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Can More be Done on Affordable Housing?
Sarasota
County
has taken a number of positive strategic steps related to community
housing, including the adoption of a set of guiding principles to
ensure that as a community we encourage diversity in housing types
at affordable levels. For the most recent update on the Affordable
Community Housing effort in Sarasota County click below
or to learn more
visit the Community Housing/Neighborhood link.
We believe there
is more that can be done.
In 1992 the
state legislature adopted the Sadowski Act creating the Local
Government Housing Trust Fund, increasing the real estate transfer
tax and allocating a portion of the increased tax to the Housing
Trust Fund. Through the Act the proceeds from the tax deposited in
the Housing Trust Fund are dedicated to affordable housing.
But money in the
Housing Trust Fund is not being fully allocated to affordable
housing. The former governor and legislature passed appropriation
bills distributing a limited amount of money to affordable housing
programs and transferring the remaining money to state general
revenues - where the legislature and the governor were free to spend
it for other purposes.
Two years ago,
the Florida legislature passed a bill that takes effect July 1,
2007. The bill capped distributions to the Local Government
Housing Trust Fund and State Housing Trust Fund at $243 million
combined, well below the $500 - $600 million the fund is projected
to collect this year. The governor and the legislature no longer
have to play the appropriation game - they passed a law allowing
them to limit the amount of real estate tax that goes into the
Housing Trust Fund that will be used on affordable housing.
Affordable
housing is a statewide problem. We all need to ask our elected
state leaders what they will do to help with affordable housing
problems. Passing legislation that creates new programs is not
enough. The state needs to apply the money collected and held in the
Housing Trust Fund to affordable housing programs.
The Florida
Housing Coalition is a leader in the effort to obtain full funding
of the Housing Trust Funds. They recently sent an e-mail which we
received and are forwarding to you. This e-mail asks that you use
your voice to let your elected state officials know what you think
about funding the affordable housing trust funds. Click below
to view the e-mail message from the Florida Housing
Coalition. You can also visit their website.
Your voice
counts to your elected officials at the local and state level. Use
Your Voice and get involved in maintaining a high quality of life in
your community.
Updated March 1, 2007
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