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Home My Public Portal AboutLegislative Policy Urban Admin. Committee Meeting Orange BallroomoQ�EpGUE pp o A z W n Legislative Policy Committee Meeting Urban Administration Committee Friday, October 10, 2014 10:00 a.m. — 3:00 p.m. Orange Ballroom G Hilton Orlando 6001 Destination Parkway Orlando, Florida 32819 Phone: 407-313-4300 FLC Staff Contact: Casey Cook oPVOGUE Of''�',n o = J MLi&k ^ TO: Urban Administration Policy Committee FROM: Casey Cook, Legislative Advocate DATE: September 29, 2014 RE: Urban Administration Committee Packet The enclosed content is an electronic copy of your meeting packet for the Urban Administration Policy Committee meeting scheduled for- Friday, October 10, 2014 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Hilton Orlando. Please note that printed copies of this packet will be provided at the meeting. We have a full agenda and will be talking about potential priorities as well as any new issues brought forward by committee members. Should you have any questions or require additional information, please feel free to contact me at (850) 222-9684 ext 3609 or by email at ccook@Acities.com. I look forward to seeing you in Orlando! 2014-2015 Florida League of Cities Legislative Policy Committee Urban Administration Staffed by: Casey Cook, Legislative Advocate CHAIR: The Honorable Willie Charles Shaw Mayor, City of Sarasota 1565 First Street, Rm 101 Sarasota, FL 34236 Phone number: 941-954-4102 Email: willie.shaw@sarasotagov.com VICE CHAIR: The Honorable Dan Daley Commissioner, City of Coral Springs 9551 W. Sample Rd Coral Springs, FL 33065 Phone number: 954-778-3304 Email: ddaley@coralsprings.org -1 ult t The Honorable Vinny Bartle Commissioner, Town of Sewall's Point' 17 Fieldway Dr Sewalls Point, FL 34996 Phone number: 772-288-4080 Email: vbarile@sewallspoint.org The Honorable Linda Bartz Councilwoman, City of Port St. Lucie 121 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd Port St. Lucie, FL 34984 Phone number: 772-871-5159 Email: districtl@cityofpst.com Mr. Michael Beedie City Manager, City of Fort Walton Beach 107 Miracle Strip Parkway Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 Phone number: 850-833-9504 Email: mbeedie@fwb.org The Honorable Joe Bernardini Councilman, City of Brooksville 201 Howell Ave, 300 Brooksville, FL 34601 Phone number: 352-540-3810 Email: jbemardini@cityofbrooksville.us The Honorable Allie Biggs Commissioner, City of Pahokee. 207 Begonia Dr Pahokee, FL 33476 Plione number: 561-924-5534 Email: abiggs@cityofpahokee.com The Honorable Richard Block Councilman, Village of Virginia Gardens 6131 NW 40th Terrace Virginia Gardens, FL 33166 Phone number: 305-979-1772 Email: mariestl@comcast.net The Honorable Christine Brown Council Member, City of Gulfport 2401 -53rd Street South Gulfport, FL 33707 Phone number: 727-893-1000 Email: cbrown@mygulfport.us The Honorable Gary Bruhn Mayor, Town of Windermere 108 Forest Street Windermere, FL 34786 Phone number: 407-876-1732 Email: windermeremayor@yahoo.com The Honorable Rick Butler Councilman, City of Pinellas Park 5141 78th Ave N Pinellas Park, FL 33781 Phone number: 727-541-0706 Email: rbutler@pinellas-park.com Ms. Rosemarie Call City Clerk/Legislative Liaison, City of Clearwater 112 S Osceola Ave Clearwater, FL 33756 Phone number: 727-5624092 Email: rosemarie.call@myclearwater.com Ms. Elizabeth Cayson Government Relations Specialist, Village of Palm Springs 2601 10th Ave North, Suite 100 Palm Springs, FL 33461 Phone number: 561-996-0129 Email: Ehernand@hcdpbc.org Mr. Marvin "Marc" Collins Asst. City Manager, City of Fort Myers PO Box 2217 Fort Myers, FL 33901 Phone number: 239-321-7030 Email: mcollins@cityftmyers.com The Honorable Brad Dantzler Commissioner, City of Winter Haven PO Box 2277 Winter Haven, FL 33883 Phone number: 863-289-9947 Email: bdantzler@mywinterhaven.com The Honorable Rhonda DiFranco Vice Mayor, City of North Port 4970 City Hall Blvd North Port, FL 34286 Phone number: 941-429-7073 Email: rdifranco@cityofnorthport.com The Honorable Brad Doyle Councilman, Town ofHypoluxo 164 Las Brisas Circle Hypoluxo, FL 33462 Phone number: 561-585-3034 Email: bradagd@yahoo.com The Honorable John Duncan Commissioner, City of Lake Alfred 155 East Pomelo Street Lake Alfred, FL 33850 Phone number: 863-291-5747 Email: jduncan@mylakealfred.com Mr. Lee Feldman City Manager, City of Fort Lauderdale 100 North Andrews Ave Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 Phone number: 954-828-5959 Email: Lfeldman@fortlauderdale.gov The Honorable James Foreman Council Member, City of Destin 316 Spanish Moss Trail Destin, FL 32541 Phone number: 850-837-4242 Email: jforeman@cityofdestin.com The Honorable Robert Ganger Vice Mayor, Town of Gulf Stream 1443 N. Ocean Blvd Gulf Stream, FL 33483 Phone number: 561-274-6491 Email: rwganger@bellsouth.net The Honorable Elmon Garner City Manager, City of Chattahoochee 115 Lincoln Drive Chattahoochee, FL 32324 - Phone number: 850-663-4475 Email: citymgr@fairpoint.net The Honorable Kim Glas-Castro Vice Mayor, Town of Lake Park 535 Park Avenue Lake Park, FL 33403 Phone number: 561-881-3304 Email: kglas-castro@lakeparkflorida.gov The Honorable Paul Hannan Commissioner, Town of Lady Lake 409 Fennell Blvd Lady Lake, FL 32159 Phone number: 352-751-1545 Email: acash@ladylake.org The Honorable Norman Hope Councilmember, City of Tavares PO Box 1068 Tavares, FL 32778 Phone number: 352-742-6209 Email: nhope@tavares.org The Honorable Mary Hoss Vice Mayor, Town of Ponce Inlet 12 Kelly Bea Court Ponce Inlet, FL 32137 Phone number: 386-761-7731 Email: mhoss@ponce-inlet.org Mr. Peter J Iglesias Building Director/Official, City of Miami 444 S.W. 2 Ave. Coral Gables, FL 33146 Phone number: 305-297-5290 Email: piglesias@miamigov.com The Honorable Joe Jimenez Asst. City Manager, City of Miami Beach 1700 Convention Center Dr. Miami Beach, FL 33139 Phone number: 305-905-5302 Email: joejimenez@miamibeachfl.gov The Honorable Joanne Krebs Commissioner, City of Winter Springs 1002 Taproot Drive Winter Springs, FL 32708 Phone number: 407-699-4391 Email: Jkrebs@cfl.rr.com The Honorable Joe Lacascia Mayor, City of Polk City 123 Broadway Blvd SE Polk City, FL 33868 Phone number: 863-984-1375 Email: joe.lacascia@mypolkcity.org Ms. Pamela Latimore City Clerk, City of North Miami Beach 17011 NE 19th Ave North Miami Beach, FL 33162 Phone number: 305-948-2994 Email: pamela.latimore@citynmb.com The Honorable Pamela Lewis Council Member, City of Green Cove Springs 321 Walnut Street. Green Cove Springs, FL 32043 Phone number: 904-297-7500 Email: plewis@greencovesprings.com The Honorable Scott Maxwell Vice Mayor, City of Lake Worth 7 N Dixie Hwy Lake Worth, FL 33460 Phone number: 561-586-1730 Email: smaxwell@lakeworth.org Ms. Leslie May City Clerk, City of Coconut Creek 4800 W. Copans Road Coconut Creek, FL 33063 Phone number: 954-956-1427 Email: lmay@coconutcreek.net The Honorable Dominick Montanaro Councihnember, City of Satellite Beach 565 Cassia Boulevard Satellite Beach, FL 32937 Phone number: 321-501-4316 Email: dmontanaro@satellitebeach.org The Honorable Lenny Nesta Council Member, City of Cape Coral PO Box 150027 Cape Coral, FL 33915 Phone number: 239-242-3232 Email: Inesta@capecoral.net The Honorable James Norwood Commissioner, City of Palatka P. O. Box 2441 Palatka, FL 32178 Phone number: 386-329-0944 Email: jnorwood@palatka-fl.gov The Honorable Dawn Pardo Council Chair Pro Tempore, City of Riviera Beach 600 W Blue Heron Blvd Riviera Beach', FL 33404 Phone number: 561-845-4095 Email: dpardo@rivierabch.com The Honorable Jean Peelen Commissioner, City of Holmes Beach 5801 Marina Dr Holmes Beach, FL 34217 Phone number: 941-708-5800 Email: jpeelen@hohnesbeachfl.org The Honorable Lesa Peerman