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Tag: Manatee County

Applications reopen for CARES Act funding

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Manatee County.

MANATEE COUNTY – For residents and businesses still working to recover from the financial effects of COVID-19, more help is coming in the form of CARES Act funds.

Nonprofit organizations that previously received funding through the Manatee County distribution of CARES Act money can extend their funding applications through March 31 to receive the same amount previously distributed. The total amount expected to be distributed is $2.9 million.

As part of the county’s phase three extended spending plan, nonprofits that provide food distribution to Manatee County residents can apply for funds beginning Feb. 26. The county has earmarked $750,000 for the effort.

Community health and wellbeing grants up to $5,000 also are available to nonprofits to assist in reconfiguring their spaces to allow for social distancing and to purchase safety equipment. Up to 100 applicants will be awarded the funds for a total of $500,000. The applications are scheduled to open at the end of February.

For homeowners, the mortgage assistance program is reopening the week of Feb. 22, though only 75 applications are planned to be accepted with a total of $500,000 available in funding. The funds will be available to Manatee County homeowners whose mortgage payments are in arrears due to loss of income related to the pandemic.

Small business owners who have not previously received a CARES funding grant with a physical location in Manatee County, 500 employees or fewer and documented financial losses due to COVID-19 can apply for financial assistance. Funds totaling $1 million will be available to brick and mortar and home-based businesses with applications opening on Feb. 8.

Small business owners can also receive up to $5,000 per business for an Open Safe grant to help pay for personal protective equipment, signage, outdoor seating, equipment, supplies and other items. The county plans to accept 250 applications with the application process opening the week of Feb. 8.

The county also has set aside $5 million in funding for vaccine distribution, staffing and COVID-19 testing.

Financial support totaling $4.2 million is being made available to Manatee Memorial Hospital and Lakewood Ranch Hospital for personal protective equipment and reimbursement for loss due to business interruption from the governor’s executive order 20-72. That order prohibited elective services at hospitals to make room for additional COVID-19 patients. Blake Medical Center opted out of the funding program.

Applications will be taken through Neighborly.com and the application period will only be open for a short time to allow for the quick distribution of funds. Anyone interested in applying for funds can visit this website to determine their eligibility and the requirements to apply for funding before the opening of the application window.

An emergency rental assistance program to sustain housing, not related to CARES Act funds, is being made available to help pay rent and utilities in arrears, home energy costs and other related housing expenses. The total amount available in Manatee County is $12,081,000.

To qualify for the emergency rental assistance program, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident, reside in Manatee County, be delinquent on rent or utility payments due to COVID-19 on or after April 1, 2020, qualify for unemployment or be able to prove a reduction in household income or financial hardship due to COVID-19. The applicant also must have a household income of 80% or less below the area median income. The program can provide assistance for up to three months before the applicant has to reapply for additional funding. Manatee County is currently working with local nonprofits to provide utility assistance for utilities not included in rent payments.

Applications will be taken online on Neighborly and open on Feb. 16. More information on the emergency rental assistance program is available here.

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CARES Act funding applications reopen

Beach umbrella

Tourist tax collections 2020

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Business, Tourism.

2020 tourist tax collections compared to 2019

January

Anna Maria ↑ 13%

Bradenton Beach ↓ 1%

Holmes Beach  ↑ 35%

Manatee County ↑ 19%

February

Anna Maria ↑ 30%

Bradenton Beach ↑ 4%

Holmes Beach  ↑ 45%

Manatee County ↑ 16%

March

Anna Maria ↓ 46%

Bradenton Beach ↓ 64%

Holmes Beach  ↓ 46%

Manatee County ↓ 52%

April

Anna Maria ↓ 90%

Bradenton Beach ↓ 85%

Holmes Beach  ↓ 85%

Manatee County ↓ 70%

May

Anna Maria ↓ 64%

Bradenton Beach ↓ 48%

Holmes Beach  ↓ 39%

Manatee County ↓ 49%

June

Anna Maria ↓ 18%

Bradenton Beach ↓ 37%

Holmes Beach  ↓ 4%

Manatee County ↓ 15%

July

Anna Maria ↑ 22%

Bradenton Beach ↑ 1%

Holmes Beach  ↑ 30%

Manatee County ↑ 16%

August

Anna Maria ↑ 57%

Bradenton Beach ↑ 33%

Holmes Beach  ↑ 72%

Manatee County ↑ 30%

September

Anna Maria ↑ 79%

Bradenton Beach ↑ 51%

Holmes Beach  ↑ 57%

Manatee County ↑ 50%

October

Anna Maria ↑ 40%

Bradenton Beach ↑ 1%

Holmes Beach  ↑ 40%

Manatee County ↑ 18%

November

Anna Maria ↑ 45%

Bradenton Beach ↓ 12%

Holmes Beach  ↑ 37%

Manatee County ↑ 13%

December

Anna Maria ↑ 28%

Bradenton Beach ↑ 3%

Holmes Beach  ↑ 31%

Manatee County ↑ 4%

Manatee County’s 5% resort tax, or tourist tax, is collected from owners of accommodations rented for six months or less who charge the tax to their renters, in most cases, tourists. About 50% of the tax proceeds are allocated to Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau tourism marketing efforts, with 20% allocated to beach renourishment. The tax also funds tourism-related attractions such as the Bishop Museum and the Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria piers. Resort tax increases reflect both increased visitation and improved tax collection efforts. Manatee County totals include Anna Maria Island cities, Bradenton, the portion of Longboat Key within Manatee County, unincorporated Manatee County and Palmetto. To anonymously report a rental owner who may not be paying the tax, call 941-741-4809.
Source: Manatee County Tax Collector

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Tourist season’s tax receipts plummet due to COVID-19

Castles in the Sand

Real estate outside the box

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

The first time I heard the expression, “think outside of the box,” was in a real estate seminar when I first moved to Florida. It’s a thought process that can be applied to almost anything in life, from romance to home renovations. But in the real estate market we’re currently in, it has a whole different meaning.

