The 1995 State of Florida Consolidated Plan represents a collaborative process to establish a unified vision of housing and community development actions in the State of Florida. This Plan consolidates several documents, including the Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS), the planning and application requirements of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA). Prior to this year, each program operated on its own time frame, making coordination difficult and integration into state and local planning nearly impossible.
The 1995 Consolidated Plan has been developed through a cooperative effort of the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), the Florida Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS), the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the Florida Department of Education, the Florida Department of Labor and Employment Security, interest groups and private citizens.
The Plan covers a five-year period beginning with 1995 and continuing through 1999, with a one-year action plan for 1995. An annual update or action plan will be prepared and publicized for each of the subsequent four years.
A copy of the full five-year Consolidated Plan is available for public inspection at the offices of the eleven regional planning councils around the state, HRS district offices, and all 67 county clerk offices. Copies of the Plan are available from the Department of Community Affairs.
The state of Florida has actively encouraged interagency cooperation and citizen participation in the development of its Consolidated Plan. Florida faced a more difficult coordination effort than some states because its Consolidated Plan programs are administered by two very separate and distinct state agencies. The HOME and CDBG programs are administered by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), while the ESG and HOPWA programs are administered by the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS). State managers of both departments realized that interagency cooperation was critical to insure comprehensive public participation. It is their intent that plans and priorities match the full range of public needs and interests.
Upon designation as the lead agency for the development of the Consolidated Plan, DCA, as its first order of business, formed an Interagency Work Group. This group consisted of agencies and organizations that include staff from the HOME, CDBG, HOPWA and ESG Programs, as well as representatives from the Florida Coalition for the Homeless, the Florida Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), HRS, the Florida Department of Labor and Employment Security, the Florida Department of Education, the Office of Developmental Disabilities, the Office of the Governor, along with staff from DCA's public information office.
This group began meeting prior to the publication of HUD's final rules. Input from this diverse group was used as the initial basis for the development of the process and procedures for the development of the plan. Workgroup members met on a regular basis and were actively involved throughout the plan development process.
Two series of public hearings were held. The first set of hearings consisted of two meetings, one in Tallahassee on January 10, 1995, and the other in Orlando on January 11. This first round of hearings solicited input from citizens on community development and housing needs. Hearing attendees were provided the following information: (1) the amount of assistance that the state expects to receive for the CDBG, HOME, ESG and HOPWA programs, (2) the range of activities that may be undertaken with this assistance, (3) an estimate of the amount of assistance that will benefit persons of very low- and low- income, and (4) plans to minimize displacement of persons, and assistance available to those persons who may be displaced.
In an effort to achieve maximum participation at the aforementioned hearings, the DCA placed an announcement of the hearings in the Florida Administrative Weekly. This announcement appeared in the December 16, 1994 issue of the publication, and contained a notice for persons requiring special accommodations because of a disability, physical impairment or language barrier.
Additionally, hearing notices were sent to CDBG, HOME, ESG, HOPWA, state and local homeless coalitions, community development corporations, community action agencies, public housing authorities, regional planning councils, private industry councils, county and municipal commissions, county school boards, district boards of the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, statewide housing and community development organizations, and other interested parties, including consultants, architects, engineers and other non-profit social service agencies.
Florida's Citizen Participation Plan establishes the goals, policies, and implementation strategies that the state will undertake to encourage and ensure adequate citizen participation in the development of its Consolidated Plan, any amendments to the plan and the annual performance report.
The Citizen Participation Plan provides for and encourages involvement of
citizens from all levels of society. It provides for adequate and timely
notification of meetings and that information be provided that includes: (1) the
amount of assistance that the state expects to receive for the CDBG, HOME, ESG
and HOPWA programs, (2) the range of activities that may be undertaken with this
assistance, (3) an estimate of the amount of assistance that will benefit
persons of very low- and low-income persons, and 4) plans to minimize
displacement and assistance available to those persons who may be displaced.
Copies of the Citizen Participation Plan may be obtained from the Department of
Community Affairs.
Stretching over 850 miles from the tip of the Keys in South Florida to Pensacola on the western end of the Florida Panhandle, Florida is a large, diverse state. Florida has 67 counties and 390 incorporated cities. These cities range from small, rural communities to densely urbanized megatropolises.
Due to its relatively attractive climate -- both physically and tax-wise -- Florida has attracted new residents for decades and is second only to Texas in Sunbelt growth. From 1980 to 1990, Florida experienced a population growth of 33 percent, from 9,746,961 residents to 12,937,926, an average increase of 319,097 persons per year. Population doubled in several counties during the same time period. Charlotte County, for example, grew from 58,460 persons in 1980 to 110,975 in 1990. Other counties that experienced a doubling of population were Hernando and Flagler counties. Most rural counties, such as Jefferson, Taylor and Union counties, showed only modest increases, while Hardee and Gadsden counties showed decreases in population. This reflects national demographic trends of static to declining populations in rural areas. Statewide, the population is forecast to expand to 15,572,991 by the year 2000.
From 1980 to 1990, the number of households in Florida expanded by an average of 139,062 per year to the 1990 number of 5,487,116. This number represents a 37.1 percent increase from 1980 levels. The average household size in 1990 was 2.46 persons. Household sizes ranged from 2.18 persons in Pinellas County, with a large elderly population, to 3.00 in Baker County.
