ENROLLED
       2016 Legislature                                  CS for SB 1534
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                                             20161534er
    1  
    2         An act relating to housing assistance; amending s.
    3         420.503, F.S.; redefining the term “service provider”;
    4         amending s. 420.507, F.S.; revising the powers that
    5         the Florida Housing Finance Corporation may exercise
    6         in developing and administering the State Apartment
    7         Incentive Loan Program; deleting a specified timeframe
    8         in which the corporation may preclude certain
    9         applicants or affiliates of an applicant from further
   10         participation in any of the corporation’s programs;
   11         authorizing the corporation to reserve a specified
   12         minimum percentage of its annual appropriation from
   13         the State Housing Trust Fund for certain housing
   14         projects, subject to certain requirements; amending s.
   15         420.5087, F.S.; requiring that State Apartment
   16         Incentive Loan Program funds be made available through
   17         a competitive solicitation process, subject to certain
   18         requirements; requiring program funds be made
   19         available for use by certain sponsors during the first
   20         6 months of loan or loan guarantee availability,
   21         subject to certain requirements; revising requirements
   22         related to all state apartment incentive loans, with
   23         the exception of certain loans made to housing
   24         communities for the elderly; deleting provisions
   25         related to the reservation of funds related to certain
   26         tenant groups; conforming a cross-reference; amending
   27         s. 420.511, F.S.; deleting a requirement that the
   28         corporation’s business plan and annual report
   29         recognize certain fiscal periods; amending s. 420.622,
   30         F.S.; requiring that the State Office on Homelessness
   31         coordinate among certain agencies and providers to
   32         produce a statewide consolidated inventory for the
   33         state’s entire system of homeless programs which
   34         incorporates regionally developed plans; requiring the
   35         office, in consultation with the designated lead
   36         agencies for a local homeless continuum of care and
   37         with the Council on Homelessness, to develop the
   38         system and process of data collection from all lead
   39         agencies, subject to certain requirements; deleting
   40         the requirement that the Council on Homelessness
   41         explore the potential of creating a statewide Homeless
   42         Management Information System and encourage future
   43         participation of certain award or grant recipients;
   44         requiring the State Office on Homelessness to accept
   45         and administer moneys appropriated to it to provide
   46         annual Challenge Grants to certain lead agencies of
   47         homeless assistance continuums of care; removing the
   48         requirement that levels of grant awards be based upon
   49         the total population within the continuum of care
   50         catchment area and reflect the differing degrees of
   51         homelessness in the respective areas; revising the
   52         requirement that a lead agency document the commitment
   53         of local government and private organizations to
   54         provide matching funds or in-kind support in an amount
   55         equal to the grant requested; authorizing expenditures
   56         of leveraged funds or resources only for eligible
   57         activities, subject to certain requirements; revising
   58         the preference given to certain lead agencies that
   59         have demonstrated the ability to leverage federal
   60         homeless-assistance funding under the Stewart B.
   61         McKinney Act; requiring the State Office on
   62         Homelessness, in conjunction with the Council on
   63         Homelessness, to establish specific objectives by
   64         which it may evaluate the outcomes of certain lead
   65         agencies; requiring that certain funding through the
   66         State Office on Homelessness be distributed to lead
   67         agencies based on their performance and achievement of
   68         specified objectives; revising the factors that may be
   69         included as criteria for evaluating the performance of
   70         lead agencies; authorizing the State Office on
   71         Homelessness to administer moneys appropriated to it
   72         for distribution among certain local homeless
   73         continuums of care; amending s. 420.624, F.S.;
   74         revising requirements for the local homeless
   75         assistance continuum of care plan; providing that the
   76         components of a continuum of care plan should include
   77         Rapid ReHousing; requiring that specified components
   78         of a continuum of care plan be coordinated and
   79         integrated with other specified services and programs;
   80         creating s. 420.6265, F.S.; providing legislative
   81         findings and intent relating to Rapid ReHousing;
   82         providing a Rapid ReHousing methodology; amending s.
   83         420.9071, F.S.; redefining the terms “local housing
   84         incentive strategies” and “rent subsidies”; conforming
   85         cross-references; amending s. 420.9072, F.S.;
   86         increasing the number of days within which a review
   87         committee is required to review a local housing
   88         assistance plan or plan revision after receiving it;
   89         prohibiting a county or an eligible municipality from
   90         expending its portion of the local housing
   91         distribution to provide ongoing rent subsidies;
   92         specifying exceptions; amending s. 420.9075, F.S.;
   93         providing that a certain partnership process of the
   94         State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program should
   95         involve lead agencies of local homeless assistance
   96         continuums of care; encouraging counties and eligible
   97         municipalities to develop a strategy within their
   98         local housing assistance plans which provides program
   99         funds for reducing homelessness; authorizing local
  100         governments to create certain regional partnerships to
  101         address homeless housing needs identified in local
  102         housing assistance plans; revising criteria and
  103         administrative procedures governing each local housing
  104         assistance plan; revising the criteria that apply to
  105         awards made to sponsors or persons for the purpose of
  106         providing housing; requiring that a specified report
  107         submitted by counties and municipalities include a
  108         description of efforts to reduce homelessness;
  109         revising the manner in which a certain share that the
  110         corporation distributes directly to a participating
  111         eligible municipality is calculated; conforming cross
  112         references; amending s. 420.9076, F.S.; revising
  113         requirements related to the creation and appointment
  114         of members of affordable housing advisory committees;
  115         revising requirements related to a report submitted by
  116         each advisory committee to the local governing body on
  117         affordable housing incentives; requiring the
  118         corporation, after issuance of a notice of
  119         termination, to distribute directly to a participating
  120         eligible municipality a county’s share under certain
  121         circumstances calculated in a specified manner;
  122         creating s. 420.9089, F.S.; providing legislative
  123         findings and intent; amending s. 421.04, F.S.;
  124         prohibiting a housing authority from applying to the
  125         Federal Government to seize projects, units, or
  126         vouchers of another established housing authority;
  127         amending s. 421.05, F.S.; exempting authorities from
  128         s. 215.425, F.S.; amending s. 421.091, F.S.; requiring
  129         a full financial accounting and audit of public
  130         housing agencies to be submitted to the Federal
  131         Government pursuant to certain requirements; exempting
  132         housing authorities from specified reporting
  133         requirements; providing an effective date.
