Florida Administrative Code › 67 - FLORIDA HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION › 67 - Departmental › Chapter 67-37 - STATE HOUSING INITIATIVES PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM › Section 67-37.005 - Local Housing Assistance Plans (LHAP)

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
(1) General Requirements:
(a) To be eligible for SHIP funding for a
				state fiscal year, a county or eligible municipality shall submit and receive
				approval of its local housing assistance plan and amendments thereto as
				provided in Rule 67-37.006, F.A.C. Plans must be
				submitted to the Corporation by May 2, preceding the end of the fiscal year in
				which the current plan expires. New Plans must be submitted using the LHAP
				Template 2016-001, effective (5/17), including all required exhibits, which is
				adopted and incorporated herein by reference
https://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-08193
.
				A copy of the LHAP Template 2016-001, and required exhibits may be obtained at
http://www.floridahousing.org
or by
				contacting the Corporation. In the case of new eligible municipalities, plans
				must be submitted to the Corporation by May 2, of the state fiscal year, prior
				to the state fiscal year they seek to become eligible for funding. No SHIP
				local housing distribution funds shall be distributed in a fiscal year to a
				county or eligible municipality unless and until an approved LHAP is in place
				with respect to applicable fiscal year.
(b) The effective period of an LHAP may be up
				to three state fiscal years. Counties or eligible municipalities that receive
				LHAP approval for more than one fiscal year shall not be required to resubmit a
				new plan until May 2 of the year, in which the approved plan expires.
(c) A copy of the local housing assistance
				plan shall be submitted to the Corporation, via electronic submission. The
				local housing assistance plan's certification and resolution, which are part of
				the LHAP Template 2016-001, shall be submitted and shall bear the original
				signature of the authorized official which includes: Mayor, Commissioner,
				County Manager or City Manager or the authorized official's designee and a
				certification that the document being submitted is the county's, eligible
				municipality's or interlocal entity's local housing assistance plan and that
				all provisions of the plan conform to the requirements of Section
				420.9072, F.S., et seq., and
				Rule Chapter 67-37, F.A.C.
(d)
				Within two weeks after receipt of final approval of the LHAP from the
				Corporation, the local government shall provide, via electronic submission, a
				complete clean copy (no strike through or underline) including all required
				exhibits to the Corporation.
(e)
				The Corporation shall be notified by a county or eligible municipality of any
				recently hired staff or any new entity employed or contracted to administer any
				portion of the SHIP program having no previous experience with the SHIP
				program. Those staff or entity shall be required to receive technical
				assistance and training through the Affordable Housing Catalyst
				Program.
(f) The funds deposited to
				the local housing assistance trust fund must be spent within twenty-four months
				from the end of the applicable State fiscal year. Exceptions to this time frame
				must be approved by the Corporation SHIP Program Administrator on a
				case-by-case basis. Exceptions will only be granted for good cause. Examples of
				good cause are natural disasters, requirements of other State agencies, adverse
				market conditions, and unavoidable development delays. Adequate explanation of
				the reasons for the requested extension as well as a timeline for completing
				the expenditure of funds must be submitted to the Corporation before an
				extension will be approved, e.g., project status, work plan and completion
				schedule, commitment of funds, etc. The Corporation may require a local
				government requesting an expenditure extension to receive technical assistance
				through the Catalyst program to evaluate the need for an extension.
(g) Each LHAP must include a disaster
				strategy describing activities to be undertaken in the event of an emergency or
				disaster that has been declared by executive order. A copy of a sample Disaster
				Strategy is available on the Corporation's website at
http://www.floridahousing.org
or by
				contacting the Corporation. Local governments may use unencumbered SHIP funds
				to carry out activities of disaster relief. Recipients of SHIP funds under a
				local government's disaster strategy shall be required to verify income using
				certifications, pay check stubs or other forms of proof. Documentation required
				for SHIP income qualification may be waived if unavailable. The county or
				eligible municipality shall make every effort reasonable to insure that the
				recipients of SHIP funds are income qualified.