Commissioners swayed to vote for affordable housing projects

Developers are talking the talk and walking the walk when it comes to affordable housing in Collier County.

One after another, developers strode to the microphone to sell county commissioners on home and condominium proposals, first noting how many affordable housing units will be in their projects waiting for approval from the County Commission on June 6.

All toll, county commissioners, approved four projects that will yield 350 affordable units.

"Developers realize that affordable housing is their ticket to getting approvals," Commissioner Donna Fiala said on June 9.

Commissioners had balked at housing proposals since February, worried that additional developments would overtax roads. Fiala and Commissioner Fred Coyle, who have been the toughest on developers, went with other commissioners in approving the requests. Now Fiala wants an advisory committee to determine the makeup of housing in new developments.

"We should develop a master plan to give people something to go on," Fiala said. "We need to know more. We can't vote for affordable housing because we feel guilty, even though the pathway to them are roads that will be congested, or that water capacity isn't sufficient."

Fiala is concerned about rental units as well.

"We also need to look at affordable rental units," she said. "We aren't thinking about these people enough."

Fiala and Coyle, who earlier voted against the Rockedge development on 76 acres south of the new Collier Regional Hospital on Collier Boulevard, voted with the other commissioners on June 6. Fiala said the affordable housing components changed her vote. Of the 400 units of condominiums or homes, 111 units will be affordable housing.

Yielding to pressure by Fiala about road congestion, the developers said they won't build more than 222 units before 2008 and half will be affordable housing units. The new hospital also will have first refusal rights on the affordable units for employee housing.

In addition:

• Commissioners approved the Habitat for Humanity's request for 162 single-family homes for very low-income workers in Immokalee. The rezoning change for 26.8 acres north of Lake Trafford Road, allows for bonus densities up to 16 units per acre.

• Commissioners voted for a development plan change as Palermo Cove, a 524-unit project on Collier Boulevard, south of Immokalee Road, is setting aside 10 percent of its project for affordable housing.

• Another 24 units of affordable housing was approved as part of a development at the intersection of Airport-Pulling Road and Estey Avenue.