BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Discussion of the C-PACE funding alternative for commercial projects revealed some more details about the Dwight Hewett’s CityWalk project and who might someday call it home.
CityWalk has been described as a 45-unit, sustainably constructed pathway to home ownership where residents can rent, purchase or rent to own their townhome. Those with lower credit scores would have an opportunity to improve their credit on their way to ownership.
The units are two-story, three-bedroom, two-bath townhomes with a garage — around 1,550 square feet each. Electricity is partially provided by solar power, and the construction materials are said to be twice as efficient at insulating heat and cold than the standard home. They are designed to incorporate technology and withstand natural disasters.
Five stormwater mitigation rain gardens dot the property. An in-ground collection system is also used for irrigation. Four electric vehicle charging stations would be open to everyone, as would the linear walking park on the perimeter of the property.
Hewett maintains there will be a preference for teachers, military and those who work in public safety, and they’ve received interest about that. But in talking with county commissioners earlier this month, there are still questions about the cost of these properties. Renters are projected to be couples with two salaries who could afford $2,300 a month, but Hewett said he wasn’t yet sure what a mortgage for one of the units would look like. One commissioner was skeptical of the affordability. Hewett said the professionals such as correctional officers, nurses and first responders have beginning salaries above $40,000 to $45,000, making rent affordable for a two-income household. Beginning teachers who work here but live outside the county would now have an option to stay in Bradford instead of moving on.
Hewett expects to draw additional interest from outside of Bradford County as well, pointing out there are more than a million people living with 50 minutes of Starke.
“There’s a lot of capability to fill 45 units at $2,300 a month,” he said of the professionals mentioned. “They can afford it, but there’s nothing for them. You know, they don’t have really a choice right now. There’s housing which they can’t qualify for because they make too much money, and then what they can afford they have to live in Clay County or Baker County or some other county,” he said.
Another impediment to some rentals is the security deposit plus first and last month’s rent. Hewett said insurance will allow him to require nothing more than the first month’s rent.
“We have that figured out through an insurance program that we pay for so we make it very affordable for them. They can afford the rent based on what we see,” he said.
Starke has been hugely supportive of the project, Hewett said, and the project will serve Starke. In addition to having more properties on the tax roll, the units will purchase utilities including electricity, water and sewer service from the city of Starke, although some electric costs will be offset by the solar generation. Residents can be expected to support businesses and events downtown and throughout the county. It could be the first of other projects to develop providing modern housing and grow the community.
