FLORIDA PLANNING A publication of the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association
AFFORDABLE HOUSING - Fall 2021
florida.planning.org
-a
By: Catherine M. Hartley, AICP, CNU
Code Edits That Reduce the Red Tape For Affordable, Workforce, and Missing Middle Housing There are several areas in conventional, Euclidean zoning codes that can impede the provision of affordable, workforce, and missing middle housing. With rising land, material, and labor costs, local governments are struggling to provide affordable housing without direct cash subsidies, such as money local governments contribute to Low-Income Tax Credit projects. Without donating cash or land and reducing fees, local governments can contribute to lowering the cost of housing by allowing an increase in supply – particularly in areas where they say want infill housing. Allowing “missing middle” housing in infill and redevelopment areas is one way contribute to increasing supply. Missing middle projects that are not subsidized are generally priced for young professionals, teachers, emergency personnel, nurses, etc – that sweet spot of 80-120% of area median income households that local governments don’t tend to subsidize but continued on page 4
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
6
Affordable Housing as Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy
9 11 13 15 16 17 19 21 22 25 33
Missing, Middle & Mixed Income Housing
The Unity in Community
OTHER FEATURES
HB 1339: Sadowski When the Housing Public Benefit Trust Funds Can Justify a Bypass to Planning & Zoning Laws
Make Homeless Programs Welcoming for LGBTQ+ Youth
Affordable Housing for LGBTQ Seniors
Climate Gentrification in Little Hati, Miami
Comfortably Uncomfortable
Supporting the Next Generation of Planners via Online Platforms
2021 Leadership & Project Award Winners
What is Gap Funding & Where to Find It
35
2021 Great Places Winner: Mill Lake Park Continuum
President’s Message - p. 3 / Court Ruling of Critical Comprehensive Plan Consistency - p. 24 / Planners on the Move - p. 37 / Member Spotlight p. 38 / Working for You - p. 39 Consultants Directory - p. 40 / Events - back page
The Florida Chapter of APA provides statewide leadership in the development of sustainable communities by advocating excellence in planning, providing professional development for its members, and working to protect and enhance the natural and built environments.
[APA FLORIDA] KEY CONTACTS - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Name
APA Florida Executive Committee President Wiatt Bowers, AICP
Phone E-mail 904-363-8488
president@floridaplanning.org
Immediate Past President
Laura Everitt, AICP, Esq., LEED GA
813-327-5450
pastpresident@floridaplanning.org fx
President-Elect
Whit Blanton, FAICP
727-464-8712
presidentelect@floridaplanning.org
Treasure Coast Section
Kori Benton, AICP
727-462-2518
treasurecoast@floridaplanning.org
VP-Professional Development
Henry Bittaker, FAICP
561-523-0687
profdevelopment@floridaplanning.org f
Secretary
Lara Bouck, AICP, PE
407-481-5672
secretary@floridaplanning.org
San Felasco Section
Terry Clark, AICP, PMP
561-346-6392
sanfelasco@floridaplanning.org
VP Membership/Outreach
Ennis Davis, AICP
904-396-5727
membership@floridaplanning.org
University Liaison
Laura Dedenbach, AICP, Ph.D.
352-294-1493
university@floridaplanning.org
VP Communications
Melissa Dickens, AICP
813-273-3774
communications@floridaplanning.org
Student Representative
Erin Fowler
727-631-9139
students@floridaplanning.org t
Capital Area Section
Macy Fricke, AICP
850-380-2812
capitalarea@floridaplanning.org
EPG Representative
Sofia Garantiva
813-276-8330
ypg@floridaplanning.org
Promised Lands Section
Jason Green, AICP
promisedlands@floridaplanning.org
Sun Coast Section
Stefanie McQueen, AICP
813-282-2300
suncoast@floridaplanning.org
Treasurer
Allara Mills Gutcher, AICP
850-319-9180
treasurer@floridaplanning.orgaf
Gold Coast Section
Juan Mullerat
305-444-4850
goldcoast@floridaplanning.org
Orlando Metro Section
Luis Nieves-Ruiz, AICP
407-245-0300
orlandometro@floridaplanning.org
Broward Section
Kristen Nowicki, AICP
954-660-2432
broward@floridaplanning.org
VP Section Affairs
Tony Palermo, AICP
239-321-7926
sectionaffairs@floridaplanning.org
Atlantic Coast Section
Brad Parrish, AICP
321-567-3776
atlanticcoast@floridaplanning.org
VP Certification Maintenance
Jill Quigley, AICP
954-641-5680
certmaintenance@floridaplanning.org
First Coast Section
Ray Spofford, AICP
904-265-3189
firstcoast@floridaplanning.org
VP Conference Services
Thuy Turner, AICP, LEED AP BD+C
954-610-1633
conferencesvcs@floridaplanning.org
Heart of Florida Section
Tom Wodrich, AICP, MPA
863-838-8511
heartoffl@floridaplanning.org
Emerald Coast Section
Randy Woodruff, AICP
850-689-7347
emeraldcoast@floridaplanning.org
Executive Director
Julia “Alex“ Magee
850-201-3272
fapa@floridaplanning.org
Ad. Assistant/Bookkeeper
Jessica Groce
850-201-3272
adminbk@floridaplanning.org
Communications Coordinator Patti Shea
850-201-3272
staff@floridaplanning.org
Intern
Kylie Pope
850-201-3272
floridaplanningstaff@gmail.com
Legislative Representative
Lester Abberger
850-524-2779
lesterabberger@nettally.com
Graphic Design (Consultant) Summer Taylor
727-452-2416
summer@exaktmarketing.com
All other inquiries, contact APA Florida at 850-201-3272 or e-mail fapa@floridaplanning.org.
2 Fall 2021 / Florida Planning
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE A lot has been happening in Florida planning since our last issue of Florida Planning. Likely the most visible to most of you is that we held our first in-person state planning conference in two years. More than 600 registrants and speakers attended FPC21 in Miami. Unforeseen when the Executive Committee decided to go in-person, the conference came amid the backdrop of a large increase in COVID cases brought on by the Delta variant. Attendance was down slightly as a result, but those who attended were treated with engaging professional development and networking opportunities. Our conference committee, chapter staff, and volunteers worked diligently throughout the summer to adjust our offerings and protocols accordingly. For those of you that were not able to attend, APA Florida is offering a FPC21 Virtual Event. We recorded five conference sessions and three keynotes, providing 9.75 CM credits (including Law & Ethics). The virtual conference is available for purchase through the end of the year. With changes at the national level, we are all now on the same CM reporting cycle. If you need credits before the end of 2021 (or just want to catch some of the conference sessions), this is an excellent opportunity.
Speaking of Community Planning Month, the APA Florida Emerging Planners Group once again spearheaded our Great Places in Florida program. The 2021 People’s Choice Award winner is Mill Lake Park Continuum in Orange City. The public space was completed in 2018 in the center of the city’s historic downtown, which dates to 1882. We presented the award to their City Council on Oct. 26. (see pp. 33).
The chapter also used Community Planning Month as the occasion to conduct our second Planners Month in the Districts, where planners around Florida met with their state legislators. In addition, a number of Florida planners participated in APA’s 2021 Policy and Advocacy Conference, which included a virtual Planners Day on the Hill. The major issue we are advocating for this year is zoning reform and housing affordability. This is a focus at the state level as well, and there are several housing articles in this issue of Florida Planning. I encourage each of you, if comfortable, to reach out to elected leaders at the local, state, and federal levels to advocate for housing supply and affordability initiatives. Our statewide effort will continue throughout the fall, so there’s still time to participate. If you are interested, please contact me or President-Elect Whit Blanton, FAICP. Our EDI committee has also been quite busy over the past few months. They held webinars in October celebrating National Coming Out Day and Hispanic Heritage Month, and created four videos spotlighting Hispanic planners. Check them out on the APA Florida YouTube channel. The committee is looking forward to even more activity in 2022, and recently was selected for an APA Chapter Presidents Council grant award so that we can offer additional EDI trainings to our members. Finally, as many of you may have seen, recent APA Florida Past President Andre Anderson, AICP, suffered a major stroke last month. Andre has few family members in Florida, but our planning community has become his family. Planners from throughout the state have been engaged with Andre since the stroke, and several in central Florida are volunteering to assist with things like checking the mail and mowing the lawn. I visited with him recently, and am happy to report that he has made substantial improvement. If you would like to reach out to Andre, contact the chapter office. We are all rooting for Andre’s continued progress and a return to health very soon!
Wiatt Bowers, AICP Fall 2021 / Florida Planning 3
[PINK] TAPE
continued from cover
for whom jobs and housing will be in demand for the foreseeable future. Missing middle housing ranges from duplexes, triplexes, quadraplexes, cottage courts to small apartment buildings and live-work units and are excellent options for infill in existing neighborhoodsparticularly as a transition from larger lot single family to commercial areas. Cottage courts are simply small single-family homes arranged around a green or courtyard that can fit on a few assembled single-family lots. Homes are typically 1,000 square feet or less and, rather than fronting a street, face internally to the common area. Cottage courts are typically five to 10 units on ¼- to ½-acre lot, average lot widths of 100-150 feet, and parking is provided at one – one and a half spaces per unit and grouped together at the side or rear of the lot. Cottage courts can run into several roadblocks in a conventional code, but the following are not mutually exclusive issues to cottage courts; they are impediments to many infill and missing middle projects and deserve some attention. Below are the issues and suggested edits to address problem: CODE REQUIREMENT
AMENDMENT
One principal structure per lot maximum
Allow for cottage courts in all zoning districts, as long they meets comprehensive plan density
Minimum dwelling unit size
Remove all unit size minimums
Minimum lot area and lot size per unit
Delete and rely on density in comprehensive plan (15 UPA minimum) and maximum block size
Require landscape buffers between projects
Delete and focus on streetscaping instead
Require 2-3 parking spaces per unit; require landscape islands between spaces
Remove all minimum parking requirements, or reduce to one space per unit (especially if in proximity to transit)
Require the front of a house to face the street; Consider the short side of a corner lot to be the front, and require the house orient to that side
Allow the units to face inward towards a courtyard or green
Require dumpster service for 3 units or more
Allow roll out cans for cottage courts and attached single family
4 Fall 2021 / Florida Planning
These are only a few examples of reducing the red tape; state and local governments around the country are adopting other measures, such as eliminating single family zoning in its entirety. Single family homes will continue to be popular in Florida for political, financial, and social reasons, but cottage courts are one a way to introduce gentle higher-density projects to a neighborhood while allowing local governments to meet their statutory requirement of accommodating future growth. Catherine Hartley, AICP, CNA-a, is the Director of Community Planning & Design Solutions for Tindale Oliver. She can be reached at chartley@tindaleoliver.com.
