National Assn. of Realtors reported Wednesday. Sales fell 1% in September and are down 3.5% from a year earlier.

    What You Need To Know

    • Existing home sales fell 1% in September and are down 3.5% from a year earlier, according to the National Assn. of Realtors

    • While sales fell, prices have continued to increase; he median price of an existing home for sale increased 3% in September compared with a year earlier to $404,500

    • The number of unsold existing homes increased 1.5% in September compared with a month earlier and 23% compared with a year ago

    • Homes are now sitting on the market an average of 28 days — up from 26 days in August and 21 days in September 2023


    “Home sales have been essentially stuck at around a four-million-unit pace for the past 12 months, but factors usually associated with higher home sales are developing,” NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in a statement. 

    “There are more inventory choices for consumers, lower mortgage rates than a year ago and continued job additions to the economy,” Yun said. “Perhaps some consumers are hesitating about moving forward with a major expenditure like purchasing a home before the upcoming election.”

    While sales fell, prices have continued to increase. The median price of an existing home for sale increased 3% in September compared with a year earlier to $404,500. It was the 15th consecutive month of price increases. 

    Mortgage rates are also increasing. As of October 17, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 6.44% — up from 6.32% a week earlier.

    The number of unsold existing homes increased 1.5% in September compared with a month earlier and 23% compared with a year ago. Homes are now sitting on the market an average of 28 days — up from 26 days in August and 21 days in September 2023.

    “More inventory is certainly good news for home buyers as it gives consumers more properties to view before making a decision,” Yun said. 

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    Susan Carpenter

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