Reports & Publications

Orange County, Florida: Workforce Housing Taskforce Report

Workforce housing is often a contentious issue for local governments as it is difficult to create the strong public support necessary to reduce regulatory barriers to housing costs. Will the current down market further weaken public support for workforce housing? How can communities take advantage of the housing downturn to advance a workforce housing agenda?

Orange County, Florida has done a remarkable job in bringing together a broad coalition of political and community leaders to address their workforce housing needs. The county task force drafted six strategies (see below) with over 25 recommendations, which were all approved by the county commissioners in a single sitting. "Our programs have a successful track record in expanding homeownership opportunities to families that otherwise could not afford to buy a home," explains Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty.

"We have one of the biggest first-time homebuyer programs in the state of Florida with approximately eighteen percent of the loans for new homes, not existing homes. We are looking at the housing slump as an opportunity to advance workforce housing issues" says Mitchell Glasser, manager of the county’s Housing and Community Development Office.

By focusing on reducing impact fees, deferring capital charges and expediting the review process, Orange County officials were able to reduce the overall construction costs and purchase prices of new workforce homes. These efforts are detailed in the third strategy, Mitigating Regulatory Barriers to Workforce Housing.

Home builders are now actively seeking ways to distinguish themselves from other builders as the slowdown for luxury and custom homes continues, but reasonably priced homes still sell. Communities can take advantage of the downturn to educate local builders on construction methods that reduce housing costs and programs that help first-time buyers get into homes.

Now is the time to develop and utilize relationships within the housing industry and work to develop long term strategies and programs. Working together, your community can help keep local builders busy through this difficult period and provide homes for police officers, teachers and other vital community employees.

To accomplish its mission, the Orange County Task Force organized its recommendations into six strategies listed below.

1. encourage flexible workforce housing programs

2. leverage community resources

3. mitigate regulatory barriers to workforce housing

4. attract non-traditional workforce housing developers

5. generate additional capital for workforce housing

6. ensure long term affordability

Reproduced from: Workforce Housing for Orange County's Working Families

The full report is available at:
http://www.orangecountyfl.net/cms/DEPT/growth/housing/default.htm.

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