Florida Senate - 2023 SB 88
By Senator Jones
34-00324-23 202388__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Task Force on Workforce Housing
3 for Teachers and Expansion of Schools; providing
4 legislative findings; creating the task force adjunct
5 to the Department of Economic Opportunity; requiring
6 the department to provide administrative and staff
7 support; specifying the purpose and the composition of
8 the task force; defining the term “workforce housing”;
9 specifying the duties of the task force; requiring the
10 task force to submit a report to the Governor and the
11 Legislature by a specified date; requiring state
12 agencies to assist and cooperate with the task force;
13 encouraging local governments to assist and cooperate
14 with the task force; providing for expiration of the
15 task force; providing an effective date.
16
17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19 Section 1. (1) The Legislature finds that recent rapid
20 increases in the median purchase price of homes and the cost of
21 rental housing have far outpaced the income of teachers in this
22 state, preventing essential teachers from living in the
23 communities where they serve and thereby creating the need for
24 innovative solutions for the provision of housing opportunities
25 for teachers. The Legislature further finds that there is a need
26 for additional classrooms and instructional space for children.
27 To this end, the Legislature finds that the establishment of the
28 Task Force on Workforce Housing for Teachers and Expansion of
29 Schools is an appropriate measure to identify ways to fulfill
30 this need in communities throughout the state.
31 (2) The Task Force on Workforce Housing for Teachers and
32 Expansion of Schools, a task force as defined in s. 20.03(8),
33 Florida Statutes, is created adjunct to the Department of
34 Economic Opportunity to study issues related to the need for
35 affordable housing for teachers and for additional classrooms
36 and instructional space and to identify the best means of
37 meeting those needs. Except as otherwise provided in this
38 section, the task force shall operate in a manner consistent
39 with s. 20.052, Florida Statutes. The department shall provide
40 administrative and staff support relating to the functions of
41 the task force.
42 (3) The task force is composed of the following members,
43 who shall be appointed no later than August 1, 2023:
44 (a) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
45 House of Representatives shall each appoint five members, none
46 of whom may be a member of the Legislature at the time of his or
47 her appointment, as follows:
48 1. One member of a board of county commissioners;
49 2. One member of a governing body of a municipality;
50 3. One member of a district school board;
51 4. A developer; and
52 5. A homebuilder.
53 (b) The Governor shall appoint two members, one of whom is
54 an affordable housing advocate who may not have a current or
55 past direct business relationship with any local government,
56 district school board, developer, or homebuilder. The Governor
57 shall designate one of his or her appointees as chair of the
58 task force.
59 (c) One member of the Senate, appointed by the President of
60 the Senate.
61 (d) One member of the House of Representatives, appointed
62 by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
63 (e) The Commissioner of Education or his or her designee.
64 (f) The Secretary of Environmental Protection or his or her
65 designee.
66 (g) The Secretary of Economic Opportunity or his or her
67 designee.
68 (h) The Secretary of Management Services or his or her
69 designee.
70
71 The chair of the task force may request that representatives of
72 appropriate federal agencies participate as ex officio,
73 nonvoting members.
74 (4) For purposes of this section, the term “workforce
75 housing” means housing affordable to natural persons or families
76 whose total annual household income does not exceed 80 percent
77 of the area median income, adjusted for household size.
78 (5) The task force shall:
79 (a) Study the feasibility of using surplus, state-owned
80 land and buildings for workforce housing for teachers and
81 classroom and instructional space for students.
82 (b) Identify the costs associated with the development of
83 surplus, state-owned land and buildings for workforce housing
84 for teachers and additional classroom and instructional space,
85 including costs arising out of potential partnerships between
86 state government, local governments, and the private sector.
87 (c) Identify the need and availability of grants for
88 workforce housing for teachers and additional classroom and
89 instructional space for students.
90 (d) Identify the areas of this state which have the
91 greatest need for workforce housing for teachers and additional
92 classroom and instructional space for students.
93 (e) Study the use of mixed-use developments in addressing
94 the need for workforce housing for teachers and additional
95 classroom and instructional space for students.
96 (f) Study the need for comprehensive planning that
97 addresses the need for workforce housing for teachers and
98 additional classroom and instructional space for students.
99 (g) Determine whether the creation of a pilot program is
100 necessary and appropriate to achieve the objectives of the task
101 force.
102 (h) Identify any statutory changes necessary to achieve the
103 objectives of the task force.
104 (6) The task force shall submit a report of its findings
105 and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the
106 Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by
107 February 1, 2024.
108 (7) All state agencies shall cooperate with and assist the
109 task force to the fullest extent possible. All local governments
110 are encouraged to assist and cooperate with the task force, as
111 necessary.
112 (8) This section expires July 1, 2024.
113 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.