  134          
  135  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
  136  
  137         Section 1. Subsection (36) of section 420.503, Florida
  138  Statutes, is amended to read:
  139         420.503 Definitions.—As used in this part, the term:
  140         (36) “Service provider,” except as otherwise defined in s.
  141  420.512(5), means a law firm, investment bank, certified public
  142  accounting firm, auditor, trustee bank, credit underwriter,
  143  homeowner loan servicer, or any other provider of services to
  144  the corporation which offers to perform or performs services to
  145  the corporation or other provider for fees in excess of $35,000
  146  $25,000 in the aggregate during any fiscal year of the
  147  corporation. The term includes the agents, officers, principals,
  148  and professional employees of the service provider.
  149         Section 2. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (22) of
  150  section 420.507, Florida Statutes, are amended, present
  151  paragraphs (d) through (i) of that subsection are redesignated
  152  as (e) through (j), respectively, a new paragraph (d) is added
  153  to that subsection, subsection (35) of that section is amended,
  154  and subsection (50) is added to that section, to read:
  155         420.507 Powers of the corporation.—The corporation shall
  156  have all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out and
  157  effectuate the purposes and provisions of this part, including
  158  the following powers which are in addition to all other powers
  159  granted by other provisions of this part:
  160         (22) To develop and administer the State Apartment
  161  Incentive Loan Program. In developing and administering that
  162  program, the corporation may:
  163         (a) Make first, second, and other subordinated mortgage
  164  loans including variable or fixed rate loans subject to
  165  contingent interest for all State Apartment Incentive Loans
  166  provided in this chapter based upon available cash flow of the
  167  projects. The corporation shall make loans exceeding 25 percent
  168  of project cost only to nonprofit organizations and public
  169  bodies that are able to secure grants, donations of land, or
  170  contributions from other sources and to projects meeting the
  171  criteria of subparagraph 1. Mortgage loans shall be made
  172  available at the following rates of interest:
  173         1. Zero to 3 percent interest for sponsors of projects that
  174  set aside at least 80 percent of their total units for residents
  175  qualifying as farmworkers, commercial fishing workers, the
  176  homeless as defined in s. 420.621, or persons with special needs
  177  as defined in s. 420.0004(13) over the life of the loan.
  178         2. Zero to 3 percent interest based on the pro rata share
  179  of units set aside for homeless residents or persons with
  180  special needs if the total of such units is less than 80 percent
  181  of the units in the borrower’s project.
  182         3. One to 9 percent interest for sponsors of projects
  183  targeted at populations other than farmworkers, commercial
  184  fishing workers, the homeless persons, or persons with special
  185  needs.
  186         (b) Make loans exceeding 25 percent of project cost when
  187  the project serves extremely-low-income persons or projects as
  188  provided in paragraph (d).
  189         (d) In counties or rural areas of counties that do not have
  190  existing units set aside for homeless persons, forgive
  191  indebtedness for loans provided to create permanent rental
  192  housing units for persons who are homeless, as defined in s.
  193  420.621(5), or for persons residing in time-limited transitional
  194  housing or institutions as a result of a lack of permanent,
  195  affordable housing. Such developments must be supported by a
  196  local homeless assistance continuum of care developed under s.
  197  420.624; be developed by nonprofit applicants; be small
  198  properties as defined by corporation rule; and be a project in
  199  the local housing assistance continuum of care plan recognized
  200  by the State Office on Homelessness.
  201         (35) To preclude from further participation in any of the
  202  corporation’s programs, for a period of up to 2 years, any
  203  applicant or affiliate of an applicant which has made a material
  204  misrepresentation or engaged in fraudulent actions in connection
  205  with any application for a corporation program.
  206         (50) To reserve a minimum of 5 percent of its annual
  207  appropriation from the State Housing Trust Fund for housing
  208  projects designed and constructed to serve persons who have a
  209  disabling condition, as defined in s. 420.0004, with first
  210  priority given to projects serving persons who have a
  211  developmental disability, as defined in s. 393.063. Funding
  212  shall be provided as forgivable loans through a competitive
  213  solicitation. Private nonprofit organizations whose primary
  214  mission includes serving persons with a disabling condition
  215  shall be eligible for these funds. In evaluating proposals for
  216  these funds, the corporation shall consider the extent to which
  217  funds from local and other sources will be used by the applicant
  218  to leverage the funds provided under this section; employment
  219  opportunities and supports that will be available to residents
  220  of the proposed housing; a plan for residents to effectively
  221  access community-based services, resources, and amenities; and
  222  partnerships with other supportive services agencies.
  223         Section 3. Subsections (1) and (3), paragraphs (b), (f),
  224  and (k) of subsection (6), and subsection (10) of section
  225  420.5087, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  226         420.5087 State Apartment Incentive Loan Program.—There is
  227  hereby created the State Apartment Incentive Loan Program for
  228  the purpose of providing first, second, or other subordinated
  229  mortgage loans or loan guarantees to sponsors, including for
  230  profit, nonprofit, and public entities, to provide housing
  231  affordable to very-low-income persons.
  232         (1) Program funds shall be made available through a
  233  competitive solicitation process distributed over successive 3
  234  year periods in a manner that meets the need and demand for
  235  very-low-income housing throughout the state. That need and
  236  demand must be determined by using the most recent statewide
  237  low-income rental housing market studies conducted every 3 years
  238  available at the beginning of each 3-year period. However, at
  239  least 10 percent of the program funds, as calculated on an
  240  annual basis, distributed during a 3-year period must be made
  241  available allocated to each of the following categories of
  242  counties, as determined by using the population statistics
  243  published in the most recent edition of the Florida Statistical
  244  Abstract:
  245         (a) Counties that have a population of 825,000 or more.
  246         (b) Counties that have a population of more than 100,000
  247  but less than 825,000.
  248         (c) Counties that have a population of 100,000 or less.
  249  
  250  Any increase in funding required to reach the 10-percent minimum
  251  shall be taken from the county category that has the largest
  252  portion of the funding allocation. The corporation shall adopt
  253  rules that which establish an equitable process for distributing
  254  any portion of the 10 percent of program funds made available
  255  allocated to the county categories specified in this subsection
  256  which remains unallocated at the end of a 3-year period.
  257  Counties that have a population of 100,000 or less shall be
  258  given preference under these rules.
