Marathon council creates housing committee, mission to be determined

Sept. 13--The Marathon City Council on Tuesday appointed eight people to a committee to address the need for workforce and affordable housing in the city.

Numerous other housing committees have been formed in the Keys over the years but they've accomplished little. The mission and goals of the new Marathon one have yet to be determined.

"The most important thing with this board is to accomplish something," said Councilman Mark Senmartin, who recommended forming the committee. "This isn't a legal board as far as making ordinances, this board is advisory."

Board member Josh Mothner, a Realtor, hopes this go-around will have more success than previous government-formed boards. Mothner blames the housing bust as the cause for keeping a 2007 county-formed board from establishing long-term solutions.

"There is more universal understanding that affordable housing is inexplicitly linked to our quality of life," he said.

Other committee members are County Commissioner George Nuegent, Middle Keys Community Land Trust Administrator Rick Casey, Tranquility Bay Resort owner Pritam Singh, tennis pro Tim Wonderlin, Realtor Derrick Johnson, Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Daniel Samess and First State Bank of the Florida Keys Senior Vice President Jeff Smith.

Affordable housing for the workforce has always been a challenge in the Keys, but the Middle Keys will face a big crunch in the coming months as new hotels open. Those hotels -- a 125-room Hyatt, a 95-room Courtyard by Marriott -- will need wait staff, front-desk workers, housekeepers and more.

Also, an old Ramada is being redeveloped, likely with around 87 units, and the Holiday Inn Express & Suites and Coconut Cay Resort and Marina are expanding.

"Is there a need to target people on the lower end of the scale?" Mothner asked. "Do we have to address the needs of people who are in a slightly higher pay scale but still can't afford houses? That is the question of the hour."

City Planning Director George Garrett said "approximately 50 percent of the houses are pre-FIRM and are going to have to be redeveloped. We also have issues like loss of population. Most of the creativity will be how you can financially make it affordable for businesses that need workforce housing."

Pre-FIRM houses are those built before January 1975, when the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood insurance rate maps were created. Many of those homes are older and built at or below base flood elevation.

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