Escambia County Moves Forward with Affordable Housing Initiatives

Escambia County is moving forward with two initiatives to add affordable housing in the community, as part of the county's ongoing efforts to increase the number of affordable homes available for residents.

At the Thursday, Dec. 12 Board of County Commissioners meeting, the BCC approved the following items:

• An agreement with Habitat for Humanity to sponsor the construction of 10 affordable single-family homes for sale to qualified, income eligible households.
• A resolution authorizing the conveyance of 14 county-owned properties to the City of Pensacola for development of affordable workforce housing.

Through the agreement with Habitat for Humanity, Escambia County will provide between $325,000 and $450,000 through sponsorships of $32,500 to $45,000 each, depending on income level. The sponsorships will subsidize construction costs to help Habitat for Humanity keep the homes affordable for eligible homeowners participating in the program.

The BCC also authorized the conveyance of 14 county-owned properties to the City of Pensacola, in support of the city's affordable housing initiatives. The board has determined that these 14 properties are not needed for county purposes and that it is in the best interest of the public to convey the properties to the city to be developed for affordable housing.

These efforts are part of the numerous approaches and strategies Escambia County is implementing to increase the inventory of affordable homes in the community, including partnerships with nonprofits to leverage available funding.

To learn more about available assistance programs in Escambia County, visit the Escambia County Neighborhood and Human Services webpage.