DAPHNE, Ala.—Alabama is amid an affordable housing crisis, Harrison Black, Baldwin Housing Alliance CEO, said Thursday at a city council work session.

Black cited a need for the alliance to work on behalf of low-income families in the area due to: poor housing for senior citizens; increased mortgage and rent rates; increased population in the county; and increased costs for land and building materials.

Black requested a grant of $50,000, partially funded by the city, to develop the alliance’s program and for one free-use day at the Daphne Civic Center to be used for a job fair.

Alliance employees work in action teams educating consumers, developers and real-estate agents about home financing, lending options and home repair.

After Black presented the alliance’s budget—totaling approximately $550,000—Councilwoman Cathy Barnette questioned a $200,00 figure for personnel.

“We don’t normally pay for people,” Barnette said, suggesting that the council rarely supports a cause by funding the group’s personnel costs.

“We’re going to have a small staff by relying on some of the other agencies,” Black said, referring to Community Action Agency, Ecumenical Ministries, Habitat for Humanity and Family Promise—groups that aid families with affordable housing.

“One of the problems in Baldwin County is that builders don’t want to build affordable housing,” Councilman Bailey Yelding said. “They just want to build $300,000 or $400,000 homes.”

Council President John Lake agreed.

“We have seen a lot of subdivisions built up in our community with … $400,000 homes but those are not the people that serve us,” he said. “They are not contributing to our quality of life.”

Lake suggested that the alliance use the one proposed day at the civic center to host a fundraiser, not a job fair.

Black said they have been looking into developing and promoting fundraiser events.

“We started (the alliance) three years ago,” Mayor Fred Small said. “Right now, we need it worse than we needed it then. We have some housing that’s available in Daphne.”

Small offered the alliance $20,000 to help pay for housing program development.

“I’d support the mayor’s offer of $20,000,” Barnette said. “We need to put our money where our mouth is.”

The alliance is just one of several organizations the city supports financially. Councilman Greg Burnam said he wanted a breakdown of expense reports from organizations to which the city contributes.

“I’ve yet to see them,” he said. “I think they should be made available before it comes up for a vote.”

Councilman Ron Scott agreed.

“We need to have financials from those we’re giving dollars to,” Scott said. “We need to have some books of some type.”

The total budget for community contributions is $177,300. Some organizations receiving support include: Blue Print for Tomorrow, $35,000; Boys and Girls Club, $20,000; Bay Rivers Art Guild, $12,000; Ecumenical Ministries, $10,000; and Santa America, $2,000.

In other business, Lee Geldin, representing the Hilton Garden Inn, made a presentation on a proposed Tourism Council that would manage economic development in the hotel sector of U.S. Highways 90 and 98 near Interstate 10. The council’s objectives would be to enhance economic growth for the future and increase tax revenue by securing I-10 commerce off exits 35 and 38.

“The big thing is putting blue (gas, food, lodging) signs on the bridge,” Geldin said of the bayway.

The council would also clean up the entrance to the city by upgrading Gator Alley and Bayfront Park.

Geldin compared Daphne’s Bayfront Park to Fairhope’s, citing Daphne’s sister city’s use of flora and fauna to accentuate the area.

The proposed name of the sector would be the D’Olive Park Shopping and Entertainment District.

Geldin said that items would be managed by three members of the local hotel industry, a member of the Daphne Beautification Committee and one city council member.

“I suggest, if there was such a committee, that the Industrial Development Board and the Recreational Department be included,” Palumbo said.

Scott agreed.

“I think recreation is also something that helps the hotels,” he said. “We’ve got a soccer tournament this weekend and I know you’ve got some of those people staying in your hotels.”

Daphne will host the Southern Shootout this weekend at the newly-constructed Trione Park.