According to the 1990 U.S. Census, approximately 42 percent of Florida
households fall into the extremely low-, low- and moderate-income brackets as
defined by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
According to the new income category definitions for the consolidated planning
process, extremely low- income is income at or below 30 percent of the median
household income; low income is income at or below 50 percent of the median
household income; and moderate income is income at or below 80 percent of the
median household income. HUD indicates that the annual median family income
(MFI) for the state in 1993 was $36,301.00.
The 1990 U.S. Census contains six factors that describe the condition of the housing stock. They include: source of water, presence of kitchen facilities, type of sewer facilities, heating source, overcrowding, and age of the housing unit. While presenting a general picture of statewide housing conditions, it is difficult to get an entirely accurate assessment of the incidence of substandard housing in the state. While these factors are often used to define substandard housing, it is clear that other factors play a significant role. Foremost among these other factors is the assessment of housing conditions based on general compliance with local or state building code standards. This information is unavailable from the U.S. Census data. Likewise, under state law, local governments are charged with describing the amount of substandard housing within their jurisdictions in the data and analysis sections of their local government comprehensive plans. However, state law provides no specific definition for substandard housing, and instead relies on local determinations. This makes it difficult to describe statewide housing conditions beyond the categories reported in the U.S. Census. Researchers are currently working on a methodology to determine jurisdiction-wide incidence of substandard housing based on annually maintained data bases (e.g., property appraiser records). When completed and available, the results of this research will be included in the Consolidated Plan. The following summarizes the findings for housing conditions in each of the six categories reported in the 1990 Census:
Water Sources - Almost all housing units have either a public water source or obtain water from privately drilled wells. A total of 56,572, or approximately one percent, have a different water source.
Kitchen Facilities - More than 99 percent of housing units had kitchen facilities.
Sewer Facilities - A total of 6,046,342 housing units are served by either public sewer or septic tank. Of these, 4,495,488 (74 percent) are served by public sewer systems and the remainder by septic tanks. Rural and developing areas, excluding municipalities, tend to be served predominantly or almost exclusively by septic systems.
Heat Sources - Sixty-six percent of the reported housing units utilized electricity as the source of heating, 12 percent used utility gas or bottled gas, three percent used fuel oil, and approximately one percent (approximately 75,000 housing units) reported no heating source. However, this is a statewide total. Some units without a heat source occur in south Florida where a semi-tropical, year-round climate does not require heavy investment in housing unit heating.
Overcrowding - Conditions of overcrowding, defined as more than 1.01 persons or more per room, range from a low of two percent to as high as 18 percent of housing units per county, with an average rate of three percent. A total of 166,235 households of very low, low- and moderate-income are overcrowded. This represents approximately 60 percent of the 273,371 overcrowded units in the state. Highly urbanized Dade County in South Florida, with a very large immigrant population, has the highest overcrowding rate at almost 18 percent. Rural Gadsden County, in the Florida panhandle, has the highest rural overcrowding rate of 10 percent followed closely by Okeechobee and Glades counties at eight percent. All three counties, like Dade County, have significant populations of agricultural workers including migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
Age of Housing Stock - The age profile of Florida's housing stock illustrates the high growth experienced by the state over the past several decades. Unlike some northern urban centers, where the majority of the housing stock is 50 or more years in age, 79 percent of the Florida housing stock in 1990 was less than 30 years of age, with 63 percent built after 1970. From a housing planning standpoint, this means that many of the state's housing units will be filtering through the housing stock inventory over the next couple of decades. Within the next 10 to 15 years, large numbers of the state's housing stock will approach the end of their usable life span. That situation will continue over the 10 to 20 years after the end of that period. In 1990, the total number of units that were 50 years or older was 225,976 units. If 50 years of age is taken as a proxy for the measure of an area's substandard housing stock, then the substandard housing rate in Florida stands at approximately 3.7 percent. By the year 2010, this rate is projected to rise to more than 10 percent.
The tremendous growth in population and households has caused an increase in housing production. The housing inventory grew from 2,526,300 in 1970, to 4,378,691 in 1980, to 6,100,262 in 1990. Based on Florida Department of Commerce statistics, more than half (58 percent) of Florida's building has been private, residential new construction.
In 1990, the total number of year-round housing units was 6,100,262. Of these, a total of 5,134,869 units were occupied, of which 32 percent were owner occupied. Less than 50 percent of the units have three bedrooms or more.
Housing Demand and Affordability
Housing demand is a local or regional measure tied to market and economic factors. Housing demand, in the market sense, measures the ability of a market to absorb housing units of a particular market type, principally defined by tenure type and cost range. Demand assessments are and have been conducted by the Florida Housing Finance Agency and play an integral role in the delivery of housing units for a variety of FHFA housing programs. Housing demand assessments play a critical role in determining the economic viability of proposed projects and are important factors in credit underwriting operations.
