Florida Senate - 2013                          SENATOR AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 1852
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 850578                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
                 Floor: WD/2R          .                                
             04/25/2013 11:22 AM       .                                
       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————




       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
       Senator Soto moved the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment to Amendment (224500) 
    2  
    3         Delete lines 5 - 150
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. (1) The nonrecurring sum of $58,080,474 is
    6  appropriated from the Local Government Housing Trust Fund to the
    7  Department of Economic Opportunity for the 2013-2014 fiscal year
    8  for transfer to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC)
    9  to fund the State Housing Initiative Program (SHIP). The FHFC
   10  shall allocate the funding to all eligible counties and cities.
   11  Except as otherwise specified in this section, local governments
   12  must use this funding according to the SHIP statute and rules
   13  and within the parameters of their adopted local housing
   14  assistance plan.
   15         (2) All funding appropriated in this section must be used
   16  for the following strategies that assist households and
   17  communities that have been affected by foreclosures, using
   18  existing housing stock:
   19         (a) Approximately $28 million must be used in assisting
   20  with purchases of existing housing, with or without
   21  rehabilitation.
   22         (b) Approximately $20 million must be used toward rental
   23  deposit assistance for homeowners who have lost their home in
   24  foreclosure.
   25         (c) Approximately $10 million must be used toward providing
   26  rental deposit assistance for seniors who have lost their home
   27  due to foreclosure.
   28         (3) Of the funding provided in this section, each local
   29  government must use a minimum of 20 percent of its allocation to
   30  serve persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004,
   31  Florida Statutes. Before this portion of the allocation is
   32  released by FHFC, a local government must submit an existing or
   33  new local housing assistance plan strategy for this purpose to
   34  the FHFC for approval to ensure that it meets these
   35  specifications. The first priority of these special needs funds
   36  must be to use them for persons with developmental, hearing,
   37  visual, or mobility disabilities, with an emphasis on home
   38  modifications, including technological enhancements and devices,
   39  which will allow homeowners to remain independent in their own
   40  homes and maintain their homeownership.
   41         (4) Local governments may not use more than 3 percent of
   42  their allocations under this section for administrative costs.
   43         Section 2. The nonrecurring sum of $10 million is
   44  appropriated from the State Housing Trust Fund to the Department
   45  of Economic Opportunity for the 2013-2014 fiscal year for
   46  transfer to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation to fund the
   47  rehabilitation and preservation of public housing units provided
   48  under chapter 421 and to specifically target the units of low
   49  income and very-low-income persons affected by foreclosure for
   50  upgrades and improvements. The funding must be administered as a
   51  grant program.
   52         Section 3. (1) The nonrecurring sum of $40 million is
   53  appropriated from the State Housing Trust Fund to the Department
   54  of Economic Opportunity for the 2013-2014 fiscal year for
   55  transfer to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) to
   56  fund the State Apartment Incentive Loan Program (SAIL). This
   57  appropriation must be spent over the next 3 years for
   58  administrative expenses associated with implementing this act,
   59  as follows: $16.67 million in each of the first two years and
   60  $16.66 million in the third year.
   61         (2) Each SAIL development that receives funds under this
   62  section must include up to 15 percent but not less than 5
   63  percent of its units designed, constructed, and targeted for
   64  individuals with developmental, hearing, visual, or mobility
   65  disabilities. Each development shall be required to enter into
   66  agreements with the local Center for Independent Living, Agency
   67  for Persons with Disabilities, or other such agency approved by
   68  FHFC, for the purpose of coordinating services and housing for
   69  individuals with disabilities.
   70         (3) Affordable housing units in each development which are
   71  in addition to those required under subsection (2) shall provide
   72  reduced-rent units to serve tenants who are elderly, as defined
   73  in s. 420.0004, Florida Statutes, and tenants who are extremely
   74  low-income persons (ELI), as defined in s. 420.0004, Florida
   75  Statutes. To the extent possible, ELI units should be part of
   76  FHFC’s existing Link Initiative in which developers set aside
   77  units for special needs households, including households with
   78  persons affected by foreclosure, persons with disabilities,
   79  homeless families, youth aging out of foster care, frail elders,
   80  and survivors of domestic violence who are receiving community
   81  based supportive services and who are referred by a supportive
   82  services agency in the community where the property is located.