  259         (3) During the first 6 months of loan or loan guarantee
  260  availability, program funds shall be made available reserved for
  261  use by sponsors who provide the housing set-aside required in
  262  subsection (2) for the tenant groups designated in this
  263  subsection. The reservation of funds made available to each of
  264  these groups shall be determined using the most recent statewide
  265  very-low-income rental housing market study available at the
  266  time of publication of each notice of fund availability required
  267  by paragraph (6)(b). The reservation of funds made available
  268  within each notice of fund availability to the tenant groups in
  269  paragraphs (b)-(e) (a), (b), and (e) may not be less than 10
  270  percent of the funds available at that time. Any increase in
  271  funding required to reach the required 10-percent minimum must
  272  be taken from the tenant group that would receive has the
  273  largest percentage of available funds in accordance with the
  274  study reservation. The reservation of funds made available
  275  within each notice of fund availability to the tenant group in
  276  paragraph (a) (c) may not be less than 5 percent of the funds
  277  available at that time. The reservation of funds within each
  278  notice of fund availability to the tenant group in paragraph (d)
  279  may not be more than 10 percent of the funds available at that
  280  time. The tenant groups are:
  281         (a) Commercial fishing workers and farmworkers;
  282         (b) Families;
  283         (c) Persons who are homeless;
  284         (d) Persons with special needs; and
  285         (e) Elderly persons. Ten percent of the amount made
  286  available reserved for the elderly shall be reserved to provide
  287  loans to sponsors of housing for the elderly for the purpose of
  288  making building preservation, health, or sanitation repairs or
  289  improvements which are required by federal, state, or local
  290  regulation or code, or lifesafety or security-related repairs or
  291  improvements to such housing. Such a loan may not exceed
  292  $750,000 per housing community for the elderly. In order to
  293  receive the loan, the sponsor of the housing community must make
  294  a commitment to match at least 5 percent of the loan amount to
  295  pay the cost of such repair or improvement. The corporation
  296  shall establish the rate of interest on the loan, which may not
  297  exceed 3 percent, and the term of the loan, which may not exceed
  298  15 years; however, if the lien of the corporation’s encumbrance
  299  is subordinate to the lien of another mortgagee, then the term
  300  may be made coterminous with the longest term of the superior
  301  lien. The term of the loan shall be based on a credit analysis
  302  of the applicant. The corporation may forgive indebtedness for a
  303  share of the loan attributable to the units in a project
  304  reserved for extremely-low-income elderly by nonprofit
  305  organizations, as defined in s. 420.0004(5), where the project
  306  has provided affordable housing to the elderly for 15 years or
  307  more. The corporation shall establish, by rule, the procedure
  308  and criteria for receiving, evaluating, and competitively
  309  ranking all applications for loans under this paragraph. A loan
  310  application must include evidence of the first mortgagee’s
  311  having reviewed and approved the sponsor’s intent to apply for a
  312  loan. A nonprofit organization or sponsor may not use the
  313  proceeds of the loan to pay for administrative costs, routine
  314  maintenance, or new construction.
  315         (6) On all state apartment incentive loans, except loans
  316  made to housing communities for the elderly to provide for
  317  lifesafety, building preservation, health, sanitation, or
  318  security-related repairs or improvements, the following
  319  provisions shall apply:
  320         (b) The corporation shall publish a notice of fund
  321  availability in a publication of general circulation throughout
  322  the state. Such notice shall be published at least 60 days prior
  323  to the application deadline and shall provide notice of the
  324  availability temporary reservations of funds established in
  325  subsection (3).
  326         (f) The review committee established by corporation rule
  327  pursuant to this subsection shall make recommendations to the
  328  board of directors of the corporation regarding program
  329  participation under the State Apartment Incentive Loan Program.
  330  The corporation board shall make the final decisions regarding
  331  which applicants shall become program participants based on the
  332  scores received in the competitive process, further review of
  333  applications, and the recommendations of the review committee.
  334  The corporation board shall approve or reject applications for
  335  loans and shall determine the tentative loan amount available to
  336  each applicant selected for participation in the program. The
  337  actual loan amount shall be determined pursuant to rule adopted
  338  pursuant to s. 420.507(22)(i) s. 420.507(22)(h).
  339         (k) Rent controls shall not be allowed on any project
  340  except as required in conjunction with the issuance of tax
  341  exempt bonds or federal low-income housing tax credits and
  342  except when the sponsor has committed to set aside units for
  343  extremely-low-income persons, in which case rents shall be set
  344  restricted at the income set-aside levels committed to by the
  345  sponsor at the level applicable income limitations established
  346  by the corporation for federal low-income tax credits.
  347         (10)(a) Notwithstanding subsection (3), for the 2015-2016
  348  fiscal year, the reservation of funds for the tenant groups
  349  within each notice of fund availability shall be:
  350         1. Not less than 10 percent of the funds available at that
  351  time for the following tenant groups:
  352         a. Families;
  353         b. Persons who are homeless;
  354         c. Persons with special needs; and
  355         d. Elderly persons.
  356         2. Not less than 5 percent of the funds available at that
  357  time for the commercial fishing workers and farmworkers tenant
  358  group.
  359         (b) This subsection expires July 1, 2016.
  360         Section 4. Subsection (5) of section 420.511, Florida
  361  Statutes, is amended to read:
  362         420.511 Strategic business plan; long-range program plan;
  363  annual report; audited financial statements.—
  364         (5) The Auditor General shall conduct an operational audit
  365  of the accounts and records of the corporation and provide a
  366  written report on the audit to the President of the Senate and
  367  the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 1, 2016.
  368  Both the corporation’s business plan and annual report must
  369  recognize the different fiscal periods under which the
  370  corporation, the state, the Federal Government, and local
  371  governments operate.
  372         Section 5. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (3) and
  373  subsections (4), (5), and (6) of section 420.622, Florida
  374  Statutes, are amended, and subsection (10) is added to that
  375  section, to read:
  376         420.622 State Office on Homelessness; Council on
  377  Homelessness.—
  378         (3) The State Office on Homelessness, pursuant to the
  379  policies set by the council and subject to the availability of
  380  funding, shall:
  381         (a) Coordinate among state, local, and private agencies and
  382  providers to produce a statewide consolidated inventory program
  383  and financial plan for the state’s entire system of homeless
  384  programs which incorporates regionally developed plans. Such
  385  programs include, but are not limited to:
  386         1. Programs authorized under the Stewart B. McKinney
  387  Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, 42 U.S.C. ss. 11371 et seq.,
  388  and carried out under funds awarded to this state; and
  389         2. Programs, components thereof, or activities that assist
  390  persons who are homeless or at risk for homelessness.