Housing affordability is one of the most important factors in measuring the availability of adequate housing. Affordability is defined as those units having a cost that does not exceed 30 percent of household income, including utilities. Demand for affordable housing is defined as the total number of units required to provide all households within any given income category with an affordable unit. Affordable supply of housing is defined as the total number of units available to households within any given income category at a cost burden not exceeding 30 percent of household income. Severe cost burden is defined as a cost burden at or exceeding 50 percent of the household income. The affordable need can then be calculated as the deficit between affordable demand and affordable supply. In other words, the affordable need by income group is the number of households experiencing a housing cost burden greater than 30 percent of the household income.
Affordable Housing Needs
A special run of the 1990 Census by the U.S. Census Bureau, calculated cost burden at 30 percent and 50 percent of the total household income. The numbers and percentages form the basis for HUD Consolidated Plan Priority Needs Table 2. The following highlights the results of that special run of the 1990 Census:
In 1993, the state developed an independent projection of statewide housing basic construction needs. These projections were based on historical census information, including the 1990 census, housing tenure trends, and other housing variables (e.g., anticipated tenure and vacancy rates, removal rates, etc.). The methodology gives an estimate of the basic housing unit construction needs over the 10-year planning period from 1990 to 2000 to accommodate the anticipated household growth. In the year 2000, there will be an estimated 8,922,000 households in the state. In that year, a total number of 9,845,551 housing units will be needed to accommodate this household population. The number of units needed to accommodate growth is adjusted upward in order to provide for the maintenance of an adequate vacancy rate by tenure. Factoring in the estimated housing market removal rate, the total basic construction need for the state over the ten-year planning period of 1990 to 2000 will be 3,840,945 housing units.
The measurement of homelessness statistics in Florida come from two major sources. The first source is the network of 20 homeless coalitions around the state. The second source is research conducted by Barry University on homeless conditions in Florida. Homeless population estimates are point-prevalence estimates; that is they are estimates of the size of the homeless population at a point in time (e.g., one day).
For 1993-94, state-funded homeless coalitions reported that homelessness increased at a rate of 15 percent. These coalitions represent more than 1,300 community agencies, organizations, local units of government, and other interested parties. This reported growth of 15 percent increased the number of homeless persons in Florida on any given day from approximately 40,000 in FY 1992-93 to 46,000 in FY 1993- 94, or about 0.00337 percent of the general population.
Typically, coalitions gathered data to compile these estimates through annual systematic surveys among community agencies servicing the homeless, and in some instances, actual street counts of the homeless. Most of the increase in homelessness is being found among single males and those suffering from alcohol, drug abuse, and mental illness. For the first time in several years, there is a reported decline in the percentage of homeless families (from 40 percent in FY 1992-93, to 33 percent in FY 1993-94). This trend may reflect improvements in the economy and increasing the number of agencies focusing their efforts on helping homeless families or families in danger of becoming homeless.
In 1989 Barry University in Miami conducted a study of homeless conditions in South Florida. The University updated the study in May 1991. This study continues to be recognized as one of the most comprehensive ever conducted in this country. In the initial 1989 study, university researchers found that on any given day, there were 9,738 homeless persons within the South Florida counties of Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. This represented an increase of about 15 percent per year, confirming the annual increases reported by the state's homeless coalitions. Indeed, since 1987, homelessness in Florida has been increasing at an annual rate of approximately 15 percent.
The state of Florida estimates that there are 46,000 homeless persons in Florida on any given day. Actual numbers may vary somewhat based on local conditions. Numbers released in mid-1995 indicated that the homeless number had increased to almost 50,000 on any given day.
The cost of a house is a complex arrangement of many different interacting variables. Materials costs may often be overshadowed by steeply rising interest rates. What is common to these cost factors, however, is that both are set by national and international economic and monetary events that extend far beyond the boundaries -- or control -- of a local jurisdiction or even a state. In other words, events less than 10 years ago that lead to soaring interest rates of 18 -20 percent and forced many to forego entering the homeownership market could not be easily addressed by local or state housing policies. Another housing cost factor -- the cost of regulation -- is addressable. The cost of regulation is the cost of buildable land and the cost of meeting the rules and regulations that govern (or prohibit) the construction of dwelling units.
Developers and those in the building industry are not free to construct dwelling units of their choosing on land that they own. They face a myriad of regulations, code standards, and review procedures prior to, during and even after the building process. Nor may a landowner subdivide his land for sale to others. This latter process of the subdivision of land has also come to be heavily regulated and often carries with it fees, exactions, and requirements. For the most part, these regulations, generally termed land development regulations, are codified, applied and enforced at the local level by the applicable local jurisdiction -- city or county. Typically, this is accomplished through the local zoning ordinances, building code, subdivision codes, and/or the local land development code. Also, state and federal regulations sometimes impose additional requirements and restrictions on what may be built and where it may be built. These all contribute to the direct relationship between government regulations and housing costs.
Main categories affecting housing costs
The large body of professional literature overwhelmingly supports the conclusion that land development regulations may affect housing costs in three separate ways. The following discusses each of these categories:
Restrictions on housing supply by density, use, or type
This category is the most pervasive of the ways in which local land development regulations negatively affect the supply of housing. These measures contribute to housing costs by reducing or prohibiting the number or type of housing units that may be built on a given unit of land. The types or ways in which development regulations limit development rights include:
Design, review and construction cost increases
This category is the most straightforward of the ways in which government regulation adds to housing costs. Under this category, costs are added to a housing unit by standards that must be met in the design, review or construction of a housing unit. Much of this cost incurred by the developer or builder is passed on to the housing consumer. Design, review and construction costs which increase housing costs include:
Procedural Delay
The administration of development regulations is the third major way in which development regulations may add to the cost of housing, typically by adding unnecessary delays.