Buyers are in the most challenging real estate market in decades. The severe shortage of inventory is pushing sale prices so far up that many buyers ultimately get eliminated. Even buyers who are well qualified to purchase at higher prices are being outbid on multiple home offers. With the competition fierce, every buyer is looking for an edge, and some are very creative.

Not too many years ago, buyers who wanted to take that extra step in enhancing their offer would write a personal letter to the seller complimenting their lovely home and making their case for why this is the perfect fit for them and their family. Well, not anymore. Now, buyers are structuring clever ways to make their offers more appealing to sellers. Sometimes, this creativity is sparked by memorabilia around the home or other subtle indications of the sellers’ personalities. Buyers have used videos, a promise of donations to favorite charities and even offers with a numeric sequence that will appeal to the seller.

Is any of this worth a try? Maybe – appealing to individual egos and sentimentality can’t hurt. But it still all boils down to money, and no matter how you dress up your offer, unless it’s competitive in price and terms, chances are it won’t make a difference.

Speaking of money, our hot market is spurring a number of bidding wars all around the country. Ken Johnson, a real estate economist at Florida Atlantic University, warns getting caught up in a bidding war and buying at the top of the unusual market we are currently in could be a mistake, especially if your purchase is not a long-term investment.

However, most real estate professionals believe this seller’s market still has a long way to go, assuming interest rates stay down, which is predicted based on signs from the Federal Reserve. Most economists believe long-term shortages will continue, but even if inventory starts to go up as the virus stabilizes, there is still plenty of pent-up buying energy to sustain the market for a long time.

Nevertheless, trying to win in a bidding war takes a lot of due diligence to verify your over-asking offer is the right thing to do. Study up on recent sales and potential changes to the area and calculate how much work the home will need; it is easy to get taken over by the frenzy.

On the other hand, if you’re stepping back from improving your offer because you think the house may come back on the market, think again. There is not too much of that happening, especially since there is an abundance of cash offers. The Manatee County sales statistics for December showed an increase of 44.1% in cash offers for single-family homes from last year and 19.5% for condo sales. So, if your hope is that the property will not appraise for mortgaging purposes because there aren’t comparable properties available, you will probably be disappointed.

Real estate buying is all about finding the right balance. Do not be afraid to walk away if a particular property isn’t working for you. Sometimes you have to kiss a lot of frogs before one turns into a prince. Outside the box thinking has never been so important. Stay safe.

Changes for Manatee County COVID-19 vaccine program

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Health.

Updated Monday, Jan. 25 at 2:20 p.m. – MANATEE COUNTY – Good news came to those waiting in the COVID-19 vaccine standby pool when county leaders announced the receipt of 4,500 additional first doses.

The news came on Monday, alerting the public that they will receive a call from operators at 311, who were scheduled to randomly select and call people in the standby pool to book appointments for Wednesday through Friday, Jan. 27-29, at Tom Bennett Park, 400 Cypress Creek Blvd. in Bradenton.

Of the 4,500 vaccine doses received, 600 of those will be allocated to the healthcare and frontline worker standby pool. Those recipients also will be notified by operators. Two hundred doses per day are planned to be administered from 8-9 a.m. at Bennett Park.

Patients who received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on Jan. 8 should receive an automated call or text to confirm their second dose appointment on Jan. 29 at the Manatee County Public Safety Center. Anyone who received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine between Jan. 2-7 should also have received an automated message Jan. 25 to inform them of their second dose appointment on either Feb. 1 or 2 at Bennett Park.

Calls will come from 941-742-4300 and texts will come from 88911. Seniors are advised to put the numbers in their phone’s contacts to avoid calls being blocked as spam.

Residency requirement

Anyone 65 or older who is a Florida resident or who can prove at least part-time residency through the production of a Florida driver license or state-issued identification card, a utility bill with their name and a local address or a local rental agreement is eligible to receive the vaccine in Manatee County.

Recipients also need to take to their first appointment a completed copy of the COVID-19 consent form and a valid photo ID along with paperwork proving residency.

The residency requirement doesn’t apply to anyone who already received their first dose of the vaccine in Manatee County. Shot records cannot be transferred to another facility or jurisdiction.

Healthcare workers register separately

Frontline healthcare workers and first responders must also show their medical credentials to receive the vaccine. These individuals who do not have access to the COVID-19 vaccine at work are encouraged to enter their names into a separate vaccine standby pool registration for area first responders and frontline healthcare workers at www.vax.mymanatee.org/frontline.

When vaccine doses become available, workers will be notified in the same way as the general public – by operators calling from 311 to set up an appointment to receive a first dose of the vaccine. These operators work Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To receive a vaccine, healthcare workers need to download and complete a consent form available online at www.mymanatee.org/vaccine and bring that along with a valid photo ID and medical provider credentials to the appointment.

To sign up for the vaccine standby pool, visit www.vax.mymanatee.org.

For more information about receiving the vaccine in Manatee County, visit www.mymanatee.org/vaccine.

