Florida Legislative Session 2019: Proposed Housing Legislation
The Regular Session of the Florida legislature convenes on March 5, 2019. The Broward Housing Council's 2019 Work Program includes advocating for legislative change that creates and/or retains funding for affordable housing initiatives; supports affordable and workforce housing programs; and reduces the gap between household income and housing costs. Broward Housing Council members have identified the following proposed legislation as items of interest:
SB 70: State Funds. Prevents future sweeps from the State's Affordable Housing Trust Funds, including the Sadowski Trust Fund. Since 2003, the governor has proposed sweeping funds into general revenues for non-housing related purposes. Over $2 billion of Sadowski Trust Fund dollars has been swept since the Trust Fund's inception in 1992. (effective July 1, 2019)
SB 250: Pilot State Workforce Housing Tax Credit. Creates new State Workforce Housing Tax Credit Program to be administered by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation who will determine project eligibility and award the credits. This is a 10-year stream of tax credits awarded to an eligible workforce housing development that rent restricts (not to exceed 30% of income) at least 60% of new units per building. (effective July 1, 2019)
SB 350: Impact Fees. Prohibits local governments from charging impact fees for the development or construction of affordable housing. (effective July 1, 2019)
HB 481: Opportunity Zones. Replaces Florida Enterprise Act with the Florida Opportunity Act. The bill also defines an "Opportunity Zone" and provides mechanisms for designated Opportunity Zones to receive specified State incentives. (effective July 1, 2019)
SB 568: Assessment of Property. Authorizes local government to enter into agreements with certain property owners to recorded specified restrictive covenants over their properties related to affordable housing. Said covenants shall run with the land for at least 20 years and state that the property will be used to provide affordable to extremely low income, very low income, low income or moderate income persons and/or workforce housing; Each covenant shall be recorded in the public records of the County where the property is located. (effective July 1, 2019)
SB 842: County Funding for Affordable Housing. Authorizes the governing authority of each county to levy a discretionary surtax on documents for the purpose of establishing and financing a local Affordable Housing Trust Fund. In November 2018, Broward County voters approved a Charter amendment creating an Affordable Housing Trust Fund to assist in the in the financing of construction, rehabilitation or purchasing of housing for low to moderate income families. (effective July 1, 2019)
HB 2247: Homeless Collaborative of Broward County – Rapid Rehousing. Provides an appropriation of $500,000 to fund this program for FY 19-20. The Rapid Rehousing Program helps families quickly transition from emergency shelter to stable housing, with ongoing case management services for up to a year after placement. (effective July 1, 2019)
Updated Affordable Housing Supply and Demand Data Available
The Broward Planning Council recently released updated affordable housing supply/demand data for each of Broward County’s municipalities. This information incorporates the 2017 American Community Survey (ACS) data, which was released on December 6, 2018, and utilizes the “Recommended Methodology for Supply and Demand Analysis for Broward County’s Affordable Housing Market” as prepared by the Meridian Appraisal Group and dated June 9, 2015, adopted into the Administrative Rules Document: BrowardNext, Article 5. For additional information, contact Garrett McAllister at 954-357-6691. More…
Broward Housing Council Chair to Receive Award
The Broward Housing Council congratulates Marcia Barry-Smith, BHC Chair, who will receive the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Community Care Plan 9th Annual Broward Non-Profit Awards. This event will take place at noon, Friday, February 22, at the Signature Grand in Davie. Hosted by Broward 2-1-1, the luncheon honors Broward County non-profit organizations and leaders for their dedication and community impact. Contact Tracy Schuldiner for ticket information at 954-390-0493 ext 8010 or tschuldiner@211-broward.org.
City Officials Push for National Housing Strategy
Source: Route Fifty, January 29, 2019
The National League of Cities (NLC) Housing Task Force was created in November 2018 to address the challenges of housing availability, affordability, investment and quality. The Task Force is charged with developing a housing policy toolkit for use at the local level, regardless of community size. Because cities rely on a mix local, state and federal resources, the Task Force advocates for the sharing of responsibilities at all government levels. More...
2019 Work Program adopted
Broward Housing Council adopted its 2019 Work Program schedule during their December 14 Council Meeting.
For more information on the Council's focus for 2019...
School Board Expands Affordable Housing Impact Fee Waiver Program
On December 4, 2018, the School Board of Broward County adopted School Board Growth Management
Policy 1161 which
- incorporates the District's new Level of Service Standard (LOS) for public school concurrency, in compliance with the Third Amended and Restated Interlocal Agreement for Public School Facility Planning (TRILA)
- modifies the parameters of the District's school impact fee waiver program, as enabled by Resolution No. 96-35
- updates the Policy with current department names and timeframes.