Florida has made considerable progress in addressing the removal of barriers to affordable housing. First, the state, using an incentive-based carrot approach, has established affordable housing dedicated funding for all 67 counties and the 36 largest cities in the state. This is the State Housing Initiatives Program (SHIP). However, to qualify for SHIP participation, local governments must review local land development regulations and adopt a Housing Incentives Plan (HIP) within a year of being approved to participate. The HIP reviews ten categories of land development regulations and, at a minimum, requires local governments to adopt an expedited review process and a regulatory costing provision. The latter requirement stipulates that a local government must specify the estimated additional costs any new regulation or ordinance will add to the cost of housing. All local governments eligible to participate in SHIP have elected to do so. Initial indications are that many local governments have gone beyond the minimum in reforming their land development regulations to promote affordable housing.
In addition, the 1995 Florida Affordable Housing Study Commission will be considering a number of measures that could be taken by the state to further promote removing barriers to affordable housing based on the above findings. Regulatory reform policy options available to the state, along with discussion and analysis, are included Chapter 9 of the Consolidated Plan.
The State of Florida was not required to submit an analysis of impediments and a fair housing plan as part of its first consolidated plan submittal. The Department of Community Affairs, in coordination with the Consolidated Plan Working Group, the Florida Institute of Government, and the Florida Human Relations Commission, is conducting an analysis of impediments to fair housing. The analysis of impediments is due for completion by February 6, 1996. The summary of the analysis of impediments and a description of the steps taken or proposed to address those impediments will be available 90 days after the beginning of the program year of July 1, 1996.
Statistically, the percentage of houses in Florida that may be contaminated with lead- based paint is quite low. Florida's pre-1940 houses are approximately 3.7 percent of its total housing stock. According to HUD estimates, this would mean that approximately 170,000 of these contains a lead-based paint. Of these houses, 18 percent are estimated to be occupied by very low-income renters.
Historically, most houses in Florida built before 1940 were painted with turpentine- based mineral spirits added to paste pigments made from zinc oxide and linseed oil, rather than lead-based paints. Florida led the nation in naval stores production until World War II and this was the least expensive type of paint available.
Unlike some states, a large part of the population growth in Florida stems from migration from other states or countries. For example, during 1992 alone, 361,910 persons moved to Florida. Over the past decade, migration accounted for 74 percent of the total population growth in the state. Consequently, the number of new residents originating from states or countries with high lead levels is unknown. This makes it difficult to accurately estimate lead levels in the existing population due to local conditions.
In Florida, there are 3,386,767 housing units built prior to 1979. Based on HUD data on the number of children living in aged housing, an estimated 253,611 Florida children may have blood lead levels greater than 10ug/dl. Some 89,751 Florida children are estimated to have lead levels greater than 15 ug/dl. The number of children with dangerously high blood levels is relatively low when prorated on a state level. Of the 46,922 blood lead tests performed by the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS) clinical laboratory in 1992, almost 18 percent were greater than 10 ug/dl and 3.4 percent were 15 ug/dl. When broken down on a local level, however, several areas are notable for high levels of lead poisoning.
Statewide screening for lead levels of children covered by Medicaid is currently taking place in all 67 Florida counties. Unfortunately, there is no program for the screening of other children. A significant amount of the current lead poisoning cases occurs as a result of home renovation undertaken by middle-class and affluent families who are not eligible for Medicaid.
Only two Florida counties have screening programs that accept all children. Since 1989, the HRS Pinellas County Health Unit has had a screening program funded by a federal grant. The HRS Orange County Health Unit uses county funds in its screening program.
During 1994, the state expanded the Environmental Regulation Commission's Ad Hoc Committee on the Health Effects of Lead to include representation from the Department of Community Affairs and the Florida Housing Finance Agency. The committee began work toward assessing the extent of Florida's lead hazard, identifying impediments to action and listing available resources for removing or abating lead from Florida's housing stock. The state believes this strategy will be more pro-active through identification and prevention.
In compliance with HUD regulations on lead-based paint, the state adopted policies to prohibit the use of lead-based paint in any residential structure, built or rehabilitated with CDBG funds. This was adopted under Rule 9B-43.009(7), Florida Administrative Code.
The state lacks resources to conduct statewide preventative investigations. However, some HRS county public health units are conducting investigations of housing stock to confirm that the lead-based paint exists and/or has been removed. Other than Medicaid, Florida has no laws requiring screening for blood lead in children. But lead poisoning is a reportable disease. Under 10D-3.062, F.A.C., blood levels greater than 10ug/dl must be reported to HRS by the attending physician.
The HRS Office of Environmental Epidemiology is conducting a federally
funded surveillance program for all reported blood lead levels greater than or
equal to 10 micrograms per deciliter.
