2021 AHAC Housing Incentives Report t
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BACKGROUND
As a recipient of State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) funds, the City of Boynton Beach (City)
established an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) on August 3, 2021 as required by the
Florida Statutes, Sec. 420.9076 (SHIP Statute). The AHAC is responsible for reviewing and evaluating
local plans, policies, procedures, land development regulations, the Comprehensive Plan, and other
aspects of the City's housing activities that impact the production of affordable housing. Further, the
AHAC is specifically directed by the SHIP Statute to consider and evaluate the implementation of the
incentives set out at Florida Statues, Sec. 420.9076 (4)(a)-(k). Based on the AHAC evaluation, it may
recommend to local government that it make modifications of, exceptions to, or creation of new plans,
policies, procedures, and other governing vehicles which would encourage production of affordable
housing.
As approved by the City Commission, the recommendations are used to amend the Local Housing
Assistance Plan, the local Comprehensive Plan, land development regulations, and other policies
affecting affordable housing.
COMMITTEE
The City Commission appointed members to the Committee (see table 1). The SHIP Statute lists the
categories from which committee members must be selected. Each AHAC must have a locally elected
official from the county or municipality participating in the SHIP program. The locally elected official must
be a City Commissioner. The elected official will count as a member of the AHAC for purposes of meeting
the number of members requirements. There must be at least eight committee members, but not more
than eleven, with representation from at least six of the following categories:
(a)A citizen who is actively engaged in the residential home building industry in connection with
affordable housing.
(b) A citizen who is actively engaged in the banking or mortgage banking industry in connection
with affordable housing.
(c)A citizen who is a representative of those areas of labor actively engaged in home building in
connection with affordable housing.
(d) A citizen who is actively engaged as an advocate for low-income persons in connection with
affordable housing.
(e)A citizen who is actively engaged as a for-profit provider of affordable housing.
(f)A citizen who is actively engaged as a not-for-profit provider of affordable housing.
(g) A citizen who is actively engaged as a real estate professional in connection with affordable
housing.
(h)A citizen who actively serves on the local planning agency pursuant to s. 163.3174. If the local
planning agency is comprised of the governing board of the county or municipality, the governing
board may appoint a designee who is knowledgeable in the local planning process.
(i) A citizen who resides within the jurisdiction of the local governing body making the
appointments.
(j)A citizen who represents employers within the jurisdiction.
(k) A citizen who represents essential services personnel, as defined in the local housing
assistance plan.
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Table I
AHAC Members
Name
_._ Category -
1 — Christina Romelus Commissioner District III 0810312021
(Elected Official)
_ .. ..__ .. _........ ..... . , ®
2- Woodrow Hay Vice Mayor (Alternate - Elected 08/0312021
Official)
3— London Nelson Citizen engaged as Real Estate 08/17/2021
Professional in connection with
affordable housing
m .
4 Dr. Stephanie ae - Citizen who represents essential 09108/2021
eye o services personnel, as defined i
the local housing assistance
plan
en
5— Sari Vatske Citizen who is actively ..n
gaged 09/08/2021
as an advocate for low-income
person in connection with I
affordable housing ]
Kevin Fischer Citizen who actively serves on 09/08/2021
the local planning agency
„ ..m......_. ....w
7— eturah Joseph Citizen who is actively engaged ' 09/21/2021
as a not-for-profit provider of
affordable housing
...... ._ _ _.:::.
8 — Davey orris Citizen who is actively engaged 10/08/202i
in residential home building
9 — Cheryl Banks Citizen who is actively engaged 10/19/2021
in residential home building in
[ connection with affordable
l housing
10 — Ronnie Hogging Citizen who is actively engaged 10/1 /20ii
s a for-profit provider of
affordable housing
— �,ar
11 — Kerry Clinton Citizen who represents those 11/17/2021
areas of labor actively engaged
in home building in connection
i
with affordable housing
12 — Michael Corbit Citizen who represents 11/17/2021
employers within the jurisdiction
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AFFORDABLE HOUSING RECOMMENDATIONS
The AHAC has specifically reviewed, considered and evaluated the strategies set out at Florida Statues,
Sec. 420.9076 (4)(a)-(k). Based on this review and evaluation, the AHAC has formulated
recommendations to the City Commission that it incorporate into its housing strategy certain changes
designed to encourage and facilitate the production of affordable housing.
