Resolution 624-1999
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RESOLUTION # 624 -1999
A RESOLUTION REQUESTING STATE
LEGISLATION AND RULE CHANGES THAT WOULD
BOTH CREATE NEW SET-ASIDE ALLOCATIONS
AND REVISE THE EXISTING MAXIMUM COST
PER RENTAL UNITS BUILT WITH TAX CREDIT
FUNDS UNDER STATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
FUNDING PROGRAMS AND RULES INCLUDING
THOSE OF THE FLORIDA HOUSING FINANCE
CORPORATION TO ENABLE MONROE COUNTY TO
EFFECTIVEL Y COMPETE FOR THESE FUNDS.
WHEREAS, Monroe County has been an Area of Critical State Concern for
over 15 years; and
WHEREAS, Monroe County is a geographically unique and impacted area that
is dependent on bridges and causeways for connection to the mainland and is subject to
growth restrictions relating to hurricane evacuation requirements; and
WHEREAS, maintaining a minimum hurricane evacuation time for the County is
the foundation for Monroe County's Rate of Growth Ordinance (ROGO) that limits the
number of new residential dwelling units that can be built on an annual basis - currently
only 182 new residential dwelling units may be permitted per year county-wide; and
WHEREAS, Monroe County is an environmentally sensitive region that is home
to numerous protected and endangered species of flora and fauna; and
WHEREAS, there are very few areas in Monroe County appropriately zoned to
accommodate moderate to high density housing developments, due to caps on density
imposed by the State; and
WHEREAS, due to Monroe County's vulnerability to hurricane and tropical
storm damage, the County has one of the State's most restrictive building codes, which in
turn greatly increases the cost of building homes in the County; and
WHEREAS, recent affordable housing initiatives, such as those proposed by the
Monroe County Affordable Housing Joint Task Force and the Blue Ribbon Committee on
Affordable Housing warrant changes to State law and policies governing the funding of
affordable housing developments; and
Affordable Housing State Changes Resolution #2: New Set-Asides & Changes to Maximum Cost per Unit
Page 1 of5
WHEREAS, the following factors increase the costs and limit the supply of
affordable housing in Monroe County:
· Highest Median Housing Cost in Florida;
· Highest Cost of Living Index in Florida, for over 15 years;
· Highest Construction Costs in Florida, due to distance from suppliers, limited
supply of contractors and extensive regulatory requirements;
· Highest land costs in Florida, due to a limited amount of buildable land;
· Lack of existing housing stock, that could be converted to affordable housing;
· Second homes take a significant proportion of available land and building permits
and artificially inflate land values; and
WHEREAS, the following factors increase the demand for affordable housing in
Monroe County:
· Highest cost of living in Florida, for over 15 years Monroe County has ranked as
most expensive area to live in Florida according to the State of Florida Price Level
Index;
· Scarcity of well paying jobs due to a tourist based economy;
· Desirable place to live, so each year there is a large influx of new residents
competing for available housing;
· Demandfor housing is so high, that many people live in crowded conditions, and/or
sub-standard housing, such as dilapidated mobile homes and live-aboard boats; and
WHEREAS, the Monroe County Year 2010 Comprehensive Plan (2010 Plan)
recognizes affordable housing as an important issue facing Monroe County and its
residents; and
WHEREAS, Goal 601 of the 2010 Plan directs the County to provide programs
and policies that facilitate access by all residents to adequate and affordable housing that
is safe, decent and structurally sound; and
WHEREAS, Policy 101.2,4 of the 2010 Plan directs the County to allocate
twenty percent (20 %) of residential (non-transient) growth to affordable housing units as
part of the residential ROGO allocation system; and
WHEREAS, the ratio of affordable to market rate housing detailed
in Policy 101.2.4 2010 Plan has not been achieved; and
WHEREAS, Objective 601.2 of the 2010 Plan requires Monroe County to
encourage housing of various types, sizes and price ranges to meet the needs of residents;
and
Affordable Housing State Changes Resolution #2: New Set-Asides & Changes to Maximum Cost per Unit
Page 2 of5
WHEREAS, the high demand for housing in Monroe County and the limited
supply of both existing units and building rights for future units make affordable housing
too expensive to build in Monroe County unless adequate State subsidies are received;
and
WHEREAS, Monroe County is designated by the US Department of Housing
and Urban Development as a Difficult to Develop Area; and
WHEREAS, existing State affordable housing funding programs do not
recognize the unique circumstances preventing the development of affordable housing in
Monroe County; and
WHEREAS, changes to State affordable housing funding programs and rules
including those of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation are necessary to ensure that
Monroe County is eligible for its fair share of State affordable housing funding
