Dennis Dingman with the state Department of Economic Opportunity visited the Mexico Beach City Council to discuss the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) process for a housing assistance plan to help low- to moderate-income residents rehabilitate substandard units.
Last year, CDBG funds helped nine recipients in
Dingman proposed several grant qualification changes to the council that were suggested by an advisory committee at the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. The proposed changes would disqualify residents who own mobile homes but not the land on which they sit.
Out of last year’s nine recipients, five of them did not own the land. The change was made after one of last year’s recipients destroyed the rehabilitated home and left. Unable to collect the lien on the property, the city waded through a long and expensive legal process and ultimately lost money.
Several residents who attended the meeting said they owned mobile homes but not the land. They expressed concerns that one person had ruined it for the rest.
“How does this help the people who need help? Why should one bad seed ruin it for everyone?” one person asked.
“People who don’t own the dirt are the ones who need help the most,” another resident said.
Tempers flared in the audience as Dingman continued to read the proposed changes, and several people walked out.
Mayor Al Cathey said the council would vote at its regular November meeting whether or not the changes would take effect.
“You’re making accusations on what’s going to happen and nothing’s happened,” Cathey said.
After hearing Dingman’s proposal, the council reached the same opinion as the residents.
“I’m comfortable leaving it the way it was for this grant cycle,” Councilwoman Tanya Castro said. “I don’t think we should make the change based on one bad decision.”
Residents applauded the stand.
“If we had one bad experience, I don’t know that needs to be the precedent on how we operate,” Cathey said.