Housing
The William E. Sadowski Affordable Housing Act of 1992 established a dedicated funding source for affordable housing programs. The Act generated more than $90 million in fiscal years 1992-93 and 1993-94 and is expected to provide approximately $50 million during fiscal year 1994-95. This significant commitment of state resources to affordable housing provides funding for successful state programs such as the State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL) Program and Homeownership Assistance Program. The Act permitted the creation of a Florida Affordable Housing Loan Guarantee Fund which was established in 1993, and provided flexible grants to local governments through the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program.
Beginning in fiscal year 1995-96, the Act increases annual funding to more than $115 million and nearly triples the amount of funds to be distributed to counties and cities participating in SHIP. Beginning in July 1995, the equivalent of an additional 10 cents of already levied documentary stamp taxes on deeds is to be transferred from collections for the General Revenue Fund to collections for the State Housing Trust Fund and Local Government Housing Trust Fund. Assuring this transfer and appropriation of the resulting funds is critical to producing units needed.
The Sadowski Act's commitment of state resources to affordable housing programs came after a decade of decline in the federal government's commitment to affordable housing, a decline that exacerbated already poor housing conditions. Despite the decline of federal housing programs, some national initiatives remain of great assistance to Florida. Tax code initiatives and the Mortgage Revenue Bond and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Programs provide major stimuli for the production of housing for low-to-moderate income, first-time home buyers and very low-income renters. Congress permanently extended these programs in 1993. While burdened with needlessly complex federal regulations, the Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) provided a new source of funding for state and local governments.
The combination of state and federal resources, joined with private sector financing, has proven to be an effective method of providing affordable housing. The housing unit production projections listed will result in the provision of an additional 137,442 housing units. An estimated 60 percent of these units would be ownership housing units about 40 percent would be rental housing units.
The Department of Community Affairs also administers the Small Cities Community Block Grant Program. Eligible uses of the funds include housing rehabilitation. Based on fiscal year 1993-94 production levels, the Department estimates that the program will assist the rehabilitation of 465 units in each of the next five fiscal years for a total production of 2,325 units in the planning time frame.
The state also administers the Weatherization Assistance Program and the Community Development Corporation program. The Department estimates that these programs will assist in the construction or the rehabilitation of 8,761 housing units during the next five-year planning time frame. Other housing production and rehabilitation programs administered by the state will also result in the rehabilitation of housing units. However, due to the competitive and flexible nature of the programs, the Department cannot make defensible projections of the total number of units to be rehabilitated through these programs. However, the combined total number of units estimated to be constructed or rehabilitated over the five- year period for state-administered state and federal programs is 142,960 units.
In summary, the nature of the housing problems facing Florida includes the need for continued high housing production levels -- for rental and homeownership -- to keep pace with the growing population, the need to replace or rehabilitate physically substandard housing, the need to produce this housing at affordable levels, and the need to address the special problems of the homeless.
On the comprehensive planning front, in 1995 local governments will begin the Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) process for review of their local comprehensive plans. This will provide local governments with the opportunity to examine local housing conditions and determine what strategies will be needed to meet the housing needs of their citizens and, for local governments participating in SHIP, will provide the opportunity to fully integrate the SHIP Housing Assistance Plans and Housing Incentive Plans into the long-range goals and objectives of their local comprehensive plans. To assist them in this effort, the state will be adopting, by rule, a housing needs assessment methodology. It will define the EAR process for the data and analysis section of the Housing Element of local plans. Mandated to be adopted by the state and used by local governments under the Third Environment and Land Management Study Committee (ELMS III) legislative package passed in 1992, the methodology will -- for the first time -- provide a consistent and uniform statewide assessment of housing needs for comprehensive planning under the framework of Rule 9J-5, Florida Administrative Code.
Program Objectives
The major objectives to be achieved through the state's Small Cities CDBG Program are established in section 290.0411, Florida Statutes. The overall objective mirrors the federal objective to create viable communities, through the provision of decent housing and suitable living environments while expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.
The primary purposes of the state law include community development activities which maintain viable communities, revitalize existing communities, expand economic development, provide employment opportunities, improve housing conditions to expand housing opportunities, and provide direct benefit to low- and moderate-income persons. More specifically, the purpose of the state law is to assist local governments in the completion of effective community development activities which arrest and reverse community decline and restore community vitality.
Housing
Long-range housing goal: By 1999, house an additional 129,192 very low-, low- and moderate-income families in safe and affordable housing.
Strategy 1: Increase opportunities to access affordable, adequate, desirable housing through improving financial mechanisms for partners.
Annual Objective 1.1: By June 1999, house an additional 79,034 very low-, low- and moderate-income families in their own homes.
Annual Objective 1.2: By June 1999, house an additional 50,158 very low-, low- and moderate-income families in safe, affordable rental housing .
Annual Objective 1.3: By June 1999, rehabilitate an additional 2,325 housing units for very low-, low- and moderate-income families.
Community Development
Long-range Goal 1: By 1999, assure all of Florida's counties and cities have the capacity to balance properly physical growth and development, economic development, and protection of natural resources.
Strategy 1:Maximize opportunities for cities, counties, community-based organizations, and private-sector partners to access public financial assistance.
Annual Objective 1.1: By January 1996, fund two pilot projects to link coastal planning grants with Florida Communities Trust land acquisition efforts.
Annual Objective 1.2: By June 1997, award 100 percent of Small Cities Community Development Block Grants to local projects that implement adopted local government comprehensive plans.
