I was recently advised that the Village of Islamorada owns 128 properties in the Keys!
We own 105 within village limits (why do we keep property outside the Village?)
Congratulations taxpayers - you are amongst the largest land barons in Monroe County! Total value estimate - a several hundred million dollars!
A PLAN?
Is there a plan for these valuable pieces of property? I have to ask - who manages our holdings? What is our long/short term plan?
Take a look at some of our Village owned properties:
Island Silver and Spice: The Village bought the property in the heart of the business district, for $2,750,000 in 12/2021. We then demolished the retail store (assessed at almost $1 million). That was four years ago. What is the plan for that property?
Is it for sale or rent?
The old Island Community Church:
Purchased 8/12/24 for $3,995,000 and then leased it back to the church for 1 year, at no charge. Church services continued for the next six months, every Sunday.
We are told that engineers have safety issues with the building. I have also been told that one of the ideas for purchasing the church was to have a Village library. Libraries are a County function, not a municipal function. Buying a library site was not well thought out.
So here we are. A 4-million-dollar building, that may need repairs and has no functional use. How in the name of Ponce De Leon did this happen? Did we know it needed major repairs before we bought it?
Is anybody home? The $3,995,000 purchase of the 16,618 sq ft church structure - sitting vacant, waiting for a plan.
Machado Property: four single family lots on the highway at MM88.5, purchased 6/16/2021, for a combined total of $1.8 million, and expected to be used for affordable housing. No decision as to whether the housing will be Village owned, leased, or sold.
That encompasses three different Village Councils that have not made a decision on this potential affordable housing. During the campaign for office last year every sitting councilperson had affordable housing as their first priority. And a year has passed.
Somebody remind them. Can you say strategic plan?
Green Turtle Hammock: The Village acquired the property with the Rosenthal bay front home/pool, historic Russell Cottage, and a smaller office/storage building. The money came from a conservation grant of $4.7 million in 2006. The pool was demolished in 2011. Demolitions of the residence followed in 2020. Now the council has approved demolishing the smaller building, most recently used as a classroom. Through long term neglect it is now, infested with mold and has become unsafe.
Only the historic Russell Cottage, will remain. Along with the $1.8 million open air pavilion.
An avoidable shame? Did any of the demolitions occur due to improper long term maintenance? Who is responsible for these buildings and their care?
Founders Park: The treasured centerpiece of our community! Unfortunately, we still tolerate the unsightly Public Works equipment scattered around. The Village has listed an offsite public works facility as #1 priority for over ten years – I believe it is in our LAST strategic plan in 2017. Look it up.
Affordable Housing properties: The Village has acquired properties for affordable housing and provided long term leases to Habitat for Humanity and Gorman and Company, a builder based in Wisconsin.
The homes are deed restricted and required to be rented/sold to qualified tenants.
Annual audits were to be conducted to assure the occupants still qualify as to income. To my knowledge this hasn’t been done in a decade. These homes are for affordable housing, not long-term rent control.
Get to work!
The aforementioned properties are just a snapshot of our holdings. Shouldn’t Property Management for 128 properties owned by the residents be a top Village priority? They belong to us.
The Village needs to do a better analysis and have an end game for future property acquisition. The public comment and eventually a vote of no less than 4 council persons should be the rule for property acquisition. Three votes on Council should not rule on issues that cost over $1 million.
If the Village wants to buy or sell million-dollar properties, a public presentation with explanations as to why it is a benefit and what our plan is to dispose of the property if it should be required.
Residents want to know who manages our multimillion dollar real estate portfolio. The village needs to explain, in great detail, these multimillion-dollar real estate transactions. Now and in the future. IT'S OUR MONEY!
Tom Raffanello
