AHAC Minutes 01/16/2025MINUTES OF THE COLLIER COUNTY
AT'F'ORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Naples, Florida, January 1612025
LET IT BE REMEMBERED, the Collier County Affordable Housing Advisory
Committee, in and for the County of Collier, having conducted business herein, met on this date
at 9 p.m. in REGULAR SESSION at the Collier County Growth Management Department
Building, Conference Room #6091610,2800 Horseshoe Drive North, Naples, Florida, with the
following members present:
Chairman: Stephen Hruby
Jennifer Faron
ArolBuntzman
Gary Hains
Dan Kowal, BCC
Todd Lyon
Paul Shea (excused)
Mary Waller
Andrew. Terhune
Catherine Myers
Bob Mulhere
Hannah Roberts
Count.v Staff Members Present :
Cormac Giblin, Director, Housing Policy & Economic Development
Sarah Harrington, Manager, Housing Policy & Economic Development
Priscilla Doria, Ops Support Specialist II, Housing Policy & Economic Development
Kristi Sonntag, Director, Community & Human Services Division
Tracey Smith, Grants Coordinator II, Community & Human Services Division
Lisa Carr, Supervisor-Grants, Community & Human Services Division
Any persons in need of a verbatim record of the meeting may request a copy of the audio
recordingfrom the Collier County Growth Management Department.
1. CALL TO ORDER & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Chairman Hruby called the meeting to order at9:02 p.m.
[The pledge of allegiance was recited.J
2. ROLL CALL OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS AI\D STAFF
o Welcome Commissioner Kowal as the newly elected representative of the BCC
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e Cormac Gibin called the roll call and noted that Paul Shea has an excused absence as he is
a member of the Collier County Planning Commission, and they have meeting going on
at the same time. (Hannah Roberts was not present during roll call but entered the
meeting at 9:35 a.m.)
[A quorum was establishedJ
. Nominations are open for Chair and Vice-Chairman discussion commenced.
o Vice Chair Jennifer Faron thanked stafi enjoyed the experience, made a lot of
contributions with a unique perspective. Grateful for the opportunity.
Arol Buntzman moved lo nominate Sleve Hruby and Jennifer Faron lo continue in
lheir respeclive rules, seconded b) Mary |Yaller. Motion passed unanimously
3. APROVAL OF AGtr,NDA AND MINUTES
. Mary Waller requested an update on ADU'S.
. Cormac Giblin agreed to give that update during staff communications at the end.
. Chairman Hruby noted thaton February 3'd and 4rh he'll be in Tallahassee at Legislative
Day for American Institute of Architects and ADU's will be on their agenda to take to
the legislators for an update.
o Chairman Hruby wants to add under New Business the discussion on proposed
amendment to the building code, as its significant for affordable housing.
Jennifer Faron made a motion to approve the agenda, as amended. The motion passed
unanimously.
o Cormac Giblin noted that they are still waiting on the minutes from the November
meeting and sub- committee minutes held last week. Minutes are coordinated by the
Clerk ofCourts office which are assigned to a sub-contractor for completion ofthose
minutes.
. Cormac Giblin noted that staff would work on gefting the minutes back as soon as
possible.
4. INFoRMATIONAL ITEMS AND PRESENTATIONS
a. PowerPoint Presentation, Speaker - Scarlett Perez, McDowell Housing Project
Developers overview of current projects.
o McDowell Housing Partners is an affordable housing and attainable housing
developer, primarily focus on Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) across
the state.
o Located and headquartered in Miami-Dade County and is a vertically integrated
company with construction managers, developers, and accounting.
o Ken Bowan, new director of acquisitions will assist in looking for new
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January 16, 2025, AHAC Meeting Minutes
developments and sites.
o Two completed projects, Ekos on Santa Barbara and Ekos Allegro (to be
changed to Ekos Cadenza II)
r Currently has a 1600-person waitlist
o Ekos Creekside (formally Ekos on Collier) funded through Surtax funding and
Collier County's first live local development. Projected to close in April of this
year.
o Some ofthe biggest challenges is parking and open space requirements.
o Final development in the pipeline is Ekos on Santa Barbara Phase II (directly
across Santa Barbara Phase I), going through PUD amendment process.
Currently funded for 84 units. Projected financial closing early next year.
. Future growth plans in Collier County are to search for vacant land that would
integrate with the fabric of that community. We are very selective and precise
on what we are doing and partnerships.
. 30-80% AMI are primary target group.
[Further discussion between Committee and McDowell continued topics relatecl lo
of live local, parking resnictions, density bonus, LIHTC operational and finoncial
managementl
Andrew Terhune noted that extra amenities such as pickleball courts, dog park,
offices, fitness center, pool etc., add to the cost of development projects.
[Support of amenities is a well-researched national best practice and support by
other Committee members was expressedJ
b. PowerPoint Presentation, Speaker - Matthew Smith, B2R2O Build-to-Rent-to-Own
Creating transition into home ownership
o B2R2O is a non-Profit initiative to develop homeownership opportunities for
members of Collier County Community workforce, broadly defined as those
making between 600/o to 120%o of the Area Median Income, with an emphasis
on essential service personnel.
