There are many critical issues facing our community, from gun control and public safety to climate resilience and infrastructure improvements. One issue that is particularly important to South Florida CLT is improving housing affordability here, at the local level.

With Fort Lauderdale’s Municipal General Election coming up on Tuesday, March 13, 2018, we reached out to candidates running for Mayor and City Commission to ask them five questions about their positions on local housing affordability:

1.   Do you think the City of Fort Lauderdale is meeting the housing needs of its residents?

If yes, please elaborate. If not, what will you do to ensure that the City of Fort Lauderdale meets the housing needs of its residents? Please be specific on what actions you will propose and/or support.

Mayoral Candidates:

Vice Mayor Bruce G. Roberts: No Response

Commissioner Dean Trantalis: No, the city has not done enough. A key theme of my campaign is smart, sensible growth. One aspect of that is we must have adequate affordable housing so teachers, nurses, secretaries and our youth are not priced out of living in our city. The county imposed rules on a new group of flex units that they provided the city for expanding downtown housing, yet nothing has been done to meet the requirement they set regarding affordable housing. We should require developers to include affordable units as part of their proposals rather than hoping someone comes along with a completely affordable project.

City Commission Candidates:

Heather Thompson Moraitis (Commissioner-Elect, District 1): No Response

Steve Glassman (District 2): No, the City is not meeting the housing needs of its residents. Too high a percentage of our residents are paying too high a percentage of their income on housing. The City has done very little to meet the County’s mandate for affordable housing units. We need to listen to our Advisory Board, strengthen their place at the table, and explore all options to make it financially viable for developers to create affordable housing. The same incentives/subsidies that are available for market rate housing must be made available for affordable housing; the numbers must work. In addition, the city needs to participate by making available public-owned land.

Tim Smith (District 2): The City has fallen dreadfully behind in accommodating people of all incomes… As we become a more expensive residential city, the City must legislate workforce housing….I proposed this when I served 15 years ago, though it did not pass… it is critical now and it will be one of the first things I accomplish. A percentage of new development units needs to be set aside as workforce housing.

Commissioner Robert McKinzie (Commissioner-Elect, District 3): No Response

Dr. Benjamin Sorensen (District 4): No Response

Dr. Warren Sturman (District 4 ): No Response

2.   What will you do to ensure the future affordability of the City of Fort Lauderdale?

Please be specific on what actions you will propose and/or support.

Mayoral Candidates:

Vice Mayor Bruce G. Roberts: No Response

Commissioner Dean Trantalis: We need to strengthen the advisory board we created on affordable housing. We should require developers to set aside units in their projects. We should help those involved in affordable housing creation obtain federal and state grants. We should make public land available where possible and work with other local governments to do the same. Public private partnerships are another possible avenue of creating affordable housing. We also must be mindful not to allow micro-units to be considered affordable when they are not capable of housing a family.

City Commission Candidates:

Heather Thompson Moraitis (Commissioner-Elect, District 1): No Response

Steve Glassman (District 2): Please see above answer. In addition, the City must work with all available state and federal resources in developing affordable/workforce housing. It must be a long-term approach to this need and keeping the housing affordable for more than just the typical length of time which is not an adequate solution.

Tim Smith (District 2): Additionally, there is a proposal to consolidate “flex” units (about 16,000), but I will oppose that unless there is a substantial portion set aside for affordable units. A diverse, successful city must include all income strata in decent housing, spread throughout the city.

Commissioner Robert McKinzie (Commissioner-Elect, District 3): No Response

Dr. Benjamin Sorensen (District 4): No Response

Dr. Warren Sturman (District 4): No Response

3.   Do you support the creation of a local source of funding for affordable housing for and from the City of Fort Lauderdale?

If yes, please identify potential sources of funding. If not, please elaborate why not.

Mayoral Candidates:

Vice Mayor Bruce G. Roberts: No Response

Commissioner Dean Trantalis: I’m open to that idea as we must do more to ensure affordable housing in Fort Lauderdale. We’ve seen what has happened in other communities where the middle and lower income brackets are priced out of affordable home-ownership or affordable rentals. The reliance on state funding is inadequate in light of the constant raids on the money that is earmarked for affordable housing.

