Funding up to $10,000 available per applicant
In one of their first formal actions after returning from their five-week summer vacation, the Sarasota County commissioners in late August unanimously authorized a program that will make use of county Code Enforcement revenue to improve neighborhoods.
Called Helping Hands, the initiative will provide grants between $1,000 and $10,000 for residents “to conduct projects focusing on neighborhood improvements,” the county webpage says.
Commissioners expressed enthusiasm for the proposal after seeing a staff presentation about it.
“I highly support it,” Commissioner Mark Smith said. “A good number of folks in my district … I’m sure, are interested …”
Smith, who lives on Siesta Key, represents District 2, which also includes the city of Sarasota.
“This is absolutely fabulous,” Commissioner Teresa Mast added. “I just wish there was more money.”
During their presentation during the Aug. 26 County Commission meeting, which was conducted in Venice, Rebecca Beckham, a community outreach specialist with the county’s Planning and Development Services Department, noted that in 2019, the commissioners seated at that time adopted a resolution that implemented the Code Enforcement Lien Amnesty Program. That initiative proved so popular, Beckham added, that the commissioners extended its sunset to Jan. 31, 2022.
As the relevant resolution put it, the County Commission gave the county administrator “the authority for discretion to resolve outstanding liens arising from Code Enforcement cases where the liens have been in existence for more than 120 days …”
A flat rate of $1,200 per case was established, the resolution said, including all fines and recording fees. The county administrator could reduce or release any liens during the 18 months of the amnesty program if an affected property had been brought into “compliance with the applicable provisions of the Sarasota County Code of Ordinances,” as long as no “significant risks to public health, safety and welfare” were involved.
Altogether, Beckham told the commissioners on Aug. 26, $227,582.65 was collected through that amnesty initiative. The Helping Hands program, she added, was designed to infuse funds into neighborhoods through a process similar to that of the county’s Neighborhood Services Grant Program. Unlike the latter, however, no matching funds would be required of grant recipients, she said.
“The intent,” she continued, “is to deter Code Enforcement infractions from occurring by encouraging community building, neighborhood pride, educating residents on common Code Enforcement violations, and providing financial support.”
Eligibility requirements are as follows, the county webpage says:
Ineligible properties, Beckham continued, would be those with active Code Enforcement actions, including but not limited to courtesy notices, notices of violation, outstanding liens or abatements; those listed for sale; and county-owned parcels.
County staff will disperse funds throughout the life of a project, she added.
Then Erin Sommerville, also a community outreach specialist, read a list of eligible projects:
Further, Sommerville explained the grant application process, starting with the fact that interested persons must attend an educational session about the program:
During his remarks after the presentation, Commissioner Smith told Beckham and Sommerville, “I just want to commend you all for putting this together.”
He did ask whether a person could apply more than once, “because some of the properties may need more than one bite of the apple.”
Because the funds are limited, Beckham replied, only one application per person or group will be allowed. Moreover, she stressed the $10,000 maximum for a grant.
Commissioner Mast told the women that she assumed they would provide the board members a report in the future about the results of the program. “I think it would be extremely beneficial to us to be able to see the results,” she added.
“Great use of the dollars,” Commissioner Ron Cutsinger told Beckham and Sommerville. All of the money “will be encumbered within the year,” he speculated.
“This is good stuff,” Commissioner Tom Knight added.
Since Code Enforcement officers know the areas they cover, Knight continued, he hoped they would be allowed to help people apply for Helping Hands. Knight characterized that suggestion as “kind of [helping property owners] help themselves a little bit.”
He pointed out that Code Enforcement officers are likely to know, as well, when people are struggling to comply with county regulations about the upkeep of their properties.
Chair Joe Neunder offered plaudits for the fact that the program will assist residents without the financial wherewithal to address problems that could result in Code Enforcement violations.
“We are pretty excited about it,” County Administrator Jonathan Lewis said.
Smith ended up making the motion to adopt the resolution that established the program, and Mast seconded it.