Working Statewide So Communities Are Livable for People of All Ages By 2030, one out of every five people in the United States will be age 65 or older. By 2034, the nation will have more older adults than children under 18 for the first time ever. That’s why AARP is working with local leaders nationwide to help towns, cities, counties, rural areas and even entire states become more livable for people of all ages. /aarpfl
@AARPFL In a livable community, people of all ages can … • Live safely and comfortably • Enjoy public places • Spend time outdoors • Get around without a car • Go for a walk • Ride a bike • Work or volunteer • Shop, socialize and be entertained • Access healthy food • Find the services they need and … make where they live a lifelong home.
Learn more about AARP Livable Communities by visiting aarp.org/livable. Fall 2021 / Florida Planning 5
A rendering of the $61 million Union Terminal Warehouse Company adaptive reuse project. Courtesy of Dasher Hurst Architects.
Affordable Housing
AS NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION STRATEGY
By Ennis Davis, AICP Many cities are looking for solutions to the issues caused by gentrification. One emerging strategy is ‘withintrification,’ where the changes and investment are driven by the current residents instead of outside developers, planners, consultants, and politicians. While common thought is that displacement is inevitable as revitalization occurs, Jacksonville’s Eastside neighborhood is working to become the latest example of withintrification that suggest otherwise. Platted in 1869, the Eastside attracted freedmen after the Civil War with its working-class housing and employment opportunities at sawmills and docks along the St. Johns River. The recipient of discriminatory public policies over the years, the neighborhood just outside of downtown has become an increasingly popular destination for infill mixed-use development projects and real estate speculators. A designated Opportunity Zone and in need of economic stability and job creation, the Eastside is embracing the trends that have traditionally erased many communities with a similar history. A collaboration being spearheaded by two nonprofits, the Historic Eastside Community Development Corporation (HECDC) and LIFT JAX, the Eastside Withintrification strategy is designed to preserve and transform the neighborhood through equitable community development by improving access to social services, cultural development, wealth building, education, safety and an 6 Fall 2021 / Florida Planning
innovative approach to stimulating and preserving affordable housing opportunities. Here is a brief look at a few affordable housing strategies and developments included in the Eastside Withintrification strategy. MADE AT THE ARMORY The Gothic Revival-style Duval County Armory was completed in 1916. In addition to serving the military reserve force, it became the city’s primary destination for dances, cultural events, high school graduations and concerts prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Major events included a 1936 speech by First lady Eleanor Roosevelt, performances by Marian Anderson, Duke Ellington, James Brown and Ray Charles, the debut concert by the Allman Brothers and one of the final concerts by Janis Joplin. Despite the rich history, the structure has been vacant since 2010. After a decade of abandonment, plans emerged in 2020 for Ft. Lauderdale-based REVA Development Corporation to transform the building into a mixed-use building featuring art studios, galleries, co-work and event space centered around a food hall with space for 12 food and beverage vendors. Utilizing Place Architecture, designer of Tampa’s Armature Works, as the architect the project is anticipated to cost $18 million and will include a second phase featuring 100 affordable multifamily units. Working with the Hiscontinued on page 7
[JAX] REVITALIZATION
continued from page 6
toric Eastside CDC, renovation on the long vacant property by the Black-owned development company is expected to take two years to complete after construction begins. UNION TERMINAL WAREHOUSE COMPANY The Union Terminal Warehouse Company building is a throwback to a time in America’s industrial history before Henry Ford perfected the assembly line. The largest commercial building in Florida when completed in 1913, the Union Terminal Warehouse was the brainchild of C.B. Gay, who organized the terminal company to cater to wholesale grocery companies. Atlanta-based Columbia Ventures’ acquisition of the aging property is poised to become a huge economic coup for the Eastside. This would not be Columbia’s first adventure into the world of adaptive reuse of historic industrial properties. In Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, the development firm is a partner in a mixed-use project known as Studioplex and Krog Street Market. Columbia Ventures plans to restore the 330,000-square-foot structure into 228 affordable apartments, 20,233-square-feet of community commercial space, 24,607-square-feet of makerspace/artist studios, and 4,205-square-feet for a restaurant and coffee shop. Expected to be completed by 2023, the $61 million project will be first in Florida to use both Opportunity Zone and Historic Tax Credits. The workforce and affordable housing will allow Columbia to finance about 70% of the project with a 40-year, fixed-rate insured mortgage from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The project is anticipated to be completed in 2023 and support 262 permanent partand full-time jobs and 150 construction jobs.
PROJECT BOOTS While providing affordable housing rental units can play a positive role in economically stabilizing a historically distressed neighborhood, the primary form of wealth among African Americans is homeownership. Attempting to tackle challenges associated with population decline, demolition of historic building stock, heirs’ property and vulnerability to predatory land buyers and developers, Project Boots is a new Eastside program intended to increase homeownership within the neighborhood. Funded by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation Jacksonville and LIFT JAX, Project Boots provides $14,600 of down payment assistance and homeownership training for five participants seeking to settle permanently in the neighborhood. The effort will include the construction of five new residences on vacant lots annually, allowing for infill growth and an increase in homeownership, without displacing existing residents. Ennis Davis, AICP, is a senior planner with Alfred Benesch & Company, specializing with transportation and urban planning projects throughout the country. He can be reached at edavis@moderncities.com. Images are courtesy of The Jaxson Magazine and Ennis Davis.
The Melanin Market is a quarterly street market held on A. Philip Randolph Boulevard in Jacksonville's Eastside neighborhood. The market is intended to promote and support local Black-owned businesses and help stimulate foot traffic and economic activity on the neighborhood's historic commercial thoroughfare.
The Union Terminal Warehouse Company building was the largest building in Florida when it was completed in 1913.
East 5th Street in Jacksonville's Eastside neighborhood.
A row of shotgun houses in Jacksonville's Eastside neighborhood.
Fall 2021 / Florida Planning 7
Congratulations!
StPete2050 Vision Plan
APA Florida 2021 Award of Excellence | Comprehensive Plan – Large Jurisdiction VHB was honored to partner with the City of St. Petersburg and a talented team to create a citywide conversation about the future of St. Petersburg. Together we are making more resilient, equitable, and sustainable communities.
Other members of the consultant team Learn more: Stor er Dashboardd www.stpete2050.com
Florida Offices
Orlando | Tampa | Sarasota | Chipley 8 Fall 2021 / Florida Planning
www.vhb.com
Engineers | Scientists | Planners | Designers
Missing middle & mixed income housing: A Photo Tour of Jacksonville's Cathedral District Photos by Wiatt Bowers, AICP
SENIOR HOUSING, LITERALLY GOING OLD SCHOOL Originally constructed as a school in 1908, the Stevens Duval building was converted to apartments in 1980. The 50+ studio, 1 BDR, and 2 BDR units are rented to those 62 and over. This is one of several senior housing options in the neighborhood.
SHIPPING CONTAINER APARTMENTS 18 multifamily shipping container units completed in 2021. The 320 sf micro-units rent for $750 a month. continued on page 10
Fall 2021 / Florida Planning 9
[CATHEDRAL] DISTRICT
continued from page 9
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING Renovated multiplex housing for people transitioning to permanent housing. Many of these homes date back to the early 1900s.
MIXED RATE HOUSING New mixed-rate complex consisting of 90 apartments in new building with 30 more in historic YWCA building. 60 units are considered affordable housing, 25 as workforce housing, and the remaining 35 as market rate housing.”
10 Fall 2021 / Florida Planning
PARKS AT THE CATHEDRAL TOWNHOMES Built in 2000 through a partnership between City of Jacksonville, the St. Johns Cathedral, and Bank of America, the complex includes 51 market rate townhomes ranging from 1550 to 1725 sf.
IN COMMUNITY By Carmen Rasnick, MBA, CNU-a
Jacquelines Bradley & Clarence Otis Family Branch - Boys and Girls Club (Source: SchenkelShultz Architecture)
Eddy Moratin - President of Lift Orlando
As local communities and governments work to tackle the challenge of affordable housing, one group in Orlando has been hard at work for years transforming a vulnerable area of Orlando into a community development masterpiece. Lift Orlando was created in 2012 from a handful of community-minded business leaders partnered with Florida Citrus Sports to ensure reconstruction of Camping World Stadium would benefit surrounding neighborhoods. Today, Lift Orlando is busy strengthening these historic neighborhoods by influencing almost $100 million in capital investments into the community. The team at Lift Orlando and its board members believe that people are the community’s greatest asset, and they seek to amplify the voices of residents by making them agents of change in their own community. To implement growth, Lift focuses on four shared goals: Mixed-Income Housing, Cradle-to-Career Education, Community Health & Wellness, and Long-Term Economic Viability. I sat down with the President of Lift Orlando, Eddy Moratin, to learn more about their strategy for improving communities. Serving as the “Community Quarterback,” Lift Orlando holds three very different frameworks together. • PEOPLE – bottom-up approach of using Asset Based Community Development to strengthen neighborhood leaders. Doing good things with the community rather than for the community.
West Lakes Community Campus (Source: Lift Orlando) continued on page 12
Fall 2021 / Florida Planning 11
[UNITY] IN COMMUNITY
continued from page 11
• PLACE – top-down approach exemplified by the Purpose Built Communities Network that guides investment in neighborhood systems such as housing. Pioneered in Atlanta during the mid-1990s, this approach uses a “community quarterback” to drive major investments within a defined neighborhood. • PARTNERSHIPS – Lift’s “all in” approach organizes crosssector organizations under a collective impact agenda. This allows Lift the ability to bring together residents, local businesses, best-in-class non-profits, and community partners under the common goal of community revitalization. This strategy has proved effective and successful for Lift Orlando as they have completed several projects in the West Lakes neighborhood in the last few years, and they continue to move forward with additional projects in the pipeline. Pendana at West Lakes, an affordable mixed-income apartment community, was Lift’s first project in the neighborhood. Immediately, applications for apartments far exceeded the amount available for rent. Presently,
Lake Lorna Doone Renovation (Source: Florida Citrus Sports)
Pendana at West Lakes (Source: Columbia Residential)
12 Fall 2021 / Florida Planning
140 (70%) of these units are designated as affordable, based on income levels for residents earning 60% of the area median income or below; 20 (10%) are designated for extremely low-income tenants; and 40 (20%) are available for middle income residents or higher at a regular market rate. Next up was the Bradley Otis Family Branch of the Boys and Girls Club which opened across the street from Pendana. This 31,000-sf facility emphasizes the arts and learning in new culturally relevant ways. Library spaces leverage mobile technologies and facilitate programs to encourage positive social interaction with peers and mentors that inspire bright futures. The new Health and Wellness Center opening in 2021 is a partnership formed by the area’s major hospitals and Florida Blue that will offer critical health and wellness services to the neighborhood. The last component is the renovation of Lake Lorna Doone Park. This public-private partnership will create a fitness-focused and family-friendly park for the neighborhood. Carmen Rasnick, MBA, CNU-a, is the Fiscal Manager for the City of Orlando. She can be reached at carmen.rasnick@gmail.com.