The AHAC, from its review, consideration, evaluation, and recommendations, drafts and submits this
report to the City Commission, to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, and the Florida Housing
Coalition, as the entity providing statewide training and technical assistance for the Affordable Housing
Catalyst Program, which details the scope of its work and the resulting recommendations.
The AHAC has reviewed, considered, and evaluated the following the strategies provided in the SHIP
Statute at Florida Statutes, Sec. 420.9076 (4):
(a)The processing of approvals of development orders or permits for affordable housing projects
is expedited to a greater degree than other projects, as provided in s. 163.3177(6)(f)3.
(b) All allowable fee waivers provided for the development or construction of affordable housing.
(c)The allowance of flexibility in densities for affordable housing.
(d)The reservation of infrastructure capacity for housing for very-low-income persons, low-income
persons, and moderate-income persons.
(e)Affordable accessory residential units.
(f)The reduction of parking and setback requirements for affordable housing.
(g)The allowance of flexible lot configurations, including zero-lot-line configurations for affordable
housing.
(h)The modification of street requirements for affordable housing.
(i) The establishment of a process by which a local government considers, before adoption,
policies, procedures, ordinances, regulations, or plan provisions that increase the cost of housing.
(j) The preparation of a printed inventory of locally owned public lands suitable for affordable
housing.
(k) The support of development near transportation hubs and major employment centers and
mixed-use developments.
EXPEDITED PERMITTING
A. Incentive Consideration Required: Yes
1. The processing of approvals of development orders or permits, as defined in S.
163.3164(7) and (8), for affordable housing projects is expedited to a greater
degree than other projects.
B. Original Purpose of Incentive:
1. Statutorily required.
2. Reduces wait times and costs for developers.
C. Current Process:
1. The Department of Development is responsible for processing and facilitating
affordable housing projects (i.e. site plan review, permitting, inspections, etc.)and
expedites such reviews involving workforce and affordable housing units pursuant
to the City's Expedited Development Review Program. In part, the Program
requires assignment of a single staff liaison to ensure quick communications with
staff, sets a maximum review period of 7 business days, defines/requires a quick
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conflict/problem resolution process, and allows consideration of a flexible or
tailored fee schedule program (City Code of Ordinances, Part III, Chapter 2,Article
I, Section 4). This benefit also applies to individual building permits for SHIP or
CDBG rehabilitation projects.
D. AHAC Proposed Recommendations:
1. The Affordable Housing Advisory Committee recommends for the City to continue
implementing the current incentive.
E. AHAC Comments:
1. Department of Development staff involved with the permitting process should
continue to educate developers about the new available electronic permitting
system.
2. Department of Development staff should set trigger points or flags on new
electronic permitting system to make them aware of deadlines on the process of
permitting.
3. Department of Development staff should have a grading system to measure
performance in the permitting process.
F. City Staff Comments:
1. The Department of Development will include relevant department personnel to
ensure that the expedited permitting review for affordable/workforce housing
projects are accurately addressed.
2. The new electronic system has been calibrated to provide electronic notification to
guide staff to proper implementation to the review process.
AFFORDABLEFEE WAIVERS FOR
A. Incentive Consideration Required: Yes
1. The modification of impact-fee requirements, including reduction or waiver of fees
and alternative methods of fee payment for affordable housing.
B. Original Purpose of Incentive:
1. To reduce development costs.
C. Current Process:
1. The City's only fee exemption is for Art in Public Places for the percent of the
project dedicated to affordable housing (City Code of Ordinances Part II, Chapter
2, Article XII, Section 2-163).
D. AHAC Proposed Recommendations:
i. The AHAC recommends to have a sliding scale permit fee reduction on
affordable housing projects.
E. City Staff Comments:
1. Department of Development staff advises that if there is any type of sliding scale
fee reduction on permitting fees for affordable housing development projects, the
City should budget revenue out of the general fund each year to subsidize the
reduction on permit fees, in order to sustain the Building Department.
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2. The Department of Development is in the process of reviewing building permitting
fees to potentially lower rates based on the construction value for affordable units.
