Affordable Housing Options Cited

As expected, county commissioners on Tuesday rejected a committee recommendation to create a separate governmental division dedicated to affordable housing.

Too costly and too much bureaucracy, they decided.

However, to create more incentive for developers in Hernando County to build affordable homes, commissioners did favor waiving a $100 expedited inspection fee for builders.

Commissioners on Tuesday got a list of recommendations proposed by an eight-member affordable housing committee.

Planning Director Ron Pianta will now incorporate some of those recommendations into final form and present it to the board for consideration at a future meeting.

Another recommendation that passed muster with the board was to allow builders a "density bonus" for affordable housing and to use paving alternatives, such as mulch, to keep costs down. A density bonus allows builders to increase the maximum allowable development.

Affordable housing is generally defined as a household that does not pay more than 30 percent of their annual income on housing expenses. For example, a household making $50,000 should not pay more than $130,000 for a home.

The affordable housing item dove-tailed with a discussion of foreclosed homes and how the county may be able to leverage some of those empty homes into opportunities for low-income homebuyers.

Health and Human Services Director Jean Rags told commissioners the county is in line to receive $4.3 million of federal money that would be allocated for low- to moderate- and middle-income housing programs.

Another $1.3 million would be earmarked for "very low" income rental programs.

The money is part of the $91 million the U.S. Housing and Urban Development allocated to the Florida Department of Community Affairs as part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.

County Administrator David Hamilton called the money "an incredible one-time opportunity for Hernando County."

Hernando County could use the money to acquire land and property, demolish or rehabilitate abandoned properties, or offer down payment and closing cost assistance to eligible homebuyers.

County Commissioner John Druzbick said he is not in favor of the county buying homes to be rehabilitated.

Hamilton assured him the county is not looking to become involved in the house-buying business.

Instead, county commissioners directed staffers to attend upcoming seminars to get more information about the distribution of money and the timelines that must be met.

Staff will report back at a future meeting.

Also at Tuesday's meeting:

• Hernando County repealed its occupational license tax in October 2007.

At the time, County Tax Collector Juanita Sikes and then-building director Grant Tolbert called the tax outdated and that the costs of administering the tax outweighed any financial gain for the county.

Sikes found herself back before commissioners Tuesday defending that tax repeal after a citizen had voiced concerns at an earlier meeting.

And again, Sikes made it clear that the tax was "archaic."

Not only was the ordinance confusing to the public, but it is difficult to enforce, according to Sikes.

Commissioner David Russell said the occupational license confused many people who thought its issuance to a business or service provider somehow was a guarantee of competency. All it meant was the person paid the annual tax, which varied depending on the type of business or service.

The state Legislature last year changed the name of the license to a "local business tax receipt," in the hopes of clarifying its purpose.

"We, without a doubt, did the right thing," Russell said about the tax repeal.

It not only is a savings to businesses that had to pay it, but a safeguard to residents who thought it offered a level of protection that wasn't there, he said.

About 20 other counties in Florida have either eliminated the fee or never adopted one. The city of Brooksville also repealed it.

• Commissioners voted to approve appointing Joe Creech as the county's new interim building official, replacing Tolbert.

But the emphasis is on "interim," Hamilton stressed.

Hamilton reminded the board that the building department, which has steadily lost revenue because of the faltering economy, could be realigned under the county's new reorganization program and make a building director's services obsolete.

Should commissioners decide otherwise, the board would go through the formal advertising process and seek a permanent official, Hamilton said.

Creech has been with the building department since 2000 and is currently the department's deputy building official.

• The county has received 12 responses from firms interested in building a new judicial center for the county.

The proposals will be evaluated by a seven-member team during a public meeting next month.

• County commissioners appointed Lisa Hammond, Denis Riley, Harry Holzhauer and Thomas Deutschle to fill vacant seats on the planning and zoning board.