§ 11.5-57. Establishment of the Local Housing Assistance Program.
(a)
There is hereby created, the Okaloosa County Housing Assistance Program, hereinafter referred to as the program, which shall designate the strategies, approaches, and plans associated with the utilization of SHIP funds in conformity with provisions of Chapter 420, Florida Statutes, and Rule 9I-37.007, Florida Administrative Code.
(b)
The partnership shall use the funds received from the state pursuant to the SHIP Act to implement the program. The SHIP funds shall be generally distributed among the following locally designed strategies:
(1)
SHIP funds may be utilized to provide local cash matching for federal housing programs, including: HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE), McKinney Act Homeless Assistance programs, and other related federal and/or state programs requiring local financial participation. SHIP funds expended for this purpose shall be allocated only for activities which are dually eligible under Chapter 420, Florida Statutes, and the governing federal regulations or state statutes. Specific activities shall be: Provide local 25 percent cash matching for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program for the county HOME consortium. Funds shall be primarily expended in concurrence with HOME activities, including substantial rehabilitation and reconstruction of severely substandard homeowner occupied housing for eligible families, and support for acquisition and/or rehabilitation of rental properties by local Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDO) to preserve and expand affordable rental housing opportunities for eligible families.
(2)
SHIP funds may be used to provide down-payment assistance, construction subsidies, mortgage reduction payments, mortgage interest rate subsidies, and/or direct mortgage loans to very low-, low- and/or moderate-income families to allow said families to purchase newly constructed or existing affordable housing in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 420, Florida Statutes. Specific activities shall be:
a.
Rehabilitation/reconstruction: Funds shall be used to provide flexible low interest loan and deferred loan/grant assistance to eligible homeowners living in severely substandard housing as necessary to rehabilitate the housing unit in conformance with local building codes and/or to construct a replacement unit if rehabilitation is not economically viable.
b.
Impact fee assistance: Funds may be made available for the payment of impact fees for eligible housing for eligible persons, but shall be expressly limited to such payment only in circumstances where such fees cannot be legally waived.
c.
New construction: Eligible sponsors shall be awarded funds to construct eligible housing for eligible low- and moderate-income first time homebuyers. This strategy will involve the participation of local lenders providing mortgage financing and local for-profit and non-profit developers/builders providing housing development and construction services.
d.
Homebuyer assistance: Funds shall be utilized to assist eligible persons in attaining homeownership through mortgage subsidy/write-down, interest rate reductions, and/or low or no interest loans for down payments and closing costs associated with the purchase of newly constructed or existing affordable housing. This strategy shall require the continuing participation of local financial institutions for private mortgage financing for eligible families. The capability of this program to aid in meeting CRA requirements for such lenders will be a primary focus.
e.
Acquisition/rehabilitation: Funds shall be used to acquire existing properties and to the extent necessary rehabilitate such properties for resale at discounted prices to eligible families. This strategy is based primarily on the model provided through the HUD Urban Homesteading Program.
(3)
SHIP funds may be used to supplement existing state housing finance agency projects or activities undertaken within the county specifically for the following purposes: To provide additional funding for the state housing finance agency's State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL) projects within the county:
(4)
SHIP funds may be used to provide emergency housing repairs through existing weatherization program service providers pursuant to Sections 409.509—409.5093, Florida Statutes.
(c)
Based upon existing program plans and objectives, the county shall generally utilize the available SHIP non-administrative funds during the 1992—1995 program period in support of the above noted strategies as follows:
(1)
Approximately 50 percent of available SHIP funds will be utilized to provide required local cash matching for federal housing related programs. Expenditure of funds shall target housing rehabilitation/reconstruction for homeowners and acquisition/rehabilitation of rental units for eligible very low-, low- and moderate- income families.
(2)
Approximately 25 percent of available SHIP funds will be utilized to provide expanded affordable homeownership opportunities for eligible first time homebuyers through interest, mortgage, construction and/or other appropriate subsidy arrangements, including the provision of homeownership counseling and supportive services.
(3)
Approximately ten percent of available SHIP funding will be reserved for use in support of and/or as local matching for state financing housing programs administered by the state housing finance agency, state department of community affairs, or their respective offices or affiliated agencies.
The board of county commissioners shall have the authority to alter the percentage distribution of SHIP funds, not more frequently than annually, by duly approved resolution of the board, without necessity for formal amendment of this enabling article. Such alteration shall be completed and submitted to the state housing finance agency in conformity with the SHIP plan amendment process provided for in Rule 9I-37, Florida Administrative Code.
(d)
The county hereby specifically finds the cost of administering the Local Housing Assistance Program shall not exceed ten percent of the funding received from the state pursuant to the state Housing Initiative Partnership Act. The county finds that ten percent of the available funds will be required to support administrative costs based upon: paperwork and reporting requirements for application and receipt of funds, program monitoring requirements, staff support for advisory committee activities, fiscal management and control, level of ongoing staff liaison with various organizations and agencies, administrative effort necessary to legally integrate varied rules and regulations of SHIP and other housing programs, and general project management and data collection.
(e)
The Local Housing Assistance Program shall include all other lawful objectives not previously listed if said objectives have been adopted by resolution of the board of county commissioners into the local housing assistance plan in the manner provided for by Sections 429.907—420.9079, Florida Statutes and Rule 9I-37, Florida Administrative Code.
(Ord. No. 93-13, § VII, 4-13-93)