Mayor, City of Margate 5790 Margate Blvd Margate, FL 33063 Phone number: 954-935-5326 Email: 1peerman@margatefl.com The Honorable Mike Petruccelli Councilman, Town of Indian Shores 19616 Gulf Blvd, #102 Indian Shores, FL 33785 Phone number: 727-345-0826 Email: mpetruccelli@myindianshores.com The Honorable Georgia Phillips Councilwoman, Rockledge Rockledge 1600 Huntington Lane Rockledge, FL 32955 Phone number: 321-636-6759 Email: egphill@cfl.rr.com The Honorable Patricia Plantamura Councilor, City of Seminole 10013 118th Way Seminole, FL 33772 Phone number: 727-391-0204 Email: pplantamura@myseminole.com Mr. Richard Radcliffe Executive Director, Palm Beach League of Cities P.O. Box 1989, Governmental Center West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Phone number: 561-346-5085 Email: rradcliffe@pbcgov.org Ms. Beth Rawlins President, Florida Business Watch 2845 Chelsea Place S Clearwater, FL 33759 Phone number: 727-797-9333 Email: rawlins@floridabusinesswatch.com The Honorable Kelly Reid Council Member, Town of Bay Harbor Islands 9665 Bay Harbor Terrace Bay Harbor Islands, FL 33154 Phone number: 305-866-6241 Email: kreid@bayharborislands.org The Honorable Peggy Rice Vice Mayor, City of Daytona Beach Shores 2990 S Atlantic Avenue Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118 Phone number: 386-763-5373 Email: price@cityofdbs.org The Honorable Jamie Robinson Commissioner, City of Largo PO Box 296 Largo, FL 33779 Phone number: 727-587-6700 Email: jarobins@largo.com The Honorable Ike Robinson Commissioner, City of West Palm Beach 401 Clematis Street West Palm Beach, FL 33402 Phone number: 561-822-1390 Email: irobinson@wpb.org The Honorable Donald Rosen Assistant Deputy Mayor, City of Sunrise 10770 W. Oakland Park Blvd. Sunrise, FL 33351 Phone number: 954-746-3250 Email: drosen@sunrisefl.gov The Honorable Greg Ross Mayor, City of Cooper City PO Box 290910 - Cooper City, FL 33329 Phone number: 954-434-4300 Email: carola@coopercityFL.org Mr. Mark Ryan City Manager, City of Indian Harbour Beach 2055 South Patrick Drive Indian Harbour Beach, FL 32937 Phone number: 321-773-3181 Email: mryan@indianharbour.org Mr. Daniel Scales Fire Chiei Town of Ponce Inlet 4300 S. Atlantic Ave Ponce Inlet, FL 32127 Phone number: 386-322-6723 Email: dscales@ponce-inlet.org The Honorable Ralph Schoenherr Councilman, City of South Daytona 137 Sea Isle Circle South Daytona, FL 32119 Phone number: 386-566-7451 Email: rschoenherr@southdaytona.org The Honorable Iris Siple Commissioner, City of Pembroke Pines 10100 Pines Blvd Pembroke Pines, FL 33026 Phone number: 954-435-6500 Email: isiple@ppines.com; jlakosky@ppines.com The Honorable Buddy Snowden Mayor, City of Lake Helen 327 S.Lakeview Dr. Lake Helen, FL 32744 Phone number: 386-228-2121 Email: psnowdenl@cfl.rr.com Mr. Michael Staffopoulos Asst. City Manager, City of Largo PO Box 296 Largo, FL 33779 Phone number: 727-587-6700 Email: mstaffop@largo.com The Honorable William "Bill' Thrasher Town Manager, Town of Gulf Stream 100 Sea Rd. Gulf Stream, FL 33483 Phone number: 561-276-5116 Email: bthrasher@gulf-stream.org The Honorable Ken Thurston Commissioner, City of Lauderhill 5581 W. Oakland Park Blvd Lauderhill, FL 33313 Phone number: 954-730-3018 Email: kthurston@lauderhill-fl.gov The Honorable Jamie Titcomb Town Manager, Town of Melbourne Beach 507 Ocean Ave. Melbourne Beach, FL 32951 Phone number: 321-724-5860 Email: townmanager@nelboumebeachfl.org The Honorable Teresa Watkins Brown Councilwoman, City of Fort Myers 2200 Second Street Fort Myers, FL 33916 Phone number: 239-321-7000 Email: twatkinsbrown@cityftmyers.com The Honorable SueLynn Mayor, City of Anna Maria P.O. Box 779 Anna Maria, FL 34216 Phone number: 941-201-4870 Email: ammayor@cityofannamaria.com Florida League of Cities Urban Administration Committee Meeting Friday, October 10th, 2014 — 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Orlando Hilton, Orlando, Florida AGENDA I. Introductions & Opening Remarks ....................................................Mayor Willie Shaw, Chair City of Sarasota 11. FLC Legislative Policy Committee Process............................................Casey Cook, FLC Staff III. Legislative Process 101 /Key Dates ...................... IV. New Business V. Open Policy�Discussion..................................... a. -Sober Homes - b. Homelessness c. Air BnB - . d. Public Records e. Medical. Marijuana ......................Casey Cook, FLC Staff Member Discussion VI. Federal Issues..........................................................................................Casey Cook,.FLC Staff VII. Legislative Key Contact Program....................................................... Allison Payne, FLC Staff VIII. Announcements.......................................................................................Casey Cook, FLC Staff IX. Closing Remarks................................................................................ Mayor Willie Shaw, Chair X. Adjournment * Lunch will be provided by the Florida League of Cities A'`'GUE Oi �,... 2014-2015 League's Legislative Policy Process Each year, the Florida League of Cities recruits volunteers to serve on the League's Legislative policy committees. These volunteer appointments are a one year commitment and involve developing the League's priorities for the upcoming legislative session. Policy committee members also help League staff understand the real world implications of proposed legislation and are asked to serve as advocates throughout the legislative process. In its effort to get more cities involved, the League requests that each city be represented on one or more of the League's Legislative policy committees. More information about the policy development process is on the League's website: www.floridaleagueofcities.com, under the Legislative/ Advocacy section. Due to potential. Sunshine Law issues, only one elected official per city can be represented on each committee, but a city could have both an elected and a non -elected city official on each of the five committees. League policy committee -appointments are confirmed in writing by the League president each year after the FLC annual conference. If you are interested in serving or learning more, please contact Holly McPhail at (800) 342-8112 or hmcphail(cDflcities.com. Policy committee members are expected to attend the following meetings: (please note that the League is unable to reimburse travel costs) Confirmed Legislative Policy Committee Meeting Dates for 2014-2015: • September 12, 2014 — Hyatt Regency Orlando • October 10, 2014 — Hilton Orlando • November 13, 2014 — Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport (in conjunction with FLC Legislative Conference) • August 13, 2015 — Orlando World Center Marriot (in conjunction with FLC Annual Conference) The Florida League of Cities' Legislative Policy Development Process The League's purpose is to focus on those legislative issues most likely to affect daily municipal governance and local decision making. The Municipal Home Rule Powers Act and the Florida Constitution provide that cities in Florida have the authority to govern themselves locally, independent of state control. Preserving Home Rule, educating citizens on this valuable right and maintaining a focus on those issues that directly affect self -governance, service delivery and the quality of life of each municipality are essential goals of the Florida League of Cities. Legislative Policy Committees The business of the League is conducted by its Board of Directors, but the League's legislative policies are shaped through a grass roots process beginning with recommendations from "Legislative Policy Committees" and culminating in adoption of a "Legislative Action Agenda" by the League's