Placement: New Business
Action Requested: Motion / Vote
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Approval of a Habitat for Humanity Reimbursement Request (Impact and Permitting Fees from the City’s Affordable Housing Fund #128)
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Submitted By: Alessandra “Alex” Tasca, Deputy Director, Neighborhood Services
Strategic Plan Link: The City’s Mission to be responsive to our community.
Executive Summary (General Business): This agenda item requests to reimburse St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity $26,714.42 from the City’s Affordable Housing Fund #128 for the impact and permitting fees incurred in 2021 to construct one single family home that will be sold to a household earning 80% or less of Area Median income (AMI). Staff together with the City Attorney’s Office via the City’s Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) and Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) Reports have verified the validity of the request and support it as a successful partnership to continue to encourage the building of affordable housing for low-income residents. The item is in accordance with State Statue Chapter 420 or the “State Housing Strategy Act.”
Presentation Information: Staff requests to provide a brief introduction along with St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity.
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council Approve the reimbursement request by Habitat for Humanity, in regard to affordable housing initiatives via the City’s Neighborhood Services Department.
Alternate Recommendations:
1. Move that the Council amend the recommendation and approve the reimbursement request.
2. Move that the Council not approve the reimbursement request and provide staff with further direction.
Background: St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity has been a long-standing affordable housing provider in the community. With the creation of the City’s Special Affordable Housing Fund, that comprises affordable housing fees paid by developers in the Western DRI (Resolution 16-R24) and the adoption of affordable housing incentives in the City’s LHAP tools have been established to help entities and/or organizations like St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity leverage funding for affordable housing projects within the City.
Per Florida State Statute Chapter 553 it is forbidden to waive, completely, local impact and permitting fees. Florida State Statute Chapter 420 Section 9076 allows for the adoption of other affordable housing incentives strategies including the “Modification of impact-fee requirements, including reduction or waiver of fees and alternative methods of fee payment for affordable housing,” which was adopted by the City of Port St. Lucie in Comprehensive plan policy 3.1.10.3, “The City shall reduce, waive or support alternative methods of the impact fee payment for affordable housing.” Fees can be paid with designated funds or special credits but not completely waived. Therefore, Neighborhood Services is recommending approval of this request as a onetime reimbursement from the City’s Affordable Housing Fund #128.
Issues/Analysis: St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity has requested a reimbursement from the City’s Affordable Housing Fund #128 for the impact and permitting fees incurred to construct one single family home that will be sold to a household earning 80% or less of Area Median income (AMI) and will utilize the organization’s Land Trust ground lease to ensure affordability is retained in the community. This was the only request received by the Neighborhood Services
Department during the calendar year 2021. To date, no other such requests have been received.
Financial Information: St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity total reimbursement requested is $26,714.42; Funding currently available for future years’ budgeting is approximately $620,000 (located in account 1280000 SW Affordable Housing Annexation Fee).
Special Consideration: N/A
Location of Project: City of Port St. Lucie, Florida
Attachments: TBC
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
Internal Reference Number: 8001
Legal Sufficiency Review:
Reviewed by Ella M. Gilbert, Senior Deputy City Attorney. Approved as to Legal form and sufficiency by James D. Stokes, City Attorney.