Push Comes To Shove
Push for Assisted Living Shoves Aside Bahama Village Promises
Six years ago I spent a great deal of time and effort speaking out against the concept of planting a bunch of so-called “independent living” units on the Truman Waterfront ostensibly to subsidize a few assisted care units there. The plan back then called for 95 of those “independent” units, but only 20 “affordable“ assisted units (and 20 other “market rate” ones). I won’t go into all that again, it’s all documented: HERE.
Though I still feel strongly that the adamant position of the FKACC that their plan was the ONLY way we could EVER have assisted care in Key West was bogus, others (e.g., Yaniz) are doing a good job of exposing the flaws in that argument. Anyone who votes in favor of their plan KNOWS that’s not true and is voting in favor of it for other reasons, NOT because there is “no other way”.
It was made clear that there ARE other ways to do it when the plan abruptly changed a couple of years ago. First, a developer stepped up who planned to switch the project to one that would only include assisted living – and lots more of it at that. Lots more affordable assisted units that could help get more of our “average” seniors into the facility. This change was welcome, and almost completely answered the concerns that I had been expressing. The other change was worked out by Commissioner Lopez…
First one must understand that a key provision of the Navy’s conveyance of the Truman Waterfront property to the City is that there MUST be a component that will provide direct economic benefit to the Bahama Village community. Prior to the collapse of the Bahama Conch Community Land Trust (BCCLT) that provision was to be met by a grand plan to set up a marketplace, small businesses, affordable housing and a community square that would be an extension of the Village. The BCCLT’s demise left a hole in the waterfront plan that had to be filled.
Commissioner Lopez, rather than spending years more attempting to pull together something similar, wisely saw a way to kill two birds with one stone. He knew that placing the assisted living facility directly at the (Southard) entrance to the waterfront was anathema to many, so he proposed moving it into the Bahama Village-adjacent component of the property. This would also provide a significant boost to Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds dedicated to Bahama Village. It appeared to be a win-win, and was approved by the Commission.
That made sense at the time, because the active bid was from a “for-profit” venture. However, that fell through for multiple reasons. Eventually a new team stepped up to the plate, but the goodness of the plan took two steps backward. The first step backward was in the unit allocations: the number of affordable units dropped considerably, accompanied by the return of the “independent” units. Sigh…
But the bigger step backward, from the point of view of Bahama Village, was the make-up of the new team. It was now a partnership with a non-profit — the “Affordable Housing Institute.” Since they are tax exempt, the expected benefit to Bahama Village – TIF funds — goes up in smoke. Commissioner Lopez rightly raised the issue that this plan fails to fulfill the Navy’s conveyance requirement. His qualms are quite valid, and should be shared by the entire commission. There MUST be an economic benefit to Bahama Village.
Other Commissioners are tossing around statements like “you should take what you can get, because you might get nothing”. Excuse me? The Navy conveyance ORDERS that there be a substantial economic impact to Bahama Village. I don’t know exactly what they can do if it’s ignored, but even if we want to go up against them on this requirement, it’s NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
Bravo to Commissioner Lopez for sticking to his guns and recognizing that this assisted-care plan is NOT the right thing for his constituents, nor for the City as a whole. This pie in the sky project that will clearly not deliver on the implied promises it has made must be pulled back and reworked with the total community in mind. And the land allocated for the advancement of Bahama Village needs to be brought back into play for that purpose. NOW.
Thanks for this information and perspective, David.
When I ran for mayor in 2007, my sense was what was usually called a senior “assisted-living” project was actually a seniors waterfront condo development proposal with some assisted-living services for seniors who needed assistance. My sense also was it mostly was for wealthy seniors.
Coalition member Peter Batty stated at a pubic meeting in NOAH that there was no other place in Key West but Truman Waterfront to put the senior living project.
Peter also stated that there was not sufficient demand in Key West to fill the senior living project, and while Key West seniors would be offered first choice, it would be marketed to seniors up the Keys and on the mainland.
It was reverse engineered. It was going to be just another residential waterfront development, but limited to seniors from anywhere, so as to make it available for Key West seniors who wanted to live there, who could afford it.
That information was not included in the 2007 referendum wording. The voters who YES believed they were voting for an assisted and independent-living project for Key West seniors.
It was understood by everyone involved, including the sitting city commissioners and mayor, that for the deal to work economically, the lease would have to be a buck a year for 99 years. However, that subsidy was not included in the 2007 referendum wording, which omission later allowed the city to demand rent considerably over a buck a year.
Also perhaps not understood by most voters, the referendum was only permissive and was not binding on the city.
I objected to the senior living project during my campaign. I did not think it was right for city land to be given to a developer, unless the land only would be used to house Key West seniors. I caught lots of flack from Key West seniors I knew.
