PORT ST. JOE, Fla. — The Port St. Joe Planning and Development Review Board voted Nov. 4 to approve a small-scale plan map related to a county donation intended to support a community land trust for affordable housing.

Kathy Giller, speaking for the Gulf County Recovery Team, told the board the county planned to donate lots (she described the original plan as 10 parcels) on Knowles Avenue and that the recovery team is forming a community land trust to build affordable homes. She said a build partner, America’s HomePlace, would construct homes at a low profit margin and carry construction costs to closing.

"The plan is the county is gonna donate supposed to be 10 parcels," Giller said.

Giller said the group expects to hold a lottery for eligible households; the first five houses would be prioritized for city and county employees, first responders, educators and health care workers, with the remaining homes available to other county workers. After a brief exchange about potential conflicts of interest, the board moved and seconded the item and approved it by voice vote.

The approval allows the plan to move forward to the implementation phase handled by the community land trust and the county.