general membership. Legislative Policy Committee members, their chairs and vice -chairs are appointed each year by the League president. Any city official is eligible to serve on a Policy Committee, and appointments are usually based upon a city official's support and advocacy of the League's adopted Legislative Action Agenda, participation at meetings, Legislative Action Day, and other legislative -related activities. The Policy Committees meet in August, September, October and November to discuss potential legislative priorities. There are currently five standing legislative policy committees: Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee: This committee addresses policies specific to municipal concerns with coastal management, energy, environmental and wetlands permitting, hazardous and toxic wastes, recycling, solid waste collection and disposal, stormwater, wastewater treatment and reuse, water management, water quality and quantity. Finance, Taxation and Personnel Committee: This committee addresses municipal roles in general finance and tax issues, Home Rule revenues, infrastructure funding, insurance, local option revenues, pension issues, personnel and collective bargaining issues, revenue sharing, tax and budget reform, telecommunications and workers' compensation. Growth Management and Economic Affairs Committee: This committee addresses policies specific to municipal concerns with community redevelopment, economic development, growth management and land use planning issues, annexation, eminent domain, tort liability and property rights, as well as ethics and elections. Transportation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee: This committee addresses municipal concerns relating to transportation and highway safety, as well as affordable housing (and foreclosures), billboards, charter counties, charter schools, gaming, rights-of-way and sunshine law. Urban Administration Committee: This committee addresses municipal concerns with building and fire safety codes, building codes and construction, code enforcement, emergency management, homeland security, public meetings, public property management, public safety, purchasing and special districts. The League encourages every city to participate in legislative policy committees and strives to balance the committees' with respect to geographic location and the size of the cities represented. In reality, not every city is able to participate and, therefore, it is possible the policy committees may not be truly reflective of the full diversity of the League's membership. The Legislative Committee can help balance any potential imbalances in policy committee representation. The Legislative Committee A key component to the final adoption of the League's Legislative Action Agenda is the Legislative Committee, which the League president appoints in October prior to the November Legislative Conference. The Legislative Committee is comprised of each legislative policy committee chair and the chairs of the other standing committees; the president of each local and regional league; the presidents of several other municipal associations; chairs of the municipal trust boards; and several at-large members. These officials meet at the Legislative Conference to review the recommended priorities of the Legislative Policy Committees. The role of the Legislative Committee is to provide a "big picture" perspective to ensure that issues are truly representative of statewide municipal interests, not duplicative or in conflict, and are timely and properly presented. The Legislative Committee may limit, reject, prioritize or rank recommendations. The policy priorities as adopted by the Legislative Committee are then recommended to the general membership for approval as the League's Legislative Action Agenda. The Business Session The proposed Legislative Action Agenda is brought before the full general membership for consideration, possible amendment and adoption at the Business Session of the Legislative Conference in November. The Business Session is held on the final day of the Legislative Conference. Focusing on Municipal Issues More than 3,000 bills are filed each year and League staff typically tracks more than 800 for potential impact on municipalities. Florida's legislative session is regularly scheduled for 60 days a year. Because of this compressed timeframe, it is important for city officials and League staff to focus on a limited number of legislative priorities and ensure the priorities: • Adhere to the League's paramount goal of preserving municipal home rule powers; • Are issues that directly affect the functions of municipal government (as opposed to affecting municipal citizens generally); • Are issues of statewide, rather than local or regional, interest; • Require state legislative action rather than seek changes to constitutional or federal law; and • Do not seek legislative authorization for something that municipalities already possess the power to do under their home rule powers, if they so choose. The Resolutions Committee The Resolutions Committee is appointed by the League president and meets during the League's Annual Conference in August. The composition of this committee is similar to the Legislative Committee. The League's by-laws provide that only state legislative issues are to be considered by the Legislative Policy Committees and federal and state constitutional and commemorative issues are to be considered by the Resolutions Committee. Resolutions are often suggested or submitted by the League's Board ofDirectors, local and regional leagues, individual municipalities or municipal associations. Federal Issues The Federal Action Strike Team (FAST) is a standing committee that addresses federal issues that affect municipalities. FAST members are appointed by the League president according to congressional district and each member works closely with the League and the National League of Cities to influence federal legislation affecting cities in Florida. n 2014-2015 Key Legislative Dates 2014 September 12 FLC Policy Committee Meeting — Hyatt Regency Orlando (Contact Person: Holly McPhail) October 10 FLC Policy Committee Meeting — Hilton Orlando (Contact Person: Holly McPhail) 19-26 City Government Week (Contact Person: Sharon Beman) November 13-14 Florida League of Cities Legislative Conference (FLc Poiicy committee Meeting on Nov. 13) — Hyatt Orlando International Airport (Contact Person: Holly McPhail/Melanie Howe) 18-20 House/Senate Organization Session 2015 January 5-9 Legislative Interim Committees 20-23 Legislative Interim Committees February 2-5 Legislative Interim Committees 9-13 Legislative Interim Committees 16-20 Legislative Interim Committees March 3 Legislative Session Convenes 17-18 Florida League of Cities Legislative Action Days (Contact Person: Holly McPhail) May 1 Last Day of Regular Session **a// dates subject to change** Additional Session Dates of Interest January 23, 5:00 pm Deadline for submitting requests for drafts of general bills and joint resolutions, including requests for companion bills February 25, 5:00 pm Deadline for approving final drafts of general bills and joint resolutions, including companion bills March 3,12:00 pm Deadline for filing bills for introduction (Rule 3.7(1)) April 21 50th day—last day for regularly scheduled committee meetings (Rule 2.9(2)) 27 All bills are immediately certified (Rule 6.8) Conference Committee Reports require only one reading (Rule 4.5(1)) Motion to reconsider made and considered the same day (Rule 6.4 (4)) Sober Homes Legislative Priority: The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS legislation that defines and establishes statewide minimum-reguh tory standards for properties used for "sober home" purposes and allows for more stringent local regulation of such properties. Background: "Sober Homes" or "Halfway Houses" for individuals with drug and alcohol problems have been. around for decades and provide needed transitional housing opportunities for people who are progressing through treatment for substance abuse problems. Several cities throughout the state have been experiencing increasing problems with sober homes. These homes are marketed as places where recovering addicts can come to "sober up" and be slowly phased back into society while getting. treatment for their addiction. Lately however, cities have seen a proliferation of self-proclaimed "sober homes" that are run by unscrupulous landlords who are .exploiting patients in order to make a profit. The Tampa Bay Times recently wrote a series of articles describing some of the problems these unregulated facilities are causing for both patients and. non -patients alike in cities across the state. The investigation into Sober Homes by Tampa Bay Times senior correspondent, Susan Taylor Martin, uncovered a multitude of problems. Without licensing requirements, state regulations or oversight setting minimum operating standards, many sober homes operate in the shadows and are often "fly-by-night" type. facilities. The Times article reported that "....in some homes, residents are housed two to three to a room. This is a lucrative business if each person pays $500 per month, meaning a three-bedroom house with two residents per bedroom can bring in $3,600 per month. But residents don't get what they pay for." With no regulation from government agencies, setting up a sober home is as easy as renting a house to a few residents who pledge to live in sobriety and attend support groups. The operators of these illegitimate sober homes often advertise on the Internet as offering treatment on-site or providing transportation to off-site treatment facilities. Once residents arrive, they find that no treatment is offered and there is very little oversight by the owners of the sober home. Instead, residents are free to do whatever they choose, which for many means to hit the streets to find drugs or alcohol (and in one Delray Beach home attached to a bar, they don't have to go too far). Law enforcement officials have seen increases in crime and homelessness in neighborhoods where these sober homes have located. Residents of these neighborhoods have reported an increase in burglaries, panhandling and even some instances where the sober home operators are openly using or selling drugs out of the sober home. As a result of the lack of uniform state standards or regulations for "sober homes," there are some houses that are nothing more than a group of individuals living together abiding by self- imposed rules of sobriety, while other houses are operating just shy of administering treatment on-site and flying under the radar of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) because they are not "formally affiliated with" a "licensed service provider." (Those houses that are affiliated with a licensed Service Provider are currently required to be licensed by DCF, while homes not affiliated with a licensed service provider are not required to be licensed by DCF). Therefore, the League will be supporting efforts to clearly define sober homes in statute and allow for the regulation of these facilities. Sober homes will continue to be a problem for cities and law enforcement in Florida until the legislature decides to act and place minimum operating standards for these places into statute. SB 738 (Clemens) and HB 1089 (Grant) were filed to address the sober home issue in 2013, but both bills died in committee. There was language inserted into SB 1500, the General Appropriations Act, requiring the Department of Children and Families to study the possible licensure of sober homes in Florida. DCF held three public hearings over the summer and submitted a report to the president of the Senate, the speaker of the House and the governor on October 1, 2013. The report listed what other states are doing in regards to sober home regulation, or the lack thereof, but ultimately concluded that further study of the issue was needed prior to making recommendations. Status: CS/CS/HB 479 (Hager) would have created a voluntary certification program for sober homes, requiring that the Department of Children and Families (DCF) select a credentialing entity to issue certificates of compliance and establish the criteria for selecting the entity. In addition, the bill would have required a credentialing entity to inspect sober homes prior to the initial certification and during every subsequent renewal period. Certification would be automatically terminated if it was not renewed within one year of the issuance date. Finally, CS/CS/H13 479 would have required all sober home staff to pass a Level II background screening and allow for the credentialing agency to deny or suspend certification if a recovery residence failed to meet and maintain certain criteria. The bill was amended in committee to exempt sober homes owned by licensed treatment facilities. However, the Senate did not take CS/CS/HB 479 up on the Senate floor and therefore the bill died in Senate messages. CS/SB-582 (Clemens) would have required sober home transitional living facilities to register with DCF and would have required sober home transitional living facilities to register with the DCF and would have required certain officials associated with the sober home facilities to undergo a background check. CS/SB 582 died in committee. Contact: Casey Cook, ccooWillIcities.com Revised: 7/29/2014 25/2014 1-1:11 raid targets sooer name owner in west vaim neacn 1 www.rrypaimoeacnpost.com Subscribe im _ 85° 4kH: 85° L•78' 6v Thursday, September 25, 2014 The Palm Beach POStREAL NEWS STARTS HERE LOCAL Outdoor "doggy dining" to be considered for Juno Beach restaurants LATEST HEADLINES HOME / NEWS / CRIME & LAW advertlsemenl Resize text A I A I A FBI raid targets sober home owner in West Palm Beach Updated: 8:22 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014 1 Posted: 9:24 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014 By Kimberly Miller and Matt Morgan - Palm Beach Post Staff Writers p:llvw .mypaimbeachpost.com/news/news/crime-law/heavy-police-activity-on-scene-at-west-palm-beach-/nhKxN/#eblbOf86.3592389.735488 1/10 9/25/2014 FBI raid targets sober home owner in West Palm Beach I www.mypalmbeachpost.com WEST PALM BEACH — FBI agents descended on a dilapidated West Palm Beach condominium early Thursday morning after a months -long investigation into a sober -living operation that is buying up units to rent to recovering addicts. hill The raid on Good Decisions Sober Living, which is based at the 84 -unit Green Terrace condominium, was lauded by recovery center leaders and elected officials who have struggled for years with proliferating halfway houses that are not regulated or required to register with any government agency. 