 

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Manatee County launches new vaccine sign-up website

 

What to expect when you’re getting a COVID-19 vaccine

Castles in the Sand

New construction surges

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

Practically every week there is a trend in the real estate market directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The health crisis has taken over every aspect of our lives, but it appears that housing and real estate values have been especially impacted. The latest effect is the shortage of building lots to meet the demand for new construction.

The U.S. Commerce Department has reported that new home sales rose 19.1% in volume in the first 11 months of 2020 compared with the same period in 2019. Even little Cortez has been affected, with two lots sold and one currently on the market in the past six months per realtor.com.

With the shortage of previously-owned homes on the market, record low interest rates and the desire for more space during the pandemic, builders are running out of land. Some builders are limiting the number of sales they put in contract, worried they won’t have enough buildable land to start construction on. Land development is a long and expensive process that involves permitting and infrastructure planning long before a shovel goes in the ground.

This demand is also likely having an impact on green buildings according to the American Institute of Architects. Their goal was to hit “net zero” construction by 2030, however, they have a long way to go and few of their members are meeting their goal. The majority of people just aren’t asking for green construction.

To complicate the new construction industry further, investors – sometimes partnering with builders – are building tens of thousands of houses expressly to rent. Their bet is that the housing culture has changed enough this past year with individuals and families embracing suburban living to keep the demand for single-family homes increasing.

In addition, because of the demand for single-family homes, prices have soared, and in spite of low mortgage rates, availability is unaffordable for many. It’s projected that newly-constructed homes sold straight to investors will exceed 5% over the next few years, up from the historical average of approximately 1%.

When I went online at the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee’s website so I could report on the December sales statistics, the first thing I saw was “single-family homes flying off the market in Sarasota and Manatee.” So here are the numbers on homes in flight.

Sales of single-family homes were up 41.6% from last December. The median sales price was up 6.8% to $357,900 and the average sale price was up 14.5% to $496,984. The median time to contract was 60 days, down 33.3%, and the month’s supply of homes is 1.5 months, down 54.4%.

Condo sales were up 45.1% from last December. The median sales price was up 19.5% to $239,000 and the average sales price was up 52.4% to $365,012. The median time to contract was 26 days, down 43.5%, and the month’s supply of condos is two months, down 51.2%.

According to the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee’s president, “This is one of those weird moments when it’s a great time to sell, but it’s also a great time to buy. If this trend continues, and data is showing that to be the likeliest forecast, then sellers can get top dollar in record short timeframes, while buyers can lock in record low interest rates and buy a home that is going to be worth much more in a year from now. And if they do both, then they can get the best of both worlds.”

The best of both worlds doesn’t come along very often; enjoy while you can. Stay safe.

County officials give COVID-19 vaccine update

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Health.

MANATEE COUNTY – A new round of vaccines have arrived in Manatee County, prompting 311 operators to start booking appointments for Jan. 14. After these appointments are booked, county officials hope that more vaccines will quickly arrive for distribution but they’re not sure when they’ll get here.

During today’s Manatee County commission meeting, Director of Public Safety Jake Saur reported that 1,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine were received on Jan. 11, with 900 of those earmarked to be distributed to area seniors age 65 and older and 100 set aside to be given to first responders and frontline healthcare workers. Saur said that 311 operators began contacting seniors randomly selected from the standby vaccine pool just after the announcement was made to county commissioners at around 9:10 a.m. with the expectation that all appointments would be filled by 4 p.m. today for distribution on Thursday, Jan. 14 at the Tom Bennett Park drive-thru vaccination location.

As more vaccines are received, Saur said there will be more announcements through social media and other outlets about appointments being booked to alert seniors signed up for the standby pool. Unfortunately, he said the timing and amount of vaccines coming to the county are uncertain and sporadic at this time due to vaccine dose availability.

Seniors signed up through the Manatee County standby pool should look for a phone call from 941-742-4300. If 311 operators call and no one answers the phone, they’ll make one more attempt before putting the person’s name back into the system to be randomly selected again at a future date. If you miss a call from 311 operators, you’re asked to not call back, they’ll call you. If you’ve already registered your information with the standby pool there is no reason to register a second time. Any duplicate registrations will be deleted. If you’re having trouble signing up for the standby pool through the website, you can call 311 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to enter your name in the lottery-style pool.

As of today, Saur said that nearly 60,000 individuals or couples have registered in the COVID-19 vaccination standby pool in Manatee County. Given that some of those registrations are couples who are allowed to register together, he said the number of people in the system is closer to 95,600. Manatee County has more than 100,000 residents at age 65 or older. COVID-19 vaccinations in Manatee County are open to anyone meeting the age requirement regardless of residency. Anyone receiving a first dose of the vaccine in Manatee County must receive the mandatory second dose here as well.

The 1,000 vaccine doses were a surprise with Manatee County officials previously told to not expect any first doses this week. Some first responders and frontline healthcare workers who received their first dose of the vaccine in December were already scheduled to begin receiving second doses at the Public Safety Center in east Bradenton on Jan. 13.

To date, Saur said 5,437 vaccines had been administered in Manatee County at either the Bennett Park or Public Safety Center vaccination site. Currently, these are the only two vaccination sites open in Manatee County, though Saur said if needed there are plans to open a third site. Director of Development Jim McDaniel said in an email to The Sun that he’s also volunteered The Center of Anna Maria Island’s Magnolia Avenue campus in Anna Maria as a potential future vaccination site for the county.

