In 1992, the William E. Sadowski Affordable Housing Act established the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program, administered by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC), which provides funding for rehabilitation of housing stock and homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income households.  In 1995, the City Commission approved Ordinance 95-2989, establishing the legal infrastructure enabling the City to receive SHIP Program funds, which are derived from set-aside allocations from documentary stamp levies on real estate transactions.    

On May 14, 2008, the Mayor and City Commission adopted Ordinance No. 2008-3605 amending Chapter 2 of the City Code, to create the City’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (“AHAC”). On February 12, 2014, the Mayor and City Commission adopted Ordinance No. 2014-3841 expanding the purpose and duties of the Committee. Section 420.9076(2), F.S. stipulates that AHAC must have at least eight (8) members representing at least six (6) categories of experience identified in the statute. However, local governments may elect to have up to eleven (11) members.  

Following the 2020 session of the Florida Legislature, the Governor signed House Bill 1339 into law which amended statutory requirements on SHIP annual reporting, AHAC, the State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL) program, accessory dwelling units, and fees/set-asides. One of the changes delineated in H.B. 1339 required that effective October 1, 2020, each AHAC shall contain at least one locally elected official, appointed at-large by a majority vote of the Mayor and City Commission.

The SHIP Statute at Florida Statutes, Sec. 420.9076 (5) requires that: “The approval by the advisory committee of its local housing incentive strategies recommendations and its review of local government implementation of previously recommended strategies must be made by affirmative vote of a majority of the membership of the advisory committee taken at a public hearing.”

At this moment, there are three vacancies in the Committee, including the seat for the elected official. Administration is requesting the Mayor and Commission to fill the vacant seat with an appointed member of the Commission during the meeting held on December 8, 2021.

The administration recommends that the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Miami Beach, Florida appoint a member of the City Commission to the Committee.