Sarasota County using federally provided Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds
Posted by on Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010 at 12:54pm.  |
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Sarasota County seems to be using federally provided Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds wisely. On Saturday, the most recently completed project house was unveiled in North Port. Although the main goal of these project houses is to provide a housing opportunity to low income families, this South County home is also an exercise in "green" building. The house located at 1352 Hartsdale St. in North Port, was purchased in foreclosure for $75,753 by several groups including The Community Housing Trust, Florida House, and the Florida Solar Energy Center. The retrofit, tackled by around 30 contractors, came to a total of $49,000. Through the application of passive green building techniques, the home was brought up to code, while lowering the total energy rating by about 1/3. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program is a national initiative that was proposed in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. This program was established to help communities recover from foreclosures and home abandonment through the purchase and renovation of foreclosed and neglected properties. Sarasota County was awarded $7.1 million in funding which must be allocated by September 2010. Multiple houses have been purchased and renovated already. Some may disagree with the use of federally allocated funds for what has often been classified as a liberal ideal (aka: sustainability), but consider that this home will not be sold at a premium, will cost less in water and electric bills, and maintains the same quality of construction outlined in the established building code regulations. This type of intelligent design lends itself perfectly to government housing projects since it lowers the bills of the already low income family being sold the house. It is important to remember that retrofitting your own home can increase the value of your property as well as lower your monthly payments. Such simple fixes as purchasing a high efficiency water heater, washer/dryer, or kitchen appliances can help. There are also less permanent solutions such as duct cleanings and the use of natural light or high efficiency and long-lasting compact fluorescent and LED lighting where possible. No one needs to be a "green guru," but the concept of simple sustainability can increase the value of your real estate investment, or just save you money in the long run.
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