With the federal government announcing today that a push is moving forward to have states release the vaccine doses held back to guarantee second vaccines for those people who’ve already received a first one, Saur said he’s unsure of how things will progress now at Manatee County run vaccination sites. He added that he still plans for anyone who’s received a first vaccine dose from the county to be able to receive a second vaccine dose here. Saur said that there is a three- to four-day window for people to receive a second vaccine around the 21- or 28-day recommendation. Pfizer vaccines require the second dose to be administered 21 days after the first dose while Moderna vaccines require the second dose to be administered 28 days after the first dose.

Area seniors can expect to receive a phone call from 311 operators a week before their second dose is due to book an appointment. Saur said that current plans are to administer the second doses at the Public Safety Center with the ability to administer two days worth of second dose vaccines in one day.

Manatee County officials will never ask for any financial information when booking a vaccine appointment. Vaccines received by the county are available to the public free of charge.

For more information, visit the Manatee County vaccine website.

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Manatee County launches new vaccine sign up program

Manatee County launches new vaccine sign-up website

Manatee County launches new vaccine sign-up website

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Featured.

MANATEE COUNTY – Everyone over age 65 in Manatee County now has a new way to sign up to receive a COVID-19 vaccine with the launch of the county’s new lottery-style system.

The new system was announced during an emergency county commission meeting and was launched on Jan. 7. Rather than seniors scrambling to receive an appointment on a first-come, first-served basis as vaccine doses become available, now they enter their names into a standby pool where recipients are randomly chosen for an appointment as more doses are received by the county.

To get in line to receive a vaccine appointment, seniors can sign up one of two ways – by visiting the county’s website at any time or by calling 311 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

To register, seniors must provide their name, contact information, zip code and birth month and year to verify their age. There are no residency requirements to receive a vaccine in Manatee County, however the two vaccines currently being administered, those made by Moderna and Pfizer, require two separate vaccinations administered a few weeks apart. The Moderna vaccine requires 28 days between doses while the Pfizer vaccine requires 21 days between doses. Anyone receiving the first vaccine in Manatee County must also receive the second one in the county.

Manatee County Public Safety Director Jake Saur said that the first evening the new vaccine standby pool sign up was available to the public, over 18,000 people entered their names in the pool with more than 30,000 signed up by the end of the next day.

During a Jan. 6 meeting with Manatee County commissioners, Saur said that the previous method of scheduling vaccines, using a first-come, first-served signup process through Eventbrite, was causing frustration for people trying to sign up for appointments and crashing both the Eventbrite and Manatee County websites due to increased traffic. By instituting the standby pool, he said that it will take the pressure off to sign up. Because recipients are chosen at random, there’s no need to rush to try to be first in line. As vaccines become available, 311 operators call those seniors randomly selected to schedule an appointment. Seniors should look for a call from 941-742-4300. If the person can’t make their appointment or doesn’t answer their phone, their name goes back into the selection pool and operators move on to the next person, so if you’ve signed up for a vaccine appointment, it’s important to remember to answer your phone.

To receive a vaccine, patients will have to provide a form of photo identification at the vaccination distribution site to prove their age. They also must provide their vaccination confirmation number, which will be given by 311 operators when making an appointment, and a copy of their completed vaccine consent form which can be downloaded here. If you don’t have access to a printer, a copy of the form will be provided to you at the vaccination site for completion before a vaccine can be administered.

Gov. Ron DeSantis visited the county vaccination site at Bennett Park, 280 Kay Road in Bradenton, for a press conference on Jan. 7 to praise the efforts being made by Manatee County leaders to administer as many vaccines as possible to first responders, frontline medical professionals and seniors age 65 and older. DeSantis announced that since Manatee County’s vaccination efforts were going so well, he would release an additional 500 vaccine doses to the county. Saur said those doses were fully booked using the new lottery process by noon the following day.

An update on the county’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts is expected during the Jan. 12 county commission meeting.

What to expect when you’re getting a COVID-19 vaccine

What to expect when you’re getting a COVID-19 vaccine

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Health.

MANATEE COUNTY – While the process to sign up for a COVID-19 vaccination appointment has changed to a new lottery-style system, the process for receiving your first dose of the vaccine once you score an appointment remains the same.

The Sun rode along with Sylvia Swain while she received her first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine Jan. 6 at the Manatee County Bennett Park vaccination site. The entire process took about 90 minutes to complete and here’s what local seniors can expect when they arrive for their first dose of the vaccine.

The Bennett Park site is a drive-thru vaccination site where recipients are asked to remain in their vehicles the entire time unless otherwise directed by onsite medical personnel.

When entering the facility, vaccine recipients are directed through several different checkpoints before they receive the vaccine dose. The first checkpoint is at the entrance where the recipient’s vaccine appointment is confirmed and their photo identification checked for name and age verification. Recipients are required to have a valid, government-issued photo identification and either a copy of their appointment confirmation or the confirmation number.

Upon entering the park, drivers are divided into two vehicle lanes where vaccine recipients have their temperature checked and have to show a completed copy of the COVID-19 vaccine screening and consent form, which can be found online. For anyone without a completed form, a blank form is provided at this point to fill out before moving forward. Vaccine recipients are asked to turn over their completed forms to onsite healthcare workers and are given their vaccine cards, a document that shows when and where the vaccine dose was administered. The vaccine card is required to be kept and will need to be presented to onsite healthcare workers when receiving a second vaccine dose.

Once all of the paperwork is done, recipients move forward to receive the vaccine dose.

