Agenda 11/14/2017 Item #16D25 Proposed Agenda Changes
Board of County Commissioners Meeting
November 14,2017
Continue Item 16D6 to the December 12, 2017 BCC Meeting: Recommendation to approve
two State Housing Initiative Partnership(SHIP) Subrecipient Agreements with Housing
Development Corporation of SW Florida,Inc. d/b/a HELP in the amount of$24,877 and Rock
Island Economic Growth Corporation d/b/a Economic Growth Corporation in the amount of
$24,500 for the administration of a Homebuyer Education and Counseling Program for State of
Florida FY 16/17. (Staff's request)
Move Item 16D25 to Item 11F: ***This Item continued from the June 13,2017 Meeting.***
Recommendation to reaffirm staff administration of the State Housing Initiatives Partnership
(SHIP)Program as administrative and ministerial,adopt a $30,000 cash asset limit for applicant
households,and direct staff to amend the Local Housing Assistance Plan(LHAP) accordingly.
(Commissioner McDaniel's request)
Add-On Item 11G: Recommendation to fund a Tourism Division Sponsorship for a Post
Hurricane Irma concert event in the downtown Naples area up to $125,000, move these funds to the
Community Foundation for event expense disbursement and make a finding that this item promotes
tourism. (Staff's request)
Add-On Item 11H: Recommendation to waive EMS special event user fees in the amount of
$900.00 to provide dedicated ambulance coverage,to accept a donation by the Collier County Sheriff
for event security services to support the "Naples is Rockin' concert"being held to inform the public
that Collier County is open for business and encouraging tourism after Hurricane Irma,and to find a
public purpose in waiving such fees. (Staff's request)
Move Item 16F3 to Item 111: Recommendation to award RFP# 17-7120 for Tourism Midwest
Sales Representation to Synergy-Connect,LLC, execute the County Attorney approved contract in
the amount of$81,500 and make a finding that this item promotes tourism. (Commissioner
Taylor's request)
Time Certain Items:
Item 11A to be heard at 10:40 a.m.
Item 11B to be heard at 11:00 a.m.
Item 14B1 to be heard at 11:30 a.m.
Item 11C to be heard at 1:00 p.m.
11/14/2017 8:32 AM
11/14/2017
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
***This Item continued from the June 13, 2017 Meeting*** Recommendation to reaffirm staff
administration of the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program as administrative and
ministerial, adopt a $30,000 cash asset limit for applicant households, and direct staff to amend the
Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) accordingly.
OBJECTIVE: To support housing affordability throughout Collier County.
CONSIDERATIONS: On October 13, 2015, the Board of County Commissioners (Board) declared the
SHIP Purchase Assistance Program administrative and ministerial (Item# 16D13), which was reaffirmed
at the June 28, 2016 meeting (Item# 16D26). Consequently, staff applies the appropriate rules and
regulations with no authority to deviate. These include state statutes, the published SHIP Manual, and the
locally approved LHAP. Collier County has had no income qualification findings by SHIP monitors or
single auditors.
During the Board meeting on March 14, 2017, a qualification requirement for a SHIP purchase assistance
loan (amount of cash/liquid assets held by the applicant) was questioned by the Finance Director as part
of the audit process (Item# 16J3). While the item passed, one or more members of the Board asked staff
to bring back an item at a future meeting to discuss the appropriate level of cash/liquid assets allowable
under the SHIP Program. County staff appropriately considered the assets per the existing rules and
regulations to determine income qualification. At the June 13, 2017 Board meeting, objections to
Community and Human Services (CHS) staff recommendations were presented, and subsequently
discussed. As a result, CHS staff is making one recommendation for Board consideration at this time.
Staff worked with the Florida Housing Coalition (the funder’s technical assistance contract provider) to
conduct a survey of practices of other jurisdictions. 91 offices, or 78% of the jurisdictions receiving SHIP
funds, responded. This substantive sample allows us to derive valid information for our program design.
With respect to cash assets, the following information was obtained:
Cash assets (also known as liquid assets) an eligible SHIP applicant may have: 51% of respondents
limit cash assets and 49% do not. Collier County does not limit cash assets, though local jurisdictions
may do so within their LHAP. For respondents that limit cash assets, below shows the percentage of
those respondents limiting to the dollars amounts shown:
Less than $10,000 15%
$10,000 - $30,000 41%
More than $30,000 24%
For any that limited cash assets, 96% used the SHIP manual method to calculate asset income.
Staff recommends limiting cash/liquid assets to $30,000 remaining after designated cash is used toward
closing, and continuing to use the SHIP manual method for calculating income from liquid and non-liquid
assets. It is beneficial for new homeowners to have cash assets for home maintenance and other expenses.
These parameters will be used for all applicable strategies that consider income qualification.
Staff further recommends this limit be suspended for income qualifications for awards occurring as a
result of a declared disaster, such as Hurricane Irma. Our recent experience identifies, for example, a
senior citizen may need assistance with unreimbursed repairs to their home resulting from the storm, but
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they have cash assets in excess of $30,000 that they have saved over time and are planning to use for
living expenses.
If the recommendation is accepted, staff will need to amend the appropriate LHAP’s and bring them back
to the Board for approval at a later date. Only applications taken after the LHAP approval by the Florida
Housing Finance Corporation will be affected by the policy change.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no Fiscal Impact. Funds are located in Fund 791, current projects 33429
and 33467.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This item is approved for form and legality, and requires majority vote
for Board approval. -JAB
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: The SHIP Program facilitates the goals, objectives, and
policies set forth in the Housing Element of the Growth Management Plan.
RECOMMENDATION: To reaffirm staff administration of the SHIP Program as administrative and
ministerial, adopt a $30,000 cash asset limit for applicant households, and direct staff to amend the LHAP
accordingly.
Prepared By: Kristi Sonntag, Manager/Federal and State Grants, Community and Human Services
Division
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COLLIER COUNTY
Board of County Commissioners
Item Number: 16.D.25
Doc ID: 4132
Item Summary: ***This Item continued from the June 13, 2017 Meeting.*** Recommendation to
reaffirm staff administration of the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program as
administrative and ministerial, adopt a $30,000 cash asset limit for applicant households, and direct staff
to amend the Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) accordingly.
Meeting Date: 11/14/2017
Prepared by:
Title: – Public Services Department
Name: Todd Henry
11/02/2017 2:15 PM
Submitted by:
Title: Department Head - Public Services – Public Services Department
Name: Steve Carnell
11/02/2017 2:15 PM
Approved By:
Review:
Public Services Department Kimberley Grant Additional Reviewer Completed 11/02/2017 2:19 PM
Public Services Department Joshua Hammond Additional Reviewer Completed 11/03/2017 7:38 AM
Public Services Department Joshua Hammond Level 1 Division Reviewer Completed 11/03/2017 7:38 AM
Grants Erica Robinson Level 2 Grants Review Completed 11/03/2017 12:22 PM
Public Services Department Steve Carnell Level 2 Division Administrator Review Completed 11/07/2017 4:32 PM
County Attorney's Office Jennifer Belpedio Level 2 Attorney of Record Review Completed 11/07/2017 4:54 PM
Office of Management and Budget Valerie Fleming Level 3 OMB Gatekeeper Review Completed 11/07/2017 4:59 PM
County Attorney's Office Jeffrey A. Klatzkow Level 3 County Attorney's Office Review Completed 11/08/2017 8:01 AM
Grants Therese Stanley Additional Reviewer Completed 11/08/2017 9:37 AM
County Manager's Office Nick Casalanguida Level 4 County Manager Review Completed 11/08/2017 11:49 AM
Board of County Commissioners MaryJo Brock Meeting Pending 11/14/2017 9:00 AM
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