HB1339
WHEN THE PUBLIC BENEFIT CAN JUSTIFY A BYPASS TO PLANNING AND ZONING LAWS Elizabeth Abernethy, AICP When the Florida State Legislature passed House Bill 1339 in 2020 allowing a governing body of a county or municipality to approve an affordable development on any parcel zoned for residential, commercial or industrial use there was an immediate interest in the City of St. Petersburg by affordable housing developers, advocates and policy makers to find a way to utilize this statutory provision.
In response, city staff proposed that a new process be created where an applicant could apply to City Council for consideration, similar to a traditional planning application. Since the language of HB1339 is essentially an exemption to local zoning and land development regulations, the proposal establishes an alternative process outside of the city’s Land Development Regulations in the city’s Housing Assistance Code
WHY NOT JUST FOLLOW THE ZONING LAWS? The benefit to the city in addition to the potential of adding needed affordable housing is that any approval can be narrowly tailored to a specific applicant and a specific project with development conditions to mitigate impacts. If the applicant and the project does not move forward, the approval is no longer valid. The benefit to the developer is provision of an expedited process, shaving months out of a plan amendment and rezoning process, significantly reducing the number of public hearings. A typical land use and zoning map amendment, followed by a Site Plan Approval, would involve up to six separate public hearings over a course of 9-12 months, and appeals and challenges could add even more time. Most affordable housing developers don’t have the time or resources to take a project through a lengthy zoning process, particularly if public funding is not yet secured. Although no public hearing or notice requirements were specified in the statutory language, knowing the high value given to public input and discourse, a notice provision was included requiring one public hearing before the city council. continued on page 14
continued on page 11
Fall 2021 / Florida Planning 13
[HB] 1339
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AREAS OF CONCERN Over the course of the initial workshops that started in August of 2020, much of the discussion centered on whether to include commercial and industrial zoned areas. Staff from city and county economic development teams presented concerns regarding potential loss of limited industrial land and its associated employment opportunities. Compatibility and environmental justice concerns over the use of industrial land for residential was also discussed. In response, project qualifying criteria were developed to limit the impact to industrial lands and to require a plan for relocation of any displaced business and its employees. Qualifying criteria in-
clude minimum lot and project size with locational criteria requiring proximity to schools, transit, grocery stores, parks and trails. Applicants must demonstrate that the industrial land is underutilized, that conversion to residential use will not cause negative impacts on surrounding industrial operations and that the location will not cause any adverse impacts to the health of future residents. The amendments went through several months of public input and were unanimously approved by the St. Pete City Council on Oct. 14. Elizabeth Abernethy, AICP, is the Director of Planning and Development Services for the city of St. Petersburg. She can be reached at elizabeth.abernethy@stpete.org.
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ZONING INDUSTRIAL
Industrial Suburban
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Date: July 21, 2021
14 Fall 2021 / Florida Planning
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Sadowski Housing Trust Funds in the 2022 Legislative Session The 2022 session gives the Florida Legislature its first opportunity to keep the promise; the promise it made in 2021 to stop the sweeps of the Sadowski State and Local Housing Trust Funds. Senate Bill 2512, enacted in the 2021 Session, changed the doc stamp formula, permanently diverting one-half of the Sadowski Trust funds for programs that the Senate President, the Speaker of the House, and the bill sponsors in both chambers characterized as related to making affordable housing available, namely the Resilient Florida Grant program and the Wastewater Grant program, both administered by the Department of Environmental Protection. Along with that permanent diversion of half the funds from Florida’s Sadowski Act housing programs, came the long sought-after statutory promise that no housing trust funds would be swept after July 1, 2021. A combination of the Governor’s veto of $40 million in State Apartment Incentive Loan Fund monies, the increase in collections above projections and the accumulated interest, are resulting in total Sadowski State and Local Housing Trust Funds of more than $355 million available for appropriation in the 2022 session. Those funds would be for the State Housing Initiatives Partnership program, commonly known as SHIP and for the SAIL program. Both SHIP and SAIL are exemplary housing programs. SHIP provides flexibility and accountability for the largest homegrown housing program in Florida and serves as a model for the nation. The sweeps of the Sadowski Trust Funds for close to two decades has been from SHIP, denying approximately $3 billon in housing funds to Florida’s workforce and its most vulnerable residents living on fixed incomes, such as seniors, and people with disabilities. SAIL provides low-income gap financing to developers building affordable rental apartments. Permanently losing half the Sadowski housing program funds was a blow for every housing advocate in the state, from faithbased organizations to the business community. But for the Florida Realtors it was a blow that caused them to take drastic action. The Florida Realtors launched a Constitutional Amendment Campaign in June to embed housing funding in the Florida Constitution. When the Realtors abandoned their Constitutional Amendment campaign in early September, they announced intention for creating a new housing program. The Realtors are hoping to have a bill filed in the 2022 session that would create a program to help “frontline workers” described as teachers, nurses, law enforcement, and the like, to purchase homes. The funding for this program would not come from the doc stamps, which are the
By: Jaimie Ross source of funding for the Sadowski funded housing programs. The proposal for a new program would be in addition to SHIP, which already provides home purchase for the same population but does not limit funding to this higher income “frontline” population and does limit assistance to home purchase funding. Like the APA Florida Chapter, the Florida Realtors are part of the Sadowski Coalition. The Sadowski Coalition, comprised of 32 statewide organizations, does not support using Sadowski funds for any purposes other than those currently codified and commonly known as Sadowski Trust Fund programs. The funding for this new program would have to come from funds other than Sadowski Housing Trust Funds. At the time of writing, the “frontline workers” or “Hometown Heroes” bill has not been filed, but the expectation is that it will be presently. The Sadowski Coalition’s message of the 2022 Legislative session is Keep the Promise! Jaimie Ross is the President and CEO of the Florida Housing Coalition. She can be reached at Ross@FLhousing.org.
Fall 2021 / Florida Planning 15
Make Homeless Programs Welcoming for LGBTQ+ Youth By Ian Siljestrom
It was my second year of teaching 5th grade and I always had a lot on my mind. I was frequently one of the first teachers in the building, coffee in hand, ready to spruce up my classroom and prepare my science lesson.
Most mornings I would see one of my students with her mom and siblings parked in the school lot. Yet, I never made the connection for why the family did this. Eventually I became frustrated with the student because she rarely submitted assignments. This resulted in me asking a co-worker if they had similar concerns. My co-worker informed me that the family was experiencing homelessness. To hear that my student, her siblings, and her mother were all living in that van was crushing. In that moment, my perception of “homelessness” shifted from what many of us think of when we hear the term. I also couldn’t help but wonder why the family wasn’t receiving more support or services. In my current role at Equality Florida, I am reminded not just of the various forms of homelessness but of the individuals impacted and the reason why someone might be experiencing homelessness, particularly LGBTQ+ children.
16 Fall 2021 / Florida Planning
Research from Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, points to the disproportionate trends that are taking place related to LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness. This study illuminates that Black and African American youth are significantly more likely to experience homelessness, and that LGBTQ+ youth are at a 120% higher risk for experiencing homelessness. For our youth who sit at the intersections of being Black and Queer the services to address or prevent homelessness are failing to reach them. So many LGBTQ+ youth, particularly transgender youth, are experiencing homelessness due to family rejection. Being kicked out of the home simply because they want to be respected for continued on page 20
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR LGBTQ SENIORS By: Bob Cambric and Ian Siljestrom In the late 1960s, lesbian, gay, and transgendered residents protested unequal treatment and harassment denying them to meet and socialize in movie theaters, restaurants, and bars in cities such as Philadelphiai, San Franciscoii, New Yorkiii, and Atlantaiv. The fight for equality continued in subsequent decades as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer/ questioning citizens and allies campaigned health care, marriage, and employment discrimination.
Now, the LGBTQ Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) are at the forefront of a new challenge: remaining authentic while accessing affordable and welcoming senior housing. A study by Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) and the Equal Rights Center estimated 48% of same-sex couples faced discrimination while looking for housingv. Additionally, 34% of LGBTQ elders are concerned about hiding their identity to access senior housingvi. A vast majority of LGBTQ seniors also face anxiety that they will face discrimination from realtors, sellers, landlords and neighborsvii. LGBTQ seniors’ trepidations about housing also includes nursing homes and congregate living facilitiesviii. The Fair Housing Act intends to protect citizens from housing discrimination whether renting or buying. However, sexual orientation and gender identification are not protected classes under the Act ix. Florida’s nondiscrimination laws do not enumerate sexual orientation and gender identity, but the Florida Commission of Human Rights will implement x Bostock v Clayton County, Georgia,xi in which the Supreme Court said: “it is impossible to discriminate against a person for being homosexual or transgender without discriminating against that individual based on sex.” continued on page 18
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[LGBTQ] SENIORS
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Americans’ attitudes toward LGBTQ people’s employment and adoption rights, the legality of their relationships, and the innateness of orientation/identification continue to evolve and improve according to Gallup Polls conducted in 1977 and 2019xii. Nevertheless, 'Gayby Boomers’ lived experiences of inequality frame their perspectives, and we need to change our approaches to their housing needs. As planners, we must recognize that affordable housing is not a monolithic issue. We should pursue funding from the Florida Legislature and Florida Housing Finance Corporation to conduct a comprehensive study of how Florida and its communities’ policies, practices, training, and funding affect the availability of and access to affordable and welcoming housing for LGBTQ seniors. This would be similar to New City’s Citizens Housing & Planning Council Housing Plan for LGBTQ Communitiesxiii. We also need to increase the number of units dedicated as affordable and welcoming LGBTQ senior housing. According to American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the following factors are integral to building new units: • Choosing the right (read “LGBT-sensitive”) developer, affordable housing company, architect and others who understand the needs of older adults; • Sustaining funding for services and property management; and • Finding land to build apartments in urban areasxiv. An example in Florida is the Residences at Equity Park located in Wilton Manor. It was built by Carrfour Supportive Housing, based in Miami, and operated by the Pride Center at Equality Park. The development: • Opened in 2002. • Had more than 1,500 applications for its 48-units. • Dedicated all units for 55+ earning less than 60% of the area’s median income [$35,000], and 70% of units (34) designated for low-income seniors living with disabling conditions, such as physical illnesses or disabilities due to complications from HIV/AIDS. • Approved under Wilton Manor’s existing Transit Oriented Corridor designation and zoning, whose mixed-use provisions authorize the Pride Center to provide customized supportive services for LGBTQ seniors. In closing, adequate housing is a human right, and as Marsha P. Johnson said: “you never completely have your rights, one person, until you all have your rights.” Bob Cambric is an urban planner specializing in public policy, growth management, community redevelopment, economic development, and consensus-building and can be reached at bob.cambric@gmail.com.