programs; and
WHEREAS, special rental funding opportunities for affordable housing
developments in Monroe County are needed in order to compensate for points
unavailable to the County under the current categories of the State's tax credit program;
and
WHEREAS, State law and the programs and rules of the Florida Housing
Finance Corporation establish two main funding set-aside categories: urban infill and
rural; and
WHEREAS, creating new set-aside categories would allow Monroe County to
compete for a wider range of funding options; and
WHEREAS, under new set-asides relating to geographic areas, Monroe County
would receive a set percentage allocation from 'Geographic Set Aside' allocations set
aside for geographic areas categories; and
WHEREAS, any extra points for new set-asides should be high enough to
compensate for points lost due to Monroe County's inability to earn points within
existing categories; and
WHEREAS, the percentage allocation for these new set-asides should be no less
than 10% each; and
WHEREAS, under existing State law and the programs and rules of the Florida
Housing Finance Corporation, the maximum unit cost for an affordable housing unit
built with funds from the State tax credit program is $65,000; and
Affordable Housing State Changes Resolution #2: New Set-Asides & Changes to Maximum Cost per Unit
Page 3 of 5
WHEREAS, due to all the controls on development and the local building code
in Monroe County it is not possible to build an affordable units for less than $65,000
inclusive of land costs; and
WHEREAS, if the maximum unit cost for an affordable housing unit built were
tied to the costs of building a unit in the applicant area, those areas whose costs of
development are inflated due to their Area of Critical State Concern status would no
longer be discriminated against by the State tax credit program;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:
Section 1.
Wherever geographic distribution, geographic area or other such terms are defined
or mentioned in State law or the programs and the rules of the Florida Housing
Finance Corporation, the following definition of 'Geographically Unique and
Impacted Area' should be referenced and, where appropriate, adopted:
"A geographically unique and impacted area is one that is dependant on bridges and
causeways for connection to the mainland, contains resources of statewide
importance, such as environmentally sensitive islands or rare and endangered plant
and animal species, and has rural features, and which by reason of such factors has
costs for housing construction that substantially exceed the State's average of such
costs and contains few parcels compatible with development."
Section 2.
Wherever the 'point criteria', 'FHFC threshold criteria' and evaluation criteria for
FHFC funding programs are defined or mentioned in State law or the programs and
the rules of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the following language
relating to 'regulatory burdenedjurisdiction' should be referenced and, where
appropriate, adopted:
"A Regulatory Burdened Jurisdiction is one in which applicable local and state
regulations limit the amount or location of housing units (inclusive of affordable
housing) to such an extent that the costs of providing affordable housing substantially
exceed the State average of such costs. For the purposes of this definition,
jurisdictions within Areas of Critical State Concern shall be considered Regulatory
Burdened Jurisdictions."
Section 3.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or provision of this Resolution
is held invalid, the remainder of this resolution shall not be affected by
such invalidity.
Affordable Housing State Changes Resolution #2: New Set-Asides & Changes to Maximum Cost per Unit
Page 4 of5
Section 4.
All Resolutions or parts of Ordinances in conflict with this Resolution are
hereby repealed to the extent of said conflict.
Section 5.
The Director of Monroe County's Growth Management Division is hereby
directed to forward this Resolution to State Senator Daryl Jones and State
Representative Ken Sorensen so that they may seek legislative action and
State agency (i.e. the Florida Housing Finance Corporation et al.) program
and rule amendments to implement this Resolution.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County,
Florida, at a meeting of the Board held on the ~ day of December , A.D.,
1999.
Mayor Shirley Freeman
Mayor Pro Tern George Neugent
Commissioner Wilhelmina Harvey
Commissioner Mary Kay Reich
Commissioner Nora Williams
Yes
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Yes
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BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF M~..W...~ Ol?.c;.p,. UNT"f:iLORIDA
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BY;--- ~
MA YOR/ HAIRPERSON
ATTEST: DANNY L. KOLHAGE, CLERK
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DEPUTY CLERK
BY
APPROVr'-' '
ANDL
Affordable Housing State Changes Resolution #2: New Set-Asides & Changes to Maximum Cost per Unit
Page 5 of5