Agenda 02/28/2012 Item #11C2/28/2012 Item 11.C.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Recommendation to revise Board Policy to increase the amount of Purchase Assistance awards for
the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program to the lesser of 20% of the purchase
price or 520,000.
OBJECTIVE: Expend available SHIP Trust funds in a program compliant manner that most likely
achieves spending by required dates.
CONSIDERATIONS: The BCC approved strategic plan includes Strategic Focus Area III: Community
Health, Wellness and Human Services, and the associated strategic goal is: "To improve the quality of life
and promote personal wellness, self reliance and independence ". Part of the agency's tactical
achievement toward this goal is the receipt and management of SHIP fund grants. The purpose of the
SHIP grant program is to provide safe, decent affordable housing to qualified individuals.
There is a balance in the SHIP Trust fund in excess of $2 million that must be expended by June 30, 2013.
It is of utmost importance that Collier County spend these funds by the deadlines in order to remain in
compliance and to meet the terms laid out by the grantor agency. Of most urgency, approximately
$380,000 must be spent by June 2012, and they must be spent for a SHIP category of "new construction ".
The remaining must be expended by June 2013 in approximately the following levels with no new
construction minimum requirement:
Set -Aside Requirement
Target Spend by 6/2013
At least 30% Very Low Income
$930;000
At least 30 °a Low Income
$750,000
Moderate Income: Up to 40%
$200,000
$1.880,000
After significant research, including multiple consultations with and technical assistance from the Florida
Housing Coalition (FHC) in order to suggest an appropriate policy, there is one viable option to achieve
the June 2012 spending deadline which can also be instrumental in meeting the 2013 deadline. It is to
increase the down payment assistance amount. The Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC)
has also been consulted for their recommendation. The collective recommendation is as follows:
• Allow for Purchase Assistance in the amount of 20% of the purchase price, not to exceed
$30,000
However, staff recommends the following more moderate level:
• Allow for Purchase Assistance in the amount of 20% of the purchase price, not to exceed
$20,000
At this level, a total of 20 — 30 loans (or 5 — 8 /month) must be processed, a level staff anticipates being
able to handle.
Due to the requirement to spend funds on new construction, staff has conducted outreach to the Collier
Building Industry Association, the Naples Area Board of Realtors, and the Mortgage Bankers Association
locally, as well as other local lenders, to determine the potential to partner with them in lending to persons
Packet Page -503-
2/28/2012 Item 11.C.
who are obtaining loans for newly constructed homes. Fortunately, we have received a substantial
commitment to partner on this endeavor. It must be recognized, however, that a fair share of these funds
will continue to be applied to very low or low income persons, per the program requirements, who may
not be seeking or be eligible for traditional bank financing.
While the immediate urgency is for the June 2012 spending deadline, staff requests that the same increase
in down payment assistance be approved for use with the funds that must be spent by June 2013. There
are several reasons for this request:
• As a condition of spending the funds identified by the recent retrospective reconciliation, the
grantor agency has required an increase in purchase assistance as the most viable strategy to
expend the funds timely;
• All other common strategies involve single family rehabilitation in some manner, which, even
if done via a subrecipient agreement (sponsor), would require HHVS staff to inspect and verify
the rehabilitation work and for reimbursements to be processed through the Finance
Department;
• This does not preclude use of the funds under any of the other approved LHAP strategies
• Even with a combination of strategies, the purchase assistance component is and has
consistently been the primary use of SHIP funds
• The BCC may consider appropriate strategies for future funds when they are received (Collier
County has been awarded only another $431,000 that must be spent by June 2014. At this time
it is highly uncertain whether any funding will be allocated for future funding years.)
Finally, staff is pursuing alternate strategies and will return to the board as soon as any are determined
viable, and to determine how to spend the new allocation of the $431,000 FY 11 /12 allocation.
FISCAL IMPACT: Approval of this policy will ensure Collier County remains in compliance with the
SHIP program and alleviates the risk of returning any unexpended funds to the State Housing Trust Fund.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This item legally sufficient and requires a majority vote. - JBW
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: The SHIP program supports efforts to meet the objectives of
the Housing Element of the Growth Management Plan. The decision to approve the policy change will
ensure Collier County meets its obligations to support affordable housing.
RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of County Commissioners approve a new policy providing for
Purchase Assistance in the amount of 20% of the purchase price, not to exceed $20,000 to ensure we
expend the approximate $2 million in existing SHIP funds allocation by June 30, 2013.
Prepared By: Kimberley Grant, Interim Director, Housing, Human and Veteran Services
Packet Page -504-
2/28/2012 Item 11.C.
COLLIER COUNTY
Board of County Commissioners
Item Number: 11.C.
Item Summary: Recommendation to approve an increase to the current Purchase
Assistance amount for the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program. Approval will
allow the County to continue to conform to the Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP), thus
ensuring we stay in compliance with the program by expending the balance of our SHIP funds
by June 30, 2013.
Meeting Date: 1/10/2012
Prepared By
Name: DoriaPriscilla
Title: SHIP Loan Processor,Housing, Human & Veteran Services
11/21/2011 9:09:00 AM
Submitted by
Title: SHIP Loan Processor,Housing, Human & Veteran Services
Name: DoriaPriscilla
11/21/2011 9:09:02 AM
Approved By
Name: AlonsoHailey
Title: Administrative Assistant.Domestic Animal Services
Date: 11/21/2011 9:52:07 AM
Name: GrantKimberley
Title: Interim Director, HHVS
Date: 11/21/2011 6:21:36 PM
Name: RamseyMarla
Title: Administrator, Public Services
Date: 11/30/2011 11:22:11 AM
Name: WhiteJennifer
Title: Assistant County Attorney,County Attorney
Packet Page -505-
Date: 12/21/2011 10:48:50 AM
Name: KlatzkowJeff
Title: County Attorney,
Date: 12/27/2011 9:51:21 AM
2/28/2012 Item 11.C.
Name: PryorCheryl
Title: Management/ Budget Analyst, Senior,Office of Management & Budget
Date: 1/3/2012 11:57:54 AM
Name: IsacksonMark
Title: Director -Corp Financial and Mgmt Svs,CMO
Date: 1/3/2012 2:29:56 PM
Packet Page -506-