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ARTICLE CITATIONS i
https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/deweys-lunch-counter-sit-in/
ii
https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2018/8/02/dont-let-history-forget-aboutcomptons-cafeteria-riot
iii
https://www.history.com/topics/gay-rights/the-stonewall-riots
iv
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/stonewall-south-history-forgot-180972484/
v
https://equalrightscenter.org/wp-content/uploads/senior_housing_report.pdf
vi
https://www.sageusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/sage-lgbt-aging-factsfinal.pdf
vii
https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2015/07/02/housing-discriminationthe-next-hurdle-for-lgbt-couples/?sh=4c23fd865900 https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-08-10/a-secondcloset-for-some-lgbtq-seniors-entering-nursing-homes
viii
ix
https://www.hrc.org/resources/fair-and-equal-housing-act
x
https://www.eqfl.org/news/LGBTQ-Civil-Rights-Protected-Florida
xi
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/17-1618_hfci.pdf
xii
https://news.gallup.com/poll/258065/gallup-first-polled-gay-issues-changed.aspx https://chpcny.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/LGBTQ_Housing_Plan.pdf
xiii
https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/housing/info-2016/age-friendly-LGBThousing.html
xiv
Climate Gentrification in Little Haiti, Miami By Erin Fowler The endeavor of defining gentrification has always been fraught. Originally coined in 1964 by urban sociologist Ruth Glass in her landmark publication London: Aspects of Change, Glass describes working class London’s invasion of “shabby” homes by the gentry, who upgraded the modest dwellings into “elegant” residences (Glass, 1964, p. 7). Although it is a commonly referenced topic without meaningful consensus, it is neutrally understood to refer to the movement of wealthier households to lower-income areas (Atkinson & Wulff, 2009). Climate gentrification stems from the same root as textbook gentrification, but it specifically analyzes the movement of wealthier residents to lower-income areas with higher elevations that are therefore better equipped to reckon with climate change as sea levels rise (Keenan, 2018). Miami offers a model example of climate gentrification in action. In 2018, Jesse Keenan—the creator of climate gentrification as a concept—used Miami as a case study in his premier journal article on the subject. His study demonstrated that high elevation real estate in Miami has been proven to grow in value quicker than anywhere else in America (Keenan, 2018). Given Miami’s projected sea-level rise estimates of 14-26 inches by 2060 (Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact, 2015), land and real estate at higher elevations are widely coveted for their natural resilience. Residents of Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood are facing the brunt
of this new inland migration pattern (Johnson, 2019). The socioeconomic and demographic data on Little Haiti must be understood in order to properly understand the gravity of the climate gentrification taking place there. Based on the 2015 Little Haiti Community Needs Assessment, the socioeconomic profile of the neighborhood is predominantly minority and overwhelmingly low-income (Little Haiti Community Needs Assessment, 2015). It also ranges from 7-14 feet above sea level, significantly higher than Miami Beach’s four feet (Johnson, 2019; Campo-Flores, 2020). Important to the neighborhood’s cultural identity and heritage, 74 percent of Little Haiti’s population is Black (Little Haiti Community Needs Assessment, 2015), and the neighborhood is home to the largest concentration of Haitians in America (Kang, 2020). Nearly 30 percent of residents in Little Haiti have household incomes of less than $10,000 per year (Little Haiti Community Needs Assessment, 2015). In support of the idea that climate gentrification has not fully reared its head in the neighborhood and that developers rather than individual homeowners will drive the brunt of the displacement and rising costs, currently almost half of Little Haiti’s residents live in poverty, with a startling 64 percent of those children under 18 (Little Haiti Community Needs Assessment, 2015). Within the community’s public schools, an average of 95 percent continued on page 20
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[CLIMATE] GENTRIFICATION
[LGBTQ+] YOUTH
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of students are on free or reduced lunch (Little Haiti Community Needs Assessment, 2015). Thus, planners in Miami must face the question of how to introduce equitable land use policies that protect existing residents while also improving quality of life there for everyone. City planners in Miami have begun to tackle this nuanced question, and as of 2019, the City of Miami in partnership with the Southeast Florida Climate Compact, released a guidebook with policy and strategy recommendations for confronting climate change, population growth, and development pressure (City of Miami, 2019). Chief among the planning priorities includes updates to land development regulations to allow for released restrictions on residential density to limit a supply-induced lack of affordable housing. Density bonuses, vacancy taxes, and Community Land Trusts are additional tools being explored by City of Miami planners to address these issues (City of Miami, 2019). Climate gentrification may be a new term, but what it is confronting is an inevitability, and one that is relevant to nearly everyone in Little Haiti.
how they see themselves. This rejection of a person’s identity also occurs in the foster care system, in group homes, and in shelters. For our transgender youth, they must choose between living authentically or having a roof over their head and food in their stomach. Our social service organizations should strive for equity. Focusing intently on meeting the needs of all youth. Instead, discriminatory practices are preventing our LGBTQ+ youth from accessing lifesaving services. Government officials, including planners, can make a difference to address this critical issue. Existing shelters and transitional housing programs do not have the resources to bridge these housing gaps. This is exacerbated for our LGBTQ+ youth who are denied access to these programs because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. If your community provides services to youth experiencing homelessness, regardless if it is a public institution or in a church, consider ways to ensure your services are accessible to the LGBTQ+ community. Some opportunities include: • updating nondiscrimination policies to be inclusive of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression;
References
Atkinson, R. & Wulff, M. (2009). Gentrification and displacement: a review of approaches and findings in the literature. Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute. Pp. 1-32. Campo-Flores, A. (2020). Bracing for sea rise, Miami Beach fights tide of angry residents. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ bracing-for-sea-rise-miami-beach-fights-a-tide-of-angry-residents-11583526613 City of Miami (2019). The City of Miami in the Context of Climate Change, Population Growth, and Development Pressure: Policy and strategy recommendations. A report by the Planning Department in collaboration with the Office of Resiliency and Sustainability. Retrieved from: https://southeastfloridaclimatecompact.org/ wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Climate-Gentrification-in-Miami_FINAL-1.pdf Glass, R. (1964). Excerpt from “London: Aspects of Change.” The Gentrification Reader, p. 7. Johnson, C. (2019). As seas rise, Miami’s Black communities fear displacement from the high ground. WLRN. Miami South Florida Retrieved from: https://www.wlrn. org/news/2019-11-04/as-seas-rise-miamis-black-communities-fear-displacementfrom-the-high-ground Keenan, J. (2018). Climate gentrification: from theory to empiricism in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Environmental Research Letters. Pp. 1-12. DOI: 10.1088/17489326/aabb32 Little Haiti Community Needs Assessment. (2015). Conducted by Q-Q Research Consultants. Retrieved from: https://www.thechildrenstrust.org/sites/default/ files/kcfinder/files/providers/analytics/reports/Little_Haiti_Miami-Dade_County-May2015.pdf Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact Sea Level Rise Work Group. (2015). Unified Sea Level Rise Projection for Southeast Florida. A document prepared for the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact Steering Committee.
Erin Fowler is a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Florida’s Shimberg Center for Housing Studies. She can be reached at erindfowler@ufl.edu.
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• encouraging best practices such as allowing transgender youth to be placed in housing that is aligned with their gender identity; • working with your school district to collaborate on prevention efforts and resource sharing; • elevating the needs, experiences, and voice of our Black and LGBTQ+ youth who are disproportionately impacted by homelessness; and • changing the perception of the facility through a visibility campaign such as adding inclusive posters or stickers throughout the site. Ian Siljestrom is the Safe and Healthy Schools Deputy Director with Equality Florida. He can be reached at ian@equalityflorida.org.
Comfortably
UNCOMFORTABLE BY: JIM BARNES, AICP CEP
Events in our communities following the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, appear to mark a new chapter in the pursuit of equity for people of color in our country. Much more than about racism and excessive force in law enforcement, the unrest in our communities is about the radically different life experience so many people of color live in this country and the underlying unfairness of the conspicuous racial disparities.
Conversations about race are hard. Now, more than ever before, people are being asked to have these conversations at work, at home, and with friends. Here’s the good news: talking about – and acting on – racial equity is just like any other skill. At first, you will be bad at it, and it will not be comfortable. With time, you will be better at it. People around you need you to grow in this skill. Don’t stop because it’s hard.
Learn. Maya Angelou put it succinctly: “Know better, do better.” So, what does knowing better around race look like? It starts with being able to take a new perspective – recognizing that these issues look fundamentally different if you are someone who has been oppressed. Seek first to understand. At the Village of Wellington, we brought in professionals to help us know better. Recognize as you start this learning process – individually or as an organization – as with all learning, you will never be finished.
Support existing voices on your team. When you don’t know what to say, a great starting point can be to echo and support the BIPOC voices on your team. Even better, give them opportunities to speak in place of you. Too often, even in subtle ways, the voices of minorities on professional teams can be stifled – be intentional about changing that.
