PLACEMENT: Consent
TITLE:
title
REQUEST TO APPROVE THE LOCAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE PLAN (LHAP) FOR FY2026-2029
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
executive summary
Florida Administrative Code 67-37.005 requires the County to submit a new LHAP, which governs Martin County’s State Housing Initiative Partnership Program (SHIP) programming and expenditures, every 3 years to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC). The 2026-2029 LHAP was prepared by staff, reviewed and approved by FHFC, and subsequently approved by the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) at a public hearing held during the February 11, 2026 AHAC meeting. The AHAC recommended that the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approve the 2026-2029 LHAP for final submission to the FHFC.
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DEPARTMENT: Administration
PREPARED BY: Name: Philip Ratchford
Title: Human Services Grants Manager
REQUESTED BY: Michelle Miller, Human Services Director
PRESET:
PROCEDURES: None
BACKGROUND/RELATED STRATEGIC GOAL:
Triennially, in accordance with Florida Administrative Code 67-37.005, Martin County is required to review and or revise the LHAP with input from and approval from the AHAC. The approved plan is then presented to the BOCC for review and approval and submitted to FHFC. The LHAP is a guide for administering the local SHIP funds.
To be eligible for SHIP funding for a state fiscal year, a county or eligible municipality shall submit and receive approval of its local housing assistance plan and amendments thereto as provided in Rule 67-37.006, F.A.C.
Staff completed a review of the LHAP and determined that some revisions would prove to be beneficial to residents seeking assistance through this funding mechanism. The revisions include: (1) increasing the maximum award to $75,000 (previously $63,500) for Strategy A: Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation, (2) increasing the maximum award to $20,000 (previously $16,000) for Strategy B: Emergency Repair and establishing a one-time assistance limit, (3) increasing the maximum award to $20,000 (previously $16,000) for Strategy E: Disaster Repair/Mitigation, and (4) including assistance with utility deposits for Strategy H: Security and/or Utility Deposits and specifying sustainability guidelines.
The 2026-2029 LHAP was approved by the AHAC at a public hearing held during the February 11, 2026 AHAC meeting.
Final review and approval are now needed from the BOCC in order for a resolution documenting the finalization of the 2026-2029 LHAP to be submitted to FHFC.
ISSUES:
None
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW:
To the extent this item contains legal issues, it has been reviewed for legal sufficiency; although this is primarily a matter of Board policy.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECOMMENDATION
1. Move that the Board approve the recommended 2026-2029 LHAP.
2. Move that the Board authorize the Chair to sign the Resolution (LHAP Exhibit E).
3. Move that the Board authorize the Chair to sign the LHAP Certification (LHAP Exhibit D).
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Pull this item from the Consent Agenda and provide staff with an alternate direction.
FISCAL IMPACT:
RECOMMENDATION
None
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
None
DOCUMENT(S) REQUIRING ACTION:
☐Budget Transfer / Amendment ☐ Chair Letter ☐Contract / Agreement
☐Grant / Application ☐Notice ☐Ordinance ☒Resolution
☒Other: Certification (LHAP Exhibit D)