07/15/2014 (5) - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014 Even more effective, though, are efforts by community groups such as the Progressive Civic League of Gifford to encourage property N maintenance. On-going property maintenance is the most cost effective way to preserve property values. ■ Increasing Home Ownership One effective way to improve housing in a community is to increase homeownership. Generally, owners maintain their property better and have more pride in their community than renters do. Currently, both the Habitat for Humanity program and the SHIP program provide homeownership opportunities. Other programs are also available through local lenders. Probably the two issues limiting homeownership the most are cost and credit. To address these issues, there must be a coordinated effort involving government, non-profits, and local lenders. ■ Substandard Housing Projects In the past, affordable housing in Gifford has been provided in part through subsidized housing projects. Those projects created 509 subsidized affordable housing units within the Gifford area or 22% of all subsidized housing project units in unincorporated Indian River County. Community benefits from subsidized affordable housing units, however, need to be balanced by the fact that a concentration of such projects may, itself, cause problems, such as the possibility of increased crime and bringing more low income population into Gifford. Currently, there are no active applications proposing additional subsidized housing projects in Gifford. ■ Neighborhood Associations Although the Progressive Civic League of Gifford functions as a representative of the Gifford community, there are not many neighborhood associations in Gifford. These types of associations could facilitate communication within neighborhoods and between neighborhoods. They could also coordinate "clean-ups", aid COPE and Code Enforcement, and generally look after local needs, particularly in residential areas. ➢ Summary Generally, Gifford's poor housing conditions are located in East Gifford and are, to a large degree, caused by absentee landlords and low income owners that cannot afford to maintain their homes. To improve the housing situation, the County needs to coordinate COPE and code enforcement efforts to focus on maintenance of residential buildings, especially on properties owned by absentee landlords. To encourage home ownership, and improve housing conditions in Gifford, several programs need to be expanded. Those programs include the SHIP Program, Habitat for Humanity, Every Dream has a Price, and the CDBG program, especially in East Gifford. Community Development Indian River County 50