CAPTIONING OCTOBER 14, 2009 BOCC WORKSHOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING ***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate. >>KEN HAGAN: GOOD AFTERNOON, AND WELCOME TO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORKSHOP. BEFORE I PASS THINGS OVER TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR SOME INTRODUCTORY REMARKS, I'D LIKE TO READ INTO THE RECORD BY COMMISSIONER ROSE FERLITA. DUE TO A PERSONAL CONFLICT, I WILL NOT BE IN ATTENDANCE AT TODAY'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORKSHOP. I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THIS MAY CAUSE. PLEASE READ THE REASON FOR MY ABSENCE INTO THE RECORD. SO THANK YOU. WITH THAT, I'LL PASS THINGS OVER TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR SOME OPENING REMARKS. >>PAT BEAN: MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, WE'RE PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY WITH A REPORT THAT I THINK WILL BE VERY INFORMATIVE FOR THE BOARD, AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SETTING ASIDE THIS TIME THIS AFTERNOON TO LISTEN TO THE REPORT AND TO ASK US ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT IT. THE REPORT HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TASK FORCE, AND THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE INVOLVED IN DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF THE REPORT, SO I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME. I'M JUST BASICALLY SETTING THE STAGE FOR THE FACT THAT THERE IS A REPORT, AND WE HOPE TO LEAVE HERE TODAY WITH EVERYONE HAVING A CLEAR AND FULL UNDERSTANDING OF CURRENT STATUS AND WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE SOMEONE WHO I GUESS I SHOULD SAY NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION OVER HERE BECAUSE HE USED TO SIT IN ONE OF THESE CHAIRS UP HERE, AND HE HAPPENS TO BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TASK FORCE AND ALSO THE CHAIRMAN OF CITY COUNCIL AT THIS PRESENT TIME, COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL CHAIR THOMAS SCOTT, FORMER COUNTY COMMISSIONER THOMAS SCOTT. >>THOMAS SCOTT: THANK YOU, MS. BEAN, SO VERY MUCH, AND THANK YOU TODAY TO -- [APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER] >>KEN HAGAN: WELCOME HOME, TOM. >>THOMAS SCOTT: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU TO -- FOR THAT WONDERFUL WELCOME. >>JIM NORMAN: [INAUDIBLE] >>THOMAS SCOTT: I AM -- I AM STILL PRAYING FOR JIM NORMAN. MY PRAYERS HAVE NOT BEEN ANSWERED YET, BUT I'M STILL PRAYING FOR HIM. [LAUGHTER] BUT THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH TODAY FOR THIS WORKSHOP AND THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO GREET YOU. AGAIN, LET ME JUST THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HERE. IT IS SO VERY IMPORTANT AS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND WE VALUE THAT, AND WE THANK YOU, AND LET ME THANK YOU ALSO FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE COUNTY WITH THE ADVISORY -- AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD, AND SOME OF THE MEMBERS ARE HERE -- I'M GOING TO ASK THEM TO STAND AT THIS TIME -- WHO SERVE ON THE -- ON THE BOARD. SOME OF THOSE MEMBERS, IF THEY WOULD STAND IF THEY'RE HERE. I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW THEM. MOST OF YOU APPOINTED THEM, AND THEY RENDER A VERY VALUABLE SERVICE TO YOU AND THIS COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND TO THIS DEPARTMENT. LET ME JUST SAY THAT THE REPORT TODAY, IN MY OPINION, BASED ON WHAT I REVIEWED AND READ AND DISCUSSED THIS MORNING, IT GIVES A LOT OF LEGITIMACY AND VALIDITY TO THE -- GOING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL TASK FORCE STUDY THAT WAS DONE BACK IN 2006 WHEN I WAS PART OF THE BOARD, AND I STATED THAT THIS MORNING. IT IS A VERY GOOD REPORT, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL FIND IT VERY VALUABLE AND ARE ABLE TO FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE THERE. SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE PREVIOUSLY -- AS HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS REPORT BY MR. GAMBLE WERE RECOMMENDED ALSO BY THE TASK FORCE A COUPLE YEARS AGO. AND THEN ON ANOTHER NOTE, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WANT TO PRESENT TO YOU-ALL A RESOLUTION FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOARD THAT WE TOOK ACTION SEVERAL WEEKS AGO ON THE OPPORTUNITY -- BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOW IN YOUR POSSESSION OR HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND SOME 19-MILLION-PLUS DOLLARS, IN FACT IT WILL EVENTUALLY BE OVER SOME 30-SOME MILLION DOLLARS THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM, AND THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE COMING UP AGAINST WITH THE FUNDING OF THAT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THAT MONEY WITHIN THE TIME FRAME ALLOCATED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BY HUD, AND SO WE WANT TO -- WE PASSED A RESOLUTION ASKING FOR YOUR AUTHORITY TO GRANT THE RAISING THE LIMIT FOR THE - - I THINK FOR THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, I BELIEVE IT IS, TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND SECURE FORECLOSURE PROPERTY. SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO -- DO WE HAVE ENOUGH COPIES MADE? DID WE MAKE COPIES? IF THEY COULD GIVE THAT TO THE BOARD, THEN I'LL CONCLUDE MY COMMENTS WITH THAT AND SAY THIS IS A VERY GOOD REPORT, AND I HOPE THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY MR. GAMBLE. HE'S GOING TO COME FORTH AND SHARE THOSE WITH YOU, AND THE FULL BOARD THIS MORNING MET IN A WORKSHOP AS WELL TO RAISE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. OKAY. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS TIME AND FOR THIS WORKSHOP THIS AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SCOTT. AT THIS TIME, MR. MERRILL. >>MIKE MERRILL: YES. MIKE MERRILL, UTILITIES AND COMMERCE ADMINISTRATOR. I'LL JUST TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO FRAME WHY IT IS WE'RE HERE. I'M A BIG FAN OF DR. WAYNE DYER, AND MAYBE SOME OF YOU HAVE SEEN HIM ON SOME OF THE PBS TELEVISION FUNDRAISERS. HE ALWAYS GETS ME TO SEND IN A CHECK. BUT THERE'S THREE -- THERE'S THREE THINGS THAT HE TALKS ABOUT THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE WORKSHOP TODAY. FIRST IS THE IMPORTANCE AND THE POWER OF SETTING AN INTENTION FOR WHAT IT IS YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE, AND THEN SECONDLY, THINKING FROM THE END, WHAT HE CALLS SEEING WHAT THE ACHIEVEMENT WILL LOOK LIKE ONCE YOU GET THERE, AND THEN FINALLY, SURROUNDING YOURSELF WITH THE CONDITIONS TO FULFILL YOUR INTENTION. THAT'S REALLY THE PURPOSE OF -- OF WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY. VAL AND HER STAFF, SINCE VAL'S TOOK OVER IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB OF STABILIZING THE DEPARTMENT, GETTING IT BACK ON COURSE, AND I THINK WE'RE NOW AT THE POINT WHERE WE CAN TALK ABOUT ENGAGING AND SETTING SOME INTENTIONS FOR ACHIEVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO YOU TO GIVE US DIRECTION, HELP US FORMULATE SOME OF THOSE INTENTIONS. THE REPORT BY BOB GAMBLE FROM PFM, OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, WILL HELP US SEE FROM THE END, SEE WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE BY LOOKING AT SOME OF HIS RECOMMENDATIONS. AND FINALLY, I THINK THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL HELP US CREATE THE CONDITIONS THAT WE NEED TO ACHIEVE OUR -- OUR GOALS AND OUR INTENTIONS. SO WITH THAT, WE'LL FIRST HAVE VALMARIE TURNER COME UP AND SPEND SOME TIME JUST PROVIDING YOU WITH A BASIC UNDERSTANDING, I THINK, FOR EVERYONE OF WHAT, IN FACT, WE DO IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM. MAYBE -- IT IS A COMPLICATED PROGRAM. MAYBE IT'S NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD, MAYBE IT'S BEEN MISCHARACTERIZED, SO I WANT HER TO SPEND JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TIME KIND OF BRINGING US ALL TO A POINT OF UNDERSTANDING, AND THEN MR. GAMBLE WILL PRESENT HIS REPORT TO YOU. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: GOOD AFTERNOON, VALMARIE. >>VALMARIE TURNER: GOOD AFTERNOON. VALMARIE TURNER, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. JUST GET THIS UP QUICKLY. OKAY. THE PURPOSE TODAY IS TO GO OVER THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S MISSION, GOALS, OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS TALK ABOUT THE FUNDING PROJECTS AND THEIR ACTIVITIES AND AS WELL AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM. THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S PRIMARY CUSTODIAN OF FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING THAT IS RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE HAVE A NEW MISSION STATEMENT. OUR MISSION STATEMENT IS TO STIMULATE NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION EFFORTS BY INCREASING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES FOR ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, OF COURSE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE ADMINISTER. WE ALSO HAVE A NEW VISION STATEMENT, AND OUR VISION STATEMENT IS TO BE RECOGNIZED AND RESPECTED AS ONE OF THE PREMIER HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE NATION. WE HAVE OUTLINED SOME GOALS THAT WE'D LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH. NUMBER ONE, WE'D LIKE TO INCREASE COMMUNICATION TO IMPROVE SERVICE DELIVERY AND STAFF EFFECTIVENESS. WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE'D LIKE TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT. WE DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROGRAMS ARE UNDERSTOOD AS WELL AS OUR PROCESSES, SO COMMUNICATION'S VERY IMPORTANT. WE ALSO WANT TO IMPROVE ADMINISTRATIVE AND ACCOUNTING SUPPORT TO ALL SECTIONS OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. WE WANT TO PROVIDE ASSURANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF FUNDING FOR OUR AGENCIES, PARTICULARLY FOR HUD AND THE STATE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO ANSWER TO THEM AS IT RELATES TO OUR FUNDING. WE WANT TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO LOW-INCOME HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENTS AS WELL AS PROMOTING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY THROUGH MULTIPLE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS EXTERNAL AGENCIES, AND WE'D ALSO LIKE TO IMPROVE LOW-INCOME AREAS AND COMMUNITIES OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY MADE UP OF FOUR SECTIONS. WE HAVE THE CONTRACTS AND COMPLIANCE SECTION, WHICH HAS 12 STAFFPERSONS, AND THAT SECTION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WRITING ALL OF OUR AGREEMENTS THAT COME BEFORE YOU AS WELL AS OUR ANNUAL COMPLIANCE MONITORING, ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS, AND THAT SECTION ALSO HAS OUR CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION TEAM. WE ALSO HAVE OUR HOUSING PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE OUR CLIENT- BASED PROGRAMS WITH THE FIRST-TIME HOME BUYER PROGRAM AND THE HOUSING REHAB PROGRAM. AND WE HAVE THE FINANCE SECTION, AND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE ACCOUNTING IS DONE PROPERLY ON ALL THE FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE AND MAKE SURE WE DON'T EXCEED OUR CAPS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE DIFFERENT CAPS. AND THEN WE HAVE THE -- THE NEW NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM, WHICH HAS FIVE PERSONS. IN THE DEPARTMENT WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT WE ADMINISTER, SOME OF WHICH ARE OLD PROGRAMS THAT WE TYPICALLY RECEIVE EVERY YEAR, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW PROGRAMS THIS YEAR THAT CAME THROUGH THE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT OF 2008 AS WELL AS THE AMERICAN REINVESTMENT AND RECOVERY ACT OF 2009. THE HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, THAT'S THE LARGEST BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM THAT COMMUNITIES RECEIVE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE OLDEST BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM, AND THAT PROGRAM IS EXTREMELY BROAD. NOT ONLY CAN WE DO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE CAN DO A LOT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES WITH THAT GRANT. AND THIS YEAR WE RECEIVED WHAT'S CALLED THE "COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT RECOVERY," AND WITH THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM, IT WAS GIVEN TO US TO HELP STIMULATE, YOU KNOW, THE INFRASTRUCTURE COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF -- OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE FACING, NOT ONLY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AS IT RELATES TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUT ALSO AS A NATION AS A WHOLE. AND THEN WE HAVE THE STATE HOUSING INITIATIVE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. THAT PROGRAM ON THE STATE LEVEL WAS DISINVESTED, SO WE DID NOT RECEIVE AN ALLOCATION THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY HOPING THAT THAT FUNDING COMES BACK BECAUSE UNLIKE HOME AND CDBG, SHIP WILL ALLOW US TO GO UP TO 120% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME AS OPPOSED TO 80, WHICH ALLOWS US TO SERVE A LOT MORE -- MORE INDIVIDUALS. AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM ONE, AND WE'VE ONLY APPLIED FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM TWO, AND WE HOPE TO RECEIVE AN ALLOCATION OR NOTIFICATION OF OUR ALLOCATION IN -- SOMETIME IN DECEMBER. WE ALSO HAVE THE HOMELESS PREVENTION AND RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM, WHICH IS A ONE-TIME ALLOCATION, 2.4 MILLION, TO HELP ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE HOMELESS, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO STABILIZING THOSE WHO, IF NOT FOR THIS ASSISTANCE, WOULD BE HOMELESS, AND THEN THERE'S A PORTION FOR THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY HOMELESS. AND OF COURSE WE HAVE OUR EMERGENCY SHELTER GRANT AS WELL. THAT'S A VERY SMALL ALLOCATION OF ABOUT $260,000 A YEAR. SO AS A WHOLE, THIS YEAR OUR TOTAL FUNDING IS ABOUT 33 MILLION, WITH NSP BEING OUR LARGEST GRANT OF 19.1, AND THEN WE HAVE A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT OF ABOUT SIX MILLION; CDBG-R OR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT RECOVERY IS ABOUT 1.6; OUR HOME ALLOCATION IS ABOUT 2.5; AND OUR SHIP ALLOCATION OF COURSE THIS YEAR IS ZERO; AND OUR FLORIDA HOME BUYER OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM IS ABOUT 700,000; AND OUR HOMELESS PREVENTION AND RAPID REHOUSING IS 2.4; AND AGAIN OUR ESG IS APPROXIMATELY 250,000. JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME IDEA OF SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE DO FUND IN OUR DEPARTMENT, WE DO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR HEAD START FOR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT. WE PROVIDED 135,000 CDBG FUNDING FOR FOUR PLAYGROUNDS. WE HAVE ANOTHER PROJECT HERE WHICH IS SAN JOSE MISSION. IT'S A 42-UNIT AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING COMMUNITY FOR MIGRANT FARMWORKERS, AND WE ACTUALLY COMBINED A LOT OF DIFFERENT FUNDINGS FOR THIS PROJECT. WE USED HOME, CDBG, AND SHIP, AND WE PROVIDED 3.45 MILLION, AND THEN WE HAVE THE DACCO CENTER, THE NEW DACCO CENTER WE PROVIDED A MILLION DOLLARS IN CDBG. IT'S A RESIDENTIAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT CENTER SERVING LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME PERSONS. LIKE I SAID, CDBG IS EXTREMELY BROAD. WE CAN DO A LOT OF OTHER THINKS THAN AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE HAVE THE HIDDEN CREEK SUBDIVISION. IT'S 140-UNIT SINGLE-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, OF WHICH 120 OF THOSE WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME FAMILIES. WE PROVIDED 3.5 MILLION IN SHIP AND HOME COMBINED. WHAT WE USE IN OUR OFFICE IS WHAT WE CALLED THE PLANNED APPROACH. HUD AS WELL AS THE STATE REQUIRES CERTAIN PLANS. WE HAVE THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN, WHICH IS A FIVE-YEAR PLAN. IT HAS LONG-TERM GOALS FOR CDBG, CDBG-R, HOME, ESG, HPRP, AND NSP FUNDING, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR STATE LOCAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE PLAN. THAT'S A THREE-YEAR PLAN THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE STATE, AND THAT PROVIDES STRATEGIES FOR THE SHIP PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE FLORIDA HOME BUYER OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM. WE HAVE OUTLINED -- THE CONSOLIDATED PLANNING PROCESS IS A VERY LONG PROCESS WHERE WE -- WE GO OUT, WE DO NOT ONLY JUST A PUBLIC HEARING, BUT WE DO INTIMATE FOCUS GROUPS AS WELL AS GO OUT TO DIFFERENT AREAS TO FIND OUT WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY IS SO WHEN WE PUT A PLAN TOGETHER, WE HAVE A PLAN THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS TAKEN PART IN AND THAT HAS BEEN ABLE TO TALK WITH US, SO WE HAVE IDENTIFIED OUR HIGH-PRIORITY NEEDS FOR THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN, RENTAL HOUSING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES; RENTAL HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY; HOUSING FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE; RENTAL HOUSING FOR EXTREMELY LOW, WHICH IS 30% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME, AND VERY LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS; HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE; PUBLIC SERVICES FOR ELDERLY, HOMELESS, AND CHILDREN; AS WELL AS COMMUNITY AND ANTICRIME INTERVENTIONS. SO HOW DO WE DISBURSE THE FUNDS TO THE COMMUNITY? WE HAVE A COMPETITIVE PROCESS WHICH IS OUR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS WHERE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS CAN REQUEST FUNDING. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT WHEN WE GET A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, WE DO LOOK AT THE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY. WE ALSO LOOK AT THEIR ABILITY TO PROCEED AND COMPLETE. WE ALSO LOOK AT [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] LEVERAGING OUR FUNDS BECAUSE WE USUALLY PROVIDE OUR FUNDS AS GAP. WE LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL CAPACITY OF THAT ORGANIZATION. WE ALSO LOOK AT THE PROJECT FEASIBILITY IN AND OF ITSELF, PRIOR PERFORMANCE WITH OUR DEPARTMENT, DOES IT MEET A CONSOLIDATED PLAN PRIORITY OR A LOCAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE PLAN STRATEGY, AS WELL AS THE LOCATION OF THE PROJECT, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. OUR -- WHEN WE DO A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, IT'S USUALLY A TWO-YEAR PROCESS, SO WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS WE HAVE HAD $15 MILLION IN CONTRACTS WITH 16 EXTERNAL AGENCIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND PUBLIC FACILITY PROJECTS. 1.2 MILLION HAVE BEEN IN A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH SEVEN INTERNAL AGENCIES SUCH AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICE, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, STORMWATER, AND HEAD START. OUR DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY FUNDS THE ADMINISTRATION, MEANING WE PAY FOR STAFF SALARIES FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS PROJECTS. WE FUND THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY DEPARTMENT, HEAD START, STORMWATER, PARKS AND RECREATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, AND PUBLIC WORKS. WE DO A LOT OUT OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. NOW I'D LIKE TO GO INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM. AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR BUDGET IS 19.1 MILLION, AND ACCORDING TO OUR PLAN, 84% OF THAT -- OF THOSE DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE FOR PURCHASE AND REHAB, AND THAT'S WHEN WE EITHER PURCHASE SINGLE-FAMILY OR MULTIFAMILY. 1% HAS BEEN SET ASIDE FOR DEMOLITION AND LAND BANKING IF NEEDED AND REDEVELOPMENT BECAUSE WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WE ACQUIRE WE WILL HAVE TO TEAR DOWN AND REBUILD. WE HAVE SIX TARGET AREAS. WE STARTED OFF WITH THREE, AND THEN WE OPENED UP OUR SECOND PHASE. THOSE ARE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA AREA, THE ORIENT PARK AREA, CLAIR MEL, PROGRESS VILLAGE, AND PALM RIVER AREA, GIBSONTON, TOWN 'N COUNTRY, AND PLANT CITY. WE HAVE SEVEN HOUSING PARTNERS. THE FLORIDA HOME PARTNERSHIP, UNIVERSITY AREA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF TAMPA, CORPORATION TO DEVELOP COMMUNITIES OF TAMPA, PLANT CITY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, COACH FOUNDATION, AND EAST TAMPA BUSINESS AND CIVIC ASSOCIATION. TO DATE WE HAVE RESEARCHED AND/OR PURSUED 174 PROPERTIES. SEVEN PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED, FIVE PROPERTIES ARE CURRENTLY UNDER CONTRACT AND SCHEDULED TO CLOSE THIS MONTH, 12 PROPERTIES WE'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED OFFERS ON THIS MONTH, AN ADDITIONAL 12 PROPERTIES. WE'RE WAITING FOR AN ACCEPTANCE OR COUNTEROFFER, AND WE HAVE 16 OTHER PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON. CURRENTLY WE HAVE OBLIGATED ABOUT $700,000. WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $600,000 ESTIMATED FOR REHABILITATION. OUR REHAB CONTRACTORS ARE SCHEDULED TO COME BEFORE YOU ON THE NEXT AGENDA SO WE CAN GO OUT TO BID. ALL OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WE'VE ACQUIRED SO FAR REQUIRE REHAB, AND THOSE ARE ELIGIBLE EXPENSES. SOME OF THEM ARE EXTREMELY EXTENSIVE. SOME -- WE PUT IN MAYBE 20,000 TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY BUT THEY'RE GOING TO REQUIRE MAYBE $60- TO $70,000, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT -- NEXT MONTH WE'RE LOOKING AT CLOSING ON ABOUT $995,000 WORTH OF PROPERTIES WITH AN ADDITIONAL $350,000 IN REHAB. SO OUR GOAL IS TO OBLIGATE 100 -- $1.2 MILLION A MONTH. NOW, HOW DO WE DO THAT? CERTAINLY PARTNERSHIPS ARE KEY. WE HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY STABILIZATION TRUST. THEY ARE AN ENTITY THAT WAS FORMED BY SEVERAL LARGE NATIONAL NONPROFITS LIKE NEIGHBORWORKS, THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE, AND THE ENTERPRISE FOUNDATION. THEY FUND THIS AGENCY, AND THEY FACILITATE THE TRANSFER OF FORECLOSED PROPERTIES -- FORECLOSED AND ABANDONED PROPERTIES DIRECTLY FROM FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, AND THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES IS THAT WE WANT TO DEFINITELY GO DIRECTLY TO THE BANK AS OPPOSED TO GOING THROUGH BROKERS AND GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THE BROKER. OUR NONPROFIT HOUSING PARTNERS ARE EXTREMELY KEY IN OUR DELIVERY OF THIS PROGRAM. WE ARE WORKING TO CONDUCT A WORKSHOP WITH THE GREATER TAMPA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS WITH REO BROKERS. TO DATE OUR CONSULTANT, HELENE MARKS, HAS MADE CONTACT WITH OVER 75 REO BROKERS THAT ARE AWARE OF OUR PROGRAM THAT ARE SENDING PROPERTIES TO US. ROUTINE COMMUNICATION WITH SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS. WE WANT TO KNOW HOW OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE WORKING THE PROGRAM, WHAT KIND OF THINGS CAN WE DO HERE TO MAKE OUR PROGRAM BETTER. YESTERDAY IT CONCLUDED OUR RFP PROCESS -- WELL, NOT CONCLUDED THE PROCESS, BUT WE HAD A REQUEST FOR OVER $31 MILLION FOR MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED ON YESTERDAY, SO WE'LL START GOING THROUGH THE VETTING PROCESS ON THOSE APPLICATIONS, SEE WHICH ONES OF THOSE ARE VIABLE. SO WE WERE VERY PLEASED -- WELL, PLEASED IN THE SENSE THAT WE RECEIVED $31 MILLION, BUT NOT PLEASED IN THE SENSE THAT WE'RE -- IF WE RECEIVED THAT MANY APPLICATIONS, THAT MEANS THERE'S A LOT OF MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE FORECLOSED ON. SO IN CLOSING, I -- I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT -- THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, THAT WE CONTINUE TO BUILD AND IMPROVE A FUNCTIONING STRUCTURE, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT -- WE WANT TO MAKE OUR PROGRAMS AND OUR PROCESSES SUCCESSFUL, AND WE BELIEVE THAT OUR DEPARTMENT NOW WILL CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY AND CONCENTRATE ON AREAS OF CONCERN, AND WHEN PFM CAME IN, THEY WORKED WITH US COLLABORATIVELY, AND WE CONCUR WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND IT'S OUR GOAL TO ATTEMPT TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS INTO FRUITION. