Jacksonville, Florida is hoping private funding will come through to save the city's parks, which officials say they can't afford to build or maintain.
"'We're in survival mode right now. While this is a great amenity, there are other important things for the city like health care and education. I'm glad we got in under the gun with this,' said former Councilman Dick Kravitz, who was instrumental in getting the park in the 1990s before his election to the state House."
"Public recreation space, considered a prize attraction for residents of the 800-plus-square-mile city, poses a troublesome dynamic, Mayor John Peyton said."
"'In this soft economy, this is a time we should be investing in parks,' he said. 'It's a place people can go that's free.'"
"Only, the space isn't free to build or maintain."
"Peyton said the city spends $49 for every resident annually on the parks system. That's stretching a buck, he argued; he said Miami-Dade County spends $96 a head on parks. There also is a clear down side, he said, as the Palmetto expansion showed."
"...Parks spokeswoman Pam Wilson said a citywide search is beginning for community and faith-based organizations to support recreational programs."
FULL STORY: Jacksonville looks to private sector to fund parks
Philadelphia's Franklin Square Installs a Fence and a Symbol of Privatization
Philadelphia's Franklin Square will require admission in the evening this spring, for the duration on a Chinese lantern festival. A critic faults the "philosophy of privatism" for robbing the park of its democratic qualities.
A Proposal for Reducing New York's Open Space Inequity
With park finances increasingly determined by private fundraising efforts, New York's park system is beginning to reflect the city's growing inequality. Could a Neighborhood Parks Alliance help rebalance the city's park dichotomy?
Park Funding Problems? Privatize
More parks in the U.S. should fight funding issues through privatization, writes John Stossel.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.
San Francisco Announces Plan to Overhaul Homelessness Strategy
Mayor Lurie’s three-phase plan promises 1,500 new shelter beds and a restructuring of outreach teams and supportive service programs.
$5 Billion Rental Assistance Fund Set to Run Out of Cash
“No additional funding from HUD will be forthcoming,” HUD announces.
Denver Could Eliminate Parking Requirements
The city could remove parking mandates citywide to reduce the cost of housing construction and ease permitting for new projects.
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