Charlie Balliette remembers the day about a year ago when he heard a proposal that he knew would help his employees.

As CEO of Bradenton’s S&B Metal Products , he was at a community round-table for business leaders, and Mark Vengroff – head of One Stop Housing – was pitching a plan to address the housing crisis.

Vengroff’s proposal involved partnering with area employers to build a new workforce housing community. Companies could invest and earn revenue from dividends and equity. One Stop – experts in this field – would develop, construct and manage the property.

Employers that bought in would get access to a share of apartments in the amenity-rich community to offer to their staff at below-market rates.

Balliette signed on, along with more than half a dozen other employers, making

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