JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The City of Jacksonville approved a $2 billion budget early Wednesday that includes just under $1 million for affordable housing, a fraction of what some council members had sought.
Councilman Matt Carlucci, who pushed for a much larger allocation, said he originally asked for $9 million. Mayor Donna Deegan’s proposed 2025–2026 budget also included a total of $7 million for housing initiatives, but nearly all of it was cut during the budget process.
Here’s what was proposed in the mayor’s budget:
- Local Capital Stack Fund — $2 million
- COJ Downpayment Assistance (80%-120% AMI Program) — $2 million
- Attainable Housing JEA Utility Tap-In Fund — $750,000
- Transitional Housing Pilot Program — $1 million
- JHA Homelessness Prevention Voucher Program — $750,000
- Emergency Rental Assistance and Eviction Diversion — $500,000
All of those allocations were eliminated, except for $900,000 of the Local Capital Stack Fund, which was restored…