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Affordable-housing plan clears House

It would help vital public employees and the poor buy homes and spur hurricane-related programs.

By ALEX LEARY
Published May 2, 2006

TALLAHASSEE - Heralding it as a major step toward addressing the state's affordable housing crisis, the House approved a sweeping plan Monday that would spur hurricane rebuilding and give teachers, nurses and police officers better footing in an increasingly high-priced market.

"It will make a difference not only today, not only tomorrow, but in the next generation of folks we want to keep here in Florida," said Rep. Donna Clarke, R-Sarasota, one of about 80 co-sponsors of the bill (HB 1363), which passed unanimously.

But the bill's passage makes it almost certain lawmakers will not repeal a cap on how much can be withdrawn from the Florida Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Gov. Jeb Bush and Republican leaders in the House and Senate say the funds may be needed for future emergencies.

"What are we waiting for?" asked Jamie Ross, affordable housing director at 1000 Friends of Florida, a nonprofit growth management organization. "When is it going to be raining harder than it is today?"

Lawmakers on Monday preferred to focus on what they could accomplish.

Along with general appropriation spending, the House action amounts to more than $630-million for affordable housing, said sponsor Mike Davis, R-Naples.

The Senate, which is eyeing an affordable housing package of about $550-million, will have to take up its bill this week. The differences between both chambers will have to be ironed out.

More than $300-million in the House version would go for hurricane-related programs, including money for rebuilding rental property and to retrofit older homes to withstand future storms.

It also would create the Community Workforce Housing Innovation Program, which allocates $50-million for private development partnerships with school boards and local governments that agree to create affordable housing for "essential" employees. This would aid nurses, teachers, firefighters and police officers.

For example, a school board could provide developers low-cost, long-term leases to school property as long as teachers get first shot at below-market rents.

Teachers unions say a better way to help teachers is with pay raises.

There is also $33-million set aside for extremely low-income residents, people who earn less than 30 percent of the area median income. The money will be provided to developers who reserve units for the poor.

Existing state and local programs that provide rental assistance and home ownership grants would get $243-million.

"This bill won't solve everybody's problems, but it's a step in the right direction," said Rep. Mary Brandenburg, D-West Palm Beach.

What's missing, many agreed, is millions in additional assistance trapped by the cap on the Florida Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which was established in 1992 and is funded by a tax on real estate transactions.

The $243-million cap is set to begin next year, though the fund currently has about $945-million.

Davis had included the repeal in his bill but it was recently dropped in negotiations. The Senate's bill also retains the cap. Davis said he still intends to fight for the repeal and will study the issue over the summer.

"Frankly my goal was to get it out there and discussed," Davis said. "Next year we'll work to get it removed."

[Last modified May 2, 2006, 01:55:38]