10 zbrzuw rni mia targets soder name owner in west raim oeacn 1 www.mypaimoeacnpost.com FBI agents raid a halfway house on Georgia Avenue in West Palm Beach, September 11, 2014. (Greg Lovett / The Palm ... Read More John Lehman, president of the Boca Raton -based Florida Association of Recovery Residences, said he has worked with law enforcement this year to uncover possible illegal activity, helping connect witnesses with investigators, but doesn't know details of why the FBI raided Good Decisions. Good Decisions Sober Living was incorporated in March 2012 by West Palm Beach resident Kenneth Bailynson, who is listed as the company's president in state records. Messages left for Good Decisions were not returned. Bailynson, who became president of the Green Terrace Condominium Association within the last year, could not be reached. In addition to his Green Terrace units, Bailynson owns three multi -family properties east of Kirk Road off Melaleuca Lane that he bought in May for $1.2 million, according to Palm Beach County property records. p://www.mypalmbeachpost.mminewslnews/crime-lawlheavy-police-activity-0n-scene-at-west-palm-beach4nhKxNl#abl bOf86.3592389.735488 3/10 9/2512014 FBI mid targets sober home owner in West Palm Beach I www.mypalmbeachpost.com httpJ/www.mypaimbeachpostwrrdnewslnewslcdme-law/heavy-police-activity-on-scene-at-west-palm-beach-InhKxNl#eblbOf86.3592389.735488 _ ;;. a. 4/10 F2512014 FBI raid targets sober home owner in West Palm Beach I www.mypalmbeachpost.com The FBI at Green Terrace Apartments. Green Terrace, near the corner of Belvedere Road and Georgia Avenue, was once an attractive community with units selling during the real estate boom in the mid -$100,000s. But the downturn left many owners in foreclosure and the association struggling. Bailynson began buying units in 2011 and picked up speed last year. His most recent purchase was a two- bedroom unit bought in May for $15,000. He or the association owns about 55 percent of the 84 units. Only 12 condos have homestead exemptions, indicating the owner considers it the primary residence. Green Terrace condos (Palm Beach Post file photo) "This place saved my life;" said Good Decisions Sober Living client Colton Cunningham, who stood outside Green Terrace during the morning raid. Cunningham said he's lived at the complex for about 10 months and it has been helpful in his recovery. He said it gave him an affordable place to live that he wasn't able to find in his home of Atlanta. But parts of Green Terrace need repair and updating. A bent chain link fence strung with green privacy cloth shields the parking lot. And residents who lived there before the treatment center have complained of rising association fees. ' :tpd/www.mypalmbeachpostcominews/newslcrime-lawlheavy-police-activity-on-scene-at-west-palm-beach-/nhKxN/ffeblbOf86.3592389.735488- - 5/10 9/25/2014 FBI raid targets sober home owner in West Palm Beach i www.mypaimbeachpost.com Federal agents remove evidence from an office at the Green Terrace condominium, where the condos have been converted to a sober ... Read More `7' `Y A three-bedroom unit was listed for sale this month for $17,500 with a $700 quarterly association fee and a;- possible special assessment. Jakob Heir, a Green Terrace resident, said he was on his way to class when he saw agents outside the complex. Thursday and received a text that told him he had two options. "Go into your units or leave and don't comes r back until it's all done." Police calls to Green Terrace totaled 180 in 2012, but increased 40 percent last year to 253, according to yV st{ Palm Beach records. "The enormity of this problem and the tentacles that emanate from it are staggering in terms of impact to cities," said Delray Beach Mayor Cary Glickstein, about the growth and lack of regulation of sober homes.."The.; good operators have been overwhelmed by the opportunists who see this loophole and are exploiting it in such a way that is incredibly frustrating because our hands are completely tied and they know it" Addicts are considered disabled under federal law. The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act http:ll w .mypaimbeachpost.conVnews/news/crime-law/heavy-police-activity-on-scene-al-west-palm-beach-/nhKxN/#ebl bOf86.3592389.735488 6110 1/25/2014 FBI mid targets sober home owner in West Palm Beach I www.mypaimbeachpost.com protect them from housing discrimination. The federal Fair Housing Amendments Act also prohibits mandatory licensing, regulation, registration or certification of sober homes. Sober houses differ from residential treatment centers, which offer 30 -day, inpatient treatment and are regulated by the state. Last year, the Department of Children and Families was directed to develop a plan to determine whether the state should license sober homes. But the department concluded it couldn't produce such a plan because it couldn't determine the number of sober houses statewide. Rep. Bill Hager, R -Boca Raton, called Thursday's raid a "shot across the bow" for sober homes acting illegally. Hager filed an unsuccessful bill this year that attempted some oversight of sober homes. "I think this sends a powerful message that we aren't going to tolerate the levels of abuse that have been identified in some of these facilities;" Hager said. Sober houses can get certified by the Florida Association of Recovery Residences, a chapter of the National Association of Recovery Residences. Lehman said Good Decisions Sober Living applied for certification, but was not given the recognition. "Good Decisions simply didn't measure up," Lehman said. Palm Beach Post staff writer Eliot Ideinberg and researcher Michelle Quigley contributed to this story. Watch a video of the FBI raid at mypalmbeachpost.com In this Section Outdoor "doggy dining" to be considered for Juno Beach restaurants Caridad Center hosts free health workshops in Boynton, Lake Worth Royal Palm Beach's annual fall fashion show set for Oct. 10 Fall Fest coming to Royal Palm Beach on Oct. 25 Board to vote tonight on tuming old Boynton High into war museum Social media reaction: Attorney General Eric Holder is resigning Magazine model becomes latest'hot mug shot' sensation Belgian brewery to build beer pipeline tp!/www.mypaimbeachpost.com/news/news/crime-law/heavy-police-activity-on-scene-at-west-palm-beach-/nhKxN/#ebl bOf88.3592389.735488 7/10 Homelessness Legislative Priority: The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS legislation that funds and provides training and technical assistance to programs that provide the nec Bary support services for Florida's homeless individuals, families and those who are at risk becoming homeless. Background: According to a recent report by the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies, there are 42,476 homeless individuals and 31,148 homeless families with children in Florida. This does not include 6,798 unaccompanied homeless youths working to stay in school and 24,815 families with children in school who live in unstable housing, such as motels or with friends; neighbors and relatives. Florida has the nation's third largest homeless population according to the state Council on Homelessness, and Florida experienced a 14.8 percent increase in homelessness between 2007 and 2012—a period during which homelessness decreased 5.7 percent nationally: The strain that the homelessness population places on city budgets and services is an issue for all of Florida's municipalities. By providing local governments and community-based organizations with training and technical assistance to meet the needs of the homeless population and those at risk of becoming homeless, municipalities will be better equipped to overcome the.challenges now facing Florida's cities and ultimately realize a sustained reduction in local homeless populations. Current Status: The Legislature passed CS/CS/HB 979 (Peters). This legislation allocates $4 million of General Revenue for homelessness issues to be used by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) for "Challenge Grants" to provide support, training and technical assistance to designated continuums of care. The bill as originally filed would have would have allocated 4 percent of the Local Government Housing Trust Fund to DCF for these grants, but was amended in committee to only provide funding for FY 2014-2015. The bill requires that the entity receiving the grant provide matching funds or in-kind support in an amount equal to the grant