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION, VALMARIE. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: VALMARIE, EXCELLENT REPORT. I'VE GOT SEVERAL QUESTIONS I WANTED TO ASK. YOU MENTIONED BRIEFLY THE ISSUE OF OUR HOMELESS PREVENTION AND RAPID RELOCATION PROGRAM. >>VALMARIE TURNER: UH-HUH. >>MARK SHARPE: AND YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE $31 MILLION THAT WE ARE RECEIVING. >>VALMARIE TURNER: UH-HUH. >>MARK SHARPE: ONE QUESTION I HAVE, AND IT WAS -- CAME UP YESTERDAY AND IT'S BEEN COMING UP FOR QUITE A WHILE, THIS ISSUE OF -- OF THE PROCESS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WITH REGARD -- WITH REGARD TO OUR PROCESS FOR DEALING WITH THIS HOMELESSNESS ISSUE AND THE FACT THAT THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING IN IT AT THIS TIME, WE'RE WORKING ON IT, WHICH CAN HELP US TO BEGIN TO ESTABLISH LOCATIONS WHERE WE CAN FACILITATE OUR LARGE HOMELESS POPULATION. >>VALMARIE TURNER: UH-HUH. >>MARK SHARPE: IF THIS IS SUCH AN ISSUE, WHICH IT IS, AND -- I'M ASKING FOR MYSELF BUT FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BE LISTENING, WHAT ARE WE DOING IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE HOMELESS COALITION'S EFFORT TO PROVIDE HOUSING, MAKING HOUSING AVAILABLE, AND ALSO WHEN ENTITIES LIKE CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND OTHERS COME FORWARD AND SAY, WE WANT TO HELP OUT BUT THEY'RE NOT PART OF EITHER THE HOMELESS COALITION AND/OR -- THEIR STRATEGY OR WHAT WE'RE DOING, IS THERE AN ENTRYWAY FOR THEM SO WE CAN SAY, LOOK, WE HAVE A PROGRAM IN PLACE AND WE WANT TO DIVERT -- WE WANT TO ALLOCATE ALL OF OUR RESOURCES, 100% OF OUR RESOURCES TOWARDS DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM? WHAT ARE WE DOING? AND ARE THERE RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE THAT WE COULD USE TO HELP RAYME AND THE HOMELESS COALITION FIND VIABLE PLACES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO RIGHT NOW ARE SLEEPING UNDER BRIDGES OR IN THEIR CARS TO LIVE? >>VALMARIE TURNER: YEAH. ACTUALLY, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE HOMELESS COALITION AS A PART OF THE HOMELESS PREVENTION AND RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM. THEY'RE VERY INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS. THEY WERE THE APPLICANTS AND THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS FOR THE RAPID REHOUSING PIECE OF THOSE DOLLARS. THEY'RE DOING ALL THE DATA EVALUATION FOR THAT PROGRAM, AND WE ARE PROVIDING SOME ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDING TO THEM AS WELL THROUGH THAT PROGRAM. SEPARATELY FROM THAT, WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDING FOR THEM FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SO THEY CAN WORK WITH THEIR PARTNERS, SO THE HOMELESS COALITION HAS ALWAYS BEEN AT THE TABLE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS AS RELATES TO THE HOMELESS ISSUE, IT'S MY OPINION THAT THE HOMELESS -- THE HOUSING PIECE IS A RELATIVELY EASY -- EASY PIECE. HOUSING IN AND OF ITSELF FOR THE -- FOR THE HOMELESS IS AN ELIGIBLE ACTIVITY, AND WE CAN FUND SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS. THE ISSUE IS THE OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES THAT COME ALONG WITH IT, MEANING THAT THE HOUSING PIECE -- YOU KNOW, WE CAN WORK WITH THE DEVELOPER, WE CAN HELP BUILD, WE CAN HELP ACQUIRE. THE ISSUE IS HOW DO WE SUSTAIN IT AFTER THAT? NOW, WE DO HAVE A MAXIMUM OF 15% FOR PUBLIC SERVICES THAT WE COULD USE FOR CDBG AT THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD. RIGHT NOW ALL THOSE FUNDS ARE COMPETITIVELY BIDDED OUT, BUT CERTAINLY IF THAT IS A PRIORITY OF THIS BOARD, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO DO NEXT YEAR BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE FUNDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMMITTED FOR THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, BUT YES, WE DO PARTNER WITH THE HOMELESS COALITION. >>MARK SHARPE: AS I'VE LEARNED, WE, ACCORDING TO -- I DON'T KNOW WHO GAVE US THESE STATISTICS, BUT WE HAVE THE LARGEST -- >>VALMARIE TURNER: YES. >>MARK SHARPE: -- HOMELESS POPULATION IN THE STATE OR WE'RE JUST DOING A BETTER JOB OF COUNTING THE HOMELESS POPULATION, BUT IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT IF THIS IS -- AND IT IS A PROBLEM. >>VALMARIE TURNER: IT IS. >>MARK SHARPE: AND YOU'VE GOT THE CHRONIC HOMELESS AND YOU'VE GOT THOSE THAT HAVE LOST A JOB, PAY ISSUES, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SERVICES. >>VALMARIE TURNER: EXACTLY. >>MARK SHARPE: BUT IT WOULD I THINK -- AND I WAS TALKING WITH RAYME -- THAT THIS OUGHT TO BE AT THE TOP OF OUR -- OF OUR, YOU KNOW, PRIORITY LIST AND THAT WE OUGHT TO BE SAYING IF -- IF WE RECOGNIZE THERE'S A PROBLEM AND YOU'VE GOT ENTITIES COMING IN SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO COME IN AND WE'VE GOT A PLAN -- IT DOESN'T FIT INTO OUR PLAN -- BUT WE HAVE A PLAN. WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, WE'RE GOING TO FIND A LOCATION, AND IT COULD OR COULD NOT CAUSE A LOT OF DISCOMBOBULATION WITH THE COMMUNITY NEARBY, BUT WE OUGHT TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, GREAT, WE WELCOME YOU. WE HAVE A PLAN THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT WE THINK WILL FIT NICELY, AND THEN WE CAN ALLOCATE RESOURCES, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MEET WITH YOU AFTERWARDS TO TALK ABOUT THE HOMELESS ISSUE. >>VALMARIE TURNER: SURE. >>MARK SHARPE: I'M SURE OTHER COMMISSIONERS FEEL THE SAME, BUT I REALLY WANT TO MAKE THIS ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES. >>VALMARIE TURNER: SURE. I UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND GOING OFF SOME OF THE SENTIMENTS OF COMMISSIONER SHARPE, I THINK THIS WHOLE ENTIRE BOARD REALIZES, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE PASSIONATE DEBATE YESTERDAY, THE SERIOUSNESS AND REALLY THE -- HOW URGENT IT IS THAT WE CONTINUE AND THAT WE FOCUS ON THIS ISSUE. YOU KNOW, IT'S NICE TO HAVE -- MAKE NICE POLITICAL STATEMENTS, SAY EVERYBODY WANTS TO HELP, AND I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY DOES WANT TO HELP, BUT I THINK IT COMES TO THE POINT IN TIME, LIKE WITH WHAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH, THAT WE'VE GOT TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO PUT OUR ACTIONS WHERE OUR THOUGHTS ARE. AND I GUESS A QUESTION -- STAYING ON THE ISSUE OF HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS. SO THROUGH THE RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM, WHAT ELEMENTS DO YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW -- IF HOUSE -- WOULD YOU BELIEVE THAT HOUSING IS ONE OF THE -- THE TOP ELEMENTS THAT WE NEED TO DEAL WITH ON THE HOMELESS ISSUE OR -- OR WHAT IS YOUR THOUGHTS OR WHAT IS YOUR OPINIONS? >>VALMARIE TURNER: WELL, AS IT RELATES TO THE HOMELESS, HOUSING IS A FUNDAMENTAL NEED THAT HAS TO BE MET BEFORE YOU CAN REALLY MEET ANY OTHER NEED. THAT'S MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION. SO I DO THINK HOUSING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE HOW CAN YOU STABILIZE A FAMILY THAT'S -- OR A PERSON THAT'S HOMELESS IF THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO GO IN THEY HAVE NO ADDRESS IF THEY WANT TO APPLY FOR A JOB, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO TAKE A SHOWER, SO HOUSING IS A FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT THAT'S NEEDED, YOU KNOW, SO -- >>KEVIN BECKNER: AND THAT'S ONE THING YOU BELIEVE IS MISSING FROM THE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A PERMANENT HOUSING OR IT'S A TEMPORARY HOUSING, IS THAT ONE OF THE NEEDS IN YOUR PROGRAM? >>VALMARIE TURNER: YEAH. THAT'S ONE OF OUR PRIORITY NEEDS IN OUR CONSOLIDATED PLAN, ABSOLUTELY. >>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY. AND WHAT -- RIGHT NOW -- THIS MIGHT SEEM LIKE AN OBVIOUS QUESTION, BUT -- FROM THIS BOARD, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PRIORITY BECOMES A REALITY AND WE CAN START PUTTING SOME ACTION, WHAT TYPE OF ASSISTANCE OR WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM THIS BOARD? >>VALMARIE TURNER: I JUST NEED FOR THE BOARD TO DIRECT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TO MAKE THAT A PRIORITY, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY DO. THE ISSUE IS IS THAT THE FUNDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMMITTED THROUGH THE ACTION PLAN. NOW, CERTAINLY THAT -- THE CONTRACTS FOR ALL THOSE PROGRAMS HAVE NOT BEEN WRITTEN AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD, BUT THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN THAT WE HAVE TO DO WAS SUBMITTED TO HUD ALREADY, WHICH CAN BE ALTERED, SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND, BUT IF -- BUT THE DIRECTION WILL HAVE TO COME FROM THE BOARD, MEANING ANYTIME I BRING -- THE ACTION PLAN IS ONE THING, YOU APPROVE AN OVERALL ACTION PLAN OF THE PROJECTS FOR EVERYONE THAT SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS, AND THEN WE COME BACK TO YOU WITH THE ACTUAL AGREEMENTS AND THE CONTRACTS FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL SUBRECIPIENT THAT HAVE ASKED FOR FUNDING, AND THEN YOU DECIDE WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO APPROVE THOSE OR NOT, SO THEN ULTIMATELY -- >>KEVIN BECKNER: YOU HAVE -- WITH THE PLANS THAT YOU HAVE CURRENTLY IN PLACE, DO YOU HAVE DOLLAR FIGURES THAT -- I KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR FEDERAL AND STATE MONIES AND STIMULUS AND SUCH, BUT DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THAT YOU WOULD NEED THAT YOU ARE SHORT RIGHT NOW THAT YOU CAN'T DEPEND -- YOU KNOW, THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND TO SAY, IF WE HAD "X" AMOUNT OF DOLLARS, THIS WOULD HELP US ADDRESS THIS ISSUE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO WHAT WE WERE ADDRESSING YESTERDAY ABOUT TEMPORARY HOUSING OR PERMANENT HOUSING? ARE THOSE FIGURES -- HAVE THOSE BEEN COMPILED? >>VALMARIE TURNER: NO, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE FIGURES YET, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DAVE AND I -- DAVE ROGOFF AND I, WE'RE GOING TO GET WITH THE HOMELESS COALITION, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO THEIR TEN-YEAR PLAN, SEE HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT THAT AND BRING A PLAN BACK TO THE BOARD. >>KEVIN BECKNER: AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BECAUSE -- LET ME GIVE ONE MESSAGE I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, TO THIS BOARD. