A Jacksonville park near Sibbald Road could eventually be transformed into affordable housing, under a city proposal that would ultimately transfer all 17 acres of Charles “Boobie” Clark Park for a multi-phase, mixed-income development. The park would not close immediately, and city officials say any full transfer still depends on money that hasn't been secured yet.
City Council members have expressed support for a future transfer of the city-owned property for housing, according to News4JAX. The outlet reports that the city and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development have entered into a letter of intent related to a housing project near the park.
Council members were set to discuss the proposal Tuesday night, the same day News4JAX visited the park and spoke with people who use it. No final vote had been taken as of that reporting, and for now, the park remains open.
A Phased Start, Not an Immediate Closure
Rather than transferring the whole 17-acre property at once, the first phase would use two parcels north and south of the park totaling about 3.45 acres — land that, per the station's report, does not currently hold any park amenities. The phased approach is reportedly meant to give HUD and the Neighborhood Alliance Development Corporation, a local nonprofit, time to secure funding, while also giving the city time to relocate existing park amenities before any further development moves forward.
The full transfer of the property hinges on two things: funding being secured, and current park amenities being relocated, the same account notes. Any further development would require relocating existing park amenities. The Neighborhood Alliance Development Corporation describes its mission as rebuilding underserved neighborhoods through a model combining housing development, workforce training, small business support, faith-based collaboration and public-private partnerships.
Residents Split on Trading Park Space for Housing
Reaction from people who use the park is mixed. Rose Parker told News4JAX that affordable housing would give people more opportunities for safe and affordable housing, and pointed out that Legends has a football field residents could use. Elijah Lewis, however, said his little sister loves the park and asks to visit after school nearly every day, and that he believes losing the park would not be a good look.
Part of a Larger Housing Push Near Sibbald Road
The Boobie Clark Park proposal isn't happening in isolation. HUD and Jacksonville are also partnering on a separate Starter Home Initiative aimed at expanding affordable housing through modern manufactured homes, with a site initially planned for five acres east of Sibbald Road near the same park, according to Jax Today.
The push comes against a backdrop of a significant citywide shortfall. Jacksonville's affordable housing director said earlier this year that the city is about 50,000 units short of where it should be, even as developers completed 1,832 affordable apartments in the metro area between 2020 and 2024 — an 80% jump from the previous five-year stretch, per News4JAX's February report.
Another Affordable Housing Project
Jacksonville's consideration of city-owned parkland for housing mirrors a trend playing out elsewhere in Florida. South Florida municipalities have increasingly transferred city-owned land to developers at no cost to support affordable housing construction, according to credaily.com, with supporters arguing that removing land costs is essential to making such projects financially viable. Miami transferred parcels worth more than $8 million to private groups for a Little Havana project, though those deals drew scrutiny because they were executed without competitive bidding under a former city commissioner. West Palm Beach took a similar approach, handing over five city-owned parcels for a planned 151-unit development.
Gainesville offers another comparison point, where a $50 million Woodland Park redevelopment is adding 144 energy-efficient residential units in its second phase, replacing a low-income housing development built in 1970, according to The Gainesville Sun. That project, financed through tax-exempt bonds, low-income housing tax credits and city American Rescue Plan Act funds, allows relocated residents to return once construction wraps up, provided they remain eligible.
For now, Boobie Clark Park remains open while the City Council weighs the ordinance, and no decision has been finalized on whether the full 17 acres will ultimately change hands.