   83         Section 4. The nonrecurring sum of $9 million is
   84  appropriated from the State Housing Trust Fund to the Department
   85  of Economic Opportunity for the 2013-2014 fiscal year for
   86  transfer to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. This
   87  appropriation must be spent in annual $3 million increments over
   88  the next 3 years for administrative expenses associated with
   89  implementing this act.
   90         Section 5. The nonrecurring sum of $12 million is
   91  appropriated from the State Housing Trust Fund to the Department
   92  of Economic Opportunity for the 2013-2014 fiscal year for
   93  transfer to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation for the
   94  Florida Hardest-Hit Fund. This appropriation must be spent in
   95  annual $4 million increments over the next 3 years for
   96  administrative expenses associated with implementing this
   97  section.
   98         Section 6. The nonrecurring sum of $15 million is
   99  appropriated from the State Housing Trust Fund to the Department
  100  of Economic Opportunity for the 2013-2014 fiscal year for
  101  transfer to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) to
  102  fund a competitive grant program to provide housing for homeless
  103  persons affected by the foreclosure crisis. The FHFC shall award
  104  funds on a competitive basis to private nonprofit organizations
  105  to purchase and renovate existing houses to be used by
  106  extremely-low-income homeless persons who have been affected by
  107  the foreclosure crisis. Funds may also be awarded to private
  108  nonprofit organizations to construct small specialty housing of
  109  10 units or fewer for homeless families affected by the
  110  foreclosure crisis. This appropriation must be spent in annual
  111  $5 million increments over the next 3 years for administrative
  112  expenses associated with implementing this section.
  113         Section 7. The nonrecurring sum of $18 million is
  114  appropriated from the State Housing Trust Fund to the Department
  115  of Economic Opportunity for the 2013-2014 fiscal year for
  116  transfer to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation for
  117  foreclosure counseling programs. This appropriation must be
  118  spent in annual $6 million increments over the next 3 years.
  119         Section 8. The nonrecurring sum of $36 million is
  120  appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of
  121  Legal Affairs, Office of the Attorney General, for the 2013-2014
  122  fiscal year to contract with regional legal aid service
  123  providers to provide legal aid services to low-income and
  124  moderate-income homeowners facing foreclosure. Administrative
  125  costs or fees may not be collected or used by the Office of the
  126  Attorney General, any association, or any foundation for
  127  providing such services with the funds appropriated in this
  128  section. This appropriation must be spent in annual $12 million
  129  increments over the next 3 years.
  130         Section 9. The Legislature finds that there is a need for a
  131  promotional campaign to increase consumer awareness of
  132  affordable housing availability and housing assistance
  133  opportunities as outlined in this act. To this end, the Office
  134  of the Attorney General may establish, coordinate, and promote
  135  such an advertising campaign, which may include public relations
  136  activities and contracting with media representatives for the
  137  purpose of dispersing promotional materials and providing
  138  opportunities for consumer assistance. The nonrecurring sum of
  139  $2 million is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the
  140  Department of Legal Affairs, Office of the Attorney General, for
  141  the 2013-2014 fiscal year for this purpose.
  142         Section 10. The appropriations in this act are contingent
  143  upon the deposit of $200,080,474 into the state treasury from
  144  the escrow account created as a result of the consent judgment
  145  entered into by the Florida Attorney General on April 4, 2012,
  146  in the case of United States of America v. Bank of America
  147  Corp., No. 305 12-0361-RMC, in the United States District Court
  148  for the District of Columbia. Of the $200,080,474, the following
  149  amounts shall be deposited into the specified funds in the state
  150  treasury: $58,080,474 shall be deposited into the Local