Fort Lauderdale Mayor Calls Workforce Housing Ordinance 'Communistic'

Fort Lauderdale's mayor condemned a proposed workforce housing ordinance as unfair to developers and 'communistic'. He said people mistakenly think they're entitled to an affordable single family house on a 40-hour work week.

1 minute read

May 22, 2006, 9:00 AM PDT

By David Gest


Major developers who are members of the city's Downtown Development Authority originally supported the concept of an affordable housing regulation, but don't like the results. The developers want the proposal rewritten to offer incentives to developers and to spread the cost across the general public. Mayor Naugle suggested that people who want a home in Fort Lauderdale should be willing to work more than a 40-hour work week, and even then settle for a condo or townhouse.

"I'm supposed to subsidize some schlock sitting on the sofa and drinking a beer, who won't work more than 40 hours a week?" he asked. "I deny that there is a problem. You can buy condos all day for $160,000." Naugle's comments may be contested by working-class citizens who've told the city that they want to live in the town, but can't afford it. Housing prices in Broward County continue to increase. The median home price in March was $368,100. Median price for a condo was $202,600.

Thanks to Sheryl Stolzenberg

Friday, May 19, 2006 in Sun-Sentinel

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

May 22, 2025 - CBC

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 4, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and yellow DART light rail train in Dallas, Texas with brick building in background.

DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process

The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.

May 28, 2025 - Mass Transit

Line of multi-colored big rig trucks drivign down highway with other traffic including a yellow school bus.

Study: 4% of Truckers Lack a Valid Commercial License

Over 56% of inspected trucks had other violations.

June 4 - FreightWaves

Pedestrian holding visual impairment cane pressing crosswalk button.

Chicago Judge Orders Thousands of Accessible Ped Signals

Only 3% of the city's crossing signals are currently accessible to blind pedestrians.

June 4 - DRA Legal

People on bike wearing helmets stopped at intersection waiting for passing cars in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia Swaps Car Lanes for Bikeways in Unanimous Vote

The project will transform one of the handful of streets responsible for 80% of the city’s major crashes.

June 4 - Philly Voice

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.