HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-25878 Reso
2005-25878
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, OPPOSING THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A DISTRIBUTION CAP ON THE HOUSING
TRUST FUNDS BY THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE, WHICH
WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE THE NUMBER OF LOW
TO MODERATE-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THAT
CAN OBTAIN AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MIAMI BEACH.
WHEREAS, the Florida State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP)
Program is created for the purpose of providing funds to counties and eligible
municipalities as an incentive for the creation of local housing partnerships, to
expand production of and preserve affordable housing, to further the housing
element of the local government comprehensive plan specific to affordable housing,
and to increase housing-related employment, and;
WHEREAS, the City of Miami Beach has utilized SHIP funds for over 10
years to provide homes to approximately 225 low to moderate-income first time home
buyers in Miami Beach, and;
WHEREAS, the SHIP Program is a vital tool in providing in down payment
assistance to first-time homebuyers and would severely decrease the number of
persons that could be assisted if State funding is reduced or maintained at current
levels, and;
WHEREAS, Florida law requires that a dedicated 20 cents of documentary
tax revenue generated in a given year be distributed to the Housing Trust Funds
which have been utilized over the years in creative programs that leverage public
dollars with private investment, create workforce housing (over 150,000 families
assisted statewide since 1992), and provide significant stimulation to the economy,
and;
WHEREAS, the Florida legislature appropriated the full 20 cents of
documentary tax revenue every year from FY1992-93 through FY 2002-03 and
reduced the funding levels to $193 million in FY 2003-04 and FY 2004-05; and
WHEREAS, the Florida legislature is now considering permanently capping
the distribution of Housing Trust Funds in FY 2006-07 at $193 million although the
current revenue estimate of that distribution for FY 2005-06 is $375.5 million; and
WHEREAS, housing costs throughout Florida have risen dramatically over
the past 5 years, and the average cost of an existing home in Florida increased by
71 % while the average household income during that same period increased by less
than 10%, and;
WHEREAS, capping housing trust funds would be a huge step backwards
for working families, such as teachers, police officers, firefighters, hospital
employees, and service workers struggling to find housing within their means in the
communities they serve, and;
WHEREAS, if the cap is set at an amount that is so far below today's need
for funding the difference between income and housing prices, our community will
continue to fall deeper into the housing crisis that is now affecting every large county
and urban/suburban city in Florida, and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND
CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor
and Commission opposes the establishment of a distribution cap on the Housing
Trust Funds by the Florida legislature, which would significantly decrease the number
of low to moderate-income individuals and families that can obtain affordable housing
in Miami Beach.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 20th day of
,2005.
ATTEST:
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CITY CLERK
T:\AGENDA\2005\Apr2005\Regular\SHIP Support Resolution.doc
APPROVED AS TO
FORM & LANGUAGE
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CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the Mayor and Commission
Memorandum
To: MURRAY DUBBIN
CITY ATTORNEY
Cc: JORGE GONZALEZ
CITY MANAGER
From: MATTI H. BOWER
COMMISSIONER
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Date: April 18, 2005
Re: AGENDA ITEM- RESOLUTION TO PRESERVE THE SHIP PROGRAM
Please create a resolution opposing the funding cap on the SHIP program by Tallahassee.
The SHIP Program is a housing trust that receives funding for affordable housing through
real estate taxes. The legislature is proposing placing a cap on the amount of funds that
the program can receive which wi11limit its ability to provide affordable housing at the
service level it currently provides.
MHB/as
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Agenda Item
Date
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