Learn more. Here’s the thing: if you are successful at honoring the BIPOC voices on your team, you are likely to hear at least a few things that you don’t agree with. Not only is that okay … that’s kind of the whole point. When you hear those things, I’d encourage you to pause and think through how and why you might be disagreeing. On more than one occasion, I’ve realized that the instincts of the Black members of my team may have been different from mine – but they were just as valuable as mine or more so. Bring enough humility to recognize where you might simply not have the life experience to see the whole picture. continued on page 23
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Supporting the Next Generation of Planners via Online Platforms
By Dunya Hasan The remote nature of our work and networking during the COVID-19 pandemic has shown our workforce that online connection and community platforms are key in supporting our next generation of planners. This past year has emphasized the opportunity to connect planners from across state or country lines through online communication. In November 2020, McKinsey declared that the future of the workforce was a “hybrid model” of remote work and office visits. This is why the creation and sustainability of field-specific online platforms as services to our next generation is so important. From a general perspective, young professionals entering the planning workforce can accelerate their job growth and gain industry insight through mentoring and community platforms. The previous model of in-person networking and discussion forums has been enhanced with general sites like LinkedIn, Reddit, Quora, REINS, and Answer.com. These platforms, coupled with 22 Fall 2021 / Florida Planning
mentoring programs through universities and professional organizations, give our students and graduates a boost to find quality jobs and connections. Field-specific platforms that are centralized for only planning present many different opportunities for growth. A central community platform can help foster collaboration and break down silos for our field. Sometimes a trend can seem irrelevant to planning when looked at in isolation. And the path forward, especially during disruption, is interconnected, and therefore planners working in isolation may overlook trends and systemic solutions. In Septmeber, Rebecca Ramsdale wrote about the importance of breaking down these silos between the infrastructure disciplines in her piece for Real Leaders. We must combat climate change and lower carbon emissions through the “free flow of information.” As she explains the project life cycle that links the fields, Ramsdale insists that we have been further “cornered” into these silos during the pandemic. Linking planners together to solve the pressing problems future generations face is needed more than ever. For planners to be effective, a sense of community and an environment where individuals able to knowledge-share is essential. Currently, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates higher-than-average job growth in the next 10 years for planning alone, at 11 percent. With 40,000 planners currently in our national workforce, we have the potential to scale for and accommodate that growth with online platforms. Diversity and inclusion continue to be paramount to our profession. According to the job listing platform Zapier, 75.8 percent of urban planners are white, with only 9.5 percent Hispanic or Latino, and 7.2 percent of Asian ethnicity. Genderwise, the planning field shows a 59.4 percent majority of continued on page 23
[COMFORTABLY] UNCOMFORTABLE
continued from page 21
Use your own voice. We all have a role in the fight for racial justice. In fact, we have quite a big role. One Black colleague put it this way: “Look, at the end of the day, racism is caused by White people. You are the ones who can most easily fix it.” Our society has grown so accustomed to hiring one Black person to solve an organization’s diversity issues, which is a burden they should not carry, that we forget that it is behavior change in White people that we are usually seeking. When I talk about racism, I speak to my own experience as a multiracial person, not the experience of all people. I try very hard not to talk about the racism of other folks, but instead to lead with vulnerability by talking about ways that racism has lived in my own heart and actions. Accusation is a powerful force here. Folks are more likely to engage if they don’t feel attacked.
Learn more still. This is a journey. It will get less uncomfortable as you hone the skill of talking about race – but only once you face that discomfort head on. In the meantime, we need to stop worrying about looking bad or misspeaking. People are literally dying. We need to wake up every day and say the same thing to ourselves: get brave or get out of the way.
Jim and Mitchell Silver, FAICP, hosted a session at the Florida Planning Conference called Uncomfortable Conversations: Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable, which was one of the more well-attended and highestreviewed session of the conference. This session is a part of the FPC21 Virtual Event, in which you can register here.
Jim Barnes, AICP CEP is the Village Manager with the Village of Wellington, Florida and is a member of the APA Florida Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee. He can be reached at jbarnes@wellingtonfl.gov.
[NEXTGEN] PLANNERS
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males. This tells us that the diverse voices needed to serve our communities have to be elevated. An impartial online community that gives each user the same access, tools, and opportunity can help bridge this gap in the planning field. The future of infrastructure lies in how much we can equip our new professionals. With informed and connected workers, we can build and plan better communities and fuel our ingenuity as a field. Our industry should be looking to create prepared and informed planners who are equipped to create high-quality projects in the communities they serve. As planners know, when creative, diverse, and dedicated workers come together, the possibilities are endless. Dunya Hasan is the Director of REINS and can be reached at dunya@reinsapp.com.
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APA Florida, Communities Win in Court Ruling of Critical Comprehensive Plan Consistency Challenge By: Nancy Stroud, FAICP, Esq. The Florida First District Court of Appeal has handed down an important decision reaffirming the statutory mandate that all development orders be consistent with the local comprehensive plan – all of the plan, not just comprehensive plan provisions related to use, density and intensity. The mandate is a hallmark of the Community Planning Act and its antecedent legislation dating back to the 1970s, and especially as strengthened by the 1985 growth management legislation in the Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Regulations Act. In the case of Imhof v. Walton County, decided September 15, the court disagreed with the Second District Court of Appeal, which had issued a surprising 2017 decision (Heine v. Lee County) holding that consistency mandate is limited to only use, density and intensity inconsistencies. The APA Florida chapter, along with national APA, filed a “friend of the court” amicus brief in support of the broader consistency mandate. The APA did not take a position on the merits of the PUD or the consistency claims. Instead, the APA addressed the importance of the consistency mandate, and its enforcement by aggrieved and adversely affected persons, to ensure that the local government’s comprehensive plan continues to be an effective primary foundation for local land development decisions, providing predictability for public and private investments in the community and the polestar for local implementing regulations. It argued that a narrow interpretation of the mandate, as adopted in Heine, is contrary to the planning statute, and inconsistent with court precedent dating back decades. The Imhof decision involved a plan consistency challenge by two individuals and two nonprofit environmental organizations to a Walton County Planned Unit Development approval known as Cypress Lake. The mixed-use PUD would abut County Highway 30-A on one side, and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, a conservation area, on at least one other. The challengers advocated that the PUD was inconsistent with multiple comprehensive plan policies, including density and intensity, buffers, setbacks and sidewalk plan objectives and policies. The trial court held an evidentiary hearing, but ultimately decided that only the density and intensity consistency challenge was allowed under the statute, and further that the density and intensity was not inconsistent with the plan, dismissing the other challenges. The trial court also held that the challenger South Walton Community Council, Inc. did not have standing to sue because it was not a sufficiently “aggrieved or adversely affected party” under the 24 Fall 2021 / Florida Planning
statute. The court awarded attorneys’ fees and costs to the developer as the prevailing party. The unanimous District Court of Appeal overturned the trial court in an extensive discussion of the consistency mandate, including a detailed grammatical analysis of the statutory language. It determined that the statute is “designed to ensure the complete consistency between development and a local comprehensive plan.” It also found that the South Walton Community Council has standing under the intentionally liberalized criteria of the statute and the SWCC history and purpose as a growth management and environmental watchdog group. It reversed the attorneys’ fees and costs and remanded the case to the trial court to decide the remaining inconsistency claims. In issuing its decision, the court also certified to the Florida Supreme Court that there is a conflict between the Courts of Appeal on this issue. The certification alerts the Supreme Court so that it can, but is not required to, accept a request by the losing party to take up the issue and resolve the conflict. Meanwhile, the outlier Heine decision applies in 14 southwest counties: Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Highlands, Hardee, Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto, Hillsborough, Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Hendry and Glades. Imhof is a critical validation of the consistency mandate of the Community Planning Act, and the importance of citizen standing to enforce that mandate. APA and the APA Florida Chapter once again have done their part to advocate successfully for effective comprehensive plan consistency in Florida. Nancy Stroud, FAICP, Esq., is the owner of Nancy E. Stroud, P.A. She can be reached at nstroud@nstroudpa.com.
Congratulations to the Each year APA Florida, through its Chapter Leadership Awards, recognizes individuals or organizations for their leadership on planning issues. These awards are APA Florida’s highest honors. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Kim Glas-Castro, AICP Kim Glas-Castro has been an active and exemplary member of APA at the section, chapter and national levels since 1989 and a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners since 1992. Kim currently serves as Assistant Village Manager in Palm Springs, Florida, after serving as Palm Springs Planning, Zoning, and Building Director from 2014 – 2020. She previously served as a senior level planner with Palm Beach County and the City of Palm Beach Gardens and two private law firms working on a wide variety of complex planning projects. During her 34-year career, Kim has modelled effective planning and public participation practices and served as a mentor for many public and private sector planners, elected officials, and volunteers throughout Florida and elsewhere, encouraging and enabling them to be more effective planners. Kim’s steadfast commitment to the advancement of planning is not limited to her day job. Kim is also the Vice Mayor of the Town of Lake Park, first elected in 2013. As a strong advocate for visioning, master planning, and consensus-formed priority setting, Kim has used her planning expertise and leadership skills to improve citizen participation and transparency in the town’s decision-making processes. She has also served as a Board Member, First and Second Vice President, and Chair for the Palm Beach County League of Cities (2014 to the present). She is also active at the state level for the Florida League of Cities, serving as a member (since 2013) and now chair of its Municipal Administration Legislative Policy Committee. In recognition of her tireless efforts to combat efforts to limit municipal home rule during the annual Florida Legislative sessions, Kim has received the Florida League of Cities Home Rule Hero Award every year since 2017. Kim is also a Court Certified Mediator (since 2004) who has used her mediation and consensus-building skills to achieve successful outcomes for numerous projects and endeavors while serving as a professional planner, elected official, or volunteer. Since 1997, Kim has had decades of service to APA Florida and has held numerous elected and volunteer positions in the chapter
and its Treasure Coast Section. She has been instrumental in encouraging greater member participation in Chapter and Section activities and significantly improved services to all members of APA Florida. Throughout her career, Kim has used her planning expertise and leadership skills to develop innovative solutions to problems, build consensus among affected parties, including regulatory and other agencies, and effectively implement those solutions. OUTSTANDING PUBLIC INTEREST GROUP Gainesville Citizens for Active Transportation The work of Gainesville Citizens for Active Transportation (GCAT), and its allied organization, Gators Against Student Pedestrian Deaths, has resulted in an effective planning and advocacy effort to change the street design and traffic enforcement along a major state highway that is a boundary of the University of Florida campus. GCAT is a citizen-led coalition advocating for active transportation in Gainesville and Alachua County. The group is a nonprofit social welfare organization formed to advocate for complete streets practices that promote cycling, walking, disability access, and transit through education and advocacy for a safe and convenient network of multi-use trails and streets. Gators Against Student Pedestrian Deaths, a group organized utilizing Facebook, formed in response to roadway deaths in late 2020 and early 2021, now includes 2,600 members including UF students, parents and community members. Marches were organized at UF to increase visibility. Following the tragic deaths of two UF students, these two groups were instrumental in creating a planning document: #NotOneMore: A Call to Action for Pedestrian, Bicyclist & Motorist Transportation Safety in Gainesville and Alachua County. This work formed the basis for focused and continued public advocacy efforts by UF students, parents, and community members, facilitating several multi-modal safety projects within Gainesville and in particular adjacent to the University of Florida. The groups’ use of social media allowed rapid communication of the planning goals and time-sensitive information, recognizing the critical path nature of planning work. The organizations continue to collaborate with the City of Gainesville and its professional consultants serving as a pragmatic continued on page 26
