Some are upset by Habitat for Humanity’s plan to build in Seminole County neighborhood.
Plan for homes in Seminole neighborhood raises concerns
When Anne Shirley and her family moved to English Estates about 25 years ago, they were attracted by the neighborhood’s midsize homes and neatly trimmed lawns.
But now Shirley and some of her neighbors are concerned about a proposal by Seminole County to donate vacant land near the corner of Thunder Trail and Derbyshire Road to Habitat for Humanity.
In turn, the nonprofit organization would build a pair of 1,100-square-foot homes as affordable housing for low-income buyers. Each of the homes would have three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Shirley said she supports Habitat for Humanity’s efforts in building affordable housing for low-income families around the world. However, in this case, the proposed homes would not fit in with the surrounding neighborhood, she said, because they would be much smaller than many of the nearby homes, which range between 1,800 and 3,000 square feet.
“This would not be good for our neighborhood,” Shirley said. “The values here are skyrocketing. The inventory is very low. And it’s getting to be a very desirable neighborhood.”
In 2013, Seminole listed the two vacant lots at Thunder Trail, along with six other parcels around the county, as surplus properties that can be used for affordable housing. State law requires counties to compile an inventory every three years of county-owned surplus properties that can be used for affordable housing.
The two lots on Thunder Trail were once used by Seminole County to provide water and other utilities to surrounding neighborhoods.
Habitat for Humanity applied last May to receive the lots from Seminole County, along
with a $20,000 grant. Habitat would have to meet the county’s zoning requirements for that area, county officials said.
The homes would then be sold to a low-income buyer for $75,000 each through a no-interest loan, according to Habitat’s application.
This year, the federal government enacted new rules that require cities and counties seeking federal housing grants to improve fair access to affordable housing in wealthier neighborhoods. This follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision last June that basically warned communities that affordable housing cannot be concentrated in poor, minority neighborhoods.
County commissioners are scheduled to approve the donation to Habitat in the coming months.
But Shirley and some of her neighbors hope that doesn’t happen.
“Not only is it terribly undersized and out of character for this established and more upscale community, the artificially low selling price will seriously affect appraisals and sales prices for nearby properties in English Estates/English Woods, Indian Hills, Dommerich Hills and Dommerich Woods as well,” reads an unsigned post on the English Estates English Woods Facebook page.
Officials with the English Estates English Woods Homeowners Association did not return calls for comment.
But Gregory Lollar, who has lived less than a mile away from the vacant lots since 1986, said he’s not concerned.
“I don’t see how it’s going to negatively impact the community unless the homes are not going to be maintained,” he said.
“You could have Mrs. Clean and Mr. Neat moving into them, and they would be the nicest cleanest homes in the community,” Lollar added. “On the other hand I see [existing] homes that need their grass cut. And I see one home that has had a blue tarp on their roof for a long time.”