  391         (b) Collect, maintain, and make available information
  392  concerning persons who are homeless or at risk for homelessness,
  393  including demographics information, current services and
  394  resources available, the cost and availability of services and
  395  programs, and the met and unmet needs of this population. All
  396  entities that receive state funding must provide access to all
  397  data they maintain in summary form, with no individual
  398  identifying information, to assist the council in providing this
  399  information. The State Office on Homelessness, in consultation
  400  with the designated lead agencies for a local homeless continuum
  401  of care and with the Council on Homelessness, shall develop the
  402  system and process of data collection from all lead agencies for
  403  the purpose of analyzing trends and assessing impacts in the
  404  statewide homeless delivery system. Any statewide homelessness
  405  survey and database system must comply with all state and
  406  federal statutory and regulatory confidentiality requirements
  407  The council shall explore the potential of creating a statewide
  408  Management Information System (MIS), encouraging the future
  409  participation of any bodies that are receiving awards or grants
  410  from the state, if such a system were adopted, enacted, and
  411  accepted by the state.
  412         (4) The State Office on Homelessness, with the concurrence
  413  of the Council on Homelessness, shall may accept and administer
  414  moneys appropriated to it to provide annual “Challenge Grants”
  415  to lead agencies of homeless assistance continuums of care
  416  designated by the State Office on Homelessness pursuant to s.
  417  420.624. The department shall establish varying levels of grant
  418  awards up to $500,000 per lead agency. Award levels shall be
  419  based upon the total population within the continuum of care
  420  catchment area and reflect the differing degrees of homelessness
  421  in the catchment planning areas. The department, in consultation
  422  with the Council on Homelessness, shall specify a grant award
  423  level in the notice of the solicitation of grant applications.
  424         (a) To qualify for the grant, a lead agency must develop
  425  and implement a local homeless assistance continuum of care plan
  426  for its designated catchment area. The continuum of care plan
  427  must implement a coordinated assessment or central intake system
  428  to screen, assess, and refer persons seeking assistance to the
  429  appropriate service provider. The lead agency shall also
  430  document the commitment of local government or and private
  431  organizations to provide matching funds or in-kind support in an
  432  amount equal to the grant requested. Expenditures of leveraged
  433  funds or resources, including third-party cash or in-kind
  434  contributions, are authorized only for eligible activities
  435  committed on one project which have not been used as leverage or
  436  match for any other project or program and must be certified
  437  through a written commitment.
  438         (b) Preference must be given to those lead agencies that
  439  have demonstrated the ability of their continuum of care to
  440  provide quality services to homeless persons and the ability to
  441  leverage federal homeless-assistance funding under the Stewart
  442  B. McKinney Act with local government funding or and private
  443  funding for the provision of services to homeless persons.
  444         (c) Preference must be given to lead agencies in catchment
  445  areas with the greatest need for the provision of housing and
  446  services to the homeless, relative to the population of the
  447  catchment area.
  448         (d) The grant may be used to fund any of the housing,
  449  program, or service needs included in the local homeless
  450  assistance continuum of care plan. The lead agency may allocate
  451  the grant to programs, services, or housing providers that
  452  implement the local homeless assistance continuum care plan. The
  453  lead agency may provide subgrants to a local agency to implement
  454  programs or services or provide housing identified for funding
  455  in the lead agency’s application to the department. A lead
  456  agency may spend a maximum of 8 percent of its funding on
  457  administrative costs.
  458         (e) The lead agency shall submit a final report to the
  459  department documenting the outcomes achieved by the grant in
  460  enabling persons who are homeless to return to permanent housing
  461  thereby ending such person’s episode of homelessness.
  462         (5) The State Office on Homelessness, with the concurrence
  463  of the Council on Homelessness, may administer moneys
  464  appropriated to it to provide homeless housing assistance grants
  465  annually to lead agencies for local homeless assistance
  466  continuum of care, as recognized by the State Office on
  467  Homelessness, to acquire, construct, or rehabilitate
  468  transitional or permanent housing units for homeless persons.
  469  These moneys shall consist of any sums that the state may
  470  appropriate, as well as money received from donations, gifts,
  471  bequests, or otherwise from any public or private source, which
  472  are intended to acquire, construct, or rehabilitate transitional
  473  or permanent housing units for homeless persons.
  474         (a) Grant applicants shall be ranked competitively.
  475  Preference must be given to applicants who leverage additional
  476  private funds and public funds, particularly federal funds
  477  designated for the acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation
  478  of transitional or permanent housing for homeless persons; who
  479  acquire, build, or rehabilitate the greatest number of units; or
  480  and who acquire, build, or rehabilitate in catchment areas
  481  having the greatest need for housing for the homeless relative
  482  to the population of the catchment area.
  483         (b) Funding for any particular project may not exceed
  484  $750,000.
  485         (c) Projects must reserve, for a minimum of 10 years, the
  486  number of units acquired, constructed, or rehabilitated through
  487  homeless housing assistance grant funding to serve persons who
  488  are homeless at the time they assume tenancy.
  489         (d) No more than two grants may be awarded annually in any
  490  given local homeless assistance continuum of care catchment
  491  area.
  492         (e) A project may not be funded which is not included in
  493  the local homeless assistance continuum of care plan, as
  494  recognized by the State Office on Homelessness, for the
  495  catchment area in which the project is located.
  496         (f) The maximum percentage of funds that the State Office
  497  on Homelessness and each applicant may spend on administrative
  498  costs is 5 percent.
  499         (6) The State Office on Homelessness, in conjunction with
  500  the Council on Homelessness, shall establish performance
  501  measures and specific objectives by which it may to evaluate the
  502  effective performance and outcomes of lead agencies that receive
  503  grant funds. Challenge Grants made through the State Office on
  504  Homelessness shall be distributed to lead agencies based on
  505  their overall performance and their achievement of specified
  506  objectives. Each lead agency for which grants are made under
  507  this section shall provide the State Office on Homelessness a
  508  thorough evaluation of the effectiveness of the program in
  509  achieving its stated purpose. In evaluating the performance of
  510  the lead agencies, the State Office on Homelessness shall base
  511  its criteria upon the program objectives, goals, and priorities
  512  that were set forth by the lead agencies in their proposals for
  513  funding. Such criteria may include, but are not be limited to,
  514  the number of persons or households that are no longer homeless,
  515  the rate of recidivism to homelessness, and the number of
  516  persons who obtain gainful employment homeless individuals
  517  provided shelter, food, counseling, and job training.
