Public Policy & Advocacy

Governor Crist has submitted his budget to the legislature for 2008-2009. A number of programs of interest to CDCs including the Housing Trust Funds are projected to take big hits. The Alliance will be working with its partners to mitigate the effects of these proposed cuts. If you haven’t seen the Governor’s proposed budget, please visit www.peoplesbudget.state.fl.us

In March of this year, FLACDC engaged the services of Carlton Fields to serve as lobbyists for our membership. We are focusing primarily on obtaining additional appropriations for the Home Ownership Pool Program but we are also following the legislation listed below. Keep your eyes peeled for member alerts. It’s a tough budget year and we will be asking you to chime in with your legislators from time to time.

Florida Alliance of Community Development Corportations

SB 0482	Relating to Affordable Housing		Garcia
	Affordable Housing [RPCC]; Expresses the legislative intent to revise laws relating to affordable housing. EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon becoming law.
	10/8/2007	SENATE Filed
	12/13/2007	SENATE Referred to Community Affairs; Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations; Rules
	3/10/2008	SENATE On Committee agenda - Community Affairs, 03/13/08, 9:00 am, 412 K - Workshop
	3/13/2008	SENATE Workshopped by Community Affairs
	3/14/2008	SENATE On Committee agenda - Community Affairs, 03/19/08, 1:00 pm, 412 K
	3/19/2008	SENATE Temporarily postponed by Community Affairs
	3/24/2008	SENATE On Committee agenda - Community Affairs, 03/27/08, 1:00 pm, 412 K
	3/27/2008	SENATE Favorable with CS by Community Affairs; 8 Yeas, 0 Nays

HB 0699	Relating to Affordable Housing		Aubuchon
	Affordable Housing: Removes provision requiring FHFC to transfer certain funds to General Revenue Fund; revises definitions; revises frequency with which local housing distributions are to be made by corporation; revises calculations used to determine guaranteed distribution amounts; provides & revises powers & duties of corporation; provides requirements for counties & eligible municipalities; provides requirements for local housing assistance plans; increases threshold amount used to determine which counties & municipalities may use specified percentage of program income for administrative costs; requires corporation to provide training for certain purposes; revises membership criteria for affordable housing advisory committees; revises notice requirements for public hearings of advisory committee; requires committees final report, evaluation, & recommendations to be submitted to corporation; repeals provision relating to state administration of remaining local housing distribution funds. Effective Date: July 1, 2008
	1/22/2008	HOUSE Filed
	1/28/2008	HOUSE Referred to Economic Expansion & Infrastructure Council; Policy & Budget Council
	1/29/2008	HOUSE Referred to Committee on Economic Development by Economic Expansion & Infrastructure Council
	2/27/2008	----- Bill to Be Discussed During the Office of the EDR's Revenue Estimating Impact Conference; 2/29/08, 9:00 a.m., 117 K (No Votes Will Be Taken)
	3/18/2008	HOUSE On Committee agenda - Economic Development, 03/20/08, 9:30 am, Reed Hall
	3/20/2008	HOUSE Favorable with 1 Amendment by Economic Development; 9 Yeas, 0 Nays; Now in Economic Expansion & Infrastructure Council
	3/26/2008	----- Bill to Be Discussed During the Office of the EDR's Revenue Estimating Impact Conference; 3/28/08, 1:00 pm, 117 K (No Votes Will Be Taken)

SB 2518	Relating to Community Redevelopment Agencies		Bennett
	Community Redevelopment Agencies [RPCC]; Revises requirements concerning reporting by community redevelopment agencies. Eliminates the requirement that such agencies file and make available to the public certain reports concerning finances. Limits expenditures made from the redevelopment trust fund for the undertakings of a community redevelopment agency to undertakings within the community redevelopment area, etc. EFFECTIVE DATE: 10/01/2008.
	2/29/2008	SENATE Filed
	3/13/2008	SENATE Referred to Community Affairs; Finance and Tax; Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations

SB 2592	Relating to Affordable Housing		Gaetz
	Affordable Housing [RPCC]; Requires that a county adopt a local land development regulation that requires certain housing to be affordable. Provides for expedited state and regional review or proposals for affordable housing developments. Requires that certain counties and municipalities amend their local comprehensive plans by a certain date to include criteria for such review, etc. EFFECTIVE DATE: 07/01/2008.
	2/29/2008	SENATE Filed
	3/20/2008	SENATE Referred to Community Affairs; Environmental Preservation and Conservation; Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations

SB 2596	Relating to Affordable Housing		Aronberg
	Affordable Housing [RPCC]; Requires the scoring system for applications submitted to the State Apartment Incentive Loan Program to include specified projects in its criteria, etc. EFFECTIVE DATE: 07/01/2008.
	2/29/2008	SENATE Filed
	3/20/2008	SENATE Referred to Community Affairs; Environmental Preservation and Conservation; Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations

SB 2656	Relating to Affordable Workforce Housing Program		Geller
	Affordable Workforce Housing Program [RPCC]; Creates the Affordable Workforce Housing Program within the Division of Housing and Community Development of the Department of Community Affairs. Requires that the Secretary of Community Affairs serve as chair of the program and appoint a committee. Requires that the committee establish certain policies and procedures on or before a specified date, etc. EFFECTIVE DATE: 07/01/2008.
	2/29/2008	SENATE Filed
	3/20/2008	SENATE Referred to Community Affairs; Governmental Operations; Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

FLORIDA

Volunteer Florida Foundation (VFF) is looking for community/faith based grassroots organizations to participate in the Compassion Florida Initiative. The purpose is to aid in capacity building of new and small budget organizations – helping them better serve their communities.

Mini-Grants

Qualifying organizations predominately serve the homeless, prisoners reentering the community, children of prisoners, at-risk youth, addicts, elders, welfare-to-work families, and/or couples who choose marriage. Individuals/Organizations located in Duval and Dade counties are not eligible. In order to quickly determine if organizations are eligible to apply a registration form has been posted on the site. Interested parties can submit the registration form and will receive feedback from our office as to their eligibility status.

Strategic Investment Grants: To provide support for the implementation of strategies that involve one-time or nonrecurring purchases or investments that strengthen programs or assist in revenue development.

Specific examples of strategic investment grants include the purchase of relationship management or website design software and associated staff training; the purchase of a color copier that would be used to print newsletters, brochures and program material; purchase of and training on a database tracking plan.

Human Capital Grants : To provide operational/program support that will increase the number of persons served, resources obtained, and organizational sustainability.

Specific examples of human capital grants would be hiring a volunteer coordinator to help increase program effectiveness and broaden community support; hiring a grant writer or grant-writing trainer to mentor key staff; and hiring a marketing consultant to conduct a market analysis and train staff to follow-up on the results.

The sub-awards support activities in these critical areas: organizational development, leadership development, program development, revenue development (excluding actual fund-raising activities) and community engagement. For further information please contact http://www.volunteerfloridafoundation.org/about_faithbased.php