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[2021] LEADERSHIP AWARDS
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citizen “sounding-board” for a Complete Streets study. Perhaps most importantly, GCAT and its partners have mounted an effective political advocacy campaign that has gotten the attention of state officials and garnered cooperation with the Florida Department of Transportation at a level that has not previously been achieved in the Gainesville area. Their advocacy does not solely focus near the campus but is community-wide with a strong awareness of the need for equity and access in underserved parts of Gainesville. DISTINGUISHED CONTRIBUTION TO THE CHAPTER Alissa Barber-Torres, FAICP, Ph.D. The Distinguished Contribution to the Chapter Award recognizes an APA Florida member who has contributed to the goals and objectives of the chapter and to its development plan through an extraordinary effort. This year’s recipient is Alissa Barber Alissa Barber-Torres, FAICP, Ph.D, and her husband, Torres, FAICP, Ph.D., for her leadership Anthony Torres and work over the past two years with the Florida’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Alissa began working with the committee from its inception in August 2019 when she initially served as co-chair and spearheaded the drive to survey Florida’s chapter members to get input on how diversity and inclusion were perceived and improvements that could be made. This survey formed the basis for the committee’s strategic plan, workplan, resource list, and the chapter’s EDI webpage. Thanks to Alissa’s leadership, EDI Committee members have evolved both personally and professionally over the last two years. They have had to tackle some uncomfortable conversations in and outside of their meetings while doing this hard work. Alissa has handled these instances with grace, understanding and patience yet with the firmness needed to move such hard work forward. The accomplishments of the EDI committee in such a short time would never have happened without Alissa’s relentless drive and passion to realize the goals of this committee as expressed by APA Florida members in the survey. Accomplishments attributed to Alissa’s leadership in addition to the survey, strategic plan, workplan and resource list are: conducting EDI forums, producing several newsletter articles, issue statements and a policy statement, creating an outreach calendar, developing standard operating procedures, engaging with four national divisions, producing the first Lessons from Leaders videos, and collaborating on multiple conference sessions and events with close to 400 attendees. She has worked in partnership with the APA’s Florida’s Executive Committee on a variety of steps to take the EDI Committee from an ad hoc committee to a standing committee and bringing an EDI perspective to both FPC20 and FPC21 conference sessions. 26 Fall 2021 / Florida Planning
OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Capital Area Section In 2019 the APA Florida Capital Area Section began to explore the local age-friendly communities’ effort and identified a number of initiatives completed or underway. These Susan Poplin, AICP, efforts included the AARP accepts the award awareness campaign for the for the section. Florida Age-Friendly Community (AFC) Network, Age-Friendly initiatives in the Tallahassee-Leon County Comprehensive Plan, the City of Tallahassee AARP AFC workplan, the designation of Florida State University (FSU) as an AFC Campus, and city age friendly improvement projects including enhancements to the Bond Linear Park, which was partially facilitated by an AARP Challenge Grant. The section launched an education series to focus on the individual efforts underway and look for connections and collaborative opportunities to expand the age-friendly community concepts within the greater Tallahassee area. An initial meeting was held which drew in participants from local government, the university, non-profits and local expert organizations. Information, in a panel setting, was shared on activities and innovations in planning and outreach. State and local expert panelists, across disciplines, discussed their respective recent experiences and provided age-friendly initiatives examples. AARP staff provided information on its Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities, including outreach and resources available to communities. The session provided information to translate age-friendly initiatives into the local comprehensive plan, the FSU campus plan, the Tallahassee AFC workplan, and specific infrastructure projects. STUDENT PLANNER OF THE YEAR Jessica Kluttz Jessica Kluttz is a recent graduate of the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program at Florida Atlantic University. She began her planning education at FAU in the Bachelor of Urban Design program and then proceeded to the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program where she worked on real world assignments to gain experience and knowledge in the applications of planning principles. continued on page 27
[2021] LEADERSHIP AWARDS
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In 2020 she worked alongside classmates to create a comprehensive revitalization plan for approximately 2,500 acres of the City of Deerfield Beach to address the concerns of an aging community. In creating this plan, she helped to host several public meetings to present proposals and receive feedback from citizens, planning staff, and city commission members. This feedback was then directly implemented in improvements to the plan. After completing this project, Jessica felt that more could be done to help the community achieve better walkability and recreation facilities access, which members of the public had expressed concern about and, for her final project in the MURP program, she developed a pedestrian loop trail to connect parks, neighborhoods, and local businesses. The design for this trail was based on considerations for safety and the natural environment, showing her drive to create complete
communities that benefit the health and welfare of all. This project was then submitted to the city to be added to the previous plan for potential future implementation as part of area improvement efforts. While at FAU, Jessica served as both Secretary and President of the student planning organization, scheduling events where students could interact with planning professionals both through FAU and in collaboration with other universities and professional associations. For the 2020-21 school year, Jessica was also the University Student Liaison to the Broward Section of APA Florida. Also, as a Graduate Research Assistant at FAU, Jessica worked with faculty members on projects relating to walkability, public health, and the impact of sea level rise on South Florida communities. Jessica is now working as a planner with Davidson Engineering in Naples, a role she hopes will allow her to see positive change in the community through smarter development and community outreach.
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Congratulations to the
2021 PROJECT AWARDS RECIPIENTS!
The 2021 APA Florida Project Awards were celebrated at the annual conference. These awards recognize the development, conservation, government, or environmental projects where planning has had a positive impact on the outcome. This year there were three Awards of Excellence and eight Awards of Merit. Let’s meet this year’s winners!
AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE One Water Chapter – Hillsborough County Comprehensive Plan
(left to right) Kevin Moran, PE, Melissa Dickens, AICP, Giovanny Cardenas
Category: Comprehensive Plan – Large Jurisdiction The Hillsborough County One Water Chapter elevates the role of water in comprehensive plans in an innovative approach, process, and form. Transcending the seperate element approach, One Water recognizes the interrelated nature of water and takes a holistic approach to planning for potable water, wastewater, stormwater, and the natural environment. The Chapter contains implementable policy direction at the forefront of water resources planning – from green infrastructure to integrated water resources management. Developed jointly by planners and water resources technical experts, and extensive involvement and input from the public, One Water reflects that water is interrelated, and all water has value.
StPete2050: A Vision Plan for St. Petersburg
(left to right) Neale Stralow, AICP, PLA, ENV SP, Elizabeth Abernethy, AICP
Category: Comprehensive Plan – Large Jurisdiction StPete2050 was a citywide conversation about the future of St. Petersburg. The result of this planning process is a vision plan organized around key community themes that were identified during the robust community outreach and engagement process. The project captured more than 7,800 participant touch points and identified major consensus in community theme areas. StPete2050 will help inform future decisions, guide comprehensive plans, programs, and services throughout the city and in support of its sustainable, resilient, and equitable growth over the next 30 years.
Neptune Beach: A Model City for Inclusive Collaborative Planning and Coastal Management Innovation
Kristina Wright
Category: Best Practices The Neptune Beach Community Vision Plan process showcases innovation and high-quality community collaboration, which began in January of 2020 and concluded with the adoption of the Vision Plan in April 2021. This process encompassed several forms of community collaboration and outreach, including design charettes, roundtables, stakeholder meetings, interactive workshops with live polling, open studios, neighborhood level planning, and collaboration with Duncan Fletcher Middle School Students. Throughout this process, the citizens of Neptune Beach were put in the forefront of the decision-making of their community. Not only has this high-quality collaborative undertaking produced an innovative and well-thought out vision plan, but it has also been translated into policies which advance coastal resiliency and innovations. continued on page 29
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[2021] PROJECT AWARDS
continued from page 28
AWARDS OF MERIT NBV100 Master Plan Category: Comprehensive Plan – Small Jurisdiction
(left to right) Ralph Rosado, Brent Latham, Irela Bague, Marvin Wilmoth
In 2019, North Bay Village (NBV), a dense island municipality on Miami-Dade County’s Biscayne Bay, embarked on a planning process to create a vision for the next 25 years, with an explicit concern for its vulnerability to climate change impacts, especially sea level rise (SLR). The NBV100 Plan includes a new Form-Based Code that will transform NBV into a walkable, mixed-use community adapted to SLR. Newly-adopted seawall standards are among the most ambitious in South Florida. The Island Walk public promenade will increase access to the waterfront. A new stormwater management plan is underway.
Greater Bond Neighborhood First Plan Category: Neighborhood Planning
(left to right) Wileen Footman, John Baker, Leann Watts-Williams
The Greater Bond Neighborhood First Plan is an innovative strategic neighborhood plan that was developed by the residents and stakeholders of the Greater Bond Neighborhood inTallahassee, through a residentled multistep planning process. The plan was developed under the auspices of the City of Tallahassee Neighborhood Public Safety Initiative (NPSI), and it addresses Land Use, Community Beautification, Economic Development and Resident Empowerment and Neighborhood Safety. Initial implementation funding for the plan, $6.4M, was provided by the Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency.
Wynwood Norte Community Vision Plan Category: Neighborhood Planning
(left to right) Yoni Bornstein, Juan Mullerat
The Wynwood Norte Community Vision Plan stands as an outlier among districtwide developer-driven strategies that result in unfettered displacement. This initiative was a preemptive action authored by community leaders, planners, and stakeholders to curb out-of-scale gentrification. The project presents a novel approach to planning for community revitalization, developed with the support of community partnerships that are active from inception to implementation. The Wynwood Norte Community Vision Plan serves as the basis for carefully calibrated, context-specific legislation intended to keep residents in place, provide affordable, quality housing, provide small business opportunities, and enhance the neighborhood’s rich cultural history.
Pinellas Gateway/Mid-County Area Master Plan Category: Best Practices
(left to right) Whit Blanton, FAICP, Christina Mendoza, AICP
The Pinellas Gateway/Mid-County Area Master Plan provides a comprehensive vision, toolkit of smart investments, and a partnership structure to enable the Gateway/Mid-County area of Pinellas County to maintain its economic competitiveness and address issues of resiliency and sustainable growth connecting, revitalizing and in-filling communities. The planning area includes portions of Pinellas County and the Cities of St. Petersburg, Largo, and Pinellas Park. In addition to an innovative planning process, the four local governments and Forward Pinellas adopted a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that documents their commitment to implementing the plan and it establishes a collaborative reporting framework for implementation.
Orange County Code Amendments for Pedestrian Safety/ADA Category: Best Practices
Alissa Barber-Torres, FAICP, Ph.D.
