By Mollye Barrows, Pensacola News Journal
More than 700 people packed First Baptist Church of Warrington this week to discuss issues with local leaders that are impacting the community like the lack of affordable rental housing and the high arrest rate of children and adults for nonviolent offenses.
The event was held by Justice United Seeking Transformation Pensacola or JUST Pensacola, a group of nearly 20 congregations of different denominations who meet for several months each year to build relationships and discuss problems affecting citizens as well as what can be done about it.
This year, JUST Pensacola is focusing on the dire need for affordable rental housing and utilizing diversion programs to cut down on arrests of children and adults.
Members shared what they learned about those issues at the community meeting on May 6, and invited local leaders to attend. Their goal is change and accountability and engaging elected officials to be a part of the solution.
Affordable rentals hard to find
JUST Pensacola’s affordable housing steering committee discussed the “severe, persistent, and growing gap” in finding and affording rental units.
The organization says 23,378 households can’t find an affordable place to rent in Escambia County, according to the Florida Housing Data Clearinghouse.
Members pointed out that even working full-time jobs people don’t make enough to pay market rental rates. Those who are disabled or on Social Security and fixed incomes are having to choose between rent, groceries and medications.
Three out of four households renting in Escambia County are spending more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities.
JUST member Michael McVoy read a letter from a woman with stage 4 cancer who is struggling to keep her room at a boarding house where she shares a bathroom and kitchen with 10 other renters.
“I live in fear that my landlord may decide to raise my rent even a little, which would make it impossible for me to meet my other basic life and health expenses. It is a difficult way to live at this stage in my life,” McVoy read from the letter of Judy Mott, who was too ill to attend.
Community Land Trust one solution
JUST Pensacola has long advocated for the creation of an affordable housing trust fund to incentivize the creation of affordable housing in Escambia County. After Pensacola Habitat for Humanity launched the Northwest Florida Community Land Trust (CLT) in 2023, JUST is urging county leaders to join the city of Pensacola to donate land to it.
The land trust is a shared equity home ownership model created in 2022 that was designed to make home ownership attainable for low-income households.
The JUST affordable housing committee identified it as one way to create permanent affordable housing.
Pensacola Habitat CEO Sam Young said the land trust can also be used to provide affordable rental housing.
“Building on this foundation, I’m proud to announce our forthcoming Affordable Rental Program,” Young said to the packed to the church. “This initiative aims to provide high-quality single-family homes for families who are not yet ready for homeownership, but need stable, affordable housing. These homes will serve as a stepping stone, offering families the security and support they need to eventually transition into homeownership.”
Young says the rental homes will be integrated into existing neighborhoods, but they need more land to make it possible and that takes collaboration with local leaders to identify and donate parcels.
He said donated land would free up resources to support the rental program. Habitat’s goal is to add one rental home for every three lots donated to the Community Land Trust.
Both Escambia District 1 Commissioner Steve Stroberger and Escambia District 2 Commissioner Mike Kohler attended the meeting at JUST’s request.
They were asked if they would commit to identifying parcels of land within their districts to be placed into the Northwest Florida Community Land Trust by Sept. 15.
Both men answered, “Yes.”
Escambia’s Board of County Commissioners has not yet approved any donations to the Community Land Trust, but three lots have been approved by the board for affordable housing at these locations:
- 1721 Atlanta Ave.
- 1732 Bainbridge Ave.
- 1700 Blakely Ave.
Concerns over nonviolent arrest rates
The second issue JUST took up is the high arrest rate of children.
The organization’s criminal justice steering committee wanted to know why more children weren’t being diverted into the Juvenile Civil Citation Program, which was expanded by State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden in 2019.
The program is an alternative to arrest for first-time misdemeanor offenses committed by youth ages 8-17.
It allows law enforcement to issue a citation in lieu of arrest, enabling youth to avoid a criminal record and receive services like counseling or treatment.
In 2023, JUST asked Madden to create an Adult Civil Citation Program, which she did in 2024.
However, JUST is concerned that usage for both programs is low. They say in 2023, Juvenile Civil Citations were used in 67% of eligible cases, but in 2024 they were only used in 36% of cases.
View the original story here.