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE CONTINUE TO OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME SAY WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE HOMELESS. >>VALMARIE TURNER: RIGHT. >>KEVIN BECKNER: WE ARE MAKING SOME STRIDES IN SERVICES, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, AT SOME POINT IN TIME WE'VE GOT TO TAKE ACTION, AND WHAT THAT'S GOING TO MEAN IS A COMMITMENT FROM THIS BOARD, AND I'M NOT TALKING MORE THAN A COMMITMENT WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, I'M TALKING ABOUT A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT THAT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE TO THIS PROGRAM. IT'S STARTING TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTHS ARE, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO. AND WHAT I WANT TO -- I'D LIKE TO HEAR -- YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU COME BACK WITH A PROGRAM HAVE DISCUSSION AMONGST THIS BOARD WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO COMMIT FINANCIALLY, MAYBE ON A SHORTER-TERM AND THEN A LONGER-TERM TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. I KNOW IT'S A BUDGET ISSUE AND I KNOW THERE'S THINGS WE'VE GOT TO ADDRESS FINANCIALLY, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, FOR TOO LONG I THINK WE'VE BEEN TALKING THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING, AGAIN WE'RE DOING SOMETHING, BUT THIS PIECE, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT BEYOND WHAT WE'RE GIVING TO THE HOMELESS COALITION. >>VALMARIE TURNER: RIGHT. >>KEVIN BECKNER: YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU-ALL NEED FINANCIALLY, WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO GO AFTER THE STIMULUS DOLLARS, STATE, FEDERAL, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, WE CAN'T NECESSARILY CONTROL THAT. >>VALMARIE TURNER: RIGHT >>KEVIN BECKNER: WHAT WE CAN CONTROL IS WHAT WE CAN OFFER FROM A BOARD AND FROM THIS COUNTY. THAT WE CAN CONTROL, AND I WANT TO SEE -- AND I'M WILLING TO MAKE A COMMITMENT AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS MAKE A COMMITMENT OF WHAT WE'RE WILLING TO COMMIT FINANCIALLY. >>VALMARIE TURNER: SURE. >>MARK SHARPE: CAN I JUST ASK -- >>KEVIN BECKNER: PLEASE. >>MARK SHARPE: HAS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT SIGNED OFF ON OR ACCEPTED THE TEN-YEAR PLAN THAT THE HOMELESS COALITION HAS PUT TOGETHER WITH REGARD TO DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE? >>VALMARIE TURNER: WELL, THE TEN-YEAR FUND WAS ALREADY DONE. [INAUDIBLE] >>MARK SHARPE: BUT THE FUNDING? >>VALMARIE TURNER: OH, YOU MEAN THE FUNDING? NO, NO. >>MARK SHARPE: I MEAN, TO ME -- I MEAN, I'VE TALKED TO RAYME MANY TIMES. HE'S BEEN IN MY OFFICE, AND HE'S SAID DAGGONE IT, ENOUGH STUDIES, ENOUGH PLANS. WE KNOW WHAT TO DO, NOW WE JUST NEED TO GET THE FUNDING. SO I WOULD SAY THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT WE START TO HEAD IN. WE'VE GOT A PLAN IN PLACE. WHAT I NEED TO KNOW IS IF WE'RE BUYING OFF ON THAT PLAN, WHICH -- AND THEN WE BEGIN TO DIRECT ALL OF OUR RESOURCES TOWARDS THAT PLAN, WHICH -- AND I THINK THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S -- >>PAT BEAN: YES, PLEASE. >>KEN HAGAN: DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER BECKNER? >>KEVIN BECKNER: JUST A COUPLE CLOSING. PLEASE, MS. BEAN. >>PAT BEAN: THIS I THINK TIES RIGHT BACK IN TO WHAT THE TWO OF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. CLEARLY, I BELIEVE THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE WE HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATION TODAY BETWEEN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OFFICE, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, AND THE HOMELESS COALITION THAN HAS EVER EXISTED IN THIS COMMUNITY. I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KEEPS IN MIND, THOUGH, THE POINT THAT VALMARIE MADE A COUPLE OF MINUTES AGO IS HOUSING IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF HOMELESSNESS AND INTO A STABLE, FUNCTIONING LIFE, BUT THE MONEY THAT SHE HAS, MUCH OF IT SHE CAN'T USE TO SPEND FOR THE OTHER TYPES OF THINGS THAT HAVE TO GO AROUND THE PERSON AND THE FAMILY. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HAVING A PLACE, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S CRITICAL AND IT HAS TO BE THE FOUNDATION, BUT SHE CAN'T THROUGH HER OWN BUDGET -- EVEN THOUGH SHE'S GOT FEDERAL DOLLARS -- USE ALL OF THOSE DOLLARS THEN TO PUT THAT AROUND, SO MONEY IS A PART OF THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO RESOLVE. >>MARK SHARPE: BUT THAT'S WHERE WHEN OTHERS LIKE CATHOLIC CHARITIES COME IN AND SAY, WE'VE GOT A PLAN AND THEY'RE STARTING TO DO THE HOUSING PART AS WELL, WE COULD SAY TO THEM, NO, WORK WITH US, WE'VE GOT A PLAN, BUT WE NEED THE OTHER -- >>PAT BEAN: RIGHT. >>VALMARIE TURNER: THE OTHER. >>MARK SHARPE: AND THEN NOW IT STARTS TO COME TOGETHER. >>VALMARIE TURNER: RIGHT. >>MARK SHARPE: I WOULD JUST ASK, CHIMING IN ON COMMISSIONER BECKNER'S, THAT WE PUT MEAT ON THE BONES, WE BEGIN TO APPLY DOLLARS TOWARDS THIS PROBLEM, AND THEN WE HAVE A PLAN SO THAT WHEN -- WHATEVER THE ENTITY IS WHEN THEY COME IN, THEY'VE GOT A SPOT RATHER THAN TRYING TO KIND OF MAKE IT UP AND THEN WE'RE DEALING WITH ISSUES LIKE, WELL, OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE DOESN'T DEAL WITH THIS OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. >>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH. AND I'LL CLOSE BY SAYING YESTERDAY WAS PASSIONATE. AGAIN, I COMMEND ALL THE -- THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT CAME OUT. THEY ARE SAFEGUARDING THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE, AND I APPLAUD THEM FOR COMING OUT. WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO START ADDRESSING THIS WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES. WE DID NOT. THAT'S OKAY. WE GO FORWARD. >>VALMARIE TURNER: RIGHT. >>KEVIN BECKNER: BUT AGAIN, GOING FORWARD, I BELIEVE THAT WE MUST AS A BOARD NOW PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES OR WHOEVER ELSE THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, THE HOMELESS COALITION, AND EVERYBODY ELSE TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. AGAIN, WE TURNED DOWN AN OPPORTUNITY YESTERDAY, SO NOW WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SAYING, OKAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT, BUT HOW CAN WE PARTNER TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS WORK, AND WHAT THIS COUNTY CAN DO AND WHAT THIS BOARD CAN DO OTHER THAN SAYING, YES, WE'LL HELP YOU, WE'RE GOING TO HELP YOU FINANCIALLY, WE'RE GOING TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND AGAIN START REALLY ACTIVELY DOING SOMETHING WITH THIS ISSUE. I KNOW THAT FROM WHAT I'VE READ, FORTUNATELY IT SEEMS LIKE CATHOLIC CHARITIES MAY BE OPEN TO TALK AGAIN. THEY MAY BE STINGING A LITTLE BIT FROM YESTERDAY, BUT THAT'S OKAY. I KNOW THERE'S TALK ABOUT PERMANENT HOUSING, SO PERMANENT HOUSING IS ONE OF THE ISSUE OF WHAT'S ALREADY ZONED OUT THERE, THEN LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE DOLLARS THAT WE CAN COMMIT TO HELP THEM MAKE A REALITY IF THAT IS THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THIS COMMUNITY. SO WHAT I WOULD JUST URGE THIS BOARD TO DO IS TO THINK ABOUT THE FINANCIAL COMMITMENT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE TO THIS, HEAR BACK FROM THE REPORTS OF WHAT MS. TURNER, THE HOMELESS COALITION, AND OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING COALITION BRING BACK TO US, AND THEN AGAIN HAVE STAFF CONTINUE TO WORK TO AGAIN ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, AND LET'S DECIDE THAT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE A REAL STEP FORWARD TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BY MAKING A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO THIS PROBLEM. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER WHITE. >>KEVIN WHITE: OOH, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN FOLLOW THAT UP. MS. TURNER. >>VALMARIE TURNER: YES. >>KEVIN WHITE: SHIFTING GEARS A LITTLE BIT. THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU SAID WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND COMMIT $1.2 MILLION A MONTH AND OBLIGATE THAT. >>VALMARIE TURNER: UH-HUH. >>KEVIN WHITE: BUT IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT WAS 174 PROPERTIES PURSUED, SEVEN ACQUIRED, AND FIVE UNDER CONTRACT. NOW, WHAT THAT TELLS ME IS EITHER WE'RE NOT GETTING THIS FAST ENOUGH, WE'RE NOT GETTING THE COMMITMENTS ENOUGH, THE PRIVATE INVESTORS ARE OUTBIDDING US OR BUYING THEM BEFORE US, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IS GET WITH AND PARTNER WITH SOME OF OUR NONPROFITS AND SOME OF OUR FOR-PROFITS. >>VALMARIE TURNER: UH-HUH. >>KEVIN WHITE: WE CAN'T -- I MEAN, WITH NUMBERS LIKE THAT, 174 PURSUED, SEVEN ACQUIRED, AND FIVE UNDER CONTRACT, THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO IT ALL. WE HAVE TO PARTNER WITH OTHER INDIVIDUALS. NOW, THE OTHER PORTION OF THAT, EVEN IN OUR REHAB AND -- AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT CAPACITY. OUR NONPROFITS AND A FOR-PROFITS, I THINK THEY NEED TO KNOW FROM YOU, YOUR OFFICE, YOUR STAFF WHAT CAPACITY THEY NEED TO HAVE TO PARTNER WITH US BECAUSE I'M SURE WE HAVE SOME OUT THERE WITH CAPACITY AND THERE'S SOME OUT THERE THAT THINK THEY HAVE CAPACITY AND THEY -- THEY DON'T, AND I THINK WE NEED TO CLARIFY FOR THEM THE CAPACITY THAT THEY NEED TO BRING TO THE TABLE SO WE CAN PARTNER WITH AS MANY OF THEM AS POSSIBLE SO WE -- AT THE END OF THE DAY WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION LIKE WE HAD MANY YEARS AGO OR - - I'M SORRY, MANY MONTHS AGO ABOUT WE HAD TO LET $2 MILLION GO BACK BECAUSE IT WAS NOT -- NOT COMMITTED. AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY OF THIS NSP MONEY OR ANY OTHER MONEY RELINQUISHED BACK TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T USE IT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY -- >>VALMARIE TURNER: RIGHT. >>KEVIN WHITE: -- TO GO OUT AND ACTIVELY PURSUE EACH ONE OF THESE DOLLARS. SO I -- I JUST THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE FOR THE LISTENING PUBLIC TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN PARTNERSHIPS AND WHAT THEY NEED TO BRING TO THE TABLE TO BE ABLE TO JOIN THIS TEAM AND HELP MOVE THIS PROGRAM ALONG. >>VALMARIE TURNER: ABSOLUTELY, COMMISSIONER WHITE. WE HAVE 16 CONTRACTORS THAT WILL BE COMING BEFORE YOU ON THE 21st THAT HAVE APPLIED TO BE A PART OF THE PROGRAM, AND WE HAVE SOME VERY -- REALLY LARGE CONTRACTING COMPANIES, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE'RE ALSO, AGAIN, MEETING WITH THE GREATER TAMPA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS. I'VE ALREADY CONTACTED CAROL AUSTIN, WHO'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SO