  518         (10)The State Office on Homelessness may administer moneys
  519  appropriated to it for distribution among the 28 local homeless
  520  continuums of care designated by the Department of Children and
  521  Families.
  522         Section 6. Subsections (3), (7), and (8) of section
  523  420.624, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  524         420.624 Local homeless assistance continuum of care.—
  525         (3) Communities or regions seeking to implement a local
  526  homeless assistance continuum of care are encouraged to develop
  527  and annually update a written plan that includes a vision for
  528  the continuum of care, an assessment of the supply of and demand
  529  for housing and services for the homeless population, and
  530  specific strategies and processes for providing the components
  531  of the continuum of care. The State Office on Homelessness, in
  532  conjunction with the Council on Homelessness, shall include in
  533  the plan a methodology for assessing performance and outcomes.
  534  The State Office on Homelessness shall supply a standardized
  535  format for written plans, including the reporting of data.
  536         (7) The components of a continuum of care plan should
  537  include:
  538         (a) Outreach, intake, and assessment procedures in order to
  539  identify the service and housing needs of an individual or
  540  family and to link them with appropriate housing, services,
  541  resources, and opportunities;
  542         (b) Emergency shelter, in order to provide a safe, decent
  543  alternative to living in the streets;
  544         (c) Transitional housing;
  545         (d) Supportive services, designed to assist with the
  546  development of the skills necessary to secure and retain
  547  permanent housing;
  548         (e) Permanent supportive housing;
  549         (f) Rapid ReHousing, as specified in s. 420.6265;
  550         (g)(f) Permanent housing;
  551         (h)(g) Linkages and referral mechanisms among all
  552  components to facilitate the movement of individuals and
  553  families toward permanent housing and self-sufficiency;
  554         (i)(h) Services and resources to prevent housed persons
  555  from becoming or returning to homelessness; and
  556         (j)(i) An ongoing planning mechanism to address the needs
  557  of all subgroups of the homeless population, including but not
  558  limited to:
  559         1. Single adult males;
  560         2. Single adult females;
  561         3. Families with children;
  562         4. Families with no children;
  563         5. Unaccompanied children and youth;
  564         6. Elderly persons;
  565         7. Persons with drug or alcohol addictions;
  566         8. Persons with mental illness;
  567         9. Persons with dual or multiple physical or mental
  568  disorders;
  569         10. Victims of domestic violence; and
  570         11. Persons living with HIV/AIDS.
  571         (8) Continuum of care plans must promote participation by
  572  all interested individuals and organizations and may not exclude
  573  individuals and organizations on the basis of race, color,
  574  national origin, sex, handicap, familial status, or religion.
  575  Faith-based organizations must be encouraged to participate. To
  576  the extent possible, these components must should be coordinated
  577  and integrated with other mainstream health, social services,
  578  and employment programs for which homeless populations may be
  579  eligible, including Medicaid, State Children’s Health Insurance
  580  Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food
  581  Assistance Program, and services funded through the Mental
  582  Health and Substance Abuse Block Grant, the Workforce Investment
  583  Act, and the welfare-to-work grant program.
  584         Section 7. Section 420.6265, Florida Statutes, is created
  585  to read:
  586         420.6265 Rapid ReHousing.—
  587         (1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.—
  588         (a) The Legislature finds that Rapid ReHousing is a
  589  strategy of using temporary financial assistance and case
  590  management to quickly move an individual or family out of
  591  homelessness and into permanent housing.
  592         (b) The Legislature also finds that public and private
  593  solutions to homelessness in the past have focused on providing
  594  individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness with
  595  emergency shelter, transitional housing, or a combination of
  596  both. While emergency shelter and transitional housing programs
  597  may provide critical access to services for individuals and
  598  families in crisis, the programs often fail to address their
  599  long-term needs.
  600         (c) The Legislature further finds that most households
  601  become homeless as a result of a financial crisis that prevents
  602  individuals and families from paying rent or a domestic conflict
  603  that results in one member being ejected or leaving without
  604  resources or a plan for housing.
  605         (d) The Legislature further finds that Rapid ReHousing is
  606  an alternative approach to the current system of emergency
  607  shelter or transitional housing which tends to reduce the length
  608  of time a person is homeless and has proven to be cost
  609  effective.
  610         (e) It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to
  611  encourage homeless continuums of care to adopt the Rapid
  612  ReHousing approach to preventing homelessness for individuals
  613  and families who do not require the intense level of supports
  614  provided in the permanent supportive housing model.
  615         (2) RAPID REHOUSING METHODOLOGY.—
  616         (a) The Rapid ReHousing response to homelessness differs
  617  from traditional approaches to addressing homelessness by
  618  focusing on each individual’s or family’s barriers to housing.
  619  By using this approach, communities can significantly reduce the
  620  amount of time that individuals and families are homeless and
  621  prevent further episodes of homelessness.
  622         (b) In Rapid ReHousing, an individual or family is
  623  identified as being homeless, temporary assistance is provided
  624  to allow the individual or family to obtain permanent housing as
  625  quickly as possible, and, if needed, assistance is provided to
  626  allow the individual or family to retain housing.
  627         (c) The objective of Rapid ReHousing is to provide
  628  assistance for as short a term as possible so that the
  629  individual or family receiving assistance does not develop a
  630  dependency on the assistance.
  631         Section 8. Subsections (16), (25), and (26) of section
  632  420.9071, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  633         420.9071 Definitions.—As used in ss. 420.907-420.9079, the
  634  term:
  635         (16) “Local housing incentive strategies” means local
  636  regulatory reform or incentive programs to encourage or
  637  facilitate affordable housing production, which include at a
  638  minimum, assurance that permits as defined in s. 163.3164 for
  639  affordable housing projects are expedited to a greater degree
  640  than other projects, as provided in s. 163.3177(6)(f)3.; an
  641  ongoing process for review of local policies, ordinances,
  642  regulations, and plan provisions that increase the cost of
  643  housing prior to their adoption; and a schedule for implementing
  644  the incentive strategies. Local housing incentive strategies may
  645  also include other regulatory reforms, such as those enumerated
  646  in s. 420.9076 or those recommended by the affordable housing
  647  advisory committee in its triennial evaluation of the
  648  implementation of affordable housing incentives, and adopted by
  649  the local governing body.
