Builder: Sarasota city rules make attainable housing concept a 'losing proposition'

SimplyDwell Homes, a Lakewood Ranch homebuilder owned by Neal Communities, has completed a seven-house project on a lot once occupied by abandoned homes in Sarasota.

The project was meant to be a new step for the company, taking dilapidated properties in urban markets and building lower priced houses for entry-level buyers. The idea was that it would provide attainable, newly constructed houses for residents, mostly renters and first-time home buyers that were affordable.