JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 The River City is taking the first step to expanding affordable homeownership within its boundaries. On Tuesday morning at City Hall, the mayor, the city council, and the federal government are collaborating to build \u201cstarter\u201d or \u201cmanufactured\u201d homes in Jacksonville.<\/p>\n
The group signed a letter of intent to allow a not-yet-disclosed contractor out of Alabama to begin building starter homes, which officials say are visually indistinguishable from traditional homes. <\/p>\n
The purpose, officials say, is to provide a more affordable homeownership option for Jacksonville residents, as well as cut down on home construction times and building material waste. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an opportunity for us to provide high-quality housing for people at a lower cost. And that frankly is still where we\u2019re way behind,\u201d said Mayor Deegan. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis initiative began as a conversation last August, so we\u2019ve been working on this for a while to identify a city willing to work with us on a demonstration project showcasing a mixed-use community that expands, homeownership, manufactured housing, and ideally supported by FHA financing for homeownership if at all possible,\u201d said Tiffany Cobb, Deputy Regional Administrator, HUD.<\/p>\n
The mayor and other leaders made an effort to destigmatize starter or manufactured homes from being a last resort to a more viable affordable housing option.<\/p>\n
The homes will be built in the area east of Sabal Road, north of Seutel Drive, and West of the Shops of Sherwood. An official from HUD explained the thought process behind this project. <\/p>\n
Mayor Deegan says this will provide middle housing opportunities for Jax residents. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is about giving people a better option, and I think that is what we have seen and these areas that have been disinvested for so long they just haven\u2019t had another option,\u201d Deegan added. <\/p>\n
As the HUD administrator touched on, this is a pilot project, using Jacksonville as a test ground. If successful, it can be implemented in other parts of the nation.<\/p>\n
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