I still object to any city subsidy of a senior living facility on city land not restricted to Key West seniors, who already live in Key West.
Mayor Cates seems to have convinced most of the city commissioners to have the city build and run at the city’s (the taxpayers’) expense, an assisted-living homeless project on city property on Stock Island, which could have been where the senior living center was located.
However, that location was not waterfront adjacent to Old Town, separated from doctors offices and grocery stores and shopping malls by the most congested city streets.
However, that location was near the hospital and its helicopter medical evacuation pad. It was on the city bus routes. It was convenient by car or by bus to doctors offices and the North Roosevelt grocery stores and malls. It was near the beautiful city tropical garden and forest. It backed up to the city’s only golf course. It was near the community college and its facilities.
However, that location was near KOTS, the county jail and Mt. Trashmore.
Looks like Mayor Cates and a majority of the city commissioners want an assisted-living project for homeless people more than they want a housing project for Key West seniors.
Looks like Key West developers, such as Ed Swift, the Spottswoods and Pritam Singh, are not interested in partnering with the city in building and running a project for Key West seniors. Wish Key West developers were interested in giving back to Key West in that way.
What I think the city, with the Navy’s permission, should do with most of Truman Waterfront is turn it into a community garden, run water out there for irrigation, and let Key West people build their own gardens and grow fresh produce and flowers for their own use and for sale at a weekly “farmers market”.
I also think the city, with the Navy’s permission, should let Key West people resume using Truman Beach and the outer mole for sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling, fishing, picnicking, cookouts, sunset watching.
The Truman Waterfront in 25 words or less:
Lybrand: “Prior to the collapse of the Bahama Conch Community Land Trust (BCCLT) that provision was to be met by a grand plan to set up a marketplace, small businesses, affordable housing and a community square that would be an extension of the Village. The BCCLT’s demise left a hole in the waterfront plan that had to be filled.”
PERIOD.
After Kelley, Nada. Clayton can’t do very much alone. After 15 (expletive deleted) years, there is still ZERO functional community wide comprehension of the manifold BRAC opportunities to enrich BV’s future. It’s as though the property is on the moon instead of down the block.
One in BV wants a community Clubhouse, another wants a vegetable garden? Great, but there is no mutually agreed upon plan. No layout, no MAP even comprehended, let alone ratified by the whole neighborhood .
The central problem remains. after 15 years: individual residents of BV cannot find the BRAC acres on a zoning map.
When the ‘park’ get’s built and BV get’s left out, except for some increase to the annual TIF Pinata, it won’t be simply the machinations of the usual suspects downtown to blame.
The leaders of Bahama Village have shown an understanding of community improvement that is clearly, and, unfortunately, limited to divvying up the annual tiny TIF Fund. When the dust finally settles on Fort Street, they will have posted a record of nearly absolute default on this BRAC opportunity of a lifetime. A decade and a half of refusing to recognize, let alone seize, the greatest opportunity for advancement Bahama Village has ever seen. Talk to BV ‘leaders’, Lopez excepted, about economic life beyond the Dollar Limits of TIF and you might as well be speaking to Latvians.
Again, everything you need to know about Effective Organization over the past decade in Bahama Village – or the fleeting BRAC acreage bonanza – is cleanly summed up by Lybrand above:
“Prior to the collapse of the Bahama Conch Community Land Trust (BCCLT) that provision was to be met by a grand plan to set up a marketplace, small businesses, affordable housing and a community square that would be an extension of the Village. The BCCLT’s demise left a hole in the waterfront plan that had to be filled.”
Period. That’s about it – and the case is almost closed. That statement remains the current weather report at Petronia and Fort. There are not now, and probably never will be, any sunny BV updates. No forward community development, let alone an optimal one, is ever likely to get much past that western sidewalk on Fort Street.
Not with One Quarterback and 21 Empty Suits. Sheesh! We’re talking about a BV neighborhood ”leadership team” with a 15 year record of Big Game forfeiture. Of course, the ‘team’ thing is only a mythical construct. It hasn’t shown because it does not, in fact, exist. Kenny Sullivan, for example, has a day job.
( Oh, they’ll show up for Church Bingo and local Poker Games, sure. Hey! you could win something tangible!)
Good Luck, Clayton. Let me just close with one relevant quote from a long time community supporter:
“Prior to the collapse of the Bahama Conch Community Land Trust (BCCLT) that provision was to be met by a grand plan to set up a marketplace, small businesses, affordable housing and a community square that would be an extension of the Village. The BCCLT’s demise left a hole in the waterfront plan that had to be filled.”
later,
Paul Williams