Annual Objective 1.3: By June 1997, fund 30 projects that implement local governments' adopted conservation, recreation and open space, or coastal management elements.
Annual Objective 1.4: By December 1996, leverage local governments' State Housing Initiative Partnership Program funds to private sources of funding at a ratio of 1 to 4.
Annual Objective 1.5: By June 1997, assure the formation of 10 local government partnerships to leverage $80 million in funding from Rural Development Initiative for community and economic development.
Strategy: Improve partner's expertise through the use of innovative telecommunication technologies.
Annual Objective 1.6: By June 1997, deliver 50 percent of technical assistance, training, and information to partners on demand.
Strategy: Establish a policy and financial assistance framework to facilitate long-term recovery from disasters.
Annual Objective 1.7: By September 1996, communities affected by Hurricane Andrew will have completed recover efforts.
Annual Objective 1.8: By April 1997, communities affected by the March 1993 winter storm will have completed recovery efforts.
Strategic Goal 3: By 1999, integrate land-use, water and transportation planning among all state, regional and local agencies.
Strategy: Advocate integration of land-use, water and transportation planning.
Annual Objective 2.1: By September 1994, revise the State Land Development Plan to reflect coordination of land-use, water and transportation policies.
Annual Objective 2.2: By December 1996, participate in 48 separate planning initiatives to advocate integrated land-use, water, and transportation planning.
Annual Objective 2.3: By December 1999, implement legislation that addresses the recommendations of an appointed advisory committee to close gaps or remove barriers to integrating land-use, water, and transportation planning.
Strategy: Review plans and projects to ensure that they reflect land-use, water, and transportation policies.
Annual Objective 2.4: By December 1996, assure compliance of 11 strategic regional policy plans with statutory and rule requirements.
Annual Objective 2.5: By July 1995, assure 100 percent of the local government comprehensive plans adopted by counties and cities located in the Green Swamp and Florida Keys Areas of Critical State Concern comply with statutory and rule requirements.
Annual Objective 2.6: By December 1997, assure 100 percent of state agency rules conform to the principles guiding development in each designated Area of critical state concern, as required by Section 380.05(22), Florida Statutes .
Annual Objective 2.7: By December 1997, assure that the 29 eligible counties and their associated municipalities meet the legislative deadline established for compliance with Section 163.3177(6)(h) and Section 380.00(27), Florida Statutes, to terminate the Development of Regional Impact program in their jurisdictions.
Annual Objective 2.8: By June 1999, assure 100 percent of Evaluation and Appraisal Reports submitted as of July 1998 comply with Rule 9J-5.0053, Florida Administrative Code (FAC).
Annual Objective 2.9: By December 1999, assure the remaining eligible counties and their associated municipalities required to comply with Sections 163.3177(6) (h), and 380.06(27), Florida Statutes, are certified to terminate the Development of Regional
Impact program within their jurisdictions.
Strategic Goal 3: By 1999, assist in the rehabilitation and revitalization of 20 neighborhoods in urban communities in Florida that exhibit characteristics of urban blight and decay, high poverty and unemployment, high crime rates and lack of comprehensive government services.
Strategy: Give priority to distressed urban neighborhoods in providing technical and financial assistance.
Annual Objective 3.1: By June 1998, increase to 20 (from five in 1994) the number of neighborhoods receiving assistance through the urban partnerships initiative.
Annual Objective 3.2: By June 1997, fund the acquisition of four sites in urban neighborhoods to provide open space or recreational opportunities that further neighborhood revitalization efforts.
Annual Objective 3.4: By July 1996, expand to 16 (from 12 in 1994) the number of administrative grants and to four (from zero in 1994) the number of planning grants awarded to community development corporations.
Annual Objective 3.5: By September 1999, increase to 20 (from five in 1994) the number of neighborhoods receiving funding assistance to address drug and violent crime problems.
Annual Objective 3.6: By June 1997, revitalize one neighborhood as an Urban Working Waterfront area.
Annual Objective 3.7: By June 1999, increase to three (from one in 1997) the number of Revitalized Urban Working Waterfront neighborhoods.
The Homeless
Long Range Goal 1: The Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS) will seek to maintain state grant-in-aid funds for local agencies and organizations serving the homeless. Current state appropriations total $1.1 million annually. Grant-in-aid funds will be used to address the priority needs of the homeless as identified by local homeless coalitions.
Long Range Goal 2: HRS will seek to continue funding for Florida's local homeless coalitions. There will be a minimum level of funding for each coalition. Additional allocations will be performance based.
Long Range Goal 3: HRS and the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services will request additional state funds to support the 23 shelters serving homeless youth.
Long Range Goal 4: HRS will seek to continue funding for its statewide network of 32 domestic abuse centers sheltering women and their children who are the victims of domestic violence and abuse. Current state appropriations for these centers total $3.6 million annually.
Long Range Goal 5: HRS will seek to continue its $3.8 million Emergency Financial Assistance for Housing program
Long Range Goal 6: Florida's 20 local homeless coalitions will continue to mobilize additional community resources to assist the homeless.
