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Housing Leadership Council Legislative Priorities
- Repeal of the Cap on Housing Trust Funds – In 1992, the legislature established a dedicated revenue source for affordable housing, along with program for the use of those funds, known as the William F. Sadwoski Affordable Housing Act. On July 1, 2007 an arbitrary cap of 243 million per year was place on distributions from doc stamps to the housing trust fund. Since the cap was placed on these funds, $433,800,000 has been swept into general revenues that should have been appropriated for housing. Legislation is needed to repeal the cap and fully fund housing programs.
- Community Land Trust Fair Valuation – The state has created a vehicle to help preserve affordable housing and provide home ownership opportunities to people who could normally only afford to rent through Community Land Trusts. In a CLT, a non-profit acquires and holds land in perpetuity for the primary purpose of creating affordable housing. A Community Land Trust may convey structural improvements located on the land but the land itself is leased for a nominal amount. In many counties including Palm Beach, the full value of the land and improvements are used in valuation. Legislation is needed to provide direction on property assessment of CLT properties.
- Impact Fee Waiver, Deferral or Reduction – The cost of impact fees contribute significantly to the relative affordability of housing. Many counties currently waiver, defer or reduce impact fees to encourage the production of affordable housing but some including Palm Beach County have taken the stance that it is illegal to waive, defer or reduce fees. Legislation is needed to allow counties the flexibility to waive, defer or reduce these fees in order to meet their local housing needs.
- Public Inventory of Surplus Land – House Bill 1363 required local jurisdictions to Inventory surplus land to use for affordable housing. There is no penalty for failing to provide this list so many municipalities have not completed the inventory. Legislation is needed to tighten the public inventory of lands including penalties for failing to comply with the statute.
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