|
Affordable
Housing Certification Process
Any applicant requesting
assistance to develop affordable housing, including federal, state
or local funds, capacity reservation set-asides, reduced
reservation fees, impact fee grants, discounts, exemptions,
reduced Land Development or Growth Management application fees, or
developing a residential project utilizing the Alternative Housing
Development standards, shall require certification of the project
as an affordable housing project prior to receiving these
incentives. The Affordable Housing Certification Process ensures
that the housing units and/or their occupants meet the definitions
and other applicable requirements as Affordable Housing in
accordance with the adopted certification standards, conditions
and procedures.
The applicant/developer is
encouraged to seek affordable certification review early in the
development process, so staff can easily identify eligible
affordable units for the applicable incentives. All
applicants seeking certification shall be required to attend a
pre-application conference with staff from the Housing Department. During this conference, staff
will describe the certification process and review the application
form and submittal requirements with the applicant.
Return
to top of page
Affordable Housing
Impact Fee Grant
The City of Orlando currently reimburses the amount of City impact
fees to certified developers of affordable housing within the City
of Orlando. A developer utilizing this program would pay the
impact fees when building permits are pulled, but would be
reimbursed for the amount of the sewer impact fee and the
transportation impact fee when certificates of occupancy are
issued. The developer would also be reimbursed 25% of the school
impact fees if developing rental housing and 62% if developing
owner occupied housing. The current amount of impact fees are as follows:
Transportation Impact Fee
Single
Family
$ 1,192
Sewer Benefit Fee
Single
Family
$3,007.60
School Impact Fee (County)
Single
Family
$ 7,000
Multi-Family
$ 3,807
Actual amount reimbursed for
school impact fee is $951.75 for Rental Multi-Family; $2,360.34
for Owner-Occupied Multi Family; and $4,340 for owner Occupied Single
Family.
In order to qualify for this
incentive, the project must be certified as an affordable housing
project under the Affordable Housing Certification Process.
Return
to top of page
Density Bonus
Program
The Density Bonus Program
allows more housing units per acre or commercial floor space per
acre than would otherwise be permitted. This bonus is available in
several residential, office and commercial zoning districts. The
bonus may also be awarded in exchange for an in-lieu contribution
to the City of Orlando Trust Fund for Very Low and Low Income
Housing.
In order to qualify for this
incentive, the project must be certified as an affordable housing
project under the Affordable Housing Certification Process.
Return
to top of page
Alternative
Design Standards Affordable Housing
The alternative design standards
are intended to promote innovative design and to encourage
development of very low and low income housing. The development
standards, found in Chapter 67 of the Land Development Code (LDC),
allow reduced setbacks, lot sizes, street widths and require
positive design features. The goal is to provide the flexibility
to the developer without negatively impacting the resulting
development. For instance, even though front yard setbacks
and street widths are reduced, adequate parking must be provided.
Front yard and rear yard setbacks are reduced to a minimum of 5
feet. The house must be oriented toward the street with the garage
set further back or even with the primary structure. Currently, a
developer can only exercise this development option through the
platting process. The Alternative Design Standards can also be
used to permit affordable housing development on existing platted
lots.
Return
to top of page
|
