Between 2017 and 2021, the Village spent approximately $5 million for major land purchases for potential affordable housing sites. Properties are still sitting vacant.

In addition to the possibility of affordable housing on Village owned properties, there are hundreds of workforce/affordable housing units in the pipeline in the Upper Keys.

Much has changed from 2017 - 2021 when these lands were acquired that may impact affordable housing:

• The Village citizen committee presented 10 significant recommendations that the Council directed staff to move forward last month.

• An all-new Comprehensive Plan is under review.

• Changes to the Village Charter are being considered.

• Ordinances impacting affordable housing opportunities are in the works  

Flawed Process?

The selection process itself may be critically flawed, with conflicts between the Village Purchasing Policy and Procedures Manual and the actual process in use.

Recommendation for Machado Property, MM88.5. A selection committee, made up of 5 members of staff, met last week to rank the proposals submitted by developers to do a deed restricted affordable project on the $1.8 million Machado property.

The Village plan according to the RPQ is to lease the property to the selected firm for 99 years: no rental income for the Village, for the $1.8 million property.

The proposals will become public on April 24 and more details will be available then.

We think any decision about affordable housing should be deferred until we have clear direction as to the real needs.

To date the most significant recommendations for charter changes:

• Changing the term for members of council from two-year terms to three-year terms, staggered, and a term limit of three terms.  Note: This will result in some elections during odd years, at Village expense. There is confusion as to how many years this results in for candidates who have already served either 2- or 4-year terms or whether this is 3 “additional” terms, if referendum passes.

• If any vacancy on council occurs with more than 50% of the term remaining, there shall be an election held within 6 months, with an interim appointment made by the council to serve until the election is held and the seat is filled.

• Increasing the monthly compensation for Council members from $1,000 to $1,500 with a cost-of-living increase based on the CPI.

In addition to the changes approved, the committee agreed to not recommend any change in the charter:

• to the 35’ height restriction

• to change the council elections to “at large” elections with the top vote getters winning instead of running for specific seats.  

Suggestions? If you have suggestions for the committee, attend the April 15 meeting or send your suggestions to the Village Clerk (Clerk@islamorada.fl.us) for distribution to the Charter Review Committee.

Once the committee finalizes the recommended changes, the changes must be approved by council and placed on the Nov 2026 ballot for voters to decide.  

Date:Friday, April 10. at Safe Harbor Angler House, Islamorada, MM80.5

Time: 6 PM – Meet & Greet; 6:30 PM - Presentation

Free & open to the public  - RSVP (appreciated): Email: info@floridabayforever.org; Text/Call: 561-818-5341; Cash bar; free hot dogs, popcorn, and light snacks

Bring your questions, insights, and perspective. Community input strengthens planning processes.

Why isn’t Islamorada included in this study?  The county recognizes that they need answers as to the size of the dwellings most in demand, rental versus ownership, location, cost.  Doesn’t the Village need the same analysis?  The most recent Islamorada study was done in 2007 and focused only on the Village rather than including surrounding communities.

Monroe County purchased a complex with 18 one-bedroom deed restricted apartments in Key Largo 9 months ago. They’re having a really tough time finding any tenants.  

Much of the workforce in Islamorada comes from outside the Village, often from the mainland. With the extremely high cost of living here, would they even consider moving away from their own community to live in Islamorada even if there was affordable housing available?

Islamorada put out an RFQ in January looking for proposals to create deed restricted multi-family rental housing at the “Machado” property at MM88.6.  The village received just two proposals.  The selection committee is scheduled to meet April 2 to evaluate the proposals.

The affordable housing needs analysis, required by our current Comprehensive Plan, is extremely out of date. Shouldn’t the selection of a contractor for the Machado property be deferred until an appropriate study has been completed? And until any recommendations by the Workforce/Affordable Housing committee are considered, along with any changes from the Comp Plan review and Charter Review?

There are hundreds of potential units in projects that are in the pipeline. The Village has waited for years to seriously address affordable housing.  Now is not the time to fast track the process. There is a significant need for current facts and to study the real needs.  No more depending on studies done a decade ago when times were so different.

Much thanks to the research and analysis of the local Habitat for Humanity efforts.

Click here to see their statistics for Upper Keys affordable housing and adjacent their Mainland Study.