WE WILL BE MEETING WITH ALL THE REO BROKERS, MAKING SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THE PROGRAM TO GET THEM INVOLVED SO THEY CAN SEND US PROPERTIES, BUT WE'RE ALSO WORK -- GOING TO BE WORKING WITH A NATIONAL NONPROFIT IN TERMS OF TRYING TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE LENDER. THIS NATIONAL NONPROFIT HAS ALREADY MET WITH BANKS LIKE CHASE, COUNTRYWIDE, WELLS FARGO, AND THEY ALREADY HAVE MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THEM, AND IT'S AT NO COST TO THE COUNTY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BECAUSE ALL THESE OTHER NONPROFITS ARE FUNDING THEM. SOME OF OUR COUNTERPARTS WHO ARE USING THEM HAVE FOUND THEM TO BE A GREAT RESOURCE BECAUSE AT THAT POINT WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE INVESTORS BECAUSE THAT IS A PROBLEM. A LOT OF TIMES WE -- I MEAN, WE'RE GOVERNMENT, AND WE CAN'T -- WE CAN'T MOVE AS QUICKLY. NOW, WE HAVE BEEN MOVING RATHER QUICKLY WITH THIS PROGRAM. PAT AND MIKE BOTH HAVE MADE IT A PRIORITY WHEN WE HAVE TO GET THINGS SIGNED; HOWEVER, YOU HAVE AN INVESTOR THAT GOES TO A PROPERTY THIS MORNING AND HAVE A CONTRACT THAT AFTERNOON BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT WE HAVE TO DO. >>KEVIN WHITE: WELL, AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I THINK YOU NEED TO LOOK AT IS A LOT OF THE INVESTORS THAT ARE IN THIS -- AND ONE OF THE THINGS I REALIZE -- YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU MAY HAVE TO PAY MORE FOR THE PROPERTY TO BEAT THE INVESTOR OUT, AND THAT IS TRUE IN A LOT OF CASES, BUT A LOT OF THE INVESTORS ARE IN IT FOR THE QUICK TURN OF THE DOLLAR, SO, I MEAN, JUST BECAUSE YOU MISS OUT ON THE INITIAL CONTRACT, DON'T -- DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN'T CHASE THE BUYER -- >>VALMARIE TURNER: WE HAVE TO -- >>KEVIN WHITE: -- ONCE AGAIN TO MAYBE MAKE A $4- OR $5,000 PROFIT OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE AND THE HOUSE CAN STILL BE BOUGHT IN A -- IN A VERY GOOD EQUITY POSITION. >>VALMARIE TURNER: WE HAVE TO BUY THE PROPERTY DIRECTLY FROM THE PERSONS ON THE CERTIFICATE OF TITLE THAT FORECLOSES ON THAT PROPERTY, SO WE COULDN'T -- THE INVESTOR COULDN'T BUY THE PROPERTY AND THEN SELL IT TO US. WE'D HAVE TO BUY IT DIRECTLY FROM THE PERSON ON THE CERTIFICATE OF TITLE, WHETHER THAT IS AN INDIVIDUAL, LENDER, OR IF THAT IS A LENDER. >>KEVIN WHITE: WELL -- AND THAT'S TRUE, BUT EVEN SO, IF IT'S STILL UNDER CONTRACT AND IT HAS NOT CLOSED YET -- >>VALMARIE TURNER: OH, WE GO AHEAD AND SUBMIT A BACKUP. WE DO. >>KEVIN WHITE: YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO SUBMIT A BACKUP. YOU CAN ALSO BUY THAT PERSON'S POSITION BEFORE IT CLOSES AND STILL BUY FROM THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER. IF ALL I WANT IS A $4- OR $5,000 -- >>VALMARIE TURNER: RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. >>KEVIN WHITE: -- QUICK FLIP, I'LL LET YOU BUY MY OPTION. THE COUNTY CAN -- WE CAN PUT IT ALL IN CLOSING AND ESCROW, IT COMES BACK. >>VALMARIE TURNER: I HEAR YOU. >>KEVIN WHITE: BELIEVE ME, THERE'S 20 WAYS TO SKIN A CAT IN REAL ESTATE. >>VALMARIE TURNER: OH, I GOT IT. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN A COUPLE TIMES. I'D LIKE TO ASK A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I KNOW COMMISSIONER NORMAN HAD HIS LIGHT ON. IF HE WANTED TO GO NEXT, THEN I'LL FOLLOW HIM. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: I'M GOING TO BE REALLY RESPECTFUL OF ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE SAID HERE OR WHATEVER, BUT THIS IS LIKE I-4 AND TRYING TO GET SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE. YOU KNOW, GREAT SPIRIT, COMMISSIONER, BUT I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE MILLIONS TO THROW AT ANY PROJECT. THAT'S NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, YOU HAD A -- YOU HAD A PARTNER -- YOU HAD A PARTNER YESTERDAY THAT WAS A PROFESSIONAL, A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT WAS GOING TO STEP UP THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED US FINANCIALLY BRIDGE THAT ECONOMIC GAP THAT WE HAD. NOT ONLY WOULD IT BRIDGE THE ECONOMIC GAP -- AND IT'S JUST NOT ABOUT MONEY, IT'S ABOUT DENSITIES, IT'S ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, IT'S ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT -- YOU HAD - - YOU HAD A CORRIDOR ON HILLSBOROUGH -- ON HILLSBOROUGH WITH TRANSPORTATION, WITH THE ZONING. IF YOU COULDN'T GET THAT DONE -- THAT WAS THE -- THAT WAS THE SLIVER OF HOPE, I THOUGHT, THAT COULD HAVE STARTED A BABY STEP -- IN TRYING IN ALL THE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN, IT WAS THE FIRST SLIVER OF A PARTNER THAT WAS A PROFESSIONAL THAT COULD HAVE MAYBE GOT US GOING SOMEWHERE. TO TAKE A DRAWING BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, YOU DON'T THINK THE PROBLEMS OF SITING ANYTHING LIKE THAT IS GOING TO BE -- YOU DON'T THINK THIS ROOM'S GOING TO BE TENFOLD EVERY TIME YOU TRY TO DO THAT KIND OF STUFF? SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T -- OKAY -- THROW A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS AT IT. THAT ISN'T GOING TO GET YOU ANYWHERE. I MEAN, JUST BEING FRANK AND HONEST, AND YOU KNOW, THE SAME THING WITH I-4, GOING BACK TO THAT, THIS TRYING TO GET, YOU KNOW, URBAN SERVICE AREAS, DENSITY, WATER. TO PULL ALL THOSE ELEMENTS TOGETHER IS WHAT WAS HAPPENING YESTERDAY. SOME ELEMENTS WERE COMING TOGETHER FOR A BRIEF OPPORTUNITY WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN THEN THE NEXT STEP FOR A SECOND AND MAYBE SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD SOME MOMENTUM. THAT'S WHY I SAT HERE SILENT YESTERDAY, DIDN'T SAY A WHOLE LOT. BUT THE FACT IS IS THAT I LIKE YOUR SPIRIT, I LIKE -- BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT EASY. THAT'S A REALITY CHECK. BUT WITH ALL THAT SAID, I GUESS WHY WE'RE HERE, FORMER COMMISSIONER, NOW CITY COUNCIL, NOW -- WOULD LIKE SOME RESOLUTION OR ACTION TAKEN ON THIS; IS THAT CORRECT? I'D MOVE THAT WE SUPPORT THE -- >>KEVIN WHITE: SECOND. >>JIM NORMAN: THE RESOLUTION THAT THEIR BOARD PASSED AND ASKED US TO BLESS. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE, DID YOU HAVE FOLLOW-UP? >>MARK SHARPE: AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF COMMISSIONER NORMAN AND AGREE TO A POINT, ALTHOUGH -- AND HE'S KIND OF DIRECTING COMMENTS AT COMMISSIONER BECKNER. BECKNER VOTED FOR THE -- VOTED FOR IT. MY CONCERN, THOUGH, WAS THAT THE HOMELESS COALITION DOES HAVE A PROGRAM. I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM FOR FIVE YEARS NOW ON TRYING TO IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM FOR THE HOMELESS. IT DIDN'T INCLUDE WHAT WAS PROPOSED YESTERDAY. IT IS MORE A LONG-TERM SOLUTION, AND -- AND THERE ARE RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED. WE NEED TO BE ALLOCATING AS MUCH OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TOWARDS THIS PROBLEM AND THEN ALSO SAYING TO -- I MEAN, LIKE WHEN HOPE COMES IN HERE, WE'VE GOT OTHERS WHO HAVE COME IN AND THEY WORK ON ISSUES RELATED TO THE HOMELESS. I JUST THINK BRINGING EVERYONE TOGETHER INTO A COALITION LIKE -- SO WE DON'T HAVE BATTLES, WE DON'T HAVE ONE -- THE COALITION ITSELF SAYING, NO, THIS IS NOT PART OF OUR PROGRAM, BUT RATHER WE'RE GOING TO ALL MAKE IT BLEND AND WORK. AND I WOULD ASK -- I'D LIKE TO MEET WITH YOU AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THIS COME BACK AND WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE COULD ALL MAKE THAT HAPPEN. WITH REGARD TO THE OVERALL POLICIES OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF ISSUES ABOUT WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO PROVIDE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE LOOKING FOR -- FOR A PLACE TO LIVE, WHETHER IT'S RENTAL UNITS OR HOME OWNERSHIP. WHAT IS THE STRATEGY OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT? ARE WE FOCUSING ON RENTAL UNITS, ARE WE FOCUSING ON HOME OWNERSHIP, OR BOTH? >>VALMARIE TURNER: WE'RE FOCUSING ON BOTH ACTUALLY. WE DO HAVE A VERY LARGE NEED RIGHT NOW FOR RENTAL, MORE SO NOW THAN EVER. WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST, WE FUNDED A LOT OF TAX CREDIT PROPERTIES. WE'VE PUT IN A SMALL AMOUNT IN COMPARISON TO THE OVERALL PROGRAM -- I MEAN THE DEVELOPMENT BUDGET, BUT IT'S ALLOWED US TO HAVE SOME PROPERTY -- SOME UNITS SET ASIDE FOR LOW- INCOME FAMILIES, SO WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT CALL US. WE HAVE ABOUT 57 PROPERTIES THAT WE MONITOR ON AN ANNUAL BASIS THAT WE PROVIDED FUNDS TO THAT WE REFER THOSE CLIENTS TO THEIR LOW-INCOME -- FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. >>MARK SHARPE: AND I GUESS MY NEXT QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE FACED IN THE PAST HAVE TO DO WITH THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT WE DO HAVE. HAVE WE RECTIFIED THOSE ISSUES AND ARE WE WORKING TOWARDS ESTABLISHED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SO IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT WHEN WE'RE SPENDING NEW MONEY THAT'S IT'S COMING IN, WHETHER IT'S THE HOME PROGRAM -- >>VALMARIE TURNER: YES. >>MARK SHARPE: -- OR WHATEVER IT IS, THAT WE -- >>VALMARIE TURNER: WE HAVE A DRAFT BOOK OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT WE GAVE TO PFM, AND THEY'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT AS WELL, SO WE'RE WELL ON OUR WAY TO COMPLETING THAT AND FINALIZING IT, BUT WE HAVE, WHAT, ABOUT -- WE HAVE A VERY, YOU KNOW, LARGE BINDER THAT WE'RE PREPARING. YES. >>MARK SHARPE: AND ARE YOU SATISFIED THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SPEND ALL THE MONEY THAT'S COMING DOWN OR THAT IS AVAILABLE TO US? >>VALMARIE TURNER: ABSOLUTELY. AND KEEP IN MIND THAT IF I HAVE TO SHIFT, I'LL SHIFT, MEANING THAT WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE AND WE HAVE A PLAN THAT WE BELIEVE IS DEFINITELY GOING TO WORK, BUT IF IT'S NOT WORKING, YOU BETTER BELIEVE I'M GOING TO SHIFT. THE MONEY IS NOT GOING BACK. IT'S SORELY NEEDED IN THIS COMMUNITY. ACTUALLY, WE NEED MORE MONEY. I MEAN, $19.1 MILLION SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, AND IT IS A LOT OF MONEY, BUT WHEN YOU PUT IT IN CONTEXT WHEN YOU'VE HAD -- LAST YEAR ALONE WE HAVE OVER 20,000 FORECLOSURE FILINGS. THIS YEAR ALREADY WE'VE HAD CLOSE TO 15, SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LOSING THEIR HOMES, SO WE CERTAINLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND HELP THE TAX -- YOU KNOW, THE TAX BASE AS WELL BY ACQUIRING THOSE PROPERTIES AND PUTTING MORE FAMILIES IN WHEN WE CAN, SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT RENTAL IS SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDED AND SO IS HOME OWNERSHIP, SO WE'RE WORKING TO DO THAT. >>MARK SHARPE: DO WE HAVE AN INVENTORY OF TEMPORARY HOUSING THAT'S AVAILABLE NOW FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR EMERGENCY HOUSING? >>VALMARIE TURNER: NO, THE EMERGENCY HOUSING WOULD BE HANDLED OUT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES AS RELATES TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS. >>MARK SHARPE: OKAY. >>VALMARIE TURNER: BUT THEY ARE DOING -- HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES IS ACTUALLY DOING THE HOMELESS PREVENTION PIECE, AND THAT'S FOR THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE AT RISK, BECAUSE WE'RE HOPING TO -- IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE CAN KEEP THEM IN THE HOUSE -- WELL, NOT THE HOUSE, EXCUSE ME, BECAUSE IT'S ONLY FOR RENTAL -- IN THEIR APARTMENT, THEN WE WANT TO DO SO CERTAINLY. >>MARK SHARPE: OKAY. