Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Leonard Vialpando
Department: Public Works and Environmental Services
Division: Housing Finance Authority
Information
Requested Action
title
MOTION TO APPROVE use of Housing Finance Authority (“HFA”) funds as a Local Government Contribution (“LGC”) and Local Government Area of Opportunity (“LGAO”) commitment for Broward County affordable housing projects submitted to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (“FHFC”), via the solicitation outlined within the 2026/2027 FHFC Requests for Applications (“RFA”) cycle; and to authorize the future use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) federal funds, or other available Broward County affordable housing resources to replace the HFA’s reserve funds, in an amount of up to $2,000,000, if one or more local projects are selected by the FHFC.
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Why Action is Necessary
Approval of the use of HFA funding is required by the Board.
What Action Accomplishes
Allows the HFA to provide up to $2,000,000 from its reserve account to provide an LGC (estimated value of $100,000 per project) and one LGAO commitment (minimum of $640,000 for the project) for applications submitted under the 2026/2027 FHFC RFA cycle, subject to replacing the HFA funding with CDBG or HOME federal funds, or other County affordable housing resources, if one or more projects are selected by the FHFC.
Goal Related Icon(s)
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Previous Action Taken
None taken.
Summary Explanation/Background
THE PUBLIC WORKS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE HOUSING FINANCE AUTHORITY RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
This item supports the Goal of the Broward County Board of County Commissioners of “Ensuring residents have an affordable place to live by offering sustainable, compatible, innovative, accessible, affordable housing options for all income levels, including integrated, permanent supportive housing and zoning that helps residents build equity.”
The Florida Housing Finance Corporation (“FHFC”) has initiated preparation for the 2026/2027 Request for Applications (“RFA”) cycle and has conducted workshops on January 27, 2026, and April 17, 2026. However, FHFC has not yet published its tentative timeline, which typically outlines estimated funding amounts and application deadlines for key programs, including the 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL) funding, and other funding opportunities.
To remain competitive in the FHFC RFA process, affordable housing developers often require a Local Government Contribution (“LGC”), which is a significant scoring component. Without an LGC, projects are unlikely to achieve maximum points. Historically, Broward County (“County”) has provided at least $100,000 per project to meet this requirement, with approximately three to five County projects receiving FHFC funding annually.
In addition to the LGC, applications that include a Local Government Area of Opportunity (“LGAO”) commitment receive priority in the ranking process. The current minimum LGAO contribution is $640,000, and a local government may only support one project that qualifies with this designation. To ensure that developments within the Broward Municipal Services District (“BMSD”) are eligible to qualify for the LGAO, it is recommended the HFA allocate LGAO funding for one eligible project located within the BSMD. HFA staff recommends funding be awarded first to an elderly housing development. If there are multiple elderly developments, the development with the greatest number of affordable housing units would be ranked higher. If a tie continues, the award will be determined by lottery.
Further, each year the Housing and Urban Planning Division solicits applications for Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) federal funding. However, the timing of the County’s funding cycle does not align with FHFC’s RFA schedule, which may limit the County’s ability to commit these funds when required for application submission. To address this timing gap and allow developers to secure necessary local match commitments, the Housing Finance Authority (“HFA) adopted Resolution No. 2026-004 (Exhibit 1) at its April 15, 2026, meeting (“HFA Resolution”). The HFA Resolution authorizes the use of up to $2,000,000 from the HFA’s reserve account to provide LGC and LGAO commitments for the 2026/2027 FHFC RFA cycle. If one or more projects are awarded funding by FHFC, the HFA funds would be reimbursed using future CDBG, HOME, SHIP or other available County affordable housing resources. The HFA Resolution was drafted by bond counsel and approved as to legal sufficiency by the County Attorney’s Office.
All selected projects will require future Board approval for the allocation of any CDBG, HOME or other available County funds in calendar years 2026 or 2027.
Source of Additional Information
Ralph Stone, Executive Director, Housing Finance Authority, 954-357-5320
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
No fiscal impact.