Notices: Economic Development & Affordable Housing
PUBLIC NOTICE
CITY OF CLEARWATER, FL.
STATE HOUSING INITIATIVES PARTNERSHIP (SHIP) PROGRAM
ANNUAL REPORT
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY
Public Notices
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS CITY OF CLEARWATER, FLORIDA STATE HOUSING INITIATIVES PARTNERSHIP
(SHIP) PROGRAM LOCAL HOUSING INCENTIVE STRATEGIES
The City of Clearwater (City) is hereby inviting citizens, representatives of public and private agencies and organizations, and other interested parties to public hearings convened by the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) and City Council. The public hearing by the AHAC will be conducted on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024, beginning at 9:00am. The public hearing by the City Council will be conducted on Thursday, December 19th, 2024, beginning at 6:00pm. Both public hearings will be held in the City Council Chambers, Clearwater Main Library, 100 N. Osceola Avenue, Clearwater, Florida 33755. Public participation is invited and encouraged.
The City receives State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program funding from the State of Florida for use in implementing partnership programs to produce and preserve affordable housing for very low to moderate-income families. Florida Statutes (F.S.) require counties and cities receiving SHIP funds to appoint an eleven member AHAC. The duties of the AHAC are to recommend specific actions or initiatives to encourage or facilitate the production and preservation of affordable housing and to present their recommendations to City Council.
The purpose of these public hearings is to receive comments from the public on the following incentive strategies to be evaluated and recommended by the AHAC.
(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, F.S.
(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 allowances 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.
The AHAC recommendations may also include other affordable housing incentives as evaluated and recommended by the AHAC during their public hearing.
At the City Council public hearing, the City Council will consider the recommendations of the AHAC. The City Council may accept, revise, or reject the AHAC recommendations.
A draft Local Housing Incentive Strategies (LHIS) report, including the incentives evaluation and tentative recommendations of the AHAC, will be available by November 20, 2024 for public viewing at www.myclearwater.com/housing. Hard copies will be made available upon request by contacting Dylan Mayeux, Interim Housing Manager, City of Clearwater Economic Development and Housing Department, P.O. Box 4748, Clearwater, FL 33758-4748 or Dylan.Mayeux@myclearwater.com Public comments are welcomed. All interested parties shall forward written comments on the draft LHIS report by December 1st, 2024, to Dylan Mayeux, Interim Housing Director, City of Clearwater Economic Development and Housing Department, P.O. Box 4748, Clearwater, FL 33758-4748 or Dylan.Mayeux@myclearwater.com.