JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It was the largest budget in Jacksonville's history. Two weeks after taking office Mayor Donna Deegan proposed a record $1.75 billion budget and more of that money is about to be dispersed.
$25 million of that record setting $1.75 billion was set aside by City Council to be distributed after the city could hear from its citizens about where that money could be best utilized. On Tuesday November 21st the city's finance committee will hear how the mayor hopes to improve the city through funding for programs like housing and healthcare.
Throughout the summer Mayor Deegan spoke with the citizens of Jacksonville at community meetings. Those conversations about what people said they needed in their community built the framework for this latest funding.
Keeping people in their homes is a central tenant to Mayor Deegan's proposal. Of nearly $5 million in funding for housing programs, $2 million will be set aside to assist renters who are in danger of being evicted due to falling behind on rent.
Dawn Gilman is the CEO of the Jacksonville non-profit Changing Homelessness and said this eviction prevention funding is crucial for Jacksonville families.
"Any family that goes through an eviction, it can be very traumatic for the family," said Gilman, "very difficult to recover from and hard to find another affordable place to live."
Gilman also believes that housing is directly tied to healthcare and said that proper housing is the first step towards a healthy community.
The largest growing population that we're serving is 55 and up," said Gilman, "people who are older and on a fixed income and might have a type of chronic medical condition. It's extremely important for them to maintain stable housing. If they have diabetes and are insulin dependent, they need a refrigerator to story that to maintain their health and manage their chronic condition."
More information about Changing Homelessness can be found by visiting their website changinghomelessness.org or by calling 904-354-1100
$996,000 is also being allocated to help homeowners repair their roofs in order to maintain their home insurance.
Another $1.2 million will be used to make sure city pools are ready for the summer. At one point last summer nearly half of the city's public swimming pools were closed due to maintenance issues and a lack of lifeguards. Some pools were filled with stagnant green water instead of swimmers.
First Coast News covered pool closures throughout the summer. In July John Garner, the former President of the Florida Swimming Pool Association told First Coast News that pool maintenance must be done year round.
"One of the worst things you can do from maintenance purposes is to shut the pool down and let it sit," said Garner on July 10th, 2023.
Mayor Deegan's record setting budget was passed unanimously by City Council earlier this fall.
A closer look at some of the funding for programs is below, this information was provided from an email generated by the mayor's office.
- $4.8 million for housing programs
- $3.6 million for literacy programs
- $3.5 million for health programs
- $3.1 million for homelessness programs
- $2.8 million for youth programs
- $1.9 million for arts and culture programs
- $1.4 million for small business programs
- $300,000 for veterans programs