Habitat director leaving after project rejected

The demise of a proposed $5 million affordable housing project has led to the departure of a fourth person at Highlands County Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat's Executive Director Mike Jacobson, who was hired in June 2008 to shepherd the Ridgeview project in Washington Heights, resigned Monday, less than a month after three other employees were laid off.

"I came here to build the Ridgeview subdivision," Jacobson said. "Now that it's dead, the affiliate does not need someone with the level of experience like me."

In November, county commissioners - in a 2-2 vote - turned down Habitat's request for $500,000 to build 20 homes at 1400 Martin Luther King Ave.

Commissioners Don Bates and Edgar Stokes voted for the motion; Barbara Stewart and Jeff Carlson were against it. Lacking a majority, the motion failed. Commissioner Guy Maxcy was absent from the meeting.

Without the $500,000, Habitat could not continue with the project at the present time.

The affordable housing group had stepped in more than 19 months ago at the request of the county housing department.

At that time, the county had endorsed the project and for building the homes gave Habitat the 19.5-acre site it bought for $500,000 with 2005 Hurricane Housing Recovery Program funds.

If Habitat doesn't build the houses by June 30, 2011, the property reverts to Highlands County. And if 20 houses aren't built by June 30, 2011, the county must pay back the $500,000 to the state, plus $75,000 in administration.

Chip Boring, president of Habitat's board of directors, said they would be hiring an interim director.

"While he (Jacobson) was here, he was very committed," said Boring. "He was brought here to do the big projects."

Jacobson's resignation appears to be mutual and tied to economic reasons.

"He discussed it with us," said Boring. "We discussed it with him."

Jacobson was making $80,000 a year in salary. In January, Habitat let go Tony Suazo, director of program services Julie Diaz-Nichols, and COO John Hawthorne because of the Ridgeview project.

Along with the downsizing, Habitat has also consolidated its debt.

Boring said Habitat remains committed to affordable housing in Highlands County.

"We will be getting back into the community," he said, "Spending more time with volunteers."

Last year, the group rehabilitated 12 to 13 homes, built 15 to 20 wheelchair ramps and six to eight new homes.

About 300 families are on Habitat's waiting list for new homes and about 60 have already completed their sweat equity hours, Jacobson said.

"Habitat homeowners are priced out or incomed out of the housing market," he said, "They can't get conventional mortgages."

Although Jacobson spent a lot of his time here working on the Ridgeview project, he's proud of the new energy-efficient and newly-designed homes Habitat is now building.