Making Florida’s communities livable and pedestrian-friendly requires planning and implementation for pedestrian safety and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. Orange County’s Transportation Planning Division and Public Works Department successfully developed and implemented comprehensive Orange County Code/Land Development Code amendments to enhance pedestrian safety and meet ADA needs in site development, streets, and sidewalks in Orange County. This project integrated policies and recommendations from the County’s Comprehensive Plan, Sustainability Plan, Walk-Ride-Thrive! pedestrian safety program, and federallyrequired ADA Self-Evaluation/Transition Plan for public rights-of-way. After public outreach and coordination with stakeholders, code amendments were adopted and effective in October 2020. continued on page 30
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[2021] PROJECT AWARDS
continued from page 29
AWARDS OF MERIT Road Safety Audits Around Older Adult Living Housing Category: Innovations in Planning for All Ages
(left to right) Lisa Colmenares, AICP, Aileen Boucle, AICP, Kevin Walford
The November 2017 Aging Road Users Strategic Safety Plan, completed by the Miami-Dade County Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), revealed that 11% of all crashes between 2008-2014 occurred within 1⁄4 mile of older adult living centers. With the increasing trend in overall number of crashes involving 65 or older road users and continuously growing population in the state, the TPO recognized the need to further investigate road conditions and identify locations to invest in improved safety for older adults. Using a multidisciplinary team, five assisted living facilities were included in Road Safety Audits, with the targeted objective of evaluating traffic safety conditions and recommending improvements around assisted living facilities to minimize potential future crash occurrences and severity. The resulting data collected will influence future planning and changes to areas most in need around older adult housing.
Shenandoah Historic Properties Inventory Category: Grassroots Initiative
(left to right) Megan McLaughlin, AICP, Chris Rupp
The Shenandoah Historic Properties Inventory is a project that creates, for the first time, a comprehensive inventory of historic architectural resources and urban planning history within the Shenandoah neighborhood in Miami. The story of Shenandoah is an American story of resilience, diversity, and inclusiveness that is more relevant today than ever. From the 1920s to 1950s, it was considered Miami’s “premiere Jewish neighborhood;” by mid-century, it became Miami’s quintessential Cuban neighborhood; and today it hosts diverse Hispanic immigrants. It is an example of how to build a timeless community that continues to thrive through evolving economic times and resident demographics. The Grassroots Initiative award recognizes the ways this project utilizes education and engagement to expand public understanding of the planning process.
Plan for the Northwest Planning Area in Deerfield Beach Category: Student Project
Peter Henn, AICP, JD
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Florida Atlantic University Master of Urban and Regional Planning students partnered with the City of Deerfield Beach to develop a small area plan for the northwestern portion of the city. Through a disciplined planning process, with extensive community outreach, students produced a detailed plan with recommendations grouped into four themes: Economic Development, Placemaking and Community Identity, Public Transportation and Connectivity, and Sustainability and Community Health. The plan provides the City a comprehensive framework to positively transform the study area into Deerfield Crossing, a new Town Center that bridges community divides and establishes a destination for the community to come together.
THANK YOU TO THE 2021 APA FLORIDA PLANNING CONFERENCE SPONSORS DIAMOND ANNUAL
PLATINUM SPONSORS Esri Hopping Green & Sams, P.A. South Florida Commuter Services Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. WGI, Inc. GOLD SPONSORS Atkins Calvin, Giordano & Associates Clariti CTS Engineering, Inc. FAU Department of Urban & Regional Planning Freebee HDR KEITH Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. Metro Forecasting Models Office of Resilience/ Miami-Dade County Salesforce Tindale Oliver UF Department of Urban and Regional Planning
SILVER SPONSORS Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Florida Regional Councils Association Patel, Greene & Associates, LLC TranSystems Waldrop Engineering, P.A. Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman P.L. BRONZE SPONSORS Ebenbach Consulting LLC Erin L. Deady, P.A. Hole Montes MHCP COLAB Michael Baker International Nancy E. Stroud, P.A. SB Friedman Development Advisors CONFERENCE SUPPORTERS. DPZ CoDesign Nabors, Giblin, & Nickerson NZ Consultants, Inc. Silvia E. Vargas, FAICP TDW Land Planning EXHIBITORS Atkins BES Inc. Calvin, Giordano & Associates Clariti CTS Engineering, Inc.
EXHIBITORS (cont.) Esri Florida Regional Councils Association Freebee FSU Department of Urban and Regional Planning Gridics HDR KEITH Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. Metro Forecasting Models Office of Resilience/ Miami-Dade County Plusurbia Design Salesforce South Florida Commuter Services Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. The Corradino Group Tindale Oliver UF Department of Urban and Regional Planning USF School of Public Affairs, URP Program VHB Wade Trim, Inc. WGI, Inc.
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What Is Gap Funding & Where to Find It? BY SUSAN SWIFT, AICP
Every jurisdiction has affordable housing needs and, in particular, the urban counties in Florida are among the most unaffordable areas in the country. This is caused by persistently low wages based heavily on service economies and (increasingly) high housing prices. Nothing is as direct or effective as adding affordable dwelling units to the rental supply – either by constructing or preserving units so they remain in the affordable range. Since affordable housing is “a real estate deal with a subsidy” according to Ralph Stone, Executive Director of the Broward Housing Finance Authority (HFA), “there is almost always a need for additional gap funding to complete a deal.” Very few local governments can afford the high subsidy required to produce affordable rental projects. Any given project has identified a combination of loans, grants, tax credits, and gap funding from a variety of organizations and programs. The real estate and financing lingo may sound daunting, but there are resources for financing and technical
assistance available. The Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) and the handful of local Housing Finance Authorities are often the “go to” sources for gap funding. We asked two experts, Ralph Stone, of the Broward County Housing Finance Authority, and Deborah A. Zomermaand, of Zomermaand Advisory Financial Services LLC, to share their knowledge and some helpful hints so others might wade in to build more units. The Broward County Housing Finance Authority is a quasi-governmental agency that provides funding for affordable housing to very-low, low- and moderate-income households in throughout the county. Zomermaand Financial Advisory Services is a Tampa-based municipal advisory firm that specializes in affordable housing and advises on financing and developing affordable housing projects throughout the state. QUESTION 1: WHAT IS “GAP FUNDING”? Ralph Stone: When all identified sources of funding for the project fall short of the development and operating costs, the difference between the “sources and uses” is the “gap”. For the renovation of 94 garden apartments, we used FHFC’s State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program for $202,977 of gap funds. This was in addition to $7.7M loan from Freddie Mac and $1.5M from our HFA. continued on page 34
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[GAP] FUNDING
continued from page 33
QUESTION 2: WHERE DO I FIND GAP FUNDING? Ralph Stone: Federal and State programs, the FHFC, non-profits and foundations, are all potential sources for gap funds. QUESTION 3: WHERE DOES FHFC GET THEIR MONEY? Ralph Stone: In 1992, the William E. Sadowski Affordable Housing Act provided for a 10-cent increase to the documentary stamp tax revenues to be set aside in an affordable housing trust fund. Increased in 1995, the money supports a number of state and local programs that operate alongside or in combination with federal housing programs, tax credits, etc. The State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program and the State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL) Program are probably most familiar.
TINDALE OLIVER
QUESTION 4: DO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE ANY ABILITY TO PROVIDE GAP FUNDS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS? Debbie Zomermaand: For many years, funds from Tax Increment Financing (TIF) redevelopment areas have been used. Local governments are getting more creative (or desperate) as the need increases. Some have started an annual set-aside from the General
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Fund; another has dedicated TIF revenue from a redevelopment area that is sunsetting, to provide an ongoing source of gap funds. Miami-Dade is the only county in the State with its own “doc stamp” source of revenue, which has been in place for several decades and is a major funder of affordable units. QUESTION 5: WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF DEAL? Debbie Zomermaand: Most deals are structured using several sources. Construction of 100 new family units in Pompano Beach received gap funding of $3.04M from the SAIL program. The $24.1M project has six mortgages. In addition to the $12M first mortgage, funds or financing came from: • Broward County’s Affordable Housing Fund • City Pompano Beach loan • City of Pompano Beach grant • FHFC/SAIL program • FHFC/SAIL Extremely Low Income program • FHFC / National Housing Trust Fund • Tax Credit Equity Susan Swift, AICP, is the Geographic Discipline Leader for Colliers Engineering & Design. She can be reached at susan.swift@colliersengineering.com.
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2021 GREAT PLACES IN FLORIDA PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD WINNER:
Mill Lake Park Continuum By: the city of Orange City
The Great Places Award is the APA Florida Chapter’s highest honor for places exemplifying cultural and historical significance, community involvement, evolving creativity and a vision for the future. All award finalists fall into one of four categories: neighborhoods, downtowns, streets, or public places and represent a strong, sustainable connection to the community’s social, economic, and environmental well-being. The Mill Lake Park Continuum is located in Orange City in southwest Volusia County. It is a half-mile stretch on South Holly Avenue between East Blue Springs Avenue and East Graves Avenue in the heart of the city’s historic district, established in 1882. Mill Lake Park was completed in 2018, and is an active space for all types of residents and visitors. Joggers can run, walkers can stroll, skaters can glide and bikers can bike, all enjoying the
multi-use trail around the perimeter of the lake while taking in the peaceful view of wildlife in their natural habitat. Just off the trail is the splash pad, the perfect space to cool off and have fun during the hot summer months. Directly across the street is Coleman Park, which features the skate park and the newest playground in the city. Parents can sit and enjoy the shade from a pavilion while kids of all ages enjoy the recreation of the area; climbing on the structures at the Evelyn Durant Robinson Playground, skating at Colin’s Dream, or getting in a game of basketball at the court. A quick stroll down South Holly Ave, which recently underwent a facelift, allowing the historic beauty to shine through with brick pavers, planters, and other streetscape elements, is Dickinson Park. Dickinson Park has a rich history with the city and features the ‘Monarch City USA’ butterfly garden and a striking gazebo, continued on page 36
per, Councilmember Councilmember Martin E. Har (left to right) Navael Fontus , Councilmember li Marks, Wiatt Bowers, AICP, Jeff Allebach, Vice Mayor Kel ber Bill Crippen, ir, Raul Palenzuela, Councilmem Bill O'Connor, Mayor Gary Bla Alex Tiamson Becky Mendez, Councilmember
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[MILL LAKE] PARK CONTINUUM
continued from page 35
a seamless backdrop for weddings. The Mill Lake Continuum is the main hub of recreation in Orange City and is also the location for most community events. The Halloween Block Party, Holiday Light Up, National Night Out, Movie in the Park, Arbor Day Tree Giveaway are just some of the activities that take place in this space. With events limited this past year, this great place delivered outdoor recreation opportunities to the community providing a much-needed respite from the pandemic.