. A mission to offer stable, secure, financial pathway to homeownership to retain,
attract, and increase the tenure of a high-quality community workforce.
o Partnership between B2R2O and the Collier County Land Trust ("CCCLT") to
identify sites that are suitable for single family or townhome development
product on underdeveloped land sites, that are appropriately priced and with
employer proximity in mind.
o Recoverable Grants & Program related investments available exclusively to
non-profits such as zero or low interest loan like investments
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. Rent to Own Agreement would require a 3-year rental period, mandatory
educational program, rent charged to 30oZ of gross income, percentage of rent
charged goes towards funding reserve account for Beneficiary's downpayment
o After 3-year rental period, purchase of the unit will be assisted by B2R2O by
means oftraditional mortgages through partner banks and financial institutions.
5. PUBLIC CoMMENT
[See item 6.C for public speoker commentsJ
6. DISCUSSION ITE,MS
a. CHS Grant application cycle:
. Tracey Smith, Collier County Grant Coordinator, asking for volunteers to serve on
the review committee. Mary llaller accepted.
. Cormac asked for a snapshot of funding streams that will be reviewed, dollar
amount to be awarded, and timeframe of when that award will be made.
o Tracey Smith:
o Program Year 2025, for CDBG, ESG, HOME, HOME-ARP, SHIP
o Approx. Funding amounts:. CDBG - $2,000,000r ESG- $195,000. HOME- $800,000. HOME-ARP - $2,300,000. sHIP- $3,000,000. Timeline: 6-7 months process
Mary Waller questioned why the Local Housing Trust Fund is not part of the grant cycle.
Kristi Sonntag responded that it would be part ofa separate funding cycle.
Mary Waller.. .ftow much do we have in there?
Kristi Sonntag noted that approx. million dollars, give or take, and that it eams interest.
Kristi Sonntag further noted that the Local Housing Trust Fund is under the County
Manager's and use ofthose funds is at the discretion ofthe County Manager's office and
is separate from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which is under the Community &
Human Services Division
b. January 2025 Apartment Survey:
Presented by Lisa Carr, Grant Supervisor, Community & Human Services
o Summary of availability and rates
. Survey divided by income levels (very-low, low, and moderate)
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c. Tenant Income Grace Period
Cormac Giblin gave a background as to how and why a policy to address tenant
income increases came about and presented two policy recommendations, one
drafted by the sub-committee and another drafted by staff.
Committee agrees to proceed with the revised staff policy recommendation with the
removal of language as to specific reason for income change and requests language
be added in to ensure that at alltimes within the grace period, the mix of affordable
units must remain the same as provided for in the goveming document.
[Public Speaker Comment]
Public Speaker - Michael Puchalla, CEO of The Housing Alliance, Inc., Executive
Director of the Community Land Trust and HELP, a HUD approved counseling
agency.
There's is an opportunity to work with the housing navigator program through HELP
to provide some benefits to the tenants...a potential opportunity to collaborate as we
are already assisting some of the income restricted units and engaging those
individuals and looking at their incomes and making sure they're qualified...we have
funding to provide that level of service to individuals and to provide staff assistance
with collection of income data and provide transition assistance to a tenant to another
housing unit if they no longer qualify to make it an easier transition for those tenants.
Mary *laller made a motion to accept the revised stoff policy recommendation with the
additions/delaions and to be broughtforward to the BCCfor opproval, seconded by
Hannah Roberts - Motion passed 11-1 with Andrew Terhune opposing.
7. STAFF AND COMMITTEE GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS
a. ADU discussion:
Cormac Giblin-
The LDC amendment was headed to the Planning Commission meeting Agenda today.
The Board directed that a pilot progam be established for the urban Golden Gate Estates
that would allow the rental of guest houses or accessory dwelling units. There is no
affordability component to it. The next stop is to bring that to the Board of County
Commissioners to adopt that LDC amendment.
b. 2024 Annual Snapshot of Affordable Housing Units approved by the BCC:. 9 rezones approved. 66%o of every development addressed housing affordability. 3lo of entire units are affordable. 614 new affordable units added
c. Upcoming Meeting & Hearings:o BCC approved Fiddlers Creek PUD, 750 rental units with 225 are affordable.
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January 16,2025, AHAC Meeting Minutes
Tamiami Trail Greenway Rd MPUD, 300 rental units with 90 being affordable to before the
Board at their next meeting
February 20th Planning Committee, Tamiami Trail 58-acre PUD,400 rental units
or owner-occupied with a level of affordability included and NC Square MPUD,
249 rentals with 30% affordable.
March 6h the Community Housing Plan final initiatives are being heard by the
Board at a nighttime hearing.
8. NEwBUSINESS
a. Proposed amendment to the Florida Building Code and Intemational code
Chairman Hruby-. Takes Triplex and Quadplex residential developments and moves them from the
commercial building code into the residential building code.. Supports changes to both. Very good chance that would be in the 2026 update of the Florida Building
Code.. Proposed discussion on zoning related to the proposed changes.
9. ADJoURN
There being no further business for the good ofthe County, the meeting was adjoumed by
the order of the chairman at I I :28a.m.
10. NEXT AHAC MEETING DATE AND LOCATION
Next meeting will be on March l8th will be in another location to be announced.
The conference room will be under technical equipment renovation.
HOUSING
as presented
-f-,
or as amended
-,
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