United Way invests $1 million of windfall to boost affordable housing in Jacksonville

The United Way of Northeast Florida will invest at least $1 million of a $20 million windfall gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to "protect and increase" affordable home ownership in three historically Black and low-income neighborhoods in Jacksonville.

The nonprofit also announced Tuesday the formation of a task force to recommend future investments from the 2020 Scott donation for "long-term affordable housing solutions."

"We are thrilled for the families whose lives will irrevocably change because of this investment,"President and CEO Melanie Patz said. "With the help of our partners, we’re ensuringresidents who have lived in these neighborhoods for decades — or even generations — can safelyand sustainably remain in their homes, while taking a critical first step toward building wealth andimproving their economic mobility."

The United Way's goal, she said, is for every person in Northeast Florida to "have a chance to do better than the generation before, regardless of the color of their skin or ZIP code."

$20 million to United Way:3 Jacksonville-area nonprofits benefit from MacKenzie Scott's $4 billion in grants

'Exceptional person':Melanie Patz of Baptist Health becomes United Way of Northeast Florida's new leader

Aundra Wallace, a United Way board member and co-chairman of the new task force, is president of JAXUSA Partnership, JAX Chamber's regional economic development arm.

"Word is out … about our region. Jacksonville is growing," he said, citing a projected 85 new residents a day through 2025. But that growth, as well as supply chain and labor shortages, rent increases and a median home price of $340,000 have worsened an ongoing affordable housing crisis, he said.

"It is important we don't leave anyone behind," Wallace said, calling affordable housing a "humanitarian issue."

Funding focuses on home rehabilitation and retention

The $1 million will be divided among three projects:

⋅ $600,000 for a home-improvement program operated by Groundwork Jacksonville in partnership with the North Riverside Community Development Corp. The program works to rehabilitate owner-occupied homes in the Lackawanna and Mixon Town neighborhoods in the North Riverside area.

A $600,000 match will be made to Groundwork Jacksonville from LISC Jacksonville, the Edna Sproull Williams Foundation and Groundwork USA through the Climate Preparedness and Land Restoration Initiative. The total $1.2 million in funding will "improve the living conditions, property values and quality of life for families in 46 homes," according to the United Way.

Kay Ehas, CEO of Groundwork Jacksonville, said the funding will be "transformational."

"This initiative will provide far-reaching benefits to North Riverside and help to protect residents of this economically and environmentally vulnerable neighborhood from the threats of climate and displacement," she said.

The housing rehabilitation project also will complement the nonprofit's efforts to restore the natural state of McCoys Creek, which regularly floods neighboring streets and houses in North Riverside, and the planned 30-mile Emerald Trail that will connect historic urban neighborhoods to downtown, the St. Johns River and other waterways.

McCoys Creek:Flooding relief begins as JTA reduces some Jacksonville routes

Flood relief:Despite years of repairs, work to make Jacksonville ready for hurricanes isn't finished

"As we continue our work to restore McCoys Creek and build the Emerald Trail in partnership with the city of Jacksonville, Groundwork is committed to helping long-time residents remain in their homes and begin to build generational wealth for their families," Ehas said.

Padrica Mendez, secretary of the North Riverside CDC and chairwoman of its housing committee, is a second-generation North Riverside resident. She and others who live there are "so excited … and appreciative" of the program and the new funding, she said.

"We love our neighborhood, and the home repair program will help to ensure we can stay here andcontinue to build a stronger community," she said.

∙ $300,000 will go to the Restore & Repair program operated by the Historic Eastside Community Development Corp. and LIFT JAX, with technical assistance from LISC Jacksonville.

The program helps longtime Eastside residents make home improvements, "ensuring they can stay inplace and prosper in safe, stable housing," according to the United Way. To date, work on 25 houses has been completed.

"With the support from United Way, we are looking forward to collaborating with many more Eastsideresidents this year to ensure safe housing," said LIFT JAX President David Garfunkel.

Suzanne Pickett, president and CEO of Historic Eastside CDC, said the “program allows residents to retain their homes as an asset and build wealth for future generations."

∙ $100,000 will support a LISC Jacksonville program that resolves issues with heirs’ property rights.About 29,000 Jacksonville properties are at risk because their owners died without a will, often leaving heirs without clear title, according to the United Way. At minimum, lack of clear title can block access to home improvement loans and disaster assistance; at worse, the heirs could lose the property.

'Heirs property rights':Ownership rules addressed in historic St. Augustine areas

'Significant need':United Way awards $9 million in nonprofit grants to help struggling families

"Our partnership with United Way provides a vital lifeline for the work we are doing to helpfamilies in some of our most challenged neighborhoods maintain their homes," said IrvinPeDro Cohen, executive director of LISC Jacksonville. "It is this type of creativity in terms of fiscalsupport and meeting people where they are that will allow us to collectively address the issuesassociated with affordable housing."

The affordable housing task force was to meet last week for the first time, continue its work through June then make recommendations. Co-chairs are JAXUSA Partnership's Wallace and Mari Kuraishi, president of the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. The 15 other members are community leaders, neighborhood partners and housing experts, including Cohen, Garfunkel and Patz.

bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109

UNITED WAY OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA

To participate in the affordable housing task force's work or donate to the cause, contact the United Way at (904) 390-3200 or mail@uwnefl.org. For general information about the United Way, go to unitedwaynefl.org.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: United Way uses MacKenzie Scott gift for Jacksonville affordable housing