  650         (25) “Recaptured funds” means funds that are recouped by a
  651  county or eligible municipality in accordance with the recapture
  652  provisions of its local housing assistance plan pursuant to s.
  653  420.9075(5)(j) s. 420.9075(5)(h) from eligible persons or
  654  eligible sponsors, which funds were not used for assistance to
  655  an eligible household for an eligible activity, when there is a
  656  default on the terms of a grant award or loan award.
  657         (26) “Rent subsidies” means ongoing monthly rental
  658  assistance. The term does not include initial assistance to
  659  tenants, such as grants or loans for security and utility
  660  deposits.
  661         Section 9. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) and subsection
  662  (7) of section 420.9072, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  663         420.9072 State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program.—The
  664  State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program is created for the
  665  purpose of providing funds to counties and eligible
  666  municipalities as an incentive for the creation of local housing
  667  partnerships, to expand production of and preserve affordable
  668  housing, to further the housing element of the local government
  669  comprehensive plan specific to affordable housing, and to
  670  increase housing-related employment.
  671         (3)
  672         (b) Within 45 30 days after receiving a plan, the review
  673  committee shall review the plan and either approve it or
  674  identify inconsistencies with the requirements of the program.
  675  The corporation shall assist a local government in revising its
  676  plan if it initially proves to be inconsistent with program
  677  requirements. A plan that is revised by the local government to
  678  achieve consistency with program requirements shall be reviewed
  679  within 45 30 days after submission. The deadlines for submitting
  680  original and revised plans shall be established by corporation
  681  rule; however, the corporation shall not require submission of a
  682  new local housing assistance plan to implement amendments to
  683  this act until the currently effective plan expires.
  684         (7)(a) A county or an eligible municipality must expend its
  685  portion of the local housing distribution only to implement a
  686  local housing assistance plan or as provided in this subsection.
  687  A county or an eligible municipality may not expend its portion
  688  of the local housing distribution to provide rent subsidies;
  689  however, this does not prohibit the use of funds for security
  690  and utility deposit assistance.
  691         (b)A county or an eligible municipality may not expend its
  692  portion of the local housing distribution to provide ongoing
  693  rent subsidies, except for:
  694         1.Security and utility deposit assistance.
  695         2.Eviction prevention not to exceed 6 months’ rent.
  696         3.A rent subsidy program for very-low-income households
  697  with at least one adult who is a person with special needs as
  698  defined in s. 420.0004 or homeless as defined in s. 420.621. The
  699  period of rental assistance may not exceed 12 months for any
  700  eligible household.
  701         Section 10. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
  702  420.9075, Florida Statutes, is amended, paragraphs (f) and (g)
  703  are added to subsection (3) of that section, paragraph (e) of
  704  subsection (4) of that section is amended, present paragraph (b)
  705  of subsection (5) of that section is redesignated as paragraph
  706  (c), present paragraphs (c) through (l) of that subsection are
  707  redesignated as paragraphs (e) through (n), respectively, new
  708  paragraphs (b) and (d) are added to that subsection, present
  709  paragraph (l) of that subsection is amended, paragraph (i) is
  710  added to subsection (10) of that section, and paragraph (b) of
  711  subsection (13) of that section is amended, to read:
  712         420.9075 Local housing assistance plans; partnerships.—
  713         (2)(a) Each county and each eligible municipality
  714  participating in the State Housing Initiatives Partnership
  715  Program shall encourage the involvement of appropriate public
  716  sector and private sector entities as partners in order to
  717  combine resources to reduce housing costs for the targeted
  718  population. This partnership process should involve:
  719         1. Lending institutions.
  720         2. Housing builders and developers.
  721         3. Nonprofit and other community-based housing and service
  722  organizations.
  723         4. Providers of professional services relating to
  724  affordable housing.
  725         5. Advocates for low-income persons, including, but not
  726  limited to, homeless people, the elderly, and migrant
  727  farmworkers.
  728         6. Real estate professionals.
  729         7. Other persons or entities who can assist in providing
  730  housing or related support services.
  731         8.Lead agencies of local homeless assistance continuums of
  732  care.
  733         (3)
  734         (f)Each county and each eligible municipality is
  735  encouraged to develop a strategy within its local housing
  736  assistance plan which provides program funds for reducing
  737  homelessness.
  738         (g) Local governments may create regional partnerships
  739  across jurisdictional boundaries through the pooling of
  740  appropriated funds to address homeless housing needs identified
  741  in local housing assistance plans.
  742         (4) Each local housing assistance plan is governed by the
  743  following criteria and administrative procedures:
  744         (e) The staff or entity that has administrative authority
  745  for implementing a local housing assistance plan assisting
  746  rental developments shall annually monitor and determine tenant
  747  eligibility or, to the extent another governmental entity or
  748  corporation program provides periodic the same monitoring and
  749  determination, a municipality, county, or local housing
  750  financing authority may rely on such monitoring and
  751  determination of tenant eligibility. However, any loan or grant
  752  in the original amount of $10,000 3,000 or less is shall not be
  753  subject to these annual monitoring and determination of tenant
  754  eligibility requirements.
  755         (5) The following criteria apply to awards made to eligible
  756  sponsors or eligible persons for the purpose of providing
  757  eligible housing:
  758         (b)Up to 25 percent of the funds made available in each
  759  county and eligible municipality from the local housing
  760  distribution may be reserved for rental housing for eligible
  761  persons or for the purposes enumerated in s. 420.9072(7)(b).
  762         (d) Each local government must use a minimum of 20 percent
  763  of its local housing distribution to serve persons with special
  764  needs as defined in s. 420.0004. A local government must certify
  765  that it will meet this requirement through existing approved
  766  strategies in the local housing assistance plan or submit a new
  767  local housing assistance plan strategy for this purpose to the
  768  corporation for approval to ensure that the plan meets this
  769  requirement. The first priority of these special needs funds
  770  must be to serve persons with developmental disabilities as
  771  defined in s. 393.063, with an emphasis on home modifications,
  772  including technological enhancements and devices, which will
  773  allow homeowners to remain independent in their own homes and
  774  maintain their homeownership.
