THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE HOUSING FINANCE AND COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
This item supports the Board's vision of "A Sustainable, Creative Approach to Community Redevelopment and Housing," through implementation of the following goals: Goal 1: Facilitate a regional approach to growth and redevelopment through coordination and collaboration at the federal, state, county, and local levels; Goal 2: Strengthen stakeholder partnerships to increase the availability of affordable housing options, including purchase and rental; and Goal 3: Develop, through effective community collaboration, neighborhoods and communities incorporating intermodal connectivity, while integrating energy efficiency and other livability standards and initiatives.
A. The SHIP Disaster Relief Program funds being recognized for Fiscal Year 2017/2018 are in the amount of $97,668 as listed on Exhibit 2, 2017-2018 SHIP-DR Distribution. The SHIP Program Administrator, Florida Housing Finance Corporation, has statutory authority to hold back up to $5,000,000 in SHIP funds in each fiscal year for disaster relief. After Florida Housing’s evaluation of disaster data from FEMA and other sources, their decision to award local governments was designated into two tiers. Broward County is in Tier 2. The cities of Margate and Weston have entered into interlocal agreements with the County to implement and administer their respective allocated SHIP Program funds for Fiscal Years 2017, 2018 and 2019. These cities are also in Tier 2. Broward County received $71,241, the City of Margate received $12,298, and the City of Weston received $14,129. Broward County advised the Florida Housing Finance Corporation the entire $97,668 would be used in the minor home repair strategy to provide mitigation hardening (replace roofs, windows and exterior doors) to eligible owner occupied eligible homes. 10% or $9,766 of the combined allocation is allocated for administration.
B. The City of Margate notified the County of $38,620 in Program Income for Fiscal Year 2017/2018 on Exhibit 4. Since the inception of the partnership between the County and the City of Margate, the City has instructed the County to use all of its SHIP funds for home repair assistance. The $38,620 will assist a minimum of one eligible household. 5% or $1,931 is allocated for administration.
C. The SHIP Program funding for Fiscal Year 2018/2019 for the State of Florida is $44,450,000 which is a 64% reduction from the prior Fiscal Year of $100,000,000 which will be distributed among the 119 SHIP jurisdictions, as listed on Exhibit 6, SHIP Program Allocation Fiscal Year 2018/2019. Broward County’s share of the allocated funds in the amount of $439,968 will be available for the following strategies: Special Needs/Barrier Free Housing and Home Repair Assistance. The cities of Margate and Weston have entered into interlocal agreements with the County to implement and administer their respective allocated SHIP Program funds for Fiscal Years 2017, 2018 and 2019. The City of Margate’s share of $75,950 will be available for the following strategies: Special Needs/Barrier Free Housing and Home Repair Assistance. The City of Weston’s share of $87,256 will be available for the following strategies: Special Needs/Barrier Free Housing and Purchase Assistance.
The Department and Division recommend distributing SHIP Program funds to the Special Needs/Barrier Free strategy in the amount of $120,635, which will provide assistance to a minimum of three qualified households with a maximum of up to $40,000 per household, depending upon household income. This distribution is a State requirement because each local government must use a minimum of 20% of its allocation to serve "persons with special needs," as defined in Section 420.0004, Florida Statutes, with priority given to developmentally disabled persons.
The Department and Division recommend distributing SHIP Program funds to the remainder of the strategies in the following amounts: (i) Home Repair Assistance in the amount of $322,222 which will provide assistance to a minimum of eight qualified households with a maximum of up to $40,000 per household, depending upon household income; and (ii) Multifamily Rental New Construction in the amount of $100,000, which will provide assistance to a project awarded Low Income Housing Tax Credits through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation.
10% or $60,317 of the combined allocation of Broward County's allocation of $439,968, plus City of Margate's allocation of $75,950, and the City of Weston’s allocation of $87,256 for SHIP Fiscal Year 2018/2019 funding is allocated for administration.
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