Partnership brings $30,000 in resources to help residents preserve historic homes
The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation (SAHP) has announced that its Resilient Roots initiative is “fully funded and actively helping Newtown homeowners preserve their historic properties.”
The project is being supported “through a collaborative investment from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and the Newtown Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA),” a news release explains.
“The Community Foundation’s $10,000 grant, combined with $20,000 from the Newtown CRA, provides the full $30,000 needed to launch this innovative approach to historic preservation in one of Sarasota’s most culturally significant neighborhoods,” the release adds.
“This partnership demonstrates what’s possible when local institutions come together with a shared commitment to community,” said Erin DiFazio, managing director of SAHP, in the release. “We’re not just preserving buildings — we’re helping families stay in their homes, protecting generational wealth, and ensuring that Newtown’s irreplaceable story remains visible for future generations.”
The release explains, “Resilient Roots adapts SAHP’s successful Historic Loan Program specifically for the Newtown National Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in April 2024. The initiative makes critical home repairs accessible to residents through subsidized financing that dramatically reduces monthly payment barriers that previously prevented many homeowners from making necessary repairs.”
Further, the release notes, “The program provides interest-free loans with 12-year terms, covers closing costs, and includes hands-on technical assistance to guide homeowners and contractors through repairs that honor the historic integrity of these homes while addressing structural needs. Each loan also protects properties with covenants that discourage demolition and parcel assemblage, helping to stabilize the neighborhood long-term.”
“With funding secured,” the release adds, SAHP is “working with Newtown homeowners to complete projects. The initiative will help three to five families in its first year, with the revolving loan structure ensuring that funds return to serve additional homeowners in years to come.”
“The 34234 zip code has a poverty rate of 21.1% — nearly double Florida’s average,” DiFazio explained in the release. “Meanwhile, rapidly rising property values and predatory acquisition practices have threatened longtime residents with displacement. This program changes the equation. We’re making it possible for residents to maintain homes their families have owned for generations, rather than being forced to sell,” she added.
“As the second-oldest African American community in Sarasota, Newtown represents an essential chapter in the city’s history,” the release continues. “The district includes 691 contributing historic buildings that tell the story of African American settlement, perseverance through segregation, and enduring community strength.
The initiative prioritizes using local contractors and tradespeople, ensuring each project sustains the local economy while preserving the architectural character that makes Newtown irreplaceable.”
“These homes represent naturally occurring affordable housing and the physical artifacts of Newtown’s story,” DiFazio added in the release. “By keeping families in their homes, we’re fighting displacement, honoring history, and strengthening community – and we couldn’t do it without the vision and support of our funding partners.”
For more information about the Historic Loan Program or to apply for assistance, visit PreserveSRQ.org or contact Erin DiFazio at 941-529-1833 or email preservesrq@gmail.com.