“That was quick,” Swain said upon receiving the vaccine. Though she said she didn’t feel any discomfort when receiving the vaccine, the following day she said her arm was sore and she felt a bit tired, though the symptoms dissipated within a few hours. She added that she felt better personally about her health following receipt of the vaccine and that she’s looking forward to receiving the second dose.

After receiving the vaccine, recipients move on to a field where they park their vehicles and wait 15 minutes to see if they have any adverse reactions to the vaccination. Anyone with a history of allergic reactions to vaccines may be asked by healthcare workers to wait for 30 minutes before being dismissed.

Once the wait time is up, you’re free to go, at least for the next few weeks.

The Moderna vaccine, the one currently being administered in Manatee County, requires two doses given 28 days apart, though county Public Safety Director Jake Saur said that there’s a window of about three to four days on either side of the 28 days to administer the final dose of the vaccine.

To receive the second dose of the vaccine, recipients must receive it in Manatee County. About a week before your second vaccine appointment, 311 operators will contact you at the phone number you provide when signing up. Seniors should look for a call from 941-742-4300. Saur said that the first contact will most likely be by text and that operators will call anyone who doesn’t confirm their second vaccine appointment by text.

While the first vaccine doses are currently being administered at Bennett Park in Bradenton, the second dose is planned to be administered to eligible recipients at the Department of Public Safety. And though there is a shortage of available vaccine doses coming from federal to state and then to local sources, Saur said that the second vaccine dose is guaranteed to recipients who’ve already received a first dose from Manatee County.

For more information about receiving the vaccine, visit the Manatee County vaccine information website.

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Manatee County launches new vaccine sign-up website

Manatee County launches new vaccine sign up program

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Manatee County launches new vaccine sign up program

Manatee County launches new vaccine sign up program

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Archives.

MANATEE COUNTY – During an emergency meeting today, county commissioners met to discuss how to improve the process by which people 65 and older can sign up for a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. They voted unanimously to accept the new lottery-style system.

County Public Safety Director Jake Saur said that after issues with websites crashing and people unable to access the limited number of 311 operators to schedule appointments, a new idea was needed. The suggestion he came to commissioners with is to institute an ongoing registration system for anyone age 65 and older to enter their information to go into a lottery to get an appointment to receive a vaccine when they’re available.

Right now, Saur said the State of Florida has no COVID-19 vaccine doses currently to send to Manatee County, though 240,000 vaccine doses are planned to be received and distributed next week across the state. He added that none of those doses are guaranteed to be received in Manatee County.

Planned to launch at 10 p.m. on Jan. 7, the new website will ask people to enter basic information, such as their name, phone number and an email address, which is optional, as well as confirm that they are at or over age 65. The person will then get a reservation number, which will need to be kept, and will be entered into a vaccine waiting pool. As more vaccines are received by Manatee County, 311 operators will contact people at random in the vaccine waiting pool to set up an appointment. If a person doesn’t respond or isn’t available during the appointment period, their name will be returned to the pool and another person will be selected. Anyone who doesn’t have access to a computer will be able to call 311 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to enter the vaccine waiting pool over the phone.

The new lottery method of granting vaccine appointments will be ongoing and is expected to reduce public frustration when trying to book a vaccine appointment due to their not being a need to rush to sign up. It won’t be a first come, first served process like what the county has previously used with Eventbrite registration, which will now only be available internally to Manatee County employees.

Entering the vaccine waiting pool is not an appointment, it’s entering a standby waiting room for when vaccine doses become available. It also does not guarantee when an appointment time will be available.

Saur said that while the team administering the vaccines is ready and able to ramp up to giving out 2,000-3,000 vaccines per day with more sites than the current drive-thru vaccination site at Tom Bennett Park, the issue is a lack of vaccine doses. As soon as the supply line for vaccines is increased, Saur said he hopes to receive more consistent shipments and be able to distribute vaccines to the public faster.

While some Manatee County commissioners and residents expressed frustration that vaccine doses are available to everyone, not just county residents, Assistant County Attorney Bill Clague said that how the vaccinations are distributed is not up to local leaders. The Manatee County Department of Health is a part of the Florida Department of Health and is operated as a state agency located in the county. As a state agency, vaccines have to be distributed according to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ orders, which allow for the vaccines to be given to anyone age 65 and older regardless of residency.

Saur said the goal for his department is to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible given the availability of vaccine doses.

A website address for the new vaccine registration waiting pool will be announced on the county’s vaccine website.

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More vaccine appointments open

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Health.

Updated 1/4/21 – Manatee County Public Safety Director Jake Saur announced that 1,400 vaccine doses had been received by the county for distribution to seniors age 65 and older and front line healthcare workers. Of those doses, 1,200 will be available to seniors to book appointments online for Jan. 5 and 6 at 2 p.m. on Jan. 4. Seniors without computer access can also dial 311 ext. 1 to book over the phone with a county operator. Saur warns that 311 staff is limited so it’s better to try to book vaccine appointments online if possible.

Anyone with medical questions concerning the vaccine should contact their primary care physician or the Manatee County Health Department.

Front line healthcare workers seeking a vaccine can go to the Bennett Park site on Jan. 5 and 6 between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. to receive their first COVID-19 vaccination. Workers must have a copy of their state healthcare license and be able to prove that they work in direct contact with patients in order to receive a vaccine.

MANATEE COUNTY – More than 1,000 seniors age 65 and older in the county have received COVID-19 vaccinations as of Jan. 2, according to the county’s social media page. Any senior who didn’t receive a vaccination appointment in the first round will have another chance to try for an appointment beginning at 2 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 2.

