More housing help could be on the way

January 31, 2013 | Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Florida Gov. Rick Scott today requested $50 million under his 2013-14 budget plan for a popular affordable housing program that has gone unfunded for several years.If approved by Florida Legislature, the earmark would help find housing for an estimated 4,000 recession-battered Sunshine State families through the State Housing Initiatives Partnership, according to program administrator Florida Housing Finance Corp.

The SHIP program was designed to serve low-income families with home buying down-payment assistance, property repairs and foreclosure prevention. Many of the households assisted will include the elderly or homeowners who have special needs.

The funds historically have been distributed proportionately to each county, where local housing officials put it the use. The last several years, however, the appropriation has been raided by lawmakers to help balance a bleeding state budget.

“As a result of economic and budgetary challenges that our state has experienced, the SHIP program did not receive state budgetary allocations for several years,” said Steve Auger, executive director for Florida Housing Finance Corp. “If the Legislature approves this request, local governments will have resources to address the specific housing needs of their communities.”

Auger estimates the $50 million would help bolster the state’s economy, generating about 5,500 jobs and an estimated economic benefit of more than $372 million.

In 2008-2009, the last time SHIP funds were disbursed, Sarasota County received $3.2 million, while Manatee was awarded $2.6 million and Charlotte saw $1.4 million, state records show.