TO: The Honorable Board of County Commissioners
THROUGH: John A.Titkanich, Jr., County Administrator
Michael C. Zito, Deputy County Administrator
Cynthia Emerson, Director Community Services Department
FROM: Siphikelelo Chinyanganya, SHIP Program Administrator
DATE: March 10, 2026
SUBJECT: Consideration of the revised Indian River County Local Housing Assistance Plan for the Fiscal Years 2024-2025, 2025-2026, and 2026-2027
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BACKGROUND
It is requested that the data herein presented be given formal consideration by the Board of County Commissioners at its regular meeting on March 10, 2026.
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 420.907, F.S., and Rule 67-37.005, Florida Administrative Code (FAC), the Board of County Commissioners approved the County’s first Local Housing Assistance Plan (Ordinance #93-13) on April 6, 1993. Subsequently, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation approved the County’s plan and authorized the disbursement of State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program funds.
According to Rule 67-37.005(2), Florida Administrative Code, every three years, each local government receiving SHIP funds must submit a new Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Accordingly, the County’s plan was submitted in 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2021, and 2024.
In 2024, the Board of County Commissioners approved the County’s current 3-year plan. This agenda item reviews the proposed amendments to the current LHAP for FY 2024-2025, FY 2025-2026, and FY 2026-2027.
• SHIP Program Activity
Since its initial adoption in 1993, the County’s LHAP has been successful in directing assistance to eligible households within the county. The attached table (attachment #1) identifies the County’s SHIP allocations and the number of loans given to eligible applicants by fiscal year and by income category.
Since SHIP is a state-funded program, the SHIP program fiscal year (FY) is concurrent with the state fiscal year and runs from July 1 to June 30. Because SHIP funds provided in one fiscal year can be spent over a three fiscal year period, the county often has two or more years of SHIP funding active.
For each fiscal year (FY), SHIP funds consist of state allocations and program income. Program income includes SHIP loan repayments and interest earned. For FY 2024-25, full funding estimated at approximately $1.2 million was approved by the Legislature.
ANALYSIS
To meet the Florida Housing Finance Corporation’s local housing assistance plan submittal requirements and to recognize changed conditions, staff, in conjunction with the County’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC), prepared a revised LHAP (Attachment 2). The revised plan is a continuation of the county’s existing plan with the following changes:
• Amended the language for Project Delivery Costs, (item S. page 6 of the LHAP) by replacing the flat fee with a percentage of project costs.
The proposed revisions are intended to enhance the LHAP. This amendment grants the county the autonomy to implement modifications to the Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) without requiring further state-level approval. This change ensures our LHAP is consistent with the regional standards established by neighboring jurisdictions.
Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Review
The LHAP was reviewed by the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) of the county on February 25, 2026. The AHAC reviewed the proposed revisions and expressed their overall agreement with them.
The proposed plan meets all state and local requirements, and the proposed revisions address changed conditions. Once the state adopts and approves it, the LHAP will provide the basic framework and operating procedures for the SHIP program for the next three fiscal years. The new plan will also make the county eligible to receive SHIP funds until June 2027.
BUDGETARY IMPACT
None
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTIONS
Approved 3.11.2025
POTENTIAL FUTURE BOARD ACTIONS
Approval of amendments as needed
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
Quality of Life
OTHER PLAN ALIGNMENT
Local Housing Assistance Plan - LHAP
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Staff and the AHAC recommend that the BCC approve the new Indian River County Local Housing Assistance Plan by adopting the attached resolution, authorizing the Chairman to sign the certification page, and authorizing staff to make any changes to the LHAP as may be required after review by the state.