Submitted By: James Haynes
presenter
Presentation By: James Haynes
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Department: Community Development Services
STAFF RECOMMENDATION (Motion Ready):
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Adopt Resolution 2025-18 to approve the City of Ocala’s Local Housing Assistance Plan for 2025-2028
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OCALA’S RELEVANT STRATEGIC GOALS:
Quality of Place
PROOF OF PUBLICATION:
N/A
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BACKGROUND:
The Florida Legislature passed the Sadowski Act in 1991 to create a trust fund to finance state and local affordable housing initiatives, managed by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. The State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) grant is funded through this act and distributed to counties and qualifying municipalities in Florida.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS:
Recipients of SHIP grant funding must present a three-year housing plan that indicates how, over the grant period, the recipient will program the funding and address the barriers of producing and sustaining affordable housing. Through a series of public meetings with its Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC), staff have compiled the City’s 2025-2028 Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP). Upon Council’s approval, this plan will be submitted to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation for review and final approval to meet the eligibility requirements for the next SHIP funding cycle.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Without the submission of the plan, the City would not be eligible for future SHIP grant funding.
PROCUREMENT REVIEW:
N/A
LEGAL REVIEW:
N/A
ALTERNATIVE:
• Approve with amendments
• Deny
• Table
RESOLUTION 2025-18
A RESOLUTION OF THE OCALA CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OCALA FLORIDA APPROVING THE LOCAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE PLAN AS REQUIRED BY THE STATE HOUSING INITIATIVES PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM ACT, SUBSECTIONS 420.907-420.9079, FLORIDA STATUTES; AND RULE CHAPTER 67-37, FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE; AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE ANY NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND CERTIFICATIONS NEEDED BY THE STATE; AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF THE LOCAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE PLAN FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL BY THE FLORIDA HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE
WHEREAS, the State of Florida enacted the William E. Sadowski Affordable Housing Act, Chapter 92-317 of Florida Sessions Laws, allocating a portion of documentary stamp taxes on deeds to local governments for the development and maintenance of affordable housing; and
WHEREAS, the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Act, ss. 420.907-420.9079, Florida Statutes (1992), and Rule Chapter 67-37, Florida Administrative Code, requires local governments to develop a one- to three-year Local Housing Assistance Plan outlining how funds will be used; and
WHEREAS, the SHIP Act requires local governments to establish the maximum SHIP funds allowable for each strategy; and
WHEREAS, the SHIP Act further requires local governments to establish an average area purchase price for new and existing housing benefiting from awards made pursuant to the Act; The methodology and purchase prices used are defined in the attached Local Housing Assistance Plan; and
WHEREAS, as required by section 420.9075, FS It is found that 5 percent of the local housing distribution plus 5 percent of program income is insufficient to adequately pay the necessary costs of administering the local housing assistance plan. The cost of administering the program may not exceed 10 percent of the local housing distribution plus 5 percent of program income deposited into the trust fund, except that small counties, as defined in s. 120.52(17), and eligible municipalities receiving a local housing distribution of up to $350,000 may use up to 10 percent of program income for administrative costs; and
WHEREAS, the Community Development Services Department has prepared a three-year Local Housing Assistance Plan for submission to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that it is in the best interest of the public for the City of Ocala to submit the Local Housing Assistance Plan for review and approval so as to qualify for said documentary stamp tax funds.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OCALA, FLORIDA that:
Section 1: The City Council of the City of Ocala, Florida hereby approves the Local Housing Assistance Plan, as attached, and incorporated hereto for submission to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation as required by ss. 420.907-420-9079, Florida Statutes; for fiscal years 2022-2023, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.
Section 2: The Council President, is hereby designated and authorized to execute any documents and certifications required by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation as related to the Local Housing Assistance Plan, and to do all things necessary and proper to carry out the terms and conditions of said program.
Section 3: This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.
This resolution adopted this 15th day of April, 2025.
ATTEST: CITY OF OCALA
By: By:
Angel B. Jacobs Kristen M. Dreyer
City Clerk President, Ocala City Council
Approved as to form and legality:
By: _________________________________
William E. Sexton
City Attorney