  775         (n)(l) Funds from the local housing distribution not used
  776  to meet the criteria established in paragraph (a) or paragraph
  777  (c) (b) or not used for the administration of a local housing
  778  assistance plan must be used for housing production and finance
  779  activities, including, but not limited to, financing
  780  preconstruction activities or the purchase of existing units,
  781  providing rental housing, and providing home ownership training
  782  to prospective home buyers and owners of homes assisted through
  783  the local housing assistance plan.
  784         1. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (a) and (c)
  785  (b), program income as defined in s. 420.9071(24) may also be
  786  used to fund activities described in this paragraph.
  787         2. When preconstruction due-diligence activities conducted
  788  as part of a preservation strategy show that preservation of the
  789  units is not feasible and will not result in the production of
  790  an eligible unit, such costs shall be deemed a program expense
  791  rather than an administrative expense if such program expenses
  792  do not exceed 3 percent of the annual local housing
  793  distribution.
  794         3. If both an award under the local housing assistance plan
  795  and federal low-income housing tax credits are used to assist a
  796  project and there is a conflict between the criteria prescribed
  797  in this subsection and the requirements of s. 42 of the Internal
  798  Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the county or eligible
  799  municipality may resolve the conflict by giving precedence to
  800  the requirements of s. 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
  801  as amended, in lieu of following the criteria prescribed in this
  802  subsection with the exception of paragraphs (a) and (g) (e) of
  803  this subsection.
  804         4. Each county and each eligible municipality may award
  805  funds as a grant for construction, rehabilitation, or repair as
  806  part of disaster recovery or emergency repairs or to remedy
  807  accessibility or health and safety deficiencies. Any other
  808  grants must be approved as part of the local housing assistance
  809  plan.
  810         (10) Each county or eligible municipality shall submit to
  811  the corporation by September 15 of each year a report of its
  812  affordable housing programs and accomplishments through June 30
  813  immediately preceding submittal of the report. The report shall
  814  be certified as accurate and complete by the local government’s
  815  chief elected official or his or her designee. Transmittal of
  816  the annual report by a county’s or eligible municipality’s chief
  817  elected official, or his or her designee, certifies that the
  818  local housing incentive strategies, or, if applicable, the local
  819  housing incentive plan, have been implemented or are in the
  820  process of being implemented pursuant to the adopted schedule
  821  for implementation. The report must include, but is not limited
  822  to:
  823         (i) A description of efforts to reduce homelessness.
  824         (13)
  825         (b) If, as a result of its review of the annual report, the
  826  corporation determines that a county or eligible municipality
  827  has failed to implement a local housing incentive strategy, or,
  828  if applicable, a local housing incentive plan, it shall send a
  829  notice of termination of the local government’s share of the
  830  local housing distribution by certified mail to the affected
  831  county or eligible municipality.
  832         1. The notice must specify a date of termination of the
  833  funding if the affected county or eligible municipality does not
  834  implement the plan or strategy and provide for a local response.
  835  A county or eligible municipality shall respond to the
  836  corporation within 30 days after receipt of the notice of
  837  termination.
  838         2. The corporation shall consider the local response that
  839  extenuating circumstances precluded implementation and grant an
  840  extension to the timeframe for implementation. Such an extension
  841  shall be made in the form of an extension agreement that
  842  provides a timeframe for implementation. The chief elected
  843  official of a county or eligible municipality or his or her
  844  designee shall have the authority to enter into the agreement on
  845  behalf of the local government.
  846         3. If the county or the eligible municipality has not
  847  implemented the incentive strategy or entered into an extension
  848  agreement by the termination date specified in the notice, the
  849  local housing distribution share terminates, and any uncommitted
  850  local housing distribution funds held by the affected county or
  851  eligible municipality in its local housing assistance trust fund
  852  shall be transferred to the Local Government Housing Trust Fund
  853  to the credit of the corporation to administer.
  854         4.a. If the affected local government fails to meet the
  855  timeframes specified in the agreement, the corporation shall
  856  terminate funds. The corporation shall send a notice of
  857  termination of the local government’s share of the local housing
  858  distribution by certified mail to the affected local government.
  859  The notice shall specify the termination date, and any
  860  uncommitted funds held by the affected local government shall be
  861  transferred to the Local Government Housing Trust Fund to the
  862  credit of the corporation to administer.
  863         b. If the corporation terminates funds to a county, but an
  864  eligible municipality receiving a local housing distribution
  865  pursuant to an interlocal agreement maintains compliance with
  866  program requirements, the corporation shall thereafter
  867  distribute directly to the participating eligible municipality
  868  its share calculated in the manner provided in ss. s. 420.9072
  869  and 420.9073.
  870         c. Any county or eligible municipality whose local
  871  distribution share has been terminated may subsequently elect to
  872  receive directly its local distribution share by adopting the
  873  ordinance, resolution, and local housing assistance plan in the
  874  manner and according to the procedures provided in ss. 420.907
  875  420.9079.
  876         Section 11. Subsection (2), paragraph (a) of subsection
  877  (4), and paragraph (b) of subsection (7) of section 420.9076,
  878  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  879         420.9076 Adoption of affordable housing incentive
  880  strategies; committees.—
  881         (2) The governing board of a county or municipality shall
  882  appoint the members of the affordable housing advisory committee
  883  by resolution. Pursuant to the terms of any interlocal
  884  agreement, a county and municipality may create and jointly
  885  appoint an advisory committee to prepare a joint plan. The local
  886  action ordinance adopted pursuant to s. 420.9072 which creates
  887  the advisory committee and appoints or the resolution appointing
  888  the advisory committee members must name at least 8 but not more
  889  than 11 provide for 11 committee members and specify their
  890  terms. The committee must consist of one representative from at
  891  least six of the categories below include:
  892         (a) A One citizen who is actively engaged in the
  893  residential home building industry in connection with affordable
  894  housing.
  895         (b) A One citizen who is actively engaged in the banking or
  896  mortgage banking industry in connection with affordable housing.
  897         (c) A One citizen who is a representative of those areas of
  898  labor actively engaged in home building in connection with
  899  affordable housing.
  900         (d) A One citizen who is actively engaged as an advocate
  901  for low-income persons in connection with affordable housing.
  902         (e) A One citizen who is actively engaged as a for-profit
  903  provider of affordable housing.
  904         (f) A One citizen who is actively engaged as a not-for
  905  profit provider of affordable housing.
