Keep Alachua County Beautiful trespassed for using restored, city-owned home as office
Keep Alachua County Beautiful was served a trespass notice on Tuesday for illegally using a city-owned home restored by the community as its headquarters.
The Gainesville nonprofit organization whose mission is the beautification and conservation of local nature and neighborhoods, held a “beautification event” for the historic home located at 738 NW Seventh St. in October. A news release for the event encouraged appliance donations including a refrigerator, washer and dryer, and asked participants to work on landscaping and other exterior work, and the group's Facebook page specified the project was designed to be used as affordable housing.
Earlier this month, KACB Executive Director Tyler Smith made the decision to move into the home after the previous KACB office was “sewage filled,” according to an email from Smith to Gainesville City Manager Cynthia Curry.
“I had to resolve the situation immediately. I reacted under extreme circumstances and moved the office to what I thought would be a temporary available space.”
The group was issued a trespass notice Tuesday after unlawfully occupying the house for over two weeks.
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“I am very sorry that this situation ended this way. However, the fact remains that KACB has no arrangement with the City of Gainesville for the use of this property, and unlawfully occupied the premises for more than two weeks,” Curry wrote in an email Tuesday. “While on site this afternoon, I spoke with several KACB board members and they were unaware of this situation. As I indicated to you as well, I was not aware.”
The email noted that the city is in possession of the keys to the house and will need to coordinate reentry to remove any possessions. Curry wrote that if all items are not removed by Feb. 1, they will be stored in the Public Works compound.
KACB made a Facebook post Wednesday — that has since been deleted — asking for help to “save our home.”
“Keep Alachua County Beautiful is being evicted by the City and this beautiful home will be demolished under the guise that a “replacement” might one day be built… but with the amount of vacant surplus land the city is trying to sell, it just doesn’t make sense,” the post reads. “We have no ability to move — no credit card, no cash in the bank until first quarter reimbursements, no trailer, no signing authority.”
The official City of Gainesville Facebook account responded to the post with a lengthy message.
“The City of Gainesville values its partnership with Keep Alachua County Beautiful. Last year, we provided KACB with $66,000 in funding. City staff members volunteer on projects, collaborate frequently, and even serve on the board.
“Our support does not extend to allowing unlawful occupation of a City property. Not only because moving in without an agreement is unauthorized and unsafe, but because it is unfair. The City receives many requests for use of City buildings and facilities. Each is carefully considered before moving forward with a formal agreement.
“We never imagined we would need to be concerned with a local nonprofit taking up illegal residence in a house owned by the City. This home is not scheduled to be demolished but is set to be rehabbed for future neighbors in need through funding provided by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
“The City wishes Keep Alachua County Beautiful well in pursuing their main mission of beautifying, conserving resources, recycling, educating, and preserving our community’s environmental legacy.”
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Keep Alachua County Beautiful trespassed for use of Gainesville home