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APA Florida
PLANNERS ON THE MOVE VENICE PROMOTES CLARK TO PZ DIRECTOR The City of Venice has promoted Roger Clark, AICP as its new Planning and Zoning Director. Roger, who has been serving as Acting Development Services Director and was previously Planning Manager, will oversee the City’s Planning and Zoning Department. GABALDON JOINS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION Alvaro Gabaldon has recently joined the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission as a Planning Analyst on the Strategic Planning, Environmental & Research Team (SPEAR). Alvaro’s responsibilities will include comprehensive plan policy development, research, and demographic analysis in support of strategic planning and policy projects. Alvaro is currently in his last semester of the Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning program at the University of South Florida, and holds a Master of Science in Marketing Communications and a Certificate in Multicultural Communications Research from Florida State University. He’s excited to apply his past experience as a communications professional to the challenges and opportunities facing our communities through planning. MATSON NAMED CD DIRECTOR FOR INDIAN RIVER Phil Matson, AICP was named the Community Development Director for Indian River County. Phil has enjoyed a distinguished 30+ year career in urban planning, culminating in national recognition as Outstanding Planning Organization of the Year by the Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council in Washington, DC (2015). He has authored several scholarly articles and has served on several state and local non-profit and planning committees. He holds a Master Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from UNC-Chapel Hill.
PROPST MOVES TO AXIS INFRASTRUCTURE TEAM Sarah Propst, AICP, PMP, recently joined Axis Infrastructure as a Senior Planner/Project Manager. Prior to joining Axis, Sarah was with a private firm in the Bradenton area. She has 13 years of experience in public and private sector planning in coastal communities in Virginia and Florida. Sarah holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in interdisciplinary studies (environmental studies and peace studies) with a minor in biology and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning with a focus in environmental planning from Virginia Commonwealth University. A focus on planning with the environment and resilient development has been a cornerstone of Sarah’s career. In her new role she hopes to increase the use of resilient design in private developments and community planning. FISHER NAMED PRINCIPAL PLANNER AT JOHNSON ENGINEERING Chrissy Fisher, AICP, brings more than 25 years experience in urban planning and design to Johnson Engineering. Since earning a Bachelor of Design degree in Architectural Studies from FIU and master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from FAU, she has worked for several public and private agencies in Florida and South Carolina, most recently serving as the Planning Manager for the city of Clearwater. Some of her long range planning expertise includes code revisions; annexation analyses; comprehensive plan and FLUM amendments; development of small area, corridor, and master plans; and creation of special overlay districts. Additionally, she has performed compliance and compatibility review, from site plan to urban design and administrative review. She is adept at analyzing community land use issues and developing innovative solutions that translate into implementable policies and zoning ordinances.
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Randy Woodruff, AICP;
Member Spotlight Q&A: Planning Manager Would you like to share anything about your family? My wife, Michelle, and I have been married for over 27 years. We have three sons – Chase who is a graduate student at Samford University, Marshall and Brantley who are currently in school and living at home. What are your hobbies and interests? I love all things Florida State and enjoy spending time outside either on the beach or on trails. Where are you originally from? I was born and raised in Titusville, Florida. What university did you attend? I attended and graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in political science, and a Certificate in Planning Studies – GO NOLES! Following my undergraduate studies, I attended Webster University and obtained a Master in Public Administration. What is your current position? I am currently the Okaloosa County Planning Manager where I lead development and regulatory services, and oversee the county’s participation in FEMA’s NFIP and the Community Rating System Program. I’ve also served as a volunteer for a number of community/organizational committees, including city board of adjustment and youth sport programs. What is your current and any past positions in APA Florida? I am currently the Chair of the Emerald Coast Section and therefore a member of the APA Florida Executive Committee. In the past, I’ve been a member of the Atlantic Coast and Orlando Metro Sections. What you would be doing now if you hadn’t chosen the planning profession? I am not quite sure I know exactly what I’d be doing, but I do know that I would be focused on adding value to people in the community — either working with or for a non-profit or my church. Are you a member in other planning or non-planning boards, committees or organizations? I am currently a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi Chapters of the American Planning Association, Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), Urban Land Institute (ULI), Florida Urban Land Institute, and the Alabama Association of Floodplain Managers.
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Copper the Dog
Ever had your 15 minutes of fame? My 15 minutes of fame has yet to come. Do you have any advice to new graduates in your field/career tips? I would tell them to work hard every day, stay disciplined, especially in the area of integrity, and follow opportunities as they present themselves. What have you gained or learned by being a member in APA Florida? I continue to be reminded of the true value of networking and serving alongside some of the best in the field. I’m proud to say that I’ve maintained friendships with coworkers from every job I’ve had since graduating college. Is there a particular state planning topic you’d like to comment on or feel fellow planners need to follow? As planners, I think we need to be reminded that unfortunately politics is just a part of the profession. The key is to remain both ethical and professional because things do work out for the best in the end. Do you have a planning or personal achievement to discuss? I have been very blessed to have worked in both the public and private sectors; both of which afforded me the opportunity to work on some really interesting projects over the years - from Baldwin Park, Horizon West, Winter Springs Town Center Form Based Code, and numerous Development of Regional Impacts (DRI’s) and Sector Plans. Anything else you would like us to know about you? I find it amazing that after all the years in this profession, I can truly say that I love my job and those I work with. I couldn’t imagine being in a better place.
APA FLORIDA WORKING FOR YOU FLORIDA PLANNING CONFERENCE AND FPC VIRTUAL CONFERENCE EVENT APA Florida volunteers and staff worked hard to offer a safe, fun conference experience for the 600+ attendees who convened in Miami Aug. 30 Sept. 3. Additionally, the volunteer and staff team went the extra mile to put together a second offering via FPC 21 Virtual Event. For those who were not able to attend in-person, or missed a session, this is another opportunity to learn from experts around the state and gain CM credits.
PLANNERS MONTH IN THE DISTRICTS The chapter put together a policy flier, advocacy training and other best practices to help prepare Florida planners for their meetings with state legislators. This one-on-one advocacy with elected officials took place throughout October in timing with National Community Planning Month activities and will continue through November.
APA POLICY & ADVOCACY CONFERENCE A number of Florida planners participated in APA’s 2021 Policy and Advocacy Conference. As part of the conference, attendees virtually roamed the halls of Congress as part of Planners Day on the Hill. Our Florida delegation met with staff from Senator Rubio’s office as well as a number of house members. This year, our advocacy was focused on zoning reform with a housing supply and affordability lens. This issue is currently addressed in the umbrella reconciliation package, but could be at risk if the package is condensed.
APA FLORIDA REPRESENTED AT APA NATIONAL Two chapter members, Laura Everitt, AICP, Esq., LEED GA, and Silvia Vargas, FAICP, were elected to national positions and will represent APA Florida within APA beginning in January 2022. This helps to ensure Florida members will have influence and connection to the larger organization. Silvia will serve a fouryear term as Director at Large on the APA Board of Directors, which is charged with setting APA’s vision and direction, ensuring necessary resources are in place, and providing oversight and stewardship. Laura will serve a two-year term as Secretary/ Treasurer of the Chapter Presidents Council.
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[CONSULTANTS] DIRECTORY Advertise in the Consultants Directory The Consultant Directory is a fitting place to showcase your firm. $250 buys space for a year in the newsletter (five issues) plus inclusion in our web-based consultant directory. Display ads to promote your business, conference, projects and more are available. Contact the Chapter office at 850-201-3272 for rates and details.
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40 Fall 2021 / Florida Planning
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[FLORIDA] PLANNING Published by the Florida Chapter, American Planning Association, the Florida Planning newsletter has a current circulation of 3,200 members, subscribers and other readers. Four issues are published a year.
CHANGES OF ADDRESS For APA members, Send to: Member Records Department American Planning Association 205 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 1200 Chicago, IL 60601 Fax: 312-786-6700 or log onto www.planning.org/myapa
ARTICLES Florida Planning welcomes articles, announcements, letters, pictures and advertising. Call 850-201-3272 regarding articles. The next issue will be published February 2022.
DEADLINES Article deadlines are generally four weeks prior to publication. Ad deadlines are generally two weeks prior to publication. Consult the editor for any exception to this schedule.
ABOUT THE CHAPTER APA Florida is a non-profit organization funded through membership dues and fees. Contributions are also welcomed for general purposes and earmarked programs. Please note that contributions are not tax deductible. For news and information on Chapter concerns, visit the APA Florida website at florida planning.org. APA Florida 2017 Delta Boulevard, Suite 201 Tallahassee, FL 32303 Phone: 850-201-3272 Fax: 850-807-2576
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[UPCOMING] EVENTS NOV. 5: 2021 NORTH FLORIDA SAFE STREETS SUMMIT Jacksonville. The APA Florida First Coast Section is sponsoring this in-person event that includes two sessions, tour of the Cathedral District and a keynote speech from Gil Penalosa, founder of 8 80 Cities. Information here. $5-$45. NOV. 10: WHAT MAKES A FEMINIST CITY? A CONVERSATION WITH LESLIE KERN Webinar. Join APA’s Women & Planning Division to hear from preeminent gender and cities researcher, Leslie Kern, PhD. She is the author of two books on gender and cities, including Feminist City: Claiming Space in a Man-Made World. Information here. Free - $5. NOV. 10: PREEMPTING LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY IN FLORIDA Webinar. 1000 Friends of Florida will host a webinar on preemption and how state law is being used to nullify a local government ordinance or authority. This issue is becoming increasingly problematic in Florida, as each year the legislature passes bills that supersede local authority on issues ranging from collecting impact fees, regulating building design, banning plastic bags, regulating cruise ships and more. We anticipate even more proposals will surface during the 2022 session. Information here. Free. 1.5 CM NOV. 16: EQUITY IN MIAMI-DADE PLANNING AND PRESERVATION Join the APA Florida Gold Coast Section for a discussion on how the Miami-Dade County Office of Historic Preservation has begun a shift to center equity in its preservation program. Conversations in the larger historic preservation space during 2020 inspired the county to conduct a review of county-designated historic sites to ascertain what level of diverse representation was included in the designations. Not surprisingly, reflective of state and national trends, the designated sites are not reflective of county demographics and history. Information here. Free. 1.5 CM DEC. 14: HEALTHY PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN FOR-PROFIT AND NON-PROFIT DEVELOPERS Webinar. This webinar explores the process for joint ventures with special attention to protecting the tax-exempt status of the nonprofit and ensuring that the nonprofit’s interests are protected in terms of meeting its mission and earning the appropriate developer fee. Participants will learn about the various Florida Housing Finance Corporation Request for Applications that encourage nonprofit participation and how to ensure the applications meet each requirement satisfactorily. The webinar will include exercises to sharpen the joint venturing skills. Information here. Free. For more information on these and other APA Florida events, please visit florida.planning.org/calendar/