(1) “Area of operation” means the area within the territorial boundaries of the county for which the housing finance authority is created, and any area outside the territorial boundaries of such county if the governing body of the county within which such outside area is located approves. The approval may be a general approval or an approval only for specified qualifying housing developments or only for a specified number of qualifying housing developments.
(2) “Bonds” means any bonds, notes, debentures, interim certificates, or other evidences of financial indebtedness issued by a housing finance authority under and pursuant to this act.
(3) “Housing finance authority” means a housing finance authority created pursuant to s. 159.604.
(4) “Housing development” means any residential building, land, equipment, facility, or other real or personal property which may be necessary, convenient, or desirable in connection therewith, including streets, sewers, water and utility services, parks, gardening, administrative, community, health, recreational, and educational facilities, and other facilities related and subordinate to moderate, middle, or lesser income housing, and also includes site preparation, the planning of housing and improvements, the acquisition of property, the removal or demolition of existing structures, the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of housing and improvements, and all other work in connection therewith, and all costs of financing, including without limitation the cost of consultant and legal services, other expenses necessary or incident to determining the feasibility of the housing development, administrative and other expenses necessary or incident to the housing development and the financing thereof (including reimbursement to any municipality, county, or entity for expenditures made with the approval of the housing finance authority for the housing development), and interest accrued during construction and for a reasonable period thereafter.
(5) “Lending institution” means any bank or trust company, mortgage banker, savings bank, credit union, national banking association, savings and loan association, building and loan association, insurance company, or other financial institution authorized to transact business in this state and which customarily provides service or otherwise aids in the financing of mortgages located in the state.
(6) “Qualifying housing development” means any work or improvement located or to be located in this state, including real property, buildings, and any other real and personal property, designed or intended for the primary purpose of providing decent, safe, and sanitary residential housing for four or more families, at least 60 percent of whom are eligible persons, whether new construction, the acquisition of existing residential housing, or the remodeling, improvement, rehabilitation, or reconstruction of existing housing, together with such related nonhousing facilities as the authority determines to be necessary, convenient, or desirable.
(a) The term includes a housing development that meets the definition of a “qualified low-income housing project” under s. 42(g) of the Internal Revenue Code, regardless of whether such development meets the 60-percent eligible persons requirement under this subsection.
(b) The exception provided under paragraph (a) applies to all housing developments meeting the federal definition for “qualified low-income housing project” as well as all developments that previously qualified under the state definition for “qualifying housing development.” Housing finance authorities may enter into regulatory agreement amendments as necessary to accommodate housing developments that qualify under paragraph (a).
(7) “Eligible persons” means one or more natural persons or a family, irrespective of race, creed, national origin, or sex, determined by the housing finance authority to be of low, moderate, or middle income. Such determination does not preclude any person or family earning up to 150 percent of the state or county median family income from participating in programs. Persons 65 years of age or older shall be defined as eligible persons regardless of their incomes. In determining the income standards of eligible persons for its various programs, the housing finance authority may consider the following factors:
(a) Requirements mandated by federal law.
(b) Variations in circumstances in different areas of the state.
(c) Whether the determination is for rental housing or homeownership purposes.
(d) The need for family-size adjustments to accomplish the purposes set forth in this act.
History.—s. 3, ch. 78-89; s. 4, ch. 87-106; s. 1, ch. 2013-83.