In a Dec. 29 briefing, Manatee County officials discussed receiving 3,500 doses of the Moderna vaccine to be distributed beginning on Dec. 30 and continuing through Jan. 4 to seniors, first at the Manatee County Department of Public Safety and then at Bennett Park. Those appointments filled up within minutes, leaving many seniors wondering when they could receive the vaccine. Information Outreach Manager Nicholas Azzara said that as available vaccine numbers dwindle to 500 or less, more shipments of the vaccine will come to Manatee County for distribution.

To sign up for one of the vaccine appointments released Jan. 2, visit the county website to fill out the Department of Health COVID-19 screening and consent form. Both forms can be filled out in advance and need to be printed and taken to your vaccine appointment. Visit the site at 2 p.m. on Jan. 2 to book your vaccine appointment.

Vaccine appointments are available to anyone age 65 and older. There is no residency requirement, however, the Moderna vaccine requires two doses with the second one to be received 28 days after the first one. Anyone receiving the first vaccine dose in Manatee County must also receive the second dose in Manatee County. Vaccine records do not transfer.

To receive the vaccine, patients must provide photo ID, present their screening results and provide a copy of their appointment reservation. All vaccinations provided by Manatee County are given free of charge.

Currently, vaccines are being distributed in a drive-thru location at Bennett Park, 280 Kay Road in Bradenton. When getting a vaccine, patients are advised to not leave their vehicle unless requested to by onsite medical personnel.

If unable to get a vaccine appointment on Monday, Azzara asks people to be patient and continue to monitor the county’s website for the release of upcoming appointments. You can also sign up for email alerts.

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COVID-19 vaccines open up to ages 65 and older

COVID-19 vaccines open up to ages 65 and older

COVID-19 vaccines open up to ages 65 and older

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Health.

MANATEE COUNTY – The county is giving a New Year’s gift to its seniors. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Manatee County on Dec. 28 and distribution to seniors age 65 and older will begin on Dec. 30.

During a Dec. 29 press conference held via Zoom, Manatee County Information Outreach Manager Nicholas Azzara said that 3,500 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine had arrived in the county and that appointments for distribution of those vaccines to seniors aged 65 and older are now open.

The first two days of vaccine distribution, on Wednesday, Dec. 30 and Thursday, Dec. 31, will take place at the Manatee County Department of Public Safety complex at 2101 47th Terrace E. in Bradenton. Up to 300 people per day are expected to be vaccinated at the Department of Public Safety. On Friday, Jan. 1, the vaccine distribution center will be moved to Bennett Park at 400 Cypress Creek Blvd. in Bradenton. At Bennett Park, appointments are planned to be booked through Jan. 4 with up to 500 people vaccinated per day. Both sites will be drive-thru vaccination sites.

To book an appointment, visit the Manatee County website to complete the Department of Health vaccine screening and consent form. Print out a copy of the consent form which will be required onsite before a vaccine can be administered. Once that is complete, an Eventbrite site will open up to allow you to schedule an appointment to receive the vaccine. If the website is busy, Azzara said to please keep trying. If you do not have computer access, please call the Manatee County Department of Health at 941-748-0747 for assistance.

Once you have an appointment, please arrive at the vaccine location on time and with a copy of your consent form, registration ticket from Eventbrite and photo identification to prove your age. All vaccine recipients are asked to stay in their vehicles unless directed to exit by onsite medical personnel. Anyone with a history of allergic reactions to vaccines will be asked to remain for 15-30 minutes after receiving the vaccine for observation.

While the 3,500 doses of the vaccine received by the county won’t come close to vaccinating all of the more than 100,000 residents at or over age 65, more vaccines are promised by the Florida State Attorney General’s Office to be on the way once Manatee County’s supply dwindles down to 500. As more vaccines arrive, more appointments will be available online for qualified individuals trying to get the vaccine.

There is no charge to receive the COVID-19 vaccine through the Manatee County vaccination site.

There are no residency requirements to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Manatee County. However, once the first dose of the vaccine is received, the recipient must receive the second dose in Manatee County. Vaccine records will not be able to be transferred to another state or facility. For the Moderna vaccine, a second dose must be administered 28 days after the first dose. While Manatee County does not yet have the Pfizer vaccine, that one has a 21-day period before a second dose must be administered. Illegal immigrants with valid photo identification who meet the age requirement will be able to receive the vaccine in Manatee County.

Manatee County Chief of Emergency Medical Services James Crutchfield said that once initial doses of vaccine are administered, a system will be set up for those requiring a second dose to register for vaccine appointments.

Residents of assisted living, nursing homes or other long-term care facilities will receive a vaccine from the staff of those facilities. Hospital staff and patients requiring the vaccine will receive their vaccinations at those facilities. The vaccines allotted to local hospitals will not be made available to the general public at this time.

For anyone who cannot get to one of the county-run facilities to receive their vaccine, Crutchfield said that plans for localized community vaccination distribution are being made though those vaccinations will take place further down the road. Right now, he said the priority for Manatee County is to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible to work toward herd immunity, expected to occur when 70-80% of the population has been vaccinated.

Currently, there is no timeline for when the vaccine will be made available to people less than 65 years old in the state of Florida.

While the Manatee County appointment site is a stop-gap for the time being, a state registration site for vaccinations is expected to be launched in two weeks.

For questions about the vaccine, dial 311.

Even once you receive a vaccination, county health officials still recommend practicing safe social distancing, wearing masks and frequent handwashing.