received. League staff expects legislation to be filed next year attempting to create a dedicated funding source for homelessness issues. (Chapter No. 2014-214) Contact: Casey Cook, ccook(a)flcities.com Revised: 7/29/14 Council on Homelessness 2014 Report Submitted June 2014 to: Governor Rick Scott Senate President Don Gaetz House Speaker Will Weatherford Council on Homelessness Department of Children and Families 1317 Winewood Boulevard Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0700 850-922-4691 www.mvflfamilies. com/service-oroorams/homelessness Table of Contents Transmittal Letter Executive Summary 1 Section 1 — Recommendations to Reduce Homelessness.........................................3 Arthur's Story .....................................................................................................10 Section 2 — Homeless Conditions in Florida.............................................................11 Table 1 — Homeless People by County...............................................................14 Section 3 — Homeless Population Characteristics....................................................16 Section 4 — Homeless Students in Florida Public Schools.......................................19 Table 2 — Homeless Students by County............................................................20 Section 5—Continuum of Care Planning and Funding.............................................22 Section6 —Glossary .................................................................................................25 Section 7 — Map of Continuum of Care Lead Agencies............................................27 Section 8 —Council on Homelessness Members.....................................................28 nernrsr� o State of Florida Department of Children and Families ANO tr~ MyFLFAM I L I LS COM June 17, 2014 The Honorable Rick Scott Governor PL -05 The Capitol Tallahassee, Florida 32399 Dear Governor Scott: Rick Scott Governor Mike Carroll Interim Secretary On behalf of the Florida Council on Homelessness and its multiple state agency partners, I submit the Council on Homelessness Annual Report for your consideration. In accordance with state law, the Council has prepared recommendations for reducing homelessness in our state. The report also summarizes the extent of homelessness and characteristics of the men, women and children who do not have their own home. I want to thank the members of the Council for taking on this responsibility and working diligently to study the issue and identify targeted solutions. Their efforts are making a difference in helping us understand the -Challenges. Your work to improve the state's economy and create more jobs has had a very real impact. While obtaining an accurate count of the homeless can be challenging, this year's annual count found a decrease of 4.87 percent over the previous year and a 28.42 percent decrease from four years ago. But we cannot forget that homelessness affects real people. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reports homelessness among families with children is the fastest-growing homeless population in the nation. The recommendations in this report are designed to build upon and expand the succ ess Florida has achieved in recent years. The Council encourages several potential solutions, from providing flexible funding to supporting local initiatives to help households with extremely low incomes. The Council also emphasizes the need to continue increasing the supply of affordable housing for our homeless neighbors. There is no doubt that effective public-private collaboration at state and local levels, combined with strong community participation, is key to solving homelessness; as is breaking down the barriers to talking about it. I congratulate this Council on their work to do just that, and we appreciate your continued support of these efforts. Sincerely, A7olp -- Mike Carroll Interim Secretary 1317 Winewood Boulevard, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0700 Mission: Protect the Vulnerable, Promote Strong and Economically Self -Sufficient Families, and Advance Personal and Family Recovery and Resiliency Executive Summary Implementing what is now a national best practice, in 2001 Florida created an inter -agency Council on Homelessness; the purpose of which is to develop recommendations for state leadership on how to reduce homelessness throughout the state. In accordance with section 420.622(9), Florida Statutes, the Council on Homelessness submits its annual report to the Governor and Florida Legislature summarizing recommended actions to reduce homelessness, plus data concerning those persons currently experiencing homelessness in Florida. In 2013, the Council made the following recommendations: fund affordable housing, support local homeless continuums of care, provide flexible funding to help communities address homelessness and conduct a pilot to gather Florida -specific data. The Governor, the legislature and state agencies acted upon these recommendations. For the first time in several years, a majority of the state's affordable housing trust fund dollars were allocated to the production of affordable housing. The Council recommends that this will continue in 2015, with an increased emphasis on the housing needs of Extremely Low - Income and Special Needs households. The legislature also appropriated $1,000,000 to support local homeless continuums of care; this is inaddition to the recurring $2,000,000 already funded. It is the Council's recommendation that the state will continue to support the local homeless continuums of care tasked with leading their community's efforts to end homelessness. Additionally, the legislature appropriated $4, 000,000 to fund Challenge Grants, flexible grants designed to support local efforts to reduce homelessness. The Council recommends that the state will continue this much needed support. And Florida Housing Finance Corporation initiated a pilot project to conduct a Florida - specific analysis of the benefits of providing permanent supportive housing to high utiliz ers of crisis services. The Council hopes the Governor and legislature will support this effort; essential to continued sound public policy development. This year the Council also hopes the state will support efforts to conduct an awareness campaign to increase understanding of homelessness and how to reduce the number of persons experiencing it. Florida is making progress in reducing the number of persons experiencing homelessness. This is partially due to improved economic conditions. It is also due to local efforts, supported by the state. However, there is still work to be done to make Florida a leading state in addressing the needs of our homeless population. On one day and one night in January 2014, local communities counted 41,335 persons who were living on the street or in an emergency shelter. This data covers 25 counties and all 28 homeless continuum of care planning areas. Sixteen counties did not conduct a count of homeless people due to the lack of resources to do the count. -1- Nationally, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reports homelessness amongst families with children as the fastest growing homeless population. This is also true for Florida. For school year 2012-2013, Florida's public schools identified 70,215 students as homeless. This includes families that have lost their housing and are staying with family and friends. The Council on Homelessness submits its recommendations for state action to reduce the number of Floridians who are without a home. These inter -related recommendations focus on: • Meeting the housing needs of households with Extremely Low Incomes, especially those with a disability or other