The Monroe County Commission on Monday did not to rescind its decision to spend $2.4 million to purchase three properties for affordable housing, despite criticism from a developer and a county Planning Commission member.

The County Commission, acting as the county Land Authority, convened a special meeting Monday to determine whether to rescind its approval of the purchase of the Key West rental properties. Two of the properties will be overseen by the city of Key West's Housing Authority, and the other will be in the hands of the nonprofit Bahama Conch Community Land Trust.

County Mayor Sonny McCoy called the meeting after developer Ed Swift, who has built several affordable housing projects, questioned whether it was worth spending $2.4 million on properties that are substandard.

Swift sent letters and spoke with individual commissioners, arguing that the cost per unit was too high. The per-unit cost is a little less than $300,000.

Planning Commissioner and Realtor Donna Windle also lobbied the County Commission with similar arguments. Swift and Windle believe the county should invest in new development.

"I have been raising this issue for a year, and I am not getting much traction," Swift said. "This is not a prudent way to do this."

County commissioners, who voted 5-0, were unmoved by Swift's remarks, and sided with Community Land Trust representatives, the sellers and concerned Key West residents who argued that there is little room for new housing in the city. They said buying existing market-rate units from owners who already are charging affordable rates is one of the only options left on the 2-by-5-mile island. They also argued that the properties were sold below their appraised values.

"We don't look at it the same way they do in the rest of the county," said Omar Garcia, whose family sold the county one of the properties. "We want to preserve historic homes and save families. ... We are in this because we are committed to our community. We are losing family after family after family."

Two weeks ago, the County Commission approved giving the Bahama Conch Community Land Trust $730,000 to buy a duplex on Albury Street and giving the Key West Housing Authority $1.6 million to buy six units on two separate properties.