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Castles in the Sand

Real estate sales surge continues

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

Happy New Year, are we all just about done with this year? I certainly am. Nevertheless, Anna Maria’s real estate market is not done, and this year has been an immensely successful one in spite of the pandemic.

Anna Maria’s popularity has exploded during the last 10 years, much of it fueled by newspaper and magazine articles about our “Florida Postcard, Old Florida” island. The latest love affair with Anna Maria is in Coastal Living Magazine’s end-of-year issue, just in time for tourist season, if we indeed have one this year. Coastal Living has written before about Anna Maria, but this particular version has to be the purple prose of Anna Maria stories.

The writing is so elaborately infused with the glory of our beaches, “near-dizzying,” the lure of Pine Avenue “hums with the old and the new simultaneously,” with restored homes that are now galleries, restaurants, bakeries, museums and bike rental shops.

Now, to be fair, all of this is true, but if I were reading this right now in snowy shut-down New York City, I would be fighting my way down I-95 to get here. In fact, I might just fight my way over the Cortez Bridge to see what I’m missing. I think it’s great that all of the businesses mentioned in the piece are getting credit and exposure for making Anna Maria such a sought-after island, but “double-decker building of delights” – please. I’ll let you figure out which restaurant they mean.

Practically every month this year, when I review the closed sales numbers in Manatee County, I get excited, and this month is no exception. So, let’s look at the November Manatee County closed sales reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.

Single-family homes closed 40.3% more properties in November this year compared to last year. Cash sales were up 52%, the median sale price was $350,500, up 7.2%, and the average sale price was $463,015, up 15.6%. The median time to contract was 19 days, up 55.8% and the month’s supply of properties was only 1.6 months, down 51.5%.

Condos closed 58.9% more properties in November this year compared to last year. Cash sales were up 77.4%, the median sale price was $237,250, up 10.3%, and the average sale price was $265,013, up 5.3%. The median time to contract was 34 days (no change from last year) and the month’s supply of properties was only 2.3 months, down 45.2%.

The month’s supply of available properties hit a new low, meaning if you’re looking for a single-family home or a condo, you will have slim pickings. Because of this, the median and average sale prices continue to push up with no end in sight. Fortunately, with mortgage rates also at an all-time low, buyers can qualify for a higher amount of financing. In addition, the percentage of cash transactions is extraordinary. Cash continues to be king and will easily make or break a deal. I expect December’s numbers will be slightly lower based on the surge of COVID-19 infections combined with the holidays, but we’ll see if that’s true.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the recent Longboat Key sale of $16.5 million – the highest registered sale in the history of Sarasota and Manatee.

Even if my writer’s critical eye has taken some exception to Coastal Living, I’m still happy they wrote about Anna Maria. It’s good for business and great for real estate. I just wonder what George Emerson Bean and Charles Roser would have thought. Happy New Year and stay safe.

Tourism is rebounding in Manatee County

Tourism rebounding in Manatee County

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Business, Tourism.

MANATEE COUNTY – Tourist Development Council members received some encouraging news just before Christmas.

During this morning’s meeting, held at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, representatives from Visit Florida and Research Data Services gave TDC members updates, and the news was good – tourism numbers are going up despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Jen Carlisle with Visit Florida said that while the numbers they’re seeing are an overall 37% decrease in tourism from the same time last year and a 57% decrease in tourism from Canada, travel increased in the second and third quarters of the year by 71%. Carlisle attributed the increase in numbers to the Visit Florida-led marketing efforts.

Beginning in September, she said the organization targeted Florida residents, urging them through marketing to take a trip in their own state. In October, the target area of that effort increased to include drivable markets within a 700-mile radius, such as Atlanta, Charlotte and Nashville.

From these rebound advertising campaigns, Carlisle said that Visit Florida has had 300 million impressions and that 70% of people who saw the marketing spots were more likely to visit the state than they were beforehand. And while international travel is still largely on hold due to travel restrictions, she said that Visit Florida is still marketing in other countries to keep the destination at the forefront of potential visitors’ minds when restrictions are lifted. Elliott Falcione, director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that his organization also is making sure that they continue marketing in other countries, particularly in Europe and Canada, to make sure that the Bradenton area is on visitors’ minds when they’re ready to book future travel plans.

Speaking on behalf of the central European market from Germany via Zoom, Dorothea Hohn said that her research has found that people are ready to travel to the United States again, particularly to beach and outdoor destinations like the Bradenton and Gulf Islands area, however, she added that those visitors are pinning their plans on the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine and the lifting of international travel bans and restrictions.

Anne Wittine of Tampa-based Research Data Services, the county’s tourism consultant, gave a presentation on the current state of tourism in the area, noting that the number of visitors is down only 10.3% for the year so far from 2019. The economic impact of tourism, – the amount of money put into the local economy by tourists – is down 13.2% from the previous year. And while occupancy is down 14.3% from the previous year, Wittine said that may largely be due to a lack of reporting from privately-managed vacation rental properties. She said that the majority of the occupancy numbers received come from hotels, motels and professionally-managed vacation rental units, and that it’s hard to get numbers from individual vacation rental owners or those rented through services such as Airbnb.

Some of the challenges facing the local tourism industry, Wittine said, are that visitors are waiting until the last minute, often one to seven days out from their expected travel time, to book vacations and that visitation from Canada and Europe, where travel restrictions are in place, is too small to count at this time. Another issue is that cancellations of trips are going up as the number of locally-reported COVID-19 cases increases.

And while the number of people feeling more confident and safe about traveling is steadily increasing, Wittine said one key element for the local tourism businesses is to provide good information on what is open and what kind of experience travelers can expect when they arrive at their destination, information that is often difficult to come by online.