Long Range Goal 7: HRS will seek to improve the access of homeless persons and those at risk of homelessness to programs and services available to them, including emergency financial assistance for housing, shelter, alcohol and drug abuse treatment, mental health services, primary health care, Aid to Families with Dependent Children, food stamps, employment and training, services for the disabled and others.
Long Range Goal 8: HRS will seek to ensure that all implementation strategies in support of the annual plan are continued.
Long Range Goal 9: Homeless coalitions will continue to develop and refine community service delivery systems for the homeless. Services planning, coordination, case management, and information and referral will help ensure that homeless persons access and obtain the services they require.
Long Range Goal 10: Through public education and advocacy, Florida's local homeless coalitions will strive to eliminate other barriers to service accessibility for the homeless, including discriminatory ordinances, codes and practices, residency requirements, unnecessarily stringent eligibility criteria for services, etc.
Long Range Goal 11: HRS and the local coalitions will engage in ongoing public education initiatives designed to increase public awareness of and support for programs designed to meet homeless needs.
Long Range Goal 12: The Department of Education will ensure that homeless children are able to obtain the full public school education to which they are entitled, and that homeless adults have the opportunity to access adult and vocational education.
Long Range Goal 13: The Department of Labor and Employment Security will ensure that homeless persons and those at risk of homelessness due to unemployment have access to state employment assistance services.
Long Range Goal 14: The Department of Veterans Affairs will continue to help homeless veterans and those at risk of becoming homeless obtain the benefits and services to which they are entitled.
Annual Objective 1: The state of Florida will seek to continue the Emergency Financial Assistance for Housing Program. This $3.8 million program provides one-time housing grants of up to $400 to homeless families or those at immediate risk of being so due to eviction and other conditions.
Annual Objective 2: HRS will seek to continue providing $1,064,000 in grant-in-aid funds to local agencies and organizations serving the homeless.
Annual Objective 3: HRS will provide residential and non-residential alcohol and drug abuse treatment services to homeless persons through its statewide network of community alcohol and drug abuse programs.
Annual Objective 4: HRS will provide a continuum of residential and non-residential mental health services to homeless persons through its statewide network of community mental health programs.
Annual Objective 5: HRS will provide primary health care to homeless persons through its statewide network of 67 HRS/county public health units.
Annual Objective 6: HRS and the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services will seek to increase spending for Florida's statewide network of 23 homeless youth shelters from $19.6 million in FY 1994-95 to $24 million in FY 1994-95.
Annual Objective 7: HRS will seek to continue a statewide network of 32 domestic abuse centers sheltering more than 8,000 homeless women and their children (annually) who are the victims of domestic violence and abuse.
Annual Objective 8: The Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services will make available a wide range of other programs and services to homeless persons who are categorically eligible for such services.
Annual Objective 9: HRS will strive to ensure that homeless persons have improved access to the wide range of departmental programs and services available to them, including emergency financial assistance for housing, Aid to Families with Dependent Children, food stamps, employment and training, alcohol, drug abuse and mental health treatment, and health care.
Annual Objective 10: HRS will provide local agencies and organizations serving the homeless with a directory of Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services programs and services available to assist the homeless.
Annual Objective 11: The Department of Labor and Employment Security will provide employment services to the homeless.
Annual Objective 12: The Department of Education and Florida's public school system will provide education and vocational training services to homeless children, youth and adults.
Annual Objective 13: The Department of Veterans Affairs will help ensure that Florida's homeless veterans obtain the benefits and services to which they are entitled.
Annual Objective 14: HRS, in concert with its statewide network of 20 local homeless coalitions, will promote the maximum utilization of existing federal, state and local resources available to assist the homeless through the distribution of information on such programs to more than 1,400 Florida agencies, organizations and local governments serving the homeless.
Annual Objective 15: HRS and Florida's 20 local homeless coalitions will promote the development of new resources to assist the homeless.
Annual Objective 16: Florida's 20 local homeless coalitions and their 1,300 member agencies and organizations will plan and coordinate the use of federal, state and local resources for the homeless.
Annual Objective 17: HRS and local homeless coalitions will engage in ongoing public education initiatives designed to increase public awareness of and support for programs designed to meet homeless needs.
Annual Objective 18: Florida's local homeless coalitions will publish and circulate directories of community resources for the homeless. These directories will help local agencies and organizations refer homeless persons to programs available to assist them.
Annual Objective 19: All agencies of state government will apply for those discretionary McKinney Act grants for which they are eligible.
Persons With Developmental Disabilities
Long-range Goal 1: Modify existing facilities and develop new living arrangements to expand supported living.
Long-range Goal 2: Expand respite care services to small family-operated foster and group homes.
Long-range Goal 3: Reduce the need for residential services for children and young adults through family support systems.
Long-range Goal 4: Create standards that are flexible according to a clients needs and abilities.
Long-range Goal 5: Expand the Home and Community Based Services Waiver.
Long-range Goal 6: Improve the quality of care provided in institutions.
Long-range Goal 7: Increase individual residential placement options.
Long-range Goal 8: Prohibit further admissions to institutions.
Long-range Goal 9: Discontinue admission of children to residential care through developmental services.
Annual Objective 1: Expand the Home and Community Based Services Waiver to include 9,156 people.
Annual Objective 2: Make a variety of housing options available to persons who have developmental disabilities.
