Sarasota's population declines?

[News Flash]

Sarasota’s population seems to be falling. Utility figures indicate fewer people are here now than during last year. That’s never happened before. Blame – or credit – the economy.

At least 1,340 fewer Sarasota County households are receiving electric service from FPL than in 2007. That’s "households." Thus, if there are 2.1 people per household in the county as state demographers estimate, the population has dropped 2,814 people.

The Sarasota School District lost 1508 students in 2007 and 2008.

The city of Sarasota is losing residents. On one block of Bougainvillea Street, west of U.S. 41, three houses stand abandoned and a fourth has been torn down. Three were purchased by a speculator who couldn’t flip or redevelop them. A young couple walked away from the fourth when their home’s value dropped well below the balance of their mortgage loan.

Adjacent blocks have similarly abandoned properties.

The City of Sarasota also has 551 fewer utility accounts from last year. At 2.1 people per household, that's a total of 1157 fewer people in the City of Sarasota, so far.

The City of Venice reports that about 60 homes have gone into problematic foreclosure proceedings. At 2.1 people per household, that's 126 fewer people in the City of Venice.

"And North Port – the problem there is huge. They’re going through some really rough times."

In fact, the city of North Port this year, for the first time, is projected to have passed the county seat, Sarasota, in population. According to the University of Florida, North Port is larger than the City of Sarasota, with 56,316 residents. However, the North Port population-figure has been reported in the midst of the reported exodus of construction, restaurant, retail, government and other working class families from the city.

Actually, preliminary estimates show that the cities of Sarasota and Venice have lost population, but the unincorporated county has added 6,147 people. That puts the county population at 393,608.

Shrinking populations can mean a shrinking share of state revenues from sales taxes and other revenue sources.

North Port, which has been in an all-out expansion campaign for many years, has no good way to measure its loss of residents, officials say, although they concede people are leaving and that the number of vacant homes and partially built homes is a serious problem. Still, utility account totals don’t go down.

"The reason behind this is that we are currently at approximately 20 percent build-out and only a small portion of that 20 percent has centralized water/sewer services," said Marquett Clemmons, fiscal manager for the city of North Port.

Even affluent Longboat Key has been affected, slightly.

"For the first time, we’ve actually had foreclosures on the key," said Building Official Randy Fowler. "In the past two years, we’ve had some people just walk away. Their homes have gone into foreclosure and they’ve just left, and we’re getting weed problems, grass and maintenance problems at code enforcement.

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In all my years, I've never seen anything like this. There are new houses that are 95% built -- and they have "for sale" signs out front where you can buy it "as is" (even though it's unfinished).

I saw one house that was about 95% built with a "for sale" sign in front of it. The property next to it had a concrete slab/foundation laid and in one corner they had started to lay cinder blocks -- but then the market collapsed and everybody just "walked away." That slab will probably be there for 20 more years before somebody tears it out or does something with it.

I have a hunch that that crunch is going to get worse before it gets better. Like I said, in my lifetime, I've never seen anything like this before.

Sounds like it time for some promotions!!! YeeeeeeeeeeeeAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

This article says alot about the future of this area. The cities populations decline and the unincorporated county population rises. This is why the county is better able to deal with budget shortfalls and declining economies better then cities.


The city of North Port is in big trouble in my opinion. The other cities will probably survive but i wouldnt be surprised to see alot of City of our services in North Port go away. Possibly even the fire and police departments one day.

THANK YOU GEORGE BUSH.

BUSH WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS ONE OF OUR COUNTRY'S WORSE PRESIDENTS

BALKWILL AS ONE OF OUR COUNTY'S WORSE SHERIFF

CAN YOU SAY

CHANGE IS NEEDED

THANK YOU GEORGE BUSH.

BUSH WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS ONE OF OUR COUNTRY'S WORSE PRESIDENTS

BALKWILL AS ONE OF OUR COUNTY'S WORSE SHERIFF

CAN YOU SAY

CHANGE IS NEEDED

As long as by CHANGE, you're not planning on a vote for Obama Bin Lyin'. This guy flips and flops more than slick Willie Bill Clinton himself. Change is needed but a vote for Obama and change is all you'll have left in your pocket after taxes are taken out to pay for everyone living on MLK who don't feel thee need to work.

Yep, George Bush came to Sarasota and ruined our housing market by jacking up the prices and selling them to people who could not afford the mortgage payments! Ooops! Sorry, that was the realtors and developers along with speculators and mortgage companies. Some had been warning about this ten years ago when Hillbilly was president (1999 NY Times). He put pressure on Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac to lend to those who could not otherwise qualify. Then of course the last 2 years of democratic controlled do nothing congress let it all slip away until the crapola hit the fan this last month and the treasury came forward asking for help because congress was sleeping. See the attached link below:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... gewanted=1

THANK YOU GEORGE BUSH.

BUSH WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS ONE OF OUR COUNTRY'S WORSE PRESIDENTS

BALKWILL AS ONE OF OUR COUNTY'S WORSE SHERIFF

CAN YOU SAY

CHANGE IS NEEDED

As long as by CHANGE, you're not planning on a vote for Obama Bin Lyin'. This guy flips and flops more than slick Willie Bill Clinton himself. Change is needed but a vote for Obama and change is all you'll have left in your pocket after taxes are taken out to pay for everyone living on MLK who don't feel thee need to work.

And you call yourself "Keepin it real23"? What you posted is pure fantasy. You must be 15 years old because if you are any older, you either have a short attention span or have no effin clue what you are talking about. None! I have watched and supported John McCain for years and have wished that same John McCain that ran for President in 2000 was the John McCain that is running today. In the time just before he announced his run this time, the only issue that he has not flip-flopped on is his stance on abortion. And he has been consistent on Iraq since 2003. But since announcing his candidacy, he has flip-flopped more than John Kerry ever did. He used to be a man of principles and was a maverick. That's what I loved about the guy. I have no clue who he is anymore. He is neither principled nor a maverick any longer. He is a shadow of his former self.