Title
Discuss Potential Changes to the Current Incentives and Recommendations Report (B)
Explanation
Section 402.9072 of the Florida Statutes provides that qualifying local governments (Cities and Counties) can participate in the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program and receive SHIP Program funds for affordable housing activities. Those activities include Down Payment Assistance, Homeowner Repair, Home Replacement, Mortgage Foreclosure Intervention, Home Buyer Training, Homeownership Training, and others. Over the last five complete fiscal years (FY2016/17 to FY2020/21), the City has received approximately $3,000,000 in SHIP Funds.
To be eligible for SHIP Program Funds, the State requires local governments to take several steps, including appointing an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC). The attached Section 420.9076(4) of the Florida Statutes requires the AHAC to produce an annual Incentives and Recommendations Report (IRR) which reviews all local government plans, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations which impact affordable housing. The statute specifically requires the AHAC to review 11 listed types of incentives and regulations, plus any other affordable housing incentives identified by the committee.
Prior to 2020, the AHACs were required to produce an IRR every three years. In 2020, the Legislature changed the Stature to require the AHACs to produce an IRR every year. The City’s current IRR was adopted by the AHAC on October 12, 2021. A copy of that document is attached as backup to this agenda item.
The AHAC has developed a consensus regarding recommendations for most of the incentives and regulations required to be considered. As such, future discussions will focus on strategies where the AHAC may consider revising its recommendation. Those strategies are Expedited Reviews, Flexible Density, and Other Incentives/Initiatives (i.e., ones not mentioned in the Legislation).
At the April 12, 2022 AHAC Meeting, the Committee discussed those three strategies. The attached file titled “Draft Changes to IRR Recommendations-2022,” shows proposed revisions to those strategies, based on the April 12, 2022 discussion.
At the April meeting, the Committee emphasized the importance of meaningful community engagement early in the land development process, including during the development of the Comprehensive Plan, the Zoning Map, and Land Development Regulations. These documents set the rules and parameters for land development. If they are clear and reflect a community consensus or vision, development review later in the process (e.g., site plan review and building permit review) should be relatively simple.
The Committee felt that, in addition to a better product for the community, this type of community engagement could result in more certainty for developers, as well as faster reviews and approvals. In other words, this could be a relatively inexpensive way to provide a meaningful incentive for affordable housing developers.
The Committee also discussed Flexible Density at the April meeting. At that meeting, they agreed to continue to discuss and review whether to keep the same recommendation or to slightly revise the recommendation in light of the more specific recommendations contained in the City’s Exclusionary Zoning and Inclusionary Zoning Study. The Study, presented to the City Commission on January 6, 2022, contains several recommendations including requiring new residential developments of 10 or more units to provide affordable housing in exchange for incentives.
Recommendation
The Affordable Housing Advisory Committee members: 1) review the information provided; and 2) discuss any general or specific changes to the 2021 IRR that should be considered for incorporation into the 2022 IRR.