City seeking Volunteers to serve on Affordable Housing Advisory Committee

The City of Port St. Lucie is accepting applications for positions on the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee. The Committee is appointed by the City Council to make recommendations to the City Council on affordable housing issues.  The Committee’s meeting dates and times are to yet be determined. 

The Committee consists of 11 members, who are subject to the provisions of the state’s Sunshine Law and serve on a voluntary basis. Applicants must meet one of the following 11 requirements in order to serve on this Committee.

The open positions are for:  

1. One citizen who is actively engaged in the residential home building industry in connection with affordable housing.
2. One citizen who is actively engaged in the banking or mortgage banking industry in connection with affordable housing.
3. One citizen who is a representative of those areas of labor actively engaged in home building in connection with affordable housing.
4. One citizen who is actively engaged as an advocate for low-income persons in connection with affordable housing.
5. One citizen who is actively engaged as a for-profit provider of affordable housing.
6. One citizen who is actively engaged as a not-for-profit provider of affordable housing.
7. One citizen who is actively engaged as a real estate professional in connection with affordable housing.
8. One citizen who actively serves on the local planning agency pursuant to s. 163.3174.
9. One citizen who resides within the jurisdiction of the local governing body making the appointments.
10. One citizen who represents employers within the jurisdiction.
11. One citizen who represents essential services personnel, as defined in the local housing assistance plan.*

Every three years, the Committee shall review the established policies and procedures, ordinances, land development regulations, and adopted local government comprehensive plan of the appointing local government and shall recommend specific actions or initiatives to encourage or facilitate affordable housing while protecting the ability of the property to appreciate in value.  The recommendations may include the modification or repeal of existing policies, procedures, ordinances, regulations, or plan provisions; the creation of exceptions applicable to affordable housing; or the adoption of new policies, procedures, regulations, ordinances, or plan provisions, including recommendations to amend the local government comprehensive plan and corresponding regulations, ordinances and other policies. At a minimum, each advisory committee shall submit a report to the local governing body that includes recommendations on, and triennially thereafter evaluates the implementation of, affordable housing incentives in the following areas: 

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.
2. The modification of impact-fee requirements, including reduction or waiver of fees and alternative methods of fee payment for affordable housing.
3. The allowance of flexibility in densities for affordable housing.
4. The reservation of infrastructure capacity for housing for very-low-income persons, low-income persons, and moderate-income persons.
5. The allowance of affordable accessory residential units in residential zoning districts.
6. The reduction of parking and setback requirements for affordable housing.
7. The allowance of flexible lot configurations, including zero-lot-line configurations for affordable housing.
8. The modification of street requirements for affordable housing.
9. 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.
10. The preparation of a printed inventory of locally owned public lands suitable for affordable housing.
11. The support of development near transportation hubs and major employment centers and mixed-use developments.

The advisory committee recommendations may also include other affordable housing incentives identified by the advisory committee.

Please Submit Applications By May 23 to the City Clerk’s office.  Applications are available online at www.cityofpsl.com or by calling the Clerk’s office at (772) 817-5157. For questions, call the Community Services Department at (772) 871-5284.

*Essential Service Personnel:  Chapter 67-37.002(6), Florida Administrative Code: (Essential Service Personnel are defined in the Port St. Lucie SHIP Housing Assistance Plan as “Those employed persons whose household income does not exceed program income limits; this includes but is not limited to teachers and educators; other school district employees, community college employees, and university employees; police and fire personnel; health care personnel; skilled building trades personnel; government personnel; and other job categories as required by Section 420.9075(3)(a), F.S.)”  A program income limits chart available in the Community Services Department.

To get an application to apply for a position the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, click here.

For more information, contact:
Ed Cunningham
Communications Director
City of Port St. Lucie
(772) 871-5219