special need; • Continuing support of community agencies which lead the homeless continuum of care planning process; • Providing flexible funding to support local initiatives to help persons exit homelessness; supporting a state pilot conducting a cost benefit analysis of providing affordable housing linked with support services for high utilizers of crisis services; and • Educating Floridians about how to reduce the number of homeless neighbors in their communities. SECTION 1 Recommendations to Reduce Homelessness The Council on Homelessness submits five recommendations of critical actions the state can undertake to enable communities across Florida to reduce the num bar of persons experiencing homelessness. RECOMMENDATION ONE Create and Preserve Housing for Extremely Low Incomes, especially Homeless Households and Persons with Special Needs In the 2014 Florida Legislative Session, the legislature recognized the importance of utilizing Affordable Housing Trust Fund resources to fund affordable housing. $67,600,000 was appropriated to the State Apartment Incentive Loan Program (SAIL), which funds affordable rental housing; 5-10% of the rental units produced must be targeted to persons with a disabling condition. $10,000,000 of this allocation was restricted to projects serving persons with a developmental disability. An additional $100,000,000 was appropriated to the State Housing Initiatives Program (SHIP), which is distributed to local communities to fund affordable housing. Communities must use 20% of this allocation to assists persons with a Special Need, with a priority for home modifications for persons with a developmental disability. The remainder of the affordable housing trust fund dollars, $106,151,367, were swept into general revenue for other purposes. The Council recommends utilizing all Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust fund resources for affordable housing, with an increased focus on the housing needs of Extremely Low - Income, Homeless and Special Needs households. Persons with Special Needs as defined in Section 420.0004(13), Florida Statutes, means an adult person requirin g independent living services in order to maintain housing or develop independent living s kills and who has a disabling condition; a young adult formerly in foster care who is eligible for services under s. 409.1451(5); a survivor of domestic violence as defined in s. 741.28; or a person receiving benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program or the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program or from veterans' disability benefits. In state fiscal year 2013-14, Florida Housing Finance Corporation, through competitive application cycles, selected eleven Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) developments for funding. These eleven PSH developments account for a total of 367 rental units that will be developed to serve extremely low and low-income homeless individuals and/or families*. The unit breakdown is: • 97 permanent supportive housing un its in rental developments of 15 units or less to be financed with grant funding appropriated by the 2013 Legislature; • 148 permanent supportive housing units to serve at risk and homeless veterans with disabling conditions with federal low-income housing tax credits and state funding; • 122 permanent supportive housing units in Jacksonville, Miami -Dade and St. Petersburg to serve persons with disabling conditions that lack permanent and stable housing and have been identified by their communities as being high utilizers of emergency, shelter and institutional services. These 3 developments will be part of private/public -3- partnerships to study the costs and benefits of serving these vulnerable adults in permanent supportive housing tied to com munity-based services that are appropriate to meet the intended residents' needs. These developments will be financed with the assistance of state SAIL funding and ELI supplemental funding. Another 646 rental units in existing affordable rental housing developments were awarded financing to update the property and units and to preserve units that have project -based federal rental assistance subsidies*. Most, if not all, of the units in the developments selected have long term rental assistance for extremely low-income households tied to them. If not preserved and updated, these developments are at risk of being sold or repurposed, resulting in the permanent loss of the federal rental assistance subsidies and displacement of the residents. In addition to the permanent supportive housing and preservation units, a total of 562 units will be set aside for extremely low-income households that are integrated into mixed -income affordable housing developments that were selected for financing in state fiscal year 2013- 14*. These mixed -income developments will serve families, elders, and/or persons with developmental disabilities through a variety of financing resources including federal Low - Income Housing Tax Credits, state housing funds, private loans and foundation grants. 'The number of units may change as the selected applicants, at the date of this report, am in the financing credit underwriting and closing phases of the development Rationale According to 2013 Rental Market Study: Affordable Housing Need produced by the University of Florida's Shimberg Center for Housing Studies,'between 2005 and.201 1 the number of renter households in Florida grew by 10%, while the number of homeowners dropped 3%. This is happening at a time when rents are increasing and incomes are, decreasing. Between 2000 and 2011, "In real terms... the statewide median rent increased from $816 to $950, while the median renter income fell from $34,000 to $30,343."(2013 Rental Market Study). In Florida, 737,435 renter households are Cost Burdened, paying more than 40% of household income for housing; 61% are households with 1-2 persons (2013 Rental Market Study). Cost Burdened Renter Households By Household Size 209,232 -4- 452,058 . 1- 2 persons 3 -4 Persons 5* persons The need is greatest among Extremely Low Income households ("ELI", earning 30% or less of the area median income); persons with special needs and persons experiencing homelessness. (2013 Rental Market Study) 513,608 renter households in Florida are Severely Cost Burdened, paying more than 60% of their income for housing; 58% are ELI. Breakdown of Severely Cost Burdened Households by Income 29,483 ■ <=30%AMI 188,466 ` "':� 295,659 " 30.01- 60% AMI Of Florida's 457,677 ELI renter households; 64.6% are Severely Cost Burdened, paying more than 606/o of their income for housing. This leaves each household with limited resources to afford essentials such as food, medication, clothing and transportation. Demonstration of Severe Cost Burden Household Size 1 2 3 4 1 5 6 ELI Monthly Income: $ 1,120 $ 1,280 $ 1,440 $ 1,600 $ 1,730 $ 1,858 Housing Cost @ 60%: $ 672 $ 768 $ 864 $ 960 $ 1,038 $ 1,115 Remainirig Household Income: $ 448 $ 512 $ 576 $ 640 1 $ 692 $ 743 The need for affordable rental housing for ELI households exists throughout the state. Key 40.0-55% S11-60% 60.1-65% 65.1-70% 70.1-0]% Distribution of Severely Cost Burdened ELI Households Definitions: Severely Cost Burdened—household pays more than 60% of income for housing ELI—Extremely Low Income; earns 30% or less of area median income adjusted for family size -5- In addition to cost burdened ELI renter households, whose financial situation puts them at grave risk of homelessness, there are households that are experiencing homelessness and persons with special needs households in need of affordable rental housing, including supportive housing. The 2014 Point -In -Time survey reports from the local continuums of care indicate that 41,335 persons met the HUD definition of homeless in Florida on a given day in January 2014. The Florida Department of Education reports that 70,215 public school students were homeless in Florida in the 2012-2013 school year. In addition to persons experiencing homelessness, Florida has a large number of special needs households in need of an affordable place to live. • 93,438 low income (earning 60% or less of area median income) cost burdened renter households (paying more than 40% of income on housing) with at least one member of the household that is either i) aged 18-64, has a disability and is receiving Social Security; ii) is aged 18 or older, has a disability and is receiving Supplemental Security Income; or iii) is aged 18 or older with a Veterans Administration service -related disability rating of 10% or more. 8,419 survivors of domestic violence households, based upon total number of persons using domestic violence emergency shelters. 