The review of the fees for a possible reduction based on home size, is contingent
upon continued implementation of the City's Complete Streets and Mobility Fee
programs. Program implementation requires coordination with, and cooperation
from the County.
FLEXIBLE DENSITIES
A. Incentive Consideration Required: Yes
1. The allowance of flexible lot configurations, including zero-lot-line configurations
for affordable housing.
B. Original Purpose of Incentive:
1. To allow affordable housing development on smaller parcels.
2. Increasing the maximum units allowable may help make a development more
financially feasible.
C. Current Process:
1. The City allows for increased floor ratios and densities in selected residential
districts to incentivize the provision of affordable dwelling units.
2. The City has a density bonus in place as part of the Workforce Housing Program.
A developer may elect to obtain a density bonus and/or a height bonus through
the construction of the workforce units on-site or off-site, monetary contribution,
donation of land, or purchase of units to be designated as workforce (City Code of
Ordinances, Part III, Chapter 'I, Article V, Section 2.C).
D. AHAC Proposed Recommendations:
1. The AHAC further recommends for this incentive to be continued for both
affordable and workforce housing projects located city-wide.
E. City Staff Comments:
1. The City has a density bonus in place as part of the Workforce Housing Program.
RESERVATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACITY
A. Incentive Consideration Required: Yes
1. The reservation of infrastructure capacity for housing for very-low-income persons,
low- income persons, and moderate-income persons.
B. Original Purpose of Incentive:
1. To guarantee new developments will meet concurrency requirements by meeting
designated levels of service for certain types of infrastructure.
C. Current Process:
1. The City has not considered this incentive
D. AHAC Proposed Recommendations:
1. No recommendation at this time, but the committee will continue to consider this
strategy in its 2022 meetings.
E. City Staff Comments:
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1. The City has not considered this incentive.
RESIDENTIALAFFORDABLE ACCESSORY I
A. Incentive Consideration Required: Yes
1. The allowance of affordable accessory residential units in residential zoning
districts.
B. Original Purpose of Incentive:
1. To increase the supply of afford ablelworkforce rental units.
2. To decrease the cost of housing (i.e. the primary residence).
C. Current Process:
1. The City doesn't have a process in place at this point.
D. AHAC Proposed Recommendations:
1. No recommendation at this time, but the committee will continue to consider this
strategy in its 2022 meetings.
E. AHAC Comments:
1. The City should explore the use and availability of Accessory Dwelling Units(ADU)
for affordable housing city-wide as long as the units are built according to code.
F. City Staff Comments:
1. The City is working on an ordinance for ADUs to be set as affordable units.
REQUIREMENTSPARKING AND SETBACK
A. Incentive Consideration Required: Yes
1. The reduction of parking and setback requirements for affordable housing.
B. Original Purpose of Incentive:
1. To lower development costs.
2. To ensure that more of the buildable land is available for affordable housing
development.
C. Current Process:
1. Affordable housing units require a minimum of two (2) spaces regardless of the
number of bedrooms. All other homes are required to provide a minimum of two
(2) spaces plus extra spaces depending on the total bedrooms provided. For
construction of a new single-family or two-family structure, a minimum of two (2)
spaces are required per unit, or one(1)space per bedroom,whichever is greatest.
An exception may be made when the house is constructed for individuals meeting
purchase or eligibility requirements that include maximum income thresholds,then
a maximum of two(2)parking spaces shall be required per dwelling unit(City Code
of Ordinances, Part III, Chapter 4, Article V, Section 2.13).
D. AHAC Proposed Recommendations:
I. No recommendation at this time, but the committee will continue to consider this
strategy in its 2022 meetings.
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E. City Staff Comments:
1. Staff has no comments.
FLEXIBLET CONFIGURATIONS
A. Incentive Consideration Required: Yes
i. The allowance of flexible lot configurations, including zero-lot-line configurations
for affordable housing.
B. Original Purpose of Incentive:
1. To allow affordable housing development on smaller parcels.
C. Current Process:
1. The City has not considered this incentive
D. AHAC Proposed Recommendations:
1. No recommendation at this time, but the committee will continue to consider this
strategy in its 2022 meetings.
