Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

Department of Commerce

Community Development

For assistance, call 850-245-7105 or visit http://www.floridajobs.org/community-planning-and-development

What is the purpose of the division?

The Division of Community Development, also known as Community Planning, Development, and Services, manages the state's land planning and community development responsibilities, ensuring that new growth fosters economic development while protecting resources of state significance.

What are the duties of the division?

The division's duties include the following programs and functions.
  • Administering state and federal grant programs, including the Community Services Block Grant Program, Community Development Block Grant Program, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Weatherization Assistance Program, and Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
  • Assisting local governments and their communities in finding creative planning solutions to help foster vibrant, healthy communities, while protecting the functions of important state resources and facilities.
  • Assisting with the implementation of the Department of Commerce's five-year statewide strategic plan.

What is the Florida Housing Finance Corporation?

The Florida Housing Finance Corporation is a public corporation whose goal is to maximize the capacity of local governments and the private sector to develop and preserve affordable housing.  The corporation is a separate entity and is not subject to control, supervision, or direction of a department.

The corporation administers several programs to increase access to affordable single-family and multi-family housing units. These programs include those listed below.

  • State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL)
  • Grants for Persons With Developmental Disabilities 
  • Multifamily Mortgage Revenue Bonds
  • HOME Investment Partnerships
  • Elderly Housing Community Loan
  • Low Income Housing Tax Credits
  • National Housing Trust Fund 
  • Multifamily Mapping Application 
  • State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP)
  • Predevelopment Loan Program
  • Preservation Rehabilitation Pilot Program 
  • Affordable Housing Catalyst Program
  • Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program 
  • Down Payment Assistance Programs

How are these activities funded?

 

Fiscal Year: 2023-24
Fund Dollars Positions
PROGRAM: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
FLORIDA HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION
636,000,000
.00
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
1,908,541,328
149.00
TOTAL
2,544,541,328
149.00

Updates

Live Local Act. The 2023 Florida Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-17, Laws of Florida, which makes various changes and additions to affordable housing related programs and policies at both the state and local level. The changes include

  • deleting the authority of local governments to adopt or maintain laws, ordinances, rules, or other measures that would have the effect of imposing controls on rents;
  • providing an exemption from ad valorem taxation for land that meets certain criteria;
  • authorizing local governments to adopt ordinances to provide an ad valorem tax exemption for portions of property used to provide affordable housing meeting certain requirements;
  • suspending, for a specified period, the General Revenue Fund service charge on documentary stamp tax collections; and
  • authorizing the Governor, under the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, to approve state or local public infrastructure projects to facilitate the development or construction of affordable housing.

Where can I find related OPPAGA reports?

Florida Economic Development Program Evaluations - Year 10, Report 22-06, November 2022
Miami-Dade County's Discretionary Surtax Spending Decreased for Homeowner Loans, Report 22-04, June 2022
Florida Economic Development Program Evaluations - Year 7, Report 19-16, December 2019

Where can I get more information?

Websites of Interest
U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Performance Information
Performance measures and standards for the department may be found in its Long Range Program Plan


Performance measures and standards for the department may be found in its Long Range Program Plan.

What are the applicable statutes?

Chapters 20, 163, 189, 288, 290, 380, and 409, Florida Statutes

Whom do I contact for help?

Department of Commerce, 850-245-7105
Website