Based on this approval, the School District will immediately begin implementation of the new alternate level of service standard and new school impact fee waiver process for both low and very low income affordable housing units. Those dwelling units certified as very low and/or low income affordable housing are eligible for a full waiver of school impact fees, up to $50,000 per project. For additional information, contact Lisa Wight at 754-321-2172.
County Commission Approves Support of Housing Trust Fund Legislation
During their regular meeting on December 4, 2018, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners unanimously adopted a Resolution in support of Senate Bill 70, State Funds, filed by Senator Kathleen Passidomo for the 2019 legislative session, which would prevent future legislative sweeps of the Florida’s designated housing trust funds for other purposes. Specifically, House Bill 70 amends Section 215.32, Florida Statutes, to exempt the State Housing Trust Fund and the Local Government Housing Trust Fund from a provision authorizing the Florida Legislature, in the General Appropriations Act, to transfer unappropriated cash balances from specified trust funds to the Budget Stabilization Fund and the General Revenue Fund.
Beginning in Fiscal Year 1995-1996, the William E. Sadowski Act created a dedicated source of funding for the State and Local Government Housing Trust Funds from documentary stamp tax revenues, for the purpose of producing and preserving affordable housing. Over the past several years, however, more than $1.3 billion has been diverted from the State and Local Government Housing Trust Funds.
Adoption of the Resolution also expresses the Board's support for any companion bills filed during the 2019 regular legislative session to prevent the diversion of monies that should properly remain in the State and Local Government Housing Trust Funds.
This item furthers County Commission Value G: Offering sustainable, compatible, innovative housing options for all income levels, including integrated, permanent supportive housing, Goal 2, by increasing the availability of affordable housing of all types, countywide, in every community using effective, uniform criteria, policies, and strategies.
Voters Approve Affordable Housing Trust Fund for Broward
Broward County voters overwhelming said “YES” to a local affordable housing trust fund on November 6, 2018. The issue was the third in a series of ballot questions put forward by the Broward County Charter Review Commission. Its passage by 72.8 percent demonstrates widespread community support for a local affordable housing trust fund that will be used to help alleviate the shortage of affordable housing in Broward County and address issues of homelessness. Any money that the County puts into this new fund can only be used for affordable housing, unlike funds placed in the state affordable housing trust fund, which have been historically been swept by the State Legislature to fund other initiatives. The Broward Housing Council’s 2018 work program called for an initiative to “Establish a dedicated source of funding (i.e. affordable housing trust fund) to support the creation and preservation of affordable housing.”
2016-2017 Annual Report Released
Source: Broward County Planning and Development Management Division
On August 14, the Board of County Commissioners accepted the Broward Housing Council’s 2016-17 Annual Report. The purpose of Annual Report is to provide a summary of the Broward Housing Council’s activities between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. It is not intended to, and does not, highlight individual municipalities, housing authorities or county agency funding sources. More…
Broward Housing Council Sponsored October Workshop
The Broward Housing Council sponsored an affordable housing workshop at Tree Tops Park on October 26, 2018.
“Stakeholders, Strategies and Innovative Solutions for Affordable Housing” was a free, half-day event focusing on unique financial strategies to support affordable housing initiatives. Attendees and panelists included bankers, for-profit developers, federal regulators and affordable housing providers and advocates.
Participants engaged in facilitated breakout sessions addressing the topics of financing, land availability and predevelopment obstacles. A summary report of these findings is now available and will be reviewed at the next Broward Housing Council meeting on December 14.
How Much Salary Do You Need to Afford a Median-Price Home in South Florida?
Source: Sun-Sentinel, August 20, 2018
Data issued by HSH.com®, a publisher of mortgage and consumer loan information, a potential home buyer in Broward County would need to earn about $78,337 a year to afford the median home sales price of $353,000. This represents a 31% increase over the past three years in both home sale prices and the purchaser’s earnings required to qualify for a mortgage. More…
New South Florida Apartments Surge Toward Completion: Could Rent Declines Be Far Behind?
Source: Sun-Sentinel, August 10, 2018
The results of a survey released by apartment search site, RENTCafe, project that that about 9,800 new apartment units will be opening in South Florida by the end of this year. However, the rent amounts in the Broward-Miami Dade-Palm Beach tri-county area are on the rise and these increases are expected to continue. More…
Broward Council Members
