Agenda 01/09/2024 Item #16A16 (Staff enhancements to the application reviewing process of the Workforce Housing Land Acquisition of the voter approved Local Government Infrastructure One-Cent Sales Surtax)01/09/2024
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Recommendation to approve staff enhancements to the application and review process for the Workforce
Housing Land Acquisition portion of the voter-approved Local Government Infrastructure One-Cent Sales
Surtax.
OBJECTIVE: To provide housing that is affordable in Collier County and to further the goals set forth in the
Housing Element of the Growth Management Plan by guiding future workforce housing land acquisitions using the
Collier County Infrastructure One-Cent Surtax.
CONSIDERATIONS: On November 6, 2018, the voters of Collier County approved a one-cent local government
infrastructure surtax on all taxable transactions occurring within the county. Twenty million dollars ($20,000,000)
of this surtax is earmarked to be used for land acquisition in accordance with Section 212.055(2), Florida Statutes.
On March 28, 2023, Agenda Item No. 11.F, the Board approved a Workforce Housing Surtax Funding policy and
application. Through implementing this application and reviewing policy over the past nine (9) months, staff has
received applicant feedback and suggestions for certain program enhancements.
• An area of opportunity to improve the program centers on reducing the number of steps (and thus the
overall time) an application for funding is required to go through. Approval of this revised policy will
enable Surtax Funding applications that receive high enough initial scores (above 75 points on the Board's
approved evaluation criteria) to be taken directly to the County Manager and then the Board of County
Commissioners for further consideration, allowing the funding request to move forward. Upon Board
approval, the item would be presented to the Infrastructure Surtax Citizen Oversight Committee (ISCOC)
for consideration at their next regularly scheduled hearing as well as the Affordable Housing Advisory
Committee (AHAC) for recognition.
• This amendment to the already adopted policy creates a more expeditious approach for Surtax Funding
requests that score high enough to combine the sought after properties with the best development teams
with the best financial plans in the shortest amount of time.
• Requests that do not score high enough after their initial evaluation for this option are still encouraged to go
through the review process by amending and enhancing their plans as they seek recommendations from the
advisory boards before presenting to the Board for final consideration.
The AHAC reviewed the Surtax Review and Recommendation procedure through its Housing Incentive Strategies
Report (approved by the BCC 11/14/23, Agenda Item No. 16.A.15) and supported this proposed enhancement to
the policy.
FISCAL IMPACT: Approval of this revision to the previously approved process has no fiscal impact on the
General Fund. Expenditure requests for future property acquisitions will be brought to the ISCOC and the Board of
County Commissioners for approval.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This item has been reviewed by the County Attorney’s Office. Irrespective of
any policy, the Board may utilize funds generated by the infrastructure sales tax to purchase land for affordable
housing provided that it complies with the minimum statutory requirements:
Florida Statutes Sec. 212.055 (2) LOCAL GOVERNMENT INFRASTRUCTURE SURTAX.
(e) Any land acquisition expenditure for a residential housing project in which at least 30 percent
of the units are affordable to individuals or families whose total annual household income does not
exceed 120 percent of the area median income adjusted for household size if the land is owned by a
local government or by a special district that enters into a written agreement with the local
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government to provide such housing. The local government or special district may enter into a
ground lease with a public or private person or entity for nominal or other consideration for the
construction of the residential housing project on land acquired pursuant to this sub-subparagraph.
Note that the Board may waive, in whole or in part, any portion of this proposed policy when reviewing a proposed
land acquisition for affordable housing. With that noted, this item is approved as to form and legality and requires
a simple majority vote. -DDP
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: The acquisition of property for attainable housing development furthers
the Goals, Objectives, and Policies of the Growth Management Plan, specifically the Housing Element.
RECOMMENDATION: To approve staff enhancements to the application and review process for the Workforce
Housing Land Acquisition portion of the voter-approved Local Government Infrastructure One-Cent Sales Surtax.
Prepared by: Sarah Harrington, Planning Manager, Housing Policy and Economic Development Division
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COLLIER COUNTY
Board of County Commissioners
Item Number: 16.A.16
Doc ID: 27302
Item Summary: Recommendation to approve staff enhancements to the application and review process for the
Workforce Housing Land Acquisition portion of the voter-approved Local Government Infrastructure One-Cent
Sales Surtax.
Meeting Date: 01/09/2024
Prepared by:
Title: – Development Review
Name: Sarah Harrington
12/04/2023 1:28 PM
Submitted by:
Title: Department Head - GMD – Growth Management Community Development Department
Name: James C French
12/04/2023 1:28 PM
Approved By:
Review:
Corporate Business Operations Jennifer Reynolds Stage 1 Review Completed 12/04/2023 2:50 PM
Development Review Cormac Giblin Additional Reviewer Completed 12/05/2023 2:32 PM
Development Review Kelly Green Stage 1 Review Completed 12/06/2023 11:49 AM
Growth Management Community Development Department Diane Lynch Department Review Completed
12/11/2023 2:57 PM
Corporate Business Operations Diane Lynch Executive Director - Corp Bus Ops Skipped 12/12/2023 10:41 AM
Operations & Regulatory Management Michael Stark Additional Reviewer Completed 12/13/2023 9:00 AM
Transportation Management Operations Support Evelyn Trimino Additional Reviewer Completed
12/15/2023 11:45 AM
Growth Management Community Development Department James C French Growth Management Completed
12/20/2023 6:03 PM
County Attorney's Office Derek D. Perry Level 2 Attorney Review Completed 01/02/2024 12:03 PM
Office of Management and Budget Debra Windsor Level 3 OMB Gatekeeper Review Completed 01/02/2024 12:21 PM
Office of Management and Budget Laura Zautcke Additional Reviewer Completed 01/02/2024 3:15 PM
County Attorney's Office Jeffrey A. Klatzkow Level 3 County Attorney's Office Review Completed 01/02/2024 4:34 PM
Community & Human Services Maggie Lopez Additional Reviewer Completed 01/02/2024 5:28 PM
County Manager's Office Amy Patterson Level 4 County Manager Review Completed 01/03/2024 2:54 PM
Board of County Commissioners Geoffrey Willig Meeting Pending 01/09/2024 9:00 AM
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