Workers Can't Find Affordable Housing; It's a Problem for Many Area Employees

Hurst, Mary, The Florida Times Union

Byline: MARY HURST

Editor's note: This is the first story in "The Cost of Living," an occasional series looking at the need for affordable housing in Nassau County and solutions to the problem.

When Amelia Island Plantation management began working with the government of Barbados to bring in seasonal employees to work for the resort, they decided to find their workers an affordable place to live.

They couldn't.

Everything was more than the workers could afford. Anything less than a seventh-month lease is considered short-term vacation rentals, for which renters are charged a premium. Leases less than one year are difficult to find.

Everywhere they looked over the past few years, human resources personnel also found area apartments were being converted to condominiums, which made it worse.

So, when a former motel on U.S. 17 South went on the market two years ago, the resort bought it.

Plantation officials say it is perfect for the seasonal workers who live in a motel efficiency, most with a kitchen or a microwave oven. There are two laundry rooms, and they also have access to a house on the premises with a large kitchen.

There is a lounge for the workers with Internet access, couches and chairs and a dining room. A resort van picks them up and drops …

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Publication information: Article title: Workers Can't Find Affordable Housing; It's a Problem for Many Area Employees. Contributors: Hurst, Mary - Author. Newspaper title: The Florida Times Union. Publication date: February 7, 2007. Page number: Not available. © 2007 The Florida Times-Union. COPYRIGHT 2007 Gale Group.

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