5,052 youth aging out of the foster care system, aged 18-22 and eligible for the Load to Independence stipend. RECOMMENDATION TWO Sustain Ongoing Funding for Local Homeless Continuums of Care In the 2014 Legislative Session, the Legislature recognized the importancb of ensuring adequate capacity among the local homeless continuums of care. $1,000,000 in nonrecurring funds from the General Revenue Fund is provided to the Florida Coalition for the Homeless for distribution to the local homeles's continuums of care throughout the state; this is in addition to the existing $2,000,000 in recurring funding provided to the continuums. The Council recommends continued support for local homeless continuums of care sufficient to ensure continued abilities to secure essential federal resources targeted to reduce homelessness. Funding used to provide adequate staffing and office resources, including covering the expenses operating an office, along with providing proper resources to comply with HUD's request for the Point -in -Time surveys. Rationale Continued state financial assistance is essential to helping community partners carry out federally required planning, data collection, program coordination and grant writing necessary to successfully compete for significant grant funding to house persons experiencing homelessness. Each year the federal government appropriates resources to community agencies to reduce homelessness. These community organizations have secured more than $300 million in federal, local and private financing for community services and housing in Florida. In 2 012, they brought nearly $80 million in federal grants to Florida. IM RECOMMENDATION THREE Support State Funding for Community Efforts to Reduce Homelessness In the 2014 Legislative Session, the Legislature recognized the importance of ensuring adequate capacity among the local homeless continuums of care. Nonrecurring funds of $4,000,000 from the affordable housing trust fund were appropriated to fund Challenge Grants, flexible grants supporting local efforts to reduce homelessness. Continue to provide flexible sources of state financial aid to local Continuums of Care through Challenge Grants. Funding used to help end or prevent homelessness through rental and utility assistance, increase number of beds for emergency shelters, provide drop in centers, along with providing the resources to quickly obtain legal identification to enable unemployed homeless to secure employment. Rationale Communities need resources to reduce and eliminate homelessness. Each community has differing needs and priorities. The communities should be provided flexible state support, which they can utilize to best meet their identified priorities. Such funding can be an essential source of cash match for federal and private grants. The funding should be flexible so as to address a broad array of needs including housing, education, job training and placement, health services, childcare and other support services. Use of the aid should be consistent with the community's homeless service plan. A flexible funding source can enable communities to pilot best practices, and new service delivery models that might otherwise not be possible. Future state funding can also fill gaps in local service budgets, should federal grant in aid dollars be cut in coming budget plans. RECOMMENDATION FOUR Support the State Pilot to Study the Cost and Quality of Life Benefits of Supportive Housing for Persons with Significant Needs that Lack Permanent and Stable Housing This recommendation is a follow-up to the Council's 2013 Recommendation to Prioritize a State Pilot to Provide Florida -specific Data. In March 2013, Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Housing) initiated a state pilot to finance the development of three permanent supportive housing projects to serve chronically homeless persons with significant needs who are high utilizers of publicly funded emergency, crisis and institutional resources because they lack permanent housing that are linked to appropriate community- based services. A priority objective of this pilot is to study the benefits of permanent supportive housing in relation to cost -savings to the public across multiple provider systems, as well as quality of life benefits. In part, Florida Housing prioritized funding this pilot to support the Council's 2013 recommendation. The Council recommends that Florida's Governor, Legislature and State Agencies continue to support the pilot's intent and efforts as it is being implemented. Rationale The Florida Housing Finance Corporation, state agencies and this Council have been evaluating best practices in targeting and integrating affordable housing and community- based services to high needs/high cost adults with disabilities and frail elders who are chronically homeless on the street or in homeless shelters. As a result, these persons often cycle in and out of residential care or institutional settings because of their lack of stability in the community and are often high utilizers of crisis services, such as emergency rooms and -7- jails. Permanent supportive housing, which integrates affordable housing with access to community-based services, has been demonstrated nationally to be a cost effective way to provide supports for these individuals, as well as to improve the quality of lives and stability of persons with histories of being chronically homeless. Comprehensive cost -benefits studies have been conducted in other states, but Florida lacks state -specific data to assist in policymaking regarding the benefits of permanent supportive housing to Florida's communities and citizens. At the state level, the Corporation and our partner state agencies concurred that Florida should pursue a pilot to develop Permanent Supportive Housing, targeting High Needs/High Cost populations that incorporate a state -specific analysis to evaluate whether cost savings at the local, state and federal level are also possible in Florida. Florida Housing was appropriated $10 million by the 2012 Legislature to finance the development of affordable, sustainable and permanent housing for special needs and extremely low income households, as defined in Section 420.0004, Florida Statutes. This funding became available for distribution in July, 2013. Florida Housing determined the funding would be used to provide forgivable loans to non -profit organization for the development of up to three permanent supportive housing projects across Florida for the purpose of studying the cost and quality of life benefits of permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless persons with significant needs. This determination meets Florida Housing strategic plan and was made following input from relevant State agencies, the Council, as