Sarasota Livin'

Here we read the good news that the leftovers of Cohen Way will be redeveloped into affordable housing by being sold to a developer. Assuming they can get higher density to help make it affordable.

The Housing Authority will ask the federal government's permission to demolish what is left of the Cohen Way apartment complex and sell the land to a developer who will build condos there for low-income buyers.

The authority wants the city to approve a higher density for the site and for a private developer to build a greater number of homes there.

In exchange for getting the land at a price below its value, the developer would be required to sell the condos at below-market prices.

Here we read about the new executive director of the Community Housing Trust of Sarasota County...

Martina Guilfoil, of Inglewood, Calif., recently agreed to be the first executive director of the Community Housing Trust of Sarasota County; she is scheduled to begin work in Sarasota on Feb. 6. Her hiring represents a significant step forward for the trust, which needs professional guidance and full-time management and advocacy.

The trust was created last year to increase the stock of affordable housing -- and keep it affordable.

Community land trusts acquire and hold land, then lease residences built on that land to people who fit income-related criteria. The trust's ownership of the land lowers the cost of the housing, and contractual provisions limit the future prices of the homes.

I am not that smart so I am sure someone besides me sees the logic of combining these two stories. The public housing land should be "sold" / given to the Community Housing Trust to keep the land portion of the condos affordable.