AFFORDABLE HOUSING CATALYST PROGRAM
On-site and telephone technical assistance and training is provided to local housing partnerships in the areas of SHIP, State HOME, and other affordable housing programs through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation's Catalyst Program. This training includes assisting agencies in leveraging these dollars with other public and private funding sources. It also includes training on forming local and regional public/private partnerships, working effectively with lending institutions, implementing regulatory reform, training for boards of directors, implementing rehabilitation and emergency repair programs, developing volunteer programs, assisting with design and establishment of fiscal and program tracking systems, and compliance requirements of state and federally funded housing programs.
The Sadowski Act intends that specialized technical support be available in the areas listed below. The Coalition brings together leading practitioners in the field of affordable housing and community development in Florida for the purpose of delivering the best technical assistance in these core areas:
• Administering all aspects of program implementation;
• Assessing affordable housing needs/developing local strategies to meet those needs;
• Designing local programs for positive community impact;
• Developing organizational capacity for local governments and nonprofit organizations;
• Establishing and maintaining an effective Board of Directors;
• Budgeting and establishing internal financial controls;
• Setting goals, strategic planning, and developing business lines;
• Understanding legal issues for nonprofit joint ventures with for-profits;
• Structuring financing strategies for affordable housing developments;
• Financing and developing special needs housing;
• Understanding the construction process and property management and disposition;
• Developing multifamily housing leveraging local contributions;
• Developing single-family housing , including subdivisions and infill housing;
• Understanding the due diligence process, including site assembly and pre-development issues;
• Creating and managing an effective housing rehabilitation program;
• Implementing affordable housing programs included in local government comprehensive plans;
• Improving relationships with the development community through regulatory reform;
• Developing effective strategies to address NIMBYism;
• Creating and implementing a disaster mitigation/response housing strategy;
• Improving the energy efficiency of affordable housing;
• Developing affordable housing networks and building community partnerships to reduce housing costs;
• Designing and improving local homebuyer education programs; and
• Complying with requirements of state and federally-funded housing programs.
Click below to find out how to receive on-site technical assistance and to get a request form.
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FLORIDA DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES COUNCIL
The Florida Housing Coalition, through its partnership with the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, continues to provide technical support to increase community-based supportive housing opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. The Coalition provides technical support to supportive housing demonstration programs, housing providers, local governments, and consumers interested in building local programs that serve the needs of very low-income people with developmental disabilities.
As in the past, Coalition staff will be available for telephone technical assistance statewide to assist inquiries from consumers and local housing staff about accessing resources for housing people with disabilities. Referrals to the appropriate housing administrators or providers will be made to assist inquiries for housing assistance.
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FLORIDA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE
The Florida Community Development Initiative is a joint effort of the Coalition and the Florida Community Loan Fund to provide low-interest loans and free technical assistance to community-based organizations in Florida that specialize in working to improve housing and economic conditions in their communities. The Loan Fund provides capital to qualifying organizations, and the Coalition provides borrowers and potential borrowers the technical assistance needed to complete their affordable housing and economic development projects.
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HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
Since June 2000, the Florida Housing Coalition has worked in partnership with HUD's Florida State Office to provide technical assistance to local governments and Community Housing Development Organizations. The Coalition assists with the design and implementation of infill housing programs, rental rehabilitation, subdivision development and property management programs, along with other activities. Technical Assistance is provided to the following communities: Broward County, Lee County, Miami-Dade County, Palm Beach County, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Key West, Naples, Punta Gorda, Coral Springs, Davie, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Lauderhill, Margate, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Pampano Beach, Sunrise, Hialeah, Miami, Miami Beach, North Miami, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, and West Palm Beach.
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OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Since 1998, the Coalition has provided outreach and technical assistance to communities and tenants of properties with expiring project-based Section 8 contracts. The Coalition provides direct organizational assistance to resident groups, workshops, and direct assistance for community stakeholders in developing preservation strategies, as well as a clearinghouse of information on HUD’s policies and guidelines for project-based Section 8 renewals.
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PREDEVELOPMENT LOAN PROGRAM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
The Coalition provides technical assistance to selected borrowers of the Florida Housing Corporation’s Predevelopment Loan Program. Technical assistance is provided to these nonprofit developers in the early stages of project development, and to formulate a final development plan and budget for submittal to the Corporation prior to receiving predevelopment funds.
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BUILDING ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY
With the support of the Washington Mutual Foundation, the Coalition is working with the nonprofit development community to build organizational capacity. Our professional TA staff will provide assistance to 8 nonprofit development organizations to build financial capacity by evaluating financial statements, systems of internal controls, record keeping and reporting systems, and making recommendations for improvements in the organization’s overall fiscal systems. TA staff will meet with staff and key Board members of the selected organizations to discuss the organization’s strengths and weaknesses, and to provide specific recommendations that will enhance the agency’s operations. It is anticipated that organizations that implement the recommendations will be better positioned to provide for their community’s affordable housing needs.
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