City Commission Candidates:

Heather Thompson Moraitis (Commissioner-Elect, District 1): No Response

Steve Glassman (District 2): Yes, I support a local source of funding. If you look at the recent City survey presented at yesterday’s Commission Conference Meeting, you will note just how important a topic this is among the residents. A City needs to ensure that there is adequate housing for teachers, nurses, police, firefighters and other vital professions. In some expensive cities, teachers and others are already moving away from the communities they love because they can simply not afford to live there. We cannot let this happen here. There needs to be a dedicated source of funding locally and also lobbying to ensure that state funds are not diverted from their intended use. Lastly, all P3 options need to be explored which is where the expertise on the Advisory Board can be beneficial. Within 90 days of the new Commission being seated, I will recommend that the Advisory Board provide a detailed approach to addressing affordable housing and that the new Commission hold a special workshop to hear the recommendations as well as others.

Tim Smith (District 2): Yes… CDBG funding is available for housing, as are other Federal, State, and County sources, but the big answer lies with the developers. We need to entice, encourage and require that they build our needed workforce housing.

Commissioner Robert McKinzie (Commissioner-Elect, District 3): No Response

Dr. Benjamin Sorensen (District 4): No Response

Dr. Warren Sturman (District 4): No Response

4.   Do you support having the Northwest-Progresso-Flagler Heights CRA play a role in addressing affordable housing needs within its targeted area (as is required by State statute)?

If yes, please suggest potential strategies. If not, please elaborate why not.

Mayoral Candidates:

Vice Mayor Bruce G. Roberts: No Response

Commissioner Dean Trantalis: Absolutely. With its proximity to downtown, the Northwest CRA is an ideal location for affordable housing. Land remains available at reasonable prices for development. We must ensure gentrification does not change the area’s dynamic and price out current residents. A strong focus for new projects should be affordable housing. The CRA can help in those efforts by making public land available. I would add a caveat that affordable housing should be available throughout the city.

City Commission Candidates:

Heather Thompson Moraitis (Commissioner-Elect, District 1): No Response

Steve Glassman (District 2): Yes. This will be the new frontier for development and we must ensure that gentrification does not displace the long-time residents. Developers wanting to build must provide affordable housing as part of the site plan process and the City needs to step up with public land that could be donated for affordable housing units.

Tim Smith (District 2): Of course, but we need not lump all the affordable housing there. It is already part of that CRA’s mission, so accomplishing affordable housing there should be done without delay.

Commissioner Robert McKinzie (Commissioner-Elect, District 3): No Response

Dr. Benjamin Sorensen (District 4): No Response

Dr. Warren Sturman (District 4): No Response

5.   How do you propose that the City of Fort Lauderdale meet its commitment to build 750, or 15%, of 5000 units in the downtown Regional Activity Center (RAC) as affordable?

Mayoral Candidates:

Vice Mayor Bruce G. Roberts: No Response

Commissioner Dean Trantalis: As I said in my original answer, this is a prime example of the city’s failure on affordable housing. I have repeatedly raised this matter with the current commission to no avail. I think we should require all housing developers to set aside a percentage of units as affordable. That way, we do not have to gamble on the hope that a big affordable housing project comes along.

City Commission Candidates:

Heather Thompson Moraitis (Commissioner-Elect, District 1): No Response

Steve Glassman (District 2): The City has to make up for past inaction and lost time. Let’s start with an inventory of downtown housing to identify how many of the units approved and/or built meet the definition of affordable housing. This would provide a beginning point for starting or expanding the program. As I have said above, all options need to be explored especially as development extends south of the River. With all of the approved projects in the pipeline, is it even possible for the City to meet this commitment in the short-term? Furthermore, affordable housing must be throughout the City, not just concentrated in one area.

Tim Smith (District 2): If the City Commission legislates it, it can happen!

Commissioner Robert McKinzie (Commissioner-Elect, District 3): No Response

Dr. Benjamin Sorensen (District 4):No Response

Dr. Warren Sturman (District 4):No Response