  906         (g) A One citizen who is actively engaged as a real estate
  907  professional in connection with affordable housing.
  908         (h) A One citizen who actively serves on the local planning
  909  agency pursuant to s. 163.3174. If the local planning agency is
  910  comprised of the governing board of the county or municipality,
  911  the governing board may appoint a designee who is knowledgeable
  912  in the local planning process.
  913         (i) A One citizen who resides within the jurisdiction of
  914  the local governing body making the appointments.
  915         (j) A One citizen who represents employers within the
  916  jurisdiction.
  917         (k) A One citizen who represents essential services
  918  personnel, as defined in the local housing assistance plan.
  919  
  920  If a county or eligible municipality whether due to its small
  921  size, the presence of a conflict of interest by prospective
  922  appointees, or other reasonable factor, is unable to appoint a
  923  citizen actively engaged in these activities in connection with
  924  affordable housing, a citizen engaged in the activity without
  925  regard to affordable housing may be appointed. Local governments
  926  that receive the minimum allocation under the State Housing
  927  Initiatives Partnership Program may elect to appoint an
  928  affordable housing advisory committee with fewer than 11
  929  representatives if they are unable to find representatives who
  930  meet the criteria of paragraphs (a)-(k).
  931         (4) Triennially, the advisory committee shall review the
  932  established policies and procedures, ordinances, land
  933  development regulations, and adopted local government
  934  comprehensive plan of the appointing local government and shall
  935  recommend specific actions or initiatives to encourage or
  936  facilitate affordable housing while protecting the ability of
  937  the property to appreciate in value. The recommendations may
  938  include the modification or repeal of existing policies,
  939  procedures, ordinances, regulations, or plan provisions; the
  940  creation of exceptions applicable to affordable housing; or the
  941  adoption of new policies, procedures, regulations, ordinances,
  942  or plan provisions, including recommendations to amend the local
  943  government comprehensive plan and corresponding regulations,
  944  ordinances, and other policies. At a minimum, each advisory
  945  committee shall submit a report to the local governing body that
  946  includes recommendations on, and triennially thereafter
  947  evaluates the implementation of, affordable housing incentives
  948  in the following areas:
  949         (a) The processing of approvals of development orders or
  950  permits, as defined in s. 163.3164, for affordable housing
  951  projects is expedited to a greater degree than other projects,
  952  as provided in s. 163.3177(6)(f)3.
  953  
  954  The advisory committee recommendations may also include other
  955  affordable housing incentives identified by the advisory
  956  committee. Local governments that receive the minimum allocation
  957  under the State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program shall
  958  perform the initial review but may elect to not perform the
  959  triennial review.
  960         (7) The governing board of the county or the eligible
  961  municipality shall notify the corporation by certified mail of
  962  its adoption of an amendment of its local housing assistance
  963  plan to incorporate local housing incentive strategies. The
  964  notice must include a copy of the approved amended plan.
  965         (b) If a county fails to timely adopt an amended local
  966  housing assistance plan to incorporate local housing incentive
  967  strategies but an eligible municipality receiving a local
  968  housing distribution pursuant to an interlocal agreement within
  969  the county does timely adopt an amended local housing assistance
  970  plan to incorporate local housing incentive strategies, the
  971  corporation, after issuance receipt of a notice of termination,
  972  shall thereafter distribute directly to the participating
  973  eligible municipality its share calculated in the manner
  974  provided in s. 420.9073 s. 420.9072.
  975         Section 12. Section 420.9089, Florida Statutes, is created
  976  to read:
  977         420.9089National Housing Trust Fund.—The Legislature finds
  978  that more funding for housing to assist individuals and families
  979  who are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of
  980  homelessness is needed and encourages the state entity
  981  designated to administer funds made available to the state from
  982  the National Housing Trust Fund to propose an allocation plan
  983  that includes strategies to reduce homelessness and the risk of
  984  homelessness in this state. These strategies shall be in
  985  addition to strategies developed under s. 420.5087.
  986         Section 13. Subsection (4) is added to section 421.04,
  987  Florida Statutes, to read:
  988         421.04 Creation of housing authorities.—
  989         (4) Regardless of the date of its creation, a housing
  990  authority may not apply to the Federal Government to seize any
  991  projects, units, or vouchers of another established housing
  992  authority, irrespective of each housing authority’s areas of
  993  operation.
  994         Section 14. Subsection (2) of section 421.05, Florida
  995  Statutes, is amended to read:
  996         421.05 Appointment, qualifications, and tenure of
  997  commissioners; hiring of employees.—
  998         (2) The powers of each authority shall be vested in the
  999  commissioners thereof in office from time to time. A majority of
 1000  the commissioners shall constitute a quorum of the authority for
 1001  the purpose of conducting its business and exercising its powers
 1002  and for all other purposes. Action may be taken by the authority
 1003  upon a vote of a majority of the commissioners present, unless
 1004  in any case the bylaws of the authority require a larger number.
 1005  The mayor with the concurrence of the governing body shall
 1006  designate which of the commissioners appointed shall be the
 1007  first chair from among the appointed commissioners, but when the
 1008  office of the chair of the authority thereafter becomes vacant,
 1009  the authority shall select a chair from among the its
 1010  commissioners. An authority shall also select from among the its
 1011  commissioners a vice chair,; and it may employ a secretary, who
 1012  shall be the executive director, technical experts, and such
 1013  other officers, agents, and employees, permanent and temporary,
 1014  as it may require and shall determine their qualifications,
 1015  duties, and compensation. Accordingly, authorities are exempt
 1016  from s. 215.425. For such legal services as it may require, An
 1017  authority may call upon the chief law officer of the city or may
 1018  employ its own counsel and legal staff for legal services. An
 1019  authority may delegate to one or more of its agents or employees
 1020  such powers or duties as it may deem proper.
 1021         Section 15. Subsection (1) of section 421.091, Florida
 1022  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1023         421.091 Financial accounting and investments; fiscal year.—
 1024         (1) A complete and full financial accounting and audit in
 1025  accordance with federal audit standards of public housing
 1026  agencies shall be made biennially by a certified public
 1027  accountant and submitted to the Federal Government in accordance
 1028  with its policies. Housing authorities are otherwise exempt from
 1029  the reporting requirements of s. 218.32. A copy of such audit
 1030  shall be filed with the governing body and with the Auditor
 1031  General.
 1032         Section 16. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.