E. AHAC Comments:
i. AHAC members are concerned about changing the character of the community by
allowing zero lot line in established neighborhoods.
F. City Staff Comments:
1. The City has not considered allowing zero lot line standards for affordable housing,
however, the City has eliminated the minimum lot size standard for select
neighborhoods within the Redevelopment Area.
MODIFICATION I
A. Incentive Consideration Required: Yes
1. The modification of street requirements for affordable housing.
B. Original Purpose of Incentive:
1. To lower development costs.
2. To ensure that more of the buildable land is available for affordable housing
development.
C. Current Process:
1. The City has not considered this incentive.
D. AHAC Proposed Recommendations:
1. No recommendation at this time, but the committee will continue to consider this
strategy in its 2022 meetings.
E. City Staff Comments:
1. The City has not considered this incentive.
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PROCESS REVIEW
A. Incentive Consideration Required: Yes
1. The establishment of a process by which a local government considers, before
adoption, policies, procedures, ordinances, regulations, or plan provisions that
increase the cost of housing.
B. Original Purpose of Incentive:
1. Statutorily required.
2. To provide insight and recommendation to City Commissioners when a proposed
City Ordinance could impact the cost of afford ablelworkforce housing.
C. Current Process:
1. The Department of Development and the Community Improvement Division, will
continue to review all policies, procedures, ordinances, regulations and plan
provisions to determine what effects if any they may have on the cost of producing
affordable units prior to their passage. Proposed ordinances will be reviewed in
sufficient time needed to evaluate and comment on any potential impact on the
provision of affordable housing.
D. AHAC Proposed Recommendations:
1. The AHAC recommends being part of the review process on any City proposed
ordinance related to affordable housing.
E. City Staff Comments:
1. City staff agrees with the proposed recommendation.
PUBLIC
A. Incentive Consideration Required: Yes
1. The preparation of a printed or electronic inventory of locally owned public lands
suitable for affordable housing.
B. Original Purpose of Incentive:
1. The inventory of locally owned public lands appropriate for use as affordable
housing is required to be prepared every three years.
2. Reduce the cost of the development of affordable housing.
3. Increase the availability of land for the development of affordable housing.
C. Current Process.
1. The Department of Development maintains maps on the City's Web Page that
includes an inventory of vacant land including, properties owned by the City and
Palm Beach County within the target area.
D. AHAC Proposed Recommendations:
The AHAC recommends having a list of all available land and a list of vacant land
suitable for affordable housing in the City, as a link on the City's website for easy
access for developers.
E. City Staff Comments:
1. The City will continue to comply with the requirements of Florida Statute 166.0451
which requires that every three years a municipality must prepare an electronic
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inventory list of all real property owned and designated as "appropriate for use as
affordable housing."
2. City staff agrees with the proposed recommendation.
TRANSPORTATIONSUPPORT OF DEVELOPMENT NEAR
A. Incentive Consideration Required: Yes
1. The support of development near transportation hubs and major employment
centers and mixed-use developments.
B. Original Purpose of Incentive:
1. To reduce transportation costs for low- and moderate-income residents.
2. The income generated from the retail space can help subsidize the cost of the
housing units.
3. To reduce transportation for residents while at the same time reducing
dependence on fossil fuels.
C. Current Process:
1. As part of the Workforce Housing Program developers may be entitled to request
higher density land use and zoning category if providing workforce housing units
for projects located within the Downtown Transit Oriented Development District
(City Code of Ordinances, Part 111, Chapter 1, Article V, Section 2.C).
D. AHAC Proposed Recommendations:
1. The AHAC recommends for the City to have a requirement for affordable housing
units in the Downtown Transit Oriented Development District.
E. City Staff Comments:
1. The City has established its first Transit Oriented Development District(TOD)with
corresponding density and height incentives for workforce and affordable housing,
and is currently coordinating with the Regional Planning Council in reviewing the
possibility of a TOD at the City's Tri Rail Station.
OTHER TOPICS u
A. Inclusionary Housing
B. Generational Housing
1. The AHAC recommends the implementation of mandatory inclusionary housing to
include workforce affordable housing units on any housing development project
consisting of 10 or more units.
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