What Foreclosure Crisis? Community
Land Trusts Offer Secure Homeownership
BCCLT a good model
for local governments[A July 8] Key West Citizen
editorial was about Conch
Community Land Trust
(BCCLT). If you did not get to
read this excellent editorial,
you can do so by going to bcclt.
blogspot.com.
Sawyer and other dedicated
BCCLT members. They are
fighting tooth-and-nail to
restore Bahama Village inch
by inch, and wish to extend
that vision and progress to the
Navy land allocated to Bahama
Village in the larger conveyance
from the Navy to the city
of Key West.
Key West should use BCCLT’s
vision and progress as a model
for the entire city, and today I
extend that recommendation
to Monroe County. The way
to start doing that is to meet
with Norma Jean Sawyer and
other BCCLT members. Go to
BCCLT meetings. Look at their
plans. View some of what they
have already accomplished in
Bahama Village.
wonder, as I did, why it has
been such hard going for
BCCLT with the Key West City
Commission, which often
seems to lean over backwards
to approve development and
redevelopment projects that do
not seem to have any concern
for Key West, but only seem to
have concern for fattening the
pocketbooks of developers and
redevelopers.
what I once was told by a black
Bahama Village native I know
pretty well. Bahama Village
blacks are not Conchs. Only
white people born in Key West
are Conchs, he said. Say what?
He said it again. Native whites
do not view native blacks as
Conchs.
dispute that, but my Bahama
Village friend’s words rung
true as well. Which leaves me
wondering if Bahama Conch
Community Land Trust would
have had smoother sailing if it
had left Conch out of its name.
Norma Jean Sawyer can be
reached at normajeansawyer@
bellsouth.net.
Bahama Village should
benefit from waterfront
Key West Mayor
Morgan McPherson
recently came out
with harsh criticism of the
Bahama Conch Community
Land Trust and its plans to
develop a portion of the
Truman Waterfront. In place
of the BCCLT proposal,
McPherson offered the idea of
a water park on the Truman
Waterfront property.
BCCLT has at times struggled
financially. And as other nonprofits,
it has wrestled with
growing pains. The organization’s
matriarch, Norma Jean
Sawyer, should be commended
for her dedication to the
organization over the years.
It is important to note that,
rumor and innuendo aside,
the BCCLT has been audited
every year since its inception,
and each time it has
received a clean bill of health.
Additionally, the organization
has a new deputy executive
director, Wheeler Winstead.
Winstead brings with him a
master of business administration
and a background
in real estate development.
McPherson acknowledged
that hiring Winstead would
help carry the BCCLT to the
next level.
development received strong
support during the last
election — the referendum
passed overwhelmingly. The
proposal also is integral to
the conveyance agreement
between the Navy and the
city, as laid out in economic
conveyance documents. For
the sake of clarity, here are
objectives outlined in the
executive summary of the
conveyance:
health and long-term viability
of the city’s tourism-dependent
business base;
a vibrant multiuse port
facility;
high-quality employment
opportunities for Key West
citizens, and in particular for
residents of Bahama Village,
the city’s historic African-
American neighborhood
located adjacent to the site;
the economic foundation of
Bahama Village;
commercial sites for
resident entrepreneurs and
existing businesses in order
to allow them to compete forEditorial
a share of Key West’s increasingly
competitive retail/service
trade; and
opportunities and training
for Key West’s homeless and
needy residents to help break
the cycle of poverty.
it was the intent of both
the Navy and the city for a
large part of the transferred
property to directly benefit
Bahama Village, its residents
and others in our community
who are struggling.
parks in general, we question
the mayor’s rationale, and
are curious to see the results
of the study he says is being
conducted to gauge the merits
of such an attraction in Key
West. A brief Internet search
shows the top 10 water parks
in America are in landlocked
cities, with very few water
parks located on the coast.
We also question the simple
matter of having enough land
to support a successful water
park. Most major water parks
cover upward of 50 acres
— Key West has a fraction of
that available. There is also
the question of water supply
and use. Water parks have
enormous water demands,
and with the city facing permanent
water restrictions, we
must ask if this is the best use
of resources.
gested — in jest — that the
mayor’s water park concept
be merged with an idea
fielded awhile back by County
Commission candidate
Sloan Bashinsky — a clothing-
optional pirate-themed
park on Wisteria Island. If the
city built a nude water park
on Wisteria Island, it surely
would have the only one of
its kind and easily attract
national attention and a
niche market.
to make some progress on the
Truman Waterfront property
and follow the plans that have
been in place for many years
now — plans that were established
through years of study
and negotiation, and that
have been publicly vetted.
We urge the city to assist the
BCCLT in moving its project
forward so the entire community
can all reap the benefits
for years to come.— The Citizen
It will last from 10:30 am to SUNSET on the beach between the White Street Pier and the Martello.Local Musicians performing will be Junkanoos, Caffeine Carl and the Buzz featuring Pauly Walterson of The Bubba System, Caribe, and the Key West Caribbean All-Stars.
There will be local artists along with local authors under the big tent. Beverages are provided by Pepsi.
This is a family event on the beach celebrating our nation’s independence, our community’s local color and talent while supporting your local Land Trust.
This is a benefit for the Bahama Conch Community Land Trust.
This event is sponsored by:
For more information or to participate and display, please call 294-0884 or email info@bahamaconchclt.org.
RESOLUTION:
(a) Authorizing an expenditure of tax increment financing monies to the Bahama Conch Community Land Trust (BCCLT) in the amount of $102,306.00 for “Unreimbursed Allowable Acquisition and Rehabilitation Expenditures” and $353,418.00 for “Developer Fees Associated with or attributed
to Property Development Activities” (Total amount of $455,724.00). (Commissioner Lopez)
The Commission chambers were filled with residents and friends of Bahama Village and the BCCLT, including residents of the BCCLT-managed properties, community leaders, life-long community residents and others interested in seeing the BCCLT's mission continue unabated.
When the agenda reached this item, BCCLT Board of Directors President Jim Marquardt opened the public comments discussion by introducing the Board members who were present, as well as the BCCLT staff and the current and past auditors of BCCLT financials. He was followed by BCCLT Deputy Director Wheeler Winstead who provided the background rationale behind the request.
At this point a steady parade of Bahama Village and other Key West citizenry stepped up to the podium to express their support for the BCCLT and the work it has done for the community. Everyone in the room, or watching on TV, had to be moved by the stirring testimonials. Some of the speakers cited the local and state legislation directives that support the request. All of the speakers made it clear that they felt that the reimbursements were both necessary and urgent. Finally BCCLT Executive Director Norma Jean Sawyer closed out the public input period with a historical perspective of the issues involved.
After the public input the Commissioners spent over an hour dissecting the request, analyzing many factors both pertinent and superfluous to the issue at hand. Wheeler and Norma Jean returned to the podium several times to answer questions and clarify some of the points being raised. Though the questioning became contentious at times, the directors kept their cool and answered all questions -- but corrected any erroneous conclusions or opinions expressed by the commissioners.
The BCCLT directors agreed that the 1995 and 1998 plans and agreements between the CRA and the BCCLT needed to be updated and supported plans by the City to begin the process of doing so. They also made it clear that the BCCLT considers the City to be partners in their mission and urged that any contentiousness be muted.
In the end, after about 2 hours, the Commissioners (acting as the CRA) approved the reimbursement unanimously.
[A July 8] Key West Citizen