Five new affordable single-family rental homes are coming to Jacksonville’s Durkeeville neighborhood. The city of Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Housing Authority, and First Coast Construction broke ground on the project on Grothe Street Friday.
During the groundbreaking, Mayor Donna Deegan said they wanted to make a statement with this project.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
“This is just the beginning,” said Mayor Deegan. “We’re investing in this neighborhood in affordable housing, especially because it is just so critical to bring this neighborhood back. And these five homes are just a great start.”
The groundbreaking comes just days after a University of North Florida found that the number one issue concerning Duval voters is housing costs. It far outpaced any other issue on voters’ minds this year.
These 5 single-family rental homes will be available for people who are on the Jacksonville Housing Authority wait list. JHA said families’ incomes will determine the amount they pay in rent.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
I spoke with Cheron Corbett, the CEO of the Jacksonville Housing Authority, about the bigger picture of affordable housing in Jacksonville.
“When we think about the bigger picture as it relates to affordable housing here in Jacksonville, we need to most definitely be strategic,” said Corbett. “Our focus is on not just rental but long-term economic mobility as it relates to home ownership opportunities.”
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Roderick Dorsey has been living in Durkeeville for all of his life. He says this project is going to make a visible difference to the neighborhood.
“For years you would look over here and look over here, the lots been empty for 50, 60, 70 years. They were coming here, tearing it down, said they were going to rebuild, and never did. To me, this is like heaven,” said Dorsey.
The JHA CEO told us the homes are expected to be completed by this September.
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.