St. Johns County state, local elected officials talk about budget, growth and housing

A record number of local projects made it into the state budget this year, and there is an increase in funding for affordable housing as part of the more than $112 billion state budget, state lawmakers said on Friday morning in St. Johns County.

St. Johns County's legislative delegation ― Sen. Travis Hutson, Rep. Paul Renner and Rep. Cyndi Stevenson ― spoke about recent legislative efforts as part of the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce's St. Johns Legislative Update at the Renaissance World Golf Village Resort.

The event's panel of speakers also included St. Johns County Commissioner Christian Whitehurst, St. Augustine Vice Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline and St. Augustine Beach Mayor Don Samora.

Growth and development: Affordable housing struggles focus of St. Johns County gathering

Affordable housing: New workforce housing development approved in St. Johns County

The group spoke mostly about major projects facing their areas relating to economic issues such as growth, development and affordable housing.

Dozens of people attended, including business leaders, law enforcement officials and elected officials from across the community and beyond.

Among other things, Hutson touted the financial literacy bill he supported that will require high school students to pass a financial literacy course to graduate, including things like balancing a checkbook and building a good credit score.

"In my opinion it is very, very essential that they learn these skills before they go to college or before they go into the workforce," he said.

Renner focused on property insurance issues, which will be the focus of a special session this month.

Local officials all talked about the effects they're seeing from growth in St. Johns County, such as the county's lack of affordable housing.

Whitehurst said when he joined the commission in 2020, affordable housing was an issue.

"And now it's a full-blown crisis," he said.

The county has approved several projects that will use its Workforce Housing zoning district, which allows developers flexibility on requirements such as density in exchange for building a portion of the housing at a maximum price of $240,000.

Sikes-Kline said she estimates that the St. Augustine urbanized area, which stretches beyond the city limits and is about 43 square miles, has about 100,000 people in it.

To help handle the traffic congestion and its impacts, the city has adopted a mobility plan and mobility fees. They're also working with the Florida Department of Transportation to, possibly, take over control of King Street to have more flexibility in its design.

"That will allow us to reduce congestion," she said.

She said the city is also working with the department to get funding for a transit circulator that would take people around the city, which could allow more people to park on the outskirts instead of driving around downtown looking for a parking spot.

"We feel like this will be a game changer for the city of St. Augustine," Sikes-Kline said.

Samora said the city of St. Augustine Beach is looking to open up more roads with access to developable residential lots.

"There's a huge demand, and with the lack of land that we have out there, the prices have gone through the roof," he said.

Stevenson worked on the appropriations committee for the upcoming budget. Friday she spoke about the state budget, which has not yet been signed by the governor. She said the budget includes, among other things:

• Local projects, including funding for a new campus for the Alpha Omega Miracle Home nonprofit, which serves senior women and women with children; $5 million for Flagler College to establish a classical education program; and funding for "money for beach renourishment projects, substance abuse (treatment) for women, mental health services, St. Augustine Beach resiliency, West Augustine septic-to-sewer (conversions)," a study for the Summer Haven River and road and sidewalk improvements.

• An increase to $362.7 million for affordable housing.

• Reserves of $8.9 billion and a $1 billion inflation fund to help offset budget items impacted by inflation.

• An increase for Medicaid expenses.

• Increased funding for the child welfare system.

• $2.3 billion for the protection of Florida's water resources, including the Resilient Florida program to address sea level rise and flooding.

• $30 million for manatee rescue and habitat restoration.

• An increase in funding for schools, including increased per-student funding and raises for teachers and instruction staff.

• The budget also has increased funding for state workers for pay, including workers in state-contracted nursing homes and Medicaid contractors, and a cost-of-living increase for most state employees.

• Over $468 million for Florida Forever for acquisitions of conservation land and over $296 million for state park improvements. "This is the highest level of funding for state park improvements in history," she said.

• An additional $670 million for environmental projects and land acquisition contingent on American Rescue Plan Act funding.

This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: St. Johns County growth, affordable housing in focus as lawmakers meet