Annual Objective 3: Expand supported living services to meet the needs of persons waiting for this program.
Annual Objective 4: Eliminate unlicensed institution beds.
Annual Objective 5: Assist clients to apply for federal, state, local and private resource funding for individual ownership.
Annual Objective 6: Submit a FY 1995-96 legislative budget request to support residential and non-residential services for an additional 576 non-waiver and 1,880 waiver persons.
Persons with Mental Illness/Substance Abuse [HRS]
Long-range Goal 1: Increase the number of people who are supported in safe and affordable housing to 9,896.
Long-range Goal 2: Increase the number of homeless persons receiving services from 3,909 to 7,000.
Annual Objective 1: Develop alternative methods of funding and purchasing housing.
Annual Objective 2: Increase the number of housing options available to persons with serious mental illness.
Annual Objective 3: Increase the number of districts with housing task forces.
Persons with AIDS/HIV [HRS - Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS]
Long-range Goal 1: Expand the affordable housing opportunities in Florida for citizens with HIV/AIDS disease.
Annual Objective 1: Provide HIV/AIDS education to the general public, persons whose behaviors place them at increased risk of HIV infection and to high risk populations.
Annual Objective 2: Identify HIV positive individuals through the testing services offered through the Counseling, Testing and Partner Elicitation Program. Refer those testing positive to early intervention and treatment services to slow disease progression.
Annual Objective 3: Provide comprehensive patient care services through the patient care networks.
Annual Objective 4: Provide HIV/AIDS care and support services to low-income individuals through the regional consortia.
Annual Objective 5: Provide emergency housing assistance through the regional consortia.
Annual Objective 6: Collect data from the regional consortia on the specific housing needs of persons with HIV/AIDS.
Annual Objective 7: Distribute information on available housing funds and training opportunities to persons and organizations representing persons with HIV/AIDS.
Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers [HRS]
Long-range Goal 1: Develop a methodology and gather data to determine the number of migrant and seasonal farmworkers in need of affordable housing.
Long-range Goal 2: Increase the linkage between programs administered by the departments of Community Affairs, Commerce, and Labor and Employment Security to give greater priority and emphasis to housing and community development in existing urban and rural communities experiencing high poverty rates and few job opportunities (migrant and seasonal farmworkers are included).
Long-range Goal 3: In cooperation with other agencies, provide state financing for rural, minority, and small business projects that provide jobs for low- and moderate-income persons, with special emphasis on women and minorities (migrant and seasonal farmworkers are included).
Long-range Goal 4: Achieve increased federal, state and local funding available for affordable housing for migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
Annual Objective 1: Working with the Office of Rural Health and Migrant Labor within HRS and the Governor's Advisory Council on Farmworker Affairs, develop a formula to identify the areas of greatest farmworker housing need.
Annual Objective 2: Working with various state and local agencies, federal programs, the agricultural community, and private non-profit groups, develop a long-term strategy for replacing the temporary farmworker housing erected in Homestead following Hurricane Andrew.
Annual Objective 3: Explore the possibility of amending the existing statutory restrictions on the provision of state housing dollars for farmworker housing.
Annual Objective 4: Develop a technical assistance resource guide for farmworker housing.
The Elderly [Department of Elder Affairs]
Long-range Goal 1: Reduce the number of nursing home beds per 1,000 elderly, age 60 and older, by one bed per 1,000 each year through 2000.
Long-range Goal 2: Expand funding for Medicaid diversion programs, under the Medicaid home- and community-based waiver program, up to the maximum per-client cap.
Long-range Goal 3: Increase the basic payment and special supplement for Home Care for the Elderly.
Long-range Goal 4: Increase the percentage of elderly and disabled adults who live in Adult Congregate Living Facilities, Adult Foster Home, and Extended Congregate Care Facilities, and who receive home- and community-based services.
Long-range Goal 5: Increase reimbursement payments to provide adequate payment for residential and personal services.
Long-range Goal 6: Develop a variety of community residential programs with specialized services to meet the needs of older people.
Annual Objective 1: Increase funding in the Community Care for the Elderly Program for (CCE) home repair to cover 10 percent of the need in 1993-1994, and an additional 10 percent of the need for subsequent years through 1997.
Annual Objective 2: Encourage participation in local plan development so that local governments assess the needs of the elderly and address those needs with funds from the William E. Sadowski Affordable Housing Act.
Annual Objective 3: Work with the Department of Community Affairs to refine targeting of Community Development Block Grant home improvement funds.
Annual Objective 4: Provide funding for community-based services in alternative facilities such as adult foster homes, public housing, and other forms of congregate housing through modifications to the home- and community-based services Medicaid waiver.
Annual Objective 5: Increase the reimbursement rate and income standard from $575 to $850 and the personal-need allowance from $43 to $80 in 1994-1995.
Persons with Physical Disabilities
Long-range Goal 1: Form working partnerships with agencies providing assistance to persons with physical disabilities.
Annual Objective 1: Provide technical assistance in affordable housing and resource development to persons with disabilities, their advocates and service providers.
Annual Objective 2: Begin research and data collection on actual housing needs of persons with physical disabilities.
Douglas Buck, Director of Department of Community Affairs
2740 Centerview Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2100
(904) 922-5434