AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Santa Rosa County recognizes the need to provide residents with a variety of quality affordable housing choices.  The Housing Program’s primary purpose is to improve housing opportunities for the benefit of low and moderate income families.  The goal of the Housing Program is to create partnerships, maximize resources and identify new strategies to develop and preserve affordable housing.

PROGRAMS

• First Time Homebuyer Program (SHIP)
  Santa Rosa County participates in the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program.  The program is designed to assist families with down payment and closing cost assistance for the purchase of their first home.  Applicants qualified for first mortgage financing may apply through their lender located in Escambia or Santa Rosa County for SHIP funds.  The assistance is in the form of a deferred payment loan that becomes forgivable after fifteen (15) years.
  
  Homebuyer Information
  
  
• Low-Income Owner Occupied Home Rehabilitation Program (SHIP/HOME)
  Eligible repairs or improvements include work needed for safe or sanitary habitation and/or correction of building code violations. A waiting list exists for this program.
  
  Rehabilitation Program Information
  
  
• Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP)
  Santa Rosa County is a recipient of NSP funding under the Florida State Administered Community Development Block Grant Program for eligible uses specified in the 2008 Housing and Economic Recovery Act.  NSP funds must be used to address abandoned and foreclosed properties in areas of greatest need.  Homeownership and rental activities must meet the national objective of providing benefit to low, moderate and middle income persons (maximum of 120% of area median income). 
  
  
  Housing Finance Program Summary
  NSP Participating Lenders and Realtors
  3.Housing Acquisition/Rehabilitation for rental housing for very low-income families.  A Request for Proposal is open for bid. The closing date to receive responses is May 11, 2010 at 10 a.m.  Please go to http://www.santarosa.fl.gov/bids/openbids.html for additional information.
  
  
  Santa Rosa County NSP Application and Maps of Areas of Greatest Need
  NSP Housing Assistance Plan
  Florida's Neighborhood Stabilization Program
  Federal Register

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

• The Santa Rosa County Housing Coalition
  The Coalition is tasked with identifying barriers to quality workforce housing and ways to reduce or eliminate those barriers.  The Coalition is made up of housing supporters, including among others, employers, non-profit and for-profit housing developers, credit counselors, utility providers, mortgage lenders, realtors and community service providers.
  
  The Coalition serves as a resource for potential homebuyers and renters to help individuals and families reach their housing goal.  Meetings are held through out the year.  Housing Coalition meeting information can be obtained from the County’s Main Web Page under Meetings & Agendas.  Supporters and all interested parties are welcome to attend.
  
  
• Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC)
  Members of the AHAC are appointed by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to serve as a citizen’s advisory representative for state funding under the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program.
  
  All meetings of the advisory committee are public meetings.  The AHAC reviews local housing incentive strategies and makes recommendations to the BOCC for the creation of best practices for the programs to both develop affordable housing and to maintain the current housing stock.  AHAC meeting information can be obtained from the County’s Main Web Page under Meetings & Agendas.  Supporters and all interested parties are welcome to attend.
  
  AHAC MEMBERS
  
  
• Citizen’s Advisory Task Force (CATF)
  Members of the CATF are appointed by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to serve as citizen representatives for review and recommendations of projects for federal funding received under the Florida State Administered Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.  CATF activities vary depending on CDBG funding for special projects.  CATF meeting information can be obtained from the County’s Main Web Page under Meetings & Agendas.  Supporters and all interested parties are welcome to attend.
  
  CATF MEMBERS

COMMUNITY EVENTS

HOUSING RELATED INFORMATION AND REFERENCES

• Density Bonus Plan For Workforce Housing
  To meet the needs of Santa Rosa County residents and to provide an incentive for the development of Workforce and/or Affordable Housing, the BOCC has adopted a DENSITY BONUS on certain land categories.
  
  Density Bonus Information
  
  Affordable Housing Ordinance 93-09

FAIR HOUSING

It is the policy of Santa Rosa County, in keeping with the laws of the United States of America and the spirit of the Constitution of the State of Florida, to promote through fair, orderly and lawful procedure the opportunity for each person so desiring to obtain housing of such person's choice in this county, without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, familial status, handicap, or age, and, to that end, to prohibit discrimination in housing by any person. For more information on Fair Housing, or to register a fair housing complaint, contact:

Janice Boone, Fair Housing Coordinator
6051 Old Bagdad Hwy
Milton, Fl 32583
PHONE: (850) 981-7076
FAX: (850) 981-7099
E-Mail: janiceb@santarosa.fl.gov

HUD Fair Housing Public Service Announcement