SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Accept the 2024 Local Housing Incentive Strategy (LHIS) Report developed by the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC). (APH)
Body
SUMMARY:
Florida Statute Section 420.9076 states that counties and cities receiving State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program funds are required to appoint an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC). The statute further provides that the committee be made up of members from specific industries or groups as identified in the statute. The requirement was largely met through the use of the City’s existing seven-member Neighborhood and Affordable Housing Advisory Board (NAHAB). City staff recommended council appointment of four additional committee members. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 24-11 that created and appointed the 2024 AHAC.
The duties of the AHAC included reviewing policies and procedures, ordinances, land development regulations and the City’s adopted comprehensive plan and recommending specific actions or initiatives to encourage or facilitate affordable housing.
Per state statute, at a minimum, the AHAC is required to review and consider recommendations on the following:
1) The processing of approvals of development orders or permits, as defined in F.S.163.3164 (7) and (8), for affordable housing projects is expedited to a greater degree than other projects.
2) The modification of impact-fee requirements, including reduction or waiver of fees and alternative methods of fee payment for affordable housing.
3) The allowance of flexibility in densities for affordable housing.
4) The reservation of infrastructure capacity or housing for very low-income persons, low-income persons, and moderate-income persons.
5) The allowance of affordable accessory residential units in residential zoning districts.
6) The reduction of parking and setback requirements for affordable housing.
7) The allowance of flexible lot configurations, including zero-lot-line configurations for affordable housing.
8) The modification of street requirements for affordable housing.
9) The establishment of a process by which a local government considers, before adoption, policies, procedures, ordinances, regulations, or plan provisions that increase the cost of housing.
10) The preparation of a printed inventory of locally owned public lands suitable for affordable housing.
11) The support of development near transportation hubs and major employment centers and mixed-use developments.
In addition to these eleven required criteria, the 2023 AHAC continued five additional types of incentives in the following areas:
12) Adaptive reuse
13) Land Development Code
14) Communication and Marketing of Affordable Housing
15) Financing
16) Partnerships
Throughout the fall of 2024, consultant Wade Trim, along with Economic Development and Housing Department staff and Planning and Development Department staff, facilitated discussion at four meetings of the AHAC. The meetings centered around reviewing the 2023 LHIS to discuss whether any changes should be made as well as to consider new strategies to incentivize development of affordable housing. The LHIS encompasses the definition, vision, strategic focus areas and incentive recommendations in order to facilitate the development and preservation of affordable housing in the City of Clearwater. The AHAC convened on four separate occasions to develop and identify the value of affordable housing, identify the principles for Clearwater’s affordable housing and develop/confirm a vision statement to be included as part of the LHIS.
The AHAC members focused on the values that affordable housing brings to the City of Clearwater. The AHAC recommended the continuation, with slight modifications in some cases, of recommendations made by prior AHAC committees. This year’s committee recommended several language changes to incorporate more affirmative language in the document. The committee also made several recommendations that will require additional staff resources. The following list contains excerpts incorporating substantive changes from the previous report to produce the 2024 LHIS Report:
1.2 Create a process and definitive project requirement checklist for affordable housing projects for each level of review and stage of permitting, starting with an “affordable housing project” checkbox on application form(s) as applicable.
5.4 Consider educational and financial incentives that reduce barriers to the rehabilitation and construction of accessory dwelling units, such as information about the permitting process specific to accessory dwelling units, rebates, or other fee reductions.
14.1 Conduct an educational campaign, in conjunction with regular City communications, to rebrand affordable housing as workforce or attainable housing that supports the diverse needs of residents through a variety of unit/product types compatible with the City’s neighborhoods. (Expand terminology to include “attainable housing”)
16.1 Partner with lenders, realtors, title companies, inspectors, and contractors through regular outreach to increase knowledge of the City’s housing assistance programs, provide guidelines and training to improve compliance, and facilitate opportunities for qualified contractors to bid projects.
The LHIS report is due annually. The staff recommendation is for City Council to accept the 2024 LHIS Report. Staff will submit the report to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation no later than December 31, 2024. Per State Statute, the city shall update its Local Housing Assistance Plan to incorporate the recommended incentives it desires to implement. This year’s LHIS update includes recommendations that were approved by the AHAC on December 3rd, 2024.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
N/A
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS:
N/A
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
2.4 - Supports equitable housing programs that promote household stability and reduce the incidence of homelessness within Clearwater.
