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A bond question will be on every Palm Beach County voters' ballot in the November 8th General Election.
You'll be asked if you want to approve a $200 million affordable housing bond. CEO of the Economic Council of Palm Beach County Michele Jacobs hopes you vote yes.
"We have these wonderful people who want to live in Palm Beach County, but simply can't afford to live here anymore because the supply of essential, affordable and workforce units just isn't there. We haven't kept pace with the demand."
She says the bond would pay to build affordable housing for nurses, teachers, first responders and other essential workers who make less than $128,000 a year.
"20,000 new units over the next ten years."
The County Commission voted in June to put the bond referendum on the ballot.
Maria Marino, the lone Republican on the Commission, and Melissa McKinlay voted against it.
They acknowledged the need for affordable housing but cited surging inflation as the reason to not move forward with the bond. Marino said the county needs to find ways to reduce taxes rather than increasing them.
If approved, it's estimated that homeowners whose properties have a taxable value of $326,000 would pay between $14 and $20 a year to cover the 20-year bond. It needs more than 50 percent of the vote to pass.
The Economic Council is holding several community forums to answer questions about the bond issue:
West Boca Library | 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. | Tuesday October 11, 2022
Delray Beach Community Center | 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. | Wednesday October 12, 2022
Belle Glade Library | 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. | Wednesday Octobers 19, 2022
Boynton Beach Arts & Cultural Center | 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. | Thursday October 20, 2022
Lake Worth Senior Center | 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. | Monday October 24, 2022
West Jupiter Community Center | 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. | Wednesday October 26, 2022
Robert Weisman Governmental Center | 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. | Tuesday November 1, 2022
Riviera Beach Marina Village Event Center | 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. | Thursday November 3, 2022