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND I'M JUST GOING TO RESPOND TO COMMISSIONER NORMAN'S COMMENTS BECAUSE COMMISSIONER NORMAN, YOU AND I, WE DIFFERED ON SOME SUBJECTS, WE'VE ALSO AGREED ON SOME OTHERS, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANY QUESTION THAT YOU AND I ARE IN PERFECT ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY. WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK. WE WERE SO CLOSE AT THE FINISH LINE TO GET SOMETHING STARTED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS, AND WE DIDN'T DO IT, YOU KNOW. AGAIN, THAT'S -- IT'S KIND OF WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE. WE HAVE TO GO FORWARD FROM HERE, AND WE'VE GOT TO DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NEXT. ONE THING THAT I WOULD STATE IS THAT YES, WE DO HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THE QUESTION IS, IS IT A PRIORITY FOR THIS BOARD AND IS IT A PRIORITY FOR THIS GOVERNMENT? AND NO, CAN $2 MILLION SOLVE THIS ISSUE? NO. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IT WOULD TAKE -- >>MARK SHARPE: IT'S A BIG PART. >>KEVIN BECKNER: I'M SORRY. >>MARK SHARPE: IT'S A BIG PART OF WHAT -- OF HIS PLAN. >>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S NOT A -- IT'S ABOUT -- WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A ONE-YEAR COMMITMENT HERE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A MULTIYEAR COMMITMENT, AND WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A BOARD AND A COUNTY TO COMMIT TO THIS ISSUE? I DON'T WANT TO COME UP WITH A $100,000 OR $1-MILLION CONTRIBUTION AND COME BEFORE THIS BOARD AND MAKE THE PUBLIC THINK, OH, WE'VE DONE OUR JOB, YOU KNOW, TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SUBJECT. WE NEED TO MAKE A SERIOUS COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY, TO THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY, BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, HOMELESSNESS JUST DOES NOT AFFECT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS, IT AFFECTS EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL IN THIS COUNTY. IT'S NOT A CITY PROBLEM, IT'S NOT A COUNTY PROBLEM, IT IS A COMMUNITY PROBLEM THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS. EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR PART, COUNTY GOVERNMENT, CITY GOVERNMENT, CITIZENS, INDIVIDUALS. WE ALL NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO WORK AND SOLVE ON THIS ISSUE, AND BELIEVE ME, YOU KNOW, GIVEN AGAIN A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY TO PUT A BAND-AID IS NOT MY WAY OF A SOLUTION, BUT WE'VE GOT TO START SOMEWHERE, AND THAT START COMES FROM THE COMMITMENT FROM THIS BOARD THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A LONG TIME, AND NOW IT'S TIME TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTHS ARE. WE NEED TO MAKE A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, LOOK AT A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, PARTNER WITH WHOEVER WE HAVE TO, AND AGAIN MAKE THIS PART OF THE BUDGETING PROCESS IF THIS BOARD BELIEVES THAT IT'S AN ABSOLUTE PRIORITY, AND I BELIEVE IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR HEARTS THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING. THE QUESTION IS WHAT CAN WE DO. SO THIS IS PART OF A LONG-TERM THING THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AS A BOARD. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. WE'VE GOT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY COMMISSIONER NORMAN, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WHITE. NO FURTHER COMMENTS, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE ON THE MOTION. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. THANK YOU VALMARIE. AT THIS TIME WE'LL HEAR FROM MR. GAMBLE. GOOD AFTERNOON, SIR. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. THANKS VERY MUCH. BEFORE PLUNGING INTO THE PRESENTATION ITSELF, I WANTED TO OFFER A FEW ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. FIRST OF ALL, WITHOUT THE COOPERATION OF VALMARIE TURNER AND HER STAFF, CERTAINLY THIS REPORT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. THIS WAS A VERY COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. THEY WERE COMPLETELY OPEN WITH US IN SHARING INFORMATION AND THEIR TIME. SECOND, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE GOOD WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE ON THIS ISSUE IN THE PAST, IN PARTICULAR THE TASK FORCE REPORT OF 2006 REALLY WAS A -- WAS AN IMPORTANT STARTING POINT FOR LOOKING AT HOUSING POLICY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND CERTAINLY IT'S -- IT IS TRUE THAT THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF THAT REPORT THAT'S MIRRORED IN OUR WORK, ALTHOUGH I THINK THAT WE HAVE ALSO ATTEMPTED TO EXTEND THAT WORK. I WANT TO START OUT BY COMMENTING THAT I THINK -- I THINK THIS IS UNDERSTOOD AT THIS POINT, BUT WE'RE DEALING WITH A DEPARTMENT THAT'S FUNCTIONING ALREADY. THIS IS NOT A RECLAMATION PROJECT. THERE'S -- THERE HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS PROGRESS MADE IN THE LAST YEAR. THE DEPARTMENT IS ALREADY FUNCTIONING EFFECTIVELY. OUR REPORT IS REALLY AIMED AT MOVING THE DEPARTMENT TO -- TO A MUCH, MUCH HIGHER STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE AND TRYING TO LAY OUT A PROCESS AND A SET OF -- OF GOALS THAT CAN BE MET OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS. HAVING SAID, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT THERE'S A GREAT DEAL IN THIS REPORT, AND IT WILL TAKE A GOOD DEAL OF TIME TO COME TO GRIPS WITH ALL OF IT. THERE ARE SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE SUGGESTED IN HERE THAT COULD -- THAT COULD ALMOST BE DESCRIBED AS GENERATIONAL CHANGES, AND WE HOPE CERTAINLY THAT THE -- THE REPORT PROVIDES A SPUR AND A STEPPING-OFF POINT TO -- TO BEGIN TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES OVER TIME. FINALLY, JUST -- THIS IS SOMEWHAT OUT OF LEFT FIELD, BUT I WANT TO COMMENT THAT IT'S IMPORTANT, I THINK, TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE WHOLE AREA OF HOUSING POLICY REALLY HAS AN IMPORTANT CONNECTION TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY, AND I THINK THIS IS SOMEWHAT REFLECTED IN THE DISCUSSION THAT YOU JUST HAD. BUT THERE IS AN IMPORTANT CONNECTION BETWEEN HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND CERTAINLY AN EFFECTIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE COUNTY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OVER TIME. SO LET'S TALK FIRST ABOUT THE BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY. THEN WE'LL GO TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THEMSELVES. THEN WE'LL GO TO QUESTIONS. OBVIOUSLY, AS I NOTED BEFORE, THIS -- THIS REPORT AND OUR WORK HAS A GREAT DEAL OF PRECEDENT. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK DONE OVER -- OVER RECENT YEARS ON THE DEPARTMENT. THERE'S BEEN THE -- THE INTERNAL AUDIT, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TASK FORCE REPORT, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER ANALYSES HAVE BEEN DONE, AND WE CERTAINLY ACKNOWLEDGE ACKNOWLEDGED THOSE AND TOOK THOSE AS A STARTING POINT. WHEN -- WHEN WE FIRST ARRIVED HERE, OUR -- OUR METHOD AND APPROACH TO THIS STUDY WAS FIRST TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON THE GROUND, AND WE SPENT A GOOD DEAL OF TIME HERE TALKING TO PEOPLE, TALKING TO STAFF, TALKING TO THE CONSTITUENCIES, TALKING TO THE EXTERNAL PARTNERS AND GETTING AS GOOD AN UNDERSTANDING AS WE CAN OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING HERE. AND FROM THERE, AFTER LOOKING INTERNALLY AT THE DEPARTMENT, OUR NEXT STEP WAS TO FOCUS ON -- ON THE BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE UNDERTAKEN BY WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE GOOD EXAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND WE PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON A GROUP OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENTS IN FLORIDA, AND THEN WE LOOKED AT A GROUP OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENTS IN CALIFORNIA WHERE MOST OF MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN. WE DID VERY IN-DEPTH SURVEYS AND DATA ANALYSIS OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS, AND THEN WE BROUGHT ALL OF THAT DATA BACK. WE COMPILED IT, AND WE ATTEMPTED TO -- TO DETERMINE WHICH PARTS OF IT WERE MOST RELEVANT TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WE ANALYZED THAT DATA VERY CAREFULLY. AND FINALLY, WE MADE A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THAT DATABASE AND BASED ON WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND FINALLY, THE LAST STEP WAS TO TAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND TRANSLATE THEM INTO A VERY SPECIFIC BUSINESS PLAN THAT HAS A SERIES OF MILESTONES AND TIME FRAMES FOR -- FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENT. SO GOING TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THEMSELVES. THE FIRST GROUP OF RECOMMENDATIONS DEAL WITH WHAT I WOULD DESCRIBE AS INTERNAL PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES. THIS IS PROBABLY THE LARGEST GROUP. AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A PREVIEW, THE SECOND GROUP OF RECOMMENDATIONS DEAL WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS. THE THIRD GROUP OF RECOMMENDATIONS DEAL WITH POLICIES. SO THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT PUBLISH PERFORMANCE REPORTS REGULARLY AND USE THESE REPORTS TO COMMUNICATE WITH POLICYMAKERS, STAKEHOLDERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC REGARDING THE DEPARTMENT'S PROGRAMS AND POLICIES. THE DEPARTMENT ALREADY IS INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT GOAL-SETTING PROCESSES BASED ON ITS FUNDERS. THE CHALLENGE OF -- OF THIS DEPARTMENT AND OF HOUSING DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY IS -- THE RISK IS THAT THEY GET LOST IN TRYING TO MEET THE FUNDERS' REQUIREMENTS AND THEY FAIL TO INTEGRATE THOSE -- THOSE GOAL-SETTING PROCESSES AND LOSE SIGHT OF LOCAL OBJECTIVES, AND THEN THEY DON'T NECESSARILY COMMUNICATE CLEARLY TO THE PUBLIC IN LAYPERSON'S LANGUAGE IN A WAY THAT CONNECTS BACK TO CITIZENS' CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING. I THINK THIS WORKSHOP TODAY IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO -- HOW TO BEGIN TO DEAL WITH THAT CHALLENGE. SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE -- THE -- THAT THE -- THAT THE DEPARTMENT REPORT FREQUENTLY TO THE PUBLIC. WE WANT TO SEE AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE DEPARTMENT'S TRANSPARENCY TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND PROVIDE UNDERSTANDABLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD INFORMATION TO ALL OF ITS CONSTITUENCIES AND TO ITS STAKEHOLDERS. SECOND RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD HOLD ANNUAL/SEMI-ANNUAL MEETINGS TO SEEK PUBLIC INPUT REGARDING NEEDS, PRIORITIES, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES. THERE'S NOTHING MAGICAL ABOUT SEMI-ANNUAL MEETINGS. WE'RE JUST SAYING THERE NEEDS TO BE A MORE CONSCIOUS EFFORT ON THE PART OF THE DEPARTMENT TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC, TO -- TO TELL THE DEPARTMENT WHAT IT'S DOING, WHAT ITS ACTIVITIES ARE, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THAT BE DONE FAIRLY REGULARLY, AND IT ALSO SHOULD BE DONE -- WE DON'T MENTION HERE -- IN A GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED MANNER. IT SHOULDN'T BE DONE JUST IN THESE CHAMBERS, BUT IT SHOULD BE DONE OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SO THAT EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE TO SEE IT. THE DEPARTMENT ITSELF HAS SUGGESTED THE POSSIBILITY OF AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUMMIT. THAT WOULD PRESUMABLY BE DONE ANNUALLY, AND WE THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA AS WELL. THIRD RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT OF A DEPARTMENTWIDE SET OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUALS THAT WILL BE UPDATED ANNUALLY. THIS WAS ALREADY TOUCHED UPON IN ONE OF THE EARLIER QUESTIONS I THINK. THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A WHILE. IT'S UNDERWAY. IT'S AN ENORMOUS EFFORT BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT OPERATES UNDER A CRAZY QUILT OF REGULATIONS FROM ITS FUNDERS, BUT IT'S WELL UNDERWAY. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE IT SO THAT AS TURNOVER OCCURS, THE NEW EMPLOYEES UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO. FOURTH RECOMMENDATION IS TO CREATE LOCALLY FOCUSED GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT CAPTURE STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS MISSED BY HUD AND THE OTHER FUNDERS. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A -- A COMPANION RECOMMENDATION TO THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION. AGAIN, IT'S VERY EASY FOR A DEPARTMENT LIKE THIS TO GET LOST IN THE SIMPLE OR THE NOT-SO-SIMPLE EFFORT TO MEET FUNDERS' REQUIREMENTS TO COMPLY WITH ALL THE REGULATIONS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WHEN THE DEPARTMENT'S BEEN THROUGH A PERIOD LIKE IT HAS BEEN WHERE IT'S BEEN THROUGH A NUMBER OF ADVERSE AUDITS, AND WE'RE SAYING IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO KEEP ITS EYES FOCUSED ON THE LARGER OBJECTIVES THAT ARE SET BY THE COUNTY AND REALLY TO TRY TO MEET THE LOCAL CONCERNS AS WELL AS THE FUNDERS' CONCERNS, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THAT CAN BE SATISFIED. WE'RE SUGGESTING IN RECOMMENDATION FIVE THAT THE COUNTY'S EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION SYSTEM FOR A -- FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT STAFF BE TAILORED MORE CAREFULLY TO BE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SPECIFIC. THIS IS A CHALLENGE IN EVERY ENTITY THAT WE -- THAT WE DEAL WITH WHERE THERE IS A LARGER SORT OF FRAMEWORK FOR EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION. IT'S SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO ADAPT THAT TO THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF EACH DEPARTMENT. THE COUNTY -- I MEAN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY BEGUN THIS PROCESS, BUT MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE. WE'VE CITED A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES WE THINK COULD BE USED AS -- AS GUIDE POSTS FOR SETTING PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OBJECTIVES FOR THIS DEPARTMENT. RECOMMENDATION SIX DEALS WITH -- RECOMMENDS MAINTAINING ONGOING COMMUNICATION WITH THE COUNTY INTERNAL PERFORMANCE AUDIT AND THE COUNTY BOARD OF -- AND THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO MATTERS THAT MAY REQUIRE BOARD ACTION. ONE EXAMPLE OF THIS IS BROWARD COUNTY, WHICH HAS A PREBOARD MEETING INQUIRY SYSTEM. WHAT THIS DOES IS ALLOWS THE DEPARTMENT TO KEEP ITS EYE ON THE BALL WELL BEFORE IT ARRIVES AT THE PLATE AND SO THAT IT'S NOT THE ALWAYS IN A REACTIVE MODE. WE'VE TALKED HERE ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE AUDITOR AND ABOUT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, OF COURSE, WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT, BUT THIS APPLIES MORE BROADLY. THIS WILL -- THIS -- THIS KIND OF A PRECALENDARING SYSTEM WILL ALLOW THE -- THE DEPARTMENT TO KEEP -- TO KEEP ABREAST OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WELL BEFORE -- WELL BEFORE IT HAPPENS AND TO BE VERY PROACTIVE IN ITS APPROACH TO DEALING WITH THESE TYPES OF ISSUES. WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT REORGANIZE ITS STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS BY CREATING WHAT WE CALL HIERARCHY OF ITS VARIOUS REQUIRED PLANS. AGAIN, AS WE'VE NOTED, THE DEPARTMENT OPERATES UNDER A NUMBER OF COMPLEX AND SOMETIMES EVEN CONFLICTING PLANNING REQUIREMENTS FROM -- FROM ITS FEDERAL FUNDERS, STATE FUNDERS, AND FROM THE COUNTY ITSELF. WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT THE COUNTY -- THAT THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO FIT THESE TOGETHER INTO A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS THAT ENCOMPASSES ALL OF THE OBJECTIVES OF THE DIFFERENT FUNDING AGENCIES, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THAT CAN BE DONE. WE HAVE SEEN EXAMPLES OF IT DONE ELSEWHERE, AND WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THAT BE UNDERTAKEN IMMEDIATELY. NOW WE'RE MOVING TO THE SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS HAVING TO DO WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS, HOW THE -- HOW THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING STAFF RELATE TO EXTERNAL PARTNERS AND HOW THAT RELATIONSHIP CAN BE -- CAN BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE OVER TIME. WE RECOMMEND THAT THERE BE -- THAT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT CLARIFY AND ARTICULATE CLEARLY THE ROLES PLAYED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION BY THE COUNTY STAFF RELATIVE TO THE NONPROFIT PARTNERS, AND PARTICULARLY THE COUNTY SHOULD FOCUS ON FUNCTIONS IT CAN BEST CARRY OUT WHILE FOCUSING THE NONPROFITS ON ACTIVITIES THEY CAN BEST IMPLEMENT. AT LOOKING AROUND THE COUNTRY AT HOW OTHER DEPARTMENTS DEAL WITH THIS, I THINK THE FIRST OBSERVATION I WOULD OFFER IS THAT THERE IS NOT AN EXAMPLE OF AN EFFECTIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT WORK EFFECTIVELY WITH EFFECTIVE NONPROFIT AND FOR-PROFIT PARTNERS, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT EACH -- EACH DEPARTMENT DEVELOP ITS OWN APPROACH TO THIS. THERE'S NOT A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL APPROACH HERE. WHAT WORKS IN SAN FRANCISCO WON'T NECESSARILY WORK IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WHAT WORKS IN BROWARD WON'T NECESSARILY WORK HERE. THE DEPARTMENT'S ALREADY STARTED DOING THIS CLEARLY, AND THERE ARE -- THERE ARE A NUMBER OF NONPROFIT ENTITIES THAT ALREADY HAVE VARYING LEVELS OF CAPACITY HERE THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S WORKING WITH. WE'VE SUGGESTED A FAIRLY SPECIFIC ROLE FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HERE, PLANNING, STRATEGY, BUDGETING, ACCOUNTING, COMPLIANCE, AND OVERSIGHT. THAT'S KIND OF THE BASIC -- WHAT WE SEE AS BEING THE BASIC ROLES OF THE DEPARTMENT HERE WITH RESPECT TO THE NONPROFITS, BUT WE -- WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT -- THOSE ROLES MAY CHANGE OVER TIME, AND THAT REALLY PUTS REALLY THE BURDEN OF PRODUCTION, IF YOU WILL, ON THE NONPROFIT AND FOR-PROFIT PARTNERS, AND SO AGAIN, WE'RE JUST RECOMMENDING THAT THERE BE CLARITY OF ROLES HERE, AND WE BELIEVE STEPS HAVE BEEN MADE IN THAT DIRECTION ALREADY BUT WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT THAT CONTINUE. IN RECOMMENDATION NINE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE CREATION OF A FORMAL COALITION OF NONPROFITS, NONPROFIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS THAT COOPERATE WITHIN THE COUNTY. AGAIN, IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT, WE'VE SEEN THIS AS OFTEN BEING THE FIRST STEP TO THE GROWTH OF CAPACITY AMONG THE NONPROFITS. THEY COMMUNICATE MORE CLEARLY WITH EACH OTHER. THEY ALSO -- THEY ALSO EVENTUALLY BECOME SUPPORTERS OF -- OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND THE COUNTY'S EFFORTS AND THEY BECOME MORE EMPOWERED PARTNERS, AND WE THINK THAT THAT -- THAT IS A GOOD FIRST STEP. NUMBER TEN, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT -- THAT THE DEPARTMENT FORMALIZE, PUBLISH, AND ADHERE TO A SCHEDULE FOR ITS NOTICES OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY AND RFPs. WHAT THIS DOES IS IT CREATES A CYCLE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS EARN A REGULARITY AND A PREDICTABILITY TO THAT CYCLE, AND IT ALLOWS THE -- THE NONPROFIT AND IN SOME CASES THE FOR-PROFIT PROVIDERS TO UNDERSTAND WHEN -- WHEN RFPs ARE COMING OUT. THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT AHEAD OF TIME, AND IT ALLOWS THEM TO RESPOND MORE EFFECTIVELY. NUMBER 11, THIS IS ABOUT BUILDING CAPACITY AMONG THE NONPROFITS. WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE DEPARTMENT CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE FLORIDA HOUSING COALITION AND HUD TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE CHODO AND NONPROFIT DEVELOPER TRAINING POLICIES. THERE IS -- THERE'S ACTUALLY A LIMITED AMOUNT THAT CAN BE DONE IN THIS RESPECT. TO SOME EXTENT NONPROFITS WILL DEVELOP CAPACITY ON THEIR OWN. THEY WILL -- AS I'VE SAID, THEY'LL LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, BUT IT ALSO IMPORTANT, AND WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING HERE IS THAT THIS DEPARTMENT BE ACTIVIST IN ITS APPROACH TOWARD INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF ITS NONPROFIT PARTNERS AND TO REALLY MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO EXPAND THEIR CAPACITY OVER TIME. NOW WE'RE MOVING TO POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THIS IS A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT -- THAT ARE BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCES IN THE OTHER LOCATIONS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE -- THERE ARE POLICY JUDGMENTS HERE THAT -- THAT YOU REALLY HAVE TO MAKE THE CALL ON YOURSELF. WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO PUT THESE CHOICES BEFORE YOU SO THAT -- SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING AROUND THE COUNTRY AND WHAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. AND THE FIRST -- THE FIRST ONE IS THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE COUNTY DISCONTINUE FUNDING AND OPERATION OF THE MOBILE HOME REHABILITATION PROGRAM UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS -- WITH THIS PROGRAM IS THAT IT FUNDAMENTALLY DOES NOT INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT -- IT ALSO -- ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH IT IS THAT IT -- IT ACTUALLY DRAINS RESOURCES FROM -- FROM THE EFFORT TO DO SO TO INCREASE THE -- THE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND FUNDAMENTALLY, IT REPRESENTS AN INVESTMENT OF FUNDS IN AN ASSET WHICH IS DISAPPEARING, SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT YOU CONSIDER THAT, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE -- THERE ARE IMPLICATIONS TO THAT THAT ARE CHALLENGING. WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE COUNTY LOOK AT A WHOLE RANGE OF WHAT I WOULD CALL PLANNING AND INCENTIVE PROGRAMS TO -- TO EXPAND THE DELIVERY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AMONG THE POLICIES WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT YOU CONSIDER ARE DENSITY BONUSES, FEE WAIVERS, STREAMLINED BUILDING, ZONING, AND PLANNING AND APPROVAL PROCESSES, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING MITIGATION FEES. THIS IS SIMPLY A LAUNDRY LIST OF PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN IN OTHER LOCATIONS THAT HAVE HAD A VERY POSITIVE IMPACT ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION. I THINK THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT AT THIS JUNCTURE IN HISTORY TOO BECAUSE THEY ESSENTIALLY ARE OFF-BUDGET INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT MONEY IN YOUR BUDGET TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN. THEY DO HAVE OTHER IMPLICATIONS, PLANNING IMPLICATIONS, WHICH, OF COURSE, HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED, BUT WE DO SUGGEST THAT YOU TAKE THOSE SERIOUSLY. NUMBER FOUR -- NUMBER 14, WE'RE SUGGESTING CREATING AN INTERNAL TASK FORCE TO IDENTIFY, CLARIFY, AND COORDINATE VARIOUS COUNTY PROCESSES AND FUNCTIONS TO EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY DEVELOP LARGER-SCALE HOUSING PROJECTS. AS VAL AND COUNCILMAN SCOTT PREVIOUSLY NOTED, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S BEEN ON THE TABLE FOR SOMETIME. WE ARE ADDING OUR VOICE TO THE -- TO SUPPORT THE NOTION OF CREATING AN INTERNAL TASK FORCE THAT WILL ALLOW COORDINATION -- ONGOING COORDINATION, NOT JUST ONE-TIME COORDINATION BUT ONGOING COORDINATION OF WHAT ARE, IN FACT, RELATIVELY COMPLEX PROJECTS WITHIN THE COUNTY -- WITHIN THE COUNTY INFRASTRUCTURE, AND CLEARLY, THAT TASK FORCE MUST BE EMPOWERED TO -- TO MOVE PROJECTS FORWARD AND TO MAKE DECISIONS. NOW WE'RE MOVING TO WHAT WE CALL OUR SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS SECTION, WHICH ARE RECOMMENDATIONS BUT SORT OF OFFERED WITH A LOWER LEVEL OF PRIORITY AND AN UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME OF THEM ALSO CARRY OTHER COMPLEXITIES WITH THEM. THE FIRST SUGGESTION IS -- IS CONSIDERATION OF WORKING MORE CLOSELY WITH LOCAL FAITH-BASED NONPROFITS TO SEE IF THEY HAVE THE INTEREST AND CAPACITY TO MOVE INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. CERTAINLY, IF YOU LOOK AROUND THE COUNTRY, THE FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS HAVE HAD A TREMENDOUS IMPACT AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND THEY ARE SOME OF THE STRONGEST PARTNERS ALMOST EVERYWHERE WE LOOK. SECOND, THIS IS SORT OF MOM APPLE PIE, BUT WE ARE RECOMMENDING PLACING A GREATER EMPHASIS ON GREEN BUILDING AS PART OF THE COUNTY'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING POLICIES. THE COUNTY CLEARLY ALREADY HAS A VERY STRONG GREEN -- GREEN APPROACH IN MANY OF ITS POLICIES, AND WE'RE SIMPLY SUGGESTING THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING BE BROUGHT INTO THAT SAME AREA. A FEW MORE COMMENTS. WE'RE SUGGESTING THE NOTION OF TRYING TO FOCUS MORE CLEARLY AND MORE FREQUENTLY ON MULTIFAMILY HOUSING. THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THERE'S ALREADY BEEN SOME EFFORT TO DO THAT, BUT THE REASON WE SUGGEST IT, SIMPLY -- IN THE SIMPLEST SENSE, THE CREATION OF MULTIFAMILY HOUSING IS MORE EFFICIENT THAN SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING. WE UNDERSTAND THAT CONTEXT HAS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. YOU CAN'T SIMPLY PLOP A LARGE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT DOWN IN ANY LOCATION. IT HAS TO FIT. BUT THE MORE OF THAT THAT YOU CAN DO, THE LIKELY -- THE MORE LIKELY THAT YOU WILL HAVE SIMPLY GREATER NUMBERS IN TERMS OF YOUR HOUSING OUTPUT. WE'RE SUGGESTING CONSIDERATION OF THE USE OF TAX INCREMENT DISTRICTS AND REVENUES TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THIS -- CERTAINLY IN CALIFORNIA THE USE OF TAX INCREMENT FUNDING HAS BEEN THE DRIVER FOR THE CREATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVER THE LAST 15 OR 20 YEARS. IT HAS RESULTED IN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEING PUT INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT, TO COME BACK TO ONE OF MY EARLIER COMMENTS, TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE USE OF TAX INCREMENT IS -- IS PART OF AN OVERALL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, IT'S NOT JUST A HOUSING STRATEGY, AND CERTAINLY, IF YOU WENT IN THAT DIRECTION, YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE CLEAR AND CAREFUL COORDINATION OF YOUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING POLICIES, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THIS CAN CREATE A SUBSTANTIAL REVENUE STREAM. FINALLY, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT YOU CONSIDER IDENTIFYING A LOCAL TAX OR OTHER REVENUE SOURCE TO PROVIDE ONGOING SUPPORT TO THE HOUSING TRUST FUND. WE KNOW THAT THE HOUSING TRUST FUND DID RECENTLY RECEIVE FUNDS, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A DIFFICULT TIME TO DO THAT, BUT THERE ARE -- CERTAINLY ON AN ONGOING BASIS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE REVENUE SOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THAT'S IT. WOULD BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. >>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, THANK YOU, SIR. >> THANKS VERY MUCH. >>MARK SHARPE: MR. MERRILL. >>MIKE MERRILL: I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF BRIEF COMMENTS, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES. THIS HAS REALLY MET MY EXPECTATIONS. I APPRECIATE THE DIALOGUE AND HELPING US GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STAFF OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WHO ARE HERE, IF THEY WOULD JUST STAND UP, AND FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO STABILIZE THE DEPARTMENT AND TO MAKE IT, AS BOB SAID, A FUNCTIONAL, OPERATING DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE COUNTY. I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU PERSONALLY FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. THE FINAL THING I WANT TO MENTION IS THAT -- THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT PUT ON THE TABLE, A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE, ESPECIALLY IN NSP, A LOT OF FOCUS, A LOT OF ENERGY, A LOT OF VISION THAT HAS TO BE PUT INTO THIS. WHILE THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN STABILIZED AND IS FUNCTIONING, UNDOUBTEDLY -- AND WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO STILL BE CLEANUP ITEMS GOING BACK INTO THE DARK AGES OF TIMES WHEN IT WASN'T STABLE AND IT WASN'T FUNCTIONING. THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN PROACTIVELY DOING THAT. NOW, THAT'S A GOOD THING. THE DOWNSIDE IS THAT EVERY MINUTE THAT THEY SPEND GOING BACK TO CLEAN UP IS A MINUTE THAT THEY CANNOT SPEND ON BUYING FORECLOSED PROPERTIES, BY TAKING CARE OF HOMELESSNESS ISSUES, BY FURTHERING ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT BOB HAS JUST MENTIONED SO THAT -- I WILL BE BRINGING TO YOU A RECOMMENDATION AT YOUR -- NOT YOUR NEXT MEETING BUT THE MEETING AFTER THAT WE CONTRACT WITH A FIRM THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO HUD AND TO THE STATE TO COME IN AND FINALLY ONCE AND FOR ALL GO BACK AND COMPREHENSIVELY GO THROUGH ALL THE RECORDS AND FILES, UPDATE EVERYTHING, CLEAN IT UP, BRING FORWARD RECOMMENDATIONS TO CLEAN THEM UP, AND -- AND LET THE DEPARTMENT DO THE GOOD WORK AND ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES THAT YOU NEED THEM TO ACHIEVE. I THINK IT'S A WORTHWHILE EXPENDITURE OF MONEY. WE NEED TO GET IT CLEANED UP. WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF ANY PROBLEMS THAT ARE STILL THERE. WE KNOW THERE ARE, AND SO I'LL BE BRINGING THAT BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. >>MARK SHARPE: WELL, MIKE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING. I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER BECKNER DOES HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. >>KEVIN BECKNER: AND AGAIN, MR. MERRILL, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, THIS GREAT REPORT, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR STAFF IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU-ALL DO TO ADDRESS THIS CRITICAL NEED TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND I'M GLAD YOU'LL BE BRINGING SOMETHING BACK TO HELP US FINALLY GET SOME FINALITY IN THIS CLEANUP AND GET THINGS ON THE RIGHT TRACK AGAIN. A QUESTION THEN. I'M LOOKING THROUGH THE ACTION PLAN THEN. HOW DO WE GO ABOUT PUTTING FORTH IN MOTION THE ACTION PLAN OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS. ARE WE HAVING ADDITIONAL WORKSHOPS TO DISCUSS THE ACTION PLAN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NICE THAT WE'VE INVESTED AND WE'VE DONE THE TIME TO PUT TOGETHER THIS REPORT. I DON'T WANT THIS TO BECOME A STUDY AS MR. -- COMMISSIONER NORMAN MIGHT REFER TO THAT, YOU KNOW, COLLECTS DUST AND SITS ON A SHELF. HOW DO -- WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS THAT WE NEED TO DO AS A BOARD TO START PUTTING THE ACTION PLAN IN MOTION? >>MIKE MERRILL: THE NEXT STEP FOR US IS TO CHOOSE THE HIGH-PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE NEED TO ACT ON, SET A TIME FRAME, A DEADLINE THAT WE INTEND TO COMPLETE IT BY, BRING THAT BACK TO YOU SO YOU'RE AWARE OF WHAT THE TIME FRAME IS, WHAT OUR INTENTIONS ARE, THEN REPORT BACK TO YOU REGULARLY ON -- ON OUR -- OUR ACHIEVEMENT OF THOSE GOALS. >>KEVIN BECKNER: SO THERE'LL BE AN ACTIVE AGENDA THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BRING BACK FORWARD? BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME MOTION HERE. AGAIN, I JUST DON'T -- I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MOTION CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD AND THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN WE TAKE THE RESULTS FROM THIS REPORT AND WE PUT THEM INTO ACTION, SO, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A REGULAR BOARD ITEM AGENDA -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S MONTHLY OR HOW ARE YOU GOING TO REPORT? >>MIKE MERRILL: WE CURRENTLY PROVIDE A MONTHLY AND A QUARTERLY REPORT TO YOU, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A GOOD VENUE FOR US TO JUST ADDRESS WHAT ARE WE DOING, HOW ARE WE ACHIEVING IT VERSUS OUR DEADLINES SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF ANY OF THIS. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T LOSE MOMENTUM. >>KEVIN BECKNER: ABSOLUTELY. AND THANKS AGAIN. AND COUNCILMAN SCOTT, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY AROUND THE ISSUES OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. >>JIM NORMAN: YOU HAD TO GO THERE, DIDN'T YOU? [LAUGHTER] >>MARK SHARPE: I WAS GOING TO ASK HIM IF HE HAD ANY CLOSING STATEMENTS. DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THAT THEY WANTED TO ADD? AND COUNCILMAN SCOTT, REALLY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR -- >>THOMAS SCOTT: YEAH, LET ME JUST SAY THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. >>MARK SHARPE: THERE YOU GO. >>THOMAS SCOTT: THIS WORKSHOP WAS VERY HELPFUL, AND I BELIEVE VALMARIE IS GOING TO BRING BACK IN NOVEMBER -- NOVEMBER'S AGENDA THESE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE FORM OF A RESOLUTION SO THAT YOU-ALL CAN -- YOU-ALL CAN ACT UPON THEM. THAT WILL HELP THIS COMMISSION AND THIS COUNTY AND THIS DEPARTMENT, AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS REPORT BECAUSE, AGAIN, I JUST -- AND I HAVE TO SAY IT AGAIN, THAT THIS -- THIS REPORT REALLY LEGITIMIZES OR REALLY GIVES THE VALIDITY OF THE STUDY THAT WAS DONE BY THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TASK FORCE, AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF AND THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. >>MARK SHARPE: AND THAT WAS YOUR DOING? >>THOMAS SCOTT: YEAH. >>MARK SHARPE: SO THANK YOU, SIR. >>THOMAS SCOTT: THANK YOU. >>MARK SHARPE: ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT. WE STAND ADJOURNED. 1