Mayor Donna Deegan’s $2 billion budget proposal presented to City Council on Monday includes a major funding boost for affordable housing and homelessness programs in Jacksonville.
Despite a setback last year that saw the City Council slash her proposed $11 million for homelessness initiatives to $2 million, Deegan has gone big again this year.
Her budget proposal includes more than $12 million for affordable housing and homelessness programs.
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“Housing costs affect everyone. Large swaths of our population spent well above the recommended 3% of their annual income on housing. That means medicine and groceries are even harder to afford, and forget about saving up for a down payment,” Deegan said during her budget address on Monday.
The programs include down payment assistance for those seeking to be homeowners, emergency rental and eviction diversion, and shelter bed expansion.
Plus, another fund would help finance affordable housing projects. This also includes transitional housing, outreach teams, and mental health services for people who are chronically experiencing homelessness.
“I think affordable housing is a bit broader than just trying to find a house that is affordable,” City Council President Kevin Carrico said. “It’s maintaining your current housing cost and making it more affordable.”
READ: Mayor’s full budget address | Budget highlights | Full budget proposal | Full CIP proposal
The budget proposal also allocates $500,000 for housing services through Jacksonville Area Legal Aid.
Housing & homelessness highlights:
- More than $12 million in affordable housing and homelessness programs
- Local capital stack fund, downpayment assistance, utility connection fee support, emergency rental and eviction diversion
- Shelter bed expansion, outreach team, transitional housing, mental health and chronic homeless offenders, homelessness prevention vouchers, Urban Rest Stop
- $500,000 for housing services from Jacksonville Area Legal Aid
The City Council Finance Committee will review the plan and may suggest changes. Their first meeting on the budget is scheduled for Aug. 7.
Under the law, the final budget must be approved by the full City Council before Oct. 1, the first day of the city’s fiscal year. Typically, the City Council votes on the budget during its last council meeting in September, which falls on the fourth Tuesday of each September.
