Daily Record Financial News &
Vol. 102, No. 224 • One Section
Thursday, September 24, 2015
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Audit criticizes housing program Report cites missing documents, potential conflicts
By David Chapman Staff Writer An audit of how the city’s Housing Division handled state dollars for affordable housing reveals a litany of missing documents and a possible conflict of interest requiring possible disciplinary action. Called the State Housing Initiatives Partnership, the program provides funding to local governments as an incentive to produce and preserve affordable homeownership and multifamily hous-
ing. Its goal is to serve low- and moderate-income families. The City Council Auditor’s Office report spans fiscal 2009-12 and looks at five programs: • Homeowner-occupied rehabilitations, which let people have repairs made to their homes and tap in to city sewer services • Rental rehabilitation, for repairs of multifamily units • Down payment assistance for homes • Foreclosure prevention, which helps people bring their mortgages current
• Homebuyers counseling, which pays for classes to help people learn about buying a home. Council Auditor Kirk Sherman said the city received about $10 million during the span of the report. His office turned the audit over to the administration. Marsha Oliver, Mayor Lenny Curry’s spokeswoman, said the city’s Inspector General is reviewing the report. In an effort to contribute to the integrity of the report, she said,
the administration is prohibited from comments at this time. For most of the programs reviewed, it appeared the recipients met the criteria to receive funding. However, the foreclosure prevention program had so many missing documents the auditors couldn’t make that determination. There also were holes throughout the five programs’ records, where documents for contractors weren’t available. That could have been anything
Velocity Air Sports jumping into town
‘Waiting on a really good idea’
Indoor trampoline park opening in Southside
Photo by Max Marbut
By Karen Brune Mathis Managing Editor
Historic Snyder Memorial along Laura Street near Hemming Plaza is one of Downtown’s oldest buildings.
No praying, but 15 years of hoping for Snyder Memorial
By Max Marbut Staff Writer A great building waiting for an idea to happen. That’s how Guy Parola, Downtown Investment Authority redevelopment manager, describes the 112-year-old Snyder Memorial building across from Hemming Park. The former Methodist Church has been described that way for 15 years by city economic development and Downtown renewal officials. It also is a nearly $2 million preservation project, including the city’s real estate investment and maintenance cost to date. The 2015 in-progress assessed value is $611,560. Parola said he has shown the building to a few potential buyers and tenants, but so far Snyder remains on the city’s inventory of empty properties.
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“The people who want to look at it really appreciate the architecture and its significance. It would be a great venue for the arts, a gallery or a restaurant,” Parola said. “We’re just waiting on a really good idea.” One of the first structures restored after the Great Fire of 1901 destroyed virtually all of Jacksonville, services were conducted in the Gothic-style, granite and limestone church until the mid-’70s, when the congregation dwindled to the point the church could not be sustained. After a period of time, the United Methodist Church deconsecrated Snyder Memorial, transforming it from a church to a mere building. It sat empty until July 2000, when the St. Johns River City Band, with the help of a $650,000 Community Development Block Grant and letter of Snyder continued on Page A-2
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from proof of insurance and State of Florida competency certificates to a company’s articles of incorporation and a builder’s resume. And, while the auditor’s report said it looked like the housing projects the money helped fund were completed, it couldn’t verify that. Again, missing documents were the reason. The city’s Housing and Community Development Division agreed with the findings. But, it also said those areas already were identified as needing improved Audit continued on Page A-4
About the church • Founded in 1870 as Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church • Rebuilt in 1903 and became Snyder Memorial Methodist Church • Named in honor of former Pastor E.B. Snyder. His children were lead donors for the $31,000 project. • Added in 2013 to National Register of Historic Places
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An indoor trampoline park called Velocity Air Sports plans to bring a 40,000-square-foot entertainment center to Southside. The park will open at 7022 A.C. Skinner Parkway, at southeast Interstate 95 and Butler Boulevard. Velocity Air Sports’ first location opened this summer in North Charleston, S.C. The company is based in West Columbia. A permit application shows the Jacksonville location will include the same features as the South Carolina facility. The North Charleston location features 25,000 square feet of trampolines. That site includes a large trampoline field, a trampoline dodge ball stadium, “AirSlam” basketball, a flying trapeze, foam pits, a large inflatable playground, high-wire slack lines and “and the largest Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course in the state.” There also is an arcade. Velocity Air Sports said its centers are designed for all ages, and notes that 10 minutes of jumping burns the same number of calories as 30 minutes of jogging. Customers pay by the hour. Rates vary, but an hour of jumping is $14 for general admission, with discounts for group rates and a family rate on Monday nights. It also is available to host birthday parties, youth groups, dodge ball tournaments, corporate and team-building events and Club Velocity, which includes laser lighting and live DJ music on weekend nights. It intended to hire 50 jobs for the first venue. The center’s hours are 9 a.m-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, and a “kids’ jump” time for children ages 6 and under from 9-10 a.m. Monday-Friday. Velocity Jacksonville LLC was filed with state in August. A company executive did Trampoline
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