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Castles in the Sand

Real estate markets upturned

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

The old rules governing a buyer’s and a seller’s market have been seriously adjusted in the time of COVID-19. Areas of the country where they never dreamed of running out of inventory and integrating buyers from major cities are still trying to figure it out while at the same time welcoming their good luck.

Realtor.com, after interviewing over 50 real estate agents in specific markets, has come up with the 10 top buying and selling markets nationwide. This analysis reflected closed sales for upper-end homes at $1 million or over.

A buyer’s market is something that we’re not remotely in right now in the Tampa Bay area, but since you never know when markets will turn, let’s establish some guidelines. The definition of a buyer’s market simply is one with more supply than demand. Santa Barbara County, California was at the top of the buyer’s market list with Santa Cruz County, California coming in at number 10. Florida had two counties on the list, Pinellas at number two and Collier at number four. Remember we’re talking about sales at $1 million or over.

A seller’s market is, of course, the opposite of a buyer’s market, defined as a market that has more demand than supply, with low levels of inventory and appreciating sales prices. Fairfax County, Virginia is at the top of the seller’s market analysis with Suffolk County, New York at the bottom. Florida has two counties on the top 10 list, Hillsborough County (Tampa) at number six and Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale) at number seven. Seller’s markets in this COVID cycle are typically suburban areas close to big employment centers that offer larger homes, property with office space and new construction.

Manatee County is certainly in a seller’s market, so potential buyers need to be cautious not to get in a bidding war and consider making an offer with an escalation addendum. Also eliminating all home sale contingencies like a mortgage will certainly put you in an advantageous position.

Now it’s time to review the October Manatee County sales statistics, reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee, to determine if October’s numbers are as good as September’s were.

Single-family sales numbers compared to October of last year are as follows: Closed sales, up 48.4%; median sale price, $360,000, up 10.4%; average sale price, $481,349, up 20.7%; median time to contract, 18 days, down 58.1%; month’s supply of available properties, 1.8 months, down 45.5%; pending inventory, up 44.5% and cash transactions, up 53.6%.

Condo sales numbers compared to October of last year are as follows: Closed sales, up 39%; median sale price, $255,000, up 34.2%; average sale price, $294,595, up 13.2%; median time to contract, 41 days, up 8.9%; month’s supply of available properties, 2.6 months, down 36.6%; pending inventory, up 71.9% and cash transactions, up 10%.

Not only were the October numbers as good as September, they surpassed them in almost every area. The market is indeed soaring in both Manatee and Sarasota counties, and where this merry-go-round stops, I don’t think anyone knows, certainly not me.

The old adage, “All real estate is local,” has been a little upended this year. However, the principals are the same and we’ll eventually fall back into a normal market. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Castles in the Sand

Ghosts, goblins and COVID

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

Halloween is in a couple of days, the first holiday since COVID struck that wearing a mask is not only encouraged, but welcome. Because of our beautiful fall weather, all of the little ghosts and goblins will be able to walk up and down the streets looking for treats, hopefully safely masked. Undoubtedly the scariest thing this Halloween won’t be the Mummy or Dracula but the thing we can’t see – COVID droplets.

The second most scary thing is what our financial situation will be after this is all behind us. As far as the real estate market, it is proving to be very durable with appreciation expanding and houses being eaten up as soon as they hit the market. Buyers are so ready to fight their way into homeownership that a large percentage aren’t even leaving their homes to do so.

According to realtor.com, 24% of 1,300 consumers surveyed said they would be willing to buy without seeing a property in person. This was back in April, so it’s likely that a more up-to-date survey would provide a larger percentage. Another survey dating to 2018 indicates that 20% of potential buyers made an offer on a property without seeing it in person. In a similar survey after COVID, this number has moved up to 45% so far this year, and it’s looking like this is not just a passing trend.

Not all real estate markets are experiencing the same movement. In New York City, which has been the hardest-hit major city in the country, sales in Manhattan were down 46.4% in the third quarter of the year compared to last year per the real estate company Douglas Elliman. In addition, Manhattan currently has more than 20 months’ supply of properties available. San Francisco is experiencing a similar market with properties lingering for months without buyers.

Manatee County continues to be a hot market with several new construction properties on the drawing board. In Cortez, the Hunters Point community is getting close to breaking ground with 86 single-family homes, 47 available boat slips as well as resort and hotel units. Parrish in Manatee County’s northwestern area is exploding with new communities being built on what was previously farmland.

To say the September sales report for Manatee County reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee is good would be grossly understated – it’s great. The only problem is we can’t add new listings fast enough.

Single-family homes closed 31.4% more in September than last September. The median sale price for this year was $350,000, an 11.1% increase over last September, and the average sale price was $478,964, a 25.5% increase. The median time to contract was 23 days, 46.5% less than last year, and the pending inventory has increased 59.5%. The month’s supply of properties is only 1.9 months, a 42.4% drop from last year.

Condos closed 73.5% more properties compared to September of last year. The median sale price was $220,000, up 10.6%, and the average sale price was $300,971, up 23.1% from last September. The median time to contract was 40 days, 44.4% fewer days than last year, and the pending inventory was up 45.8%. The month’s supply of properties was down 23.7% to 2.9 months.

The September update continues the trend of a rise in the number of sales, higher prices and fewer available listings compared to September of last year.

Enjoy Halloween with all of your masked friends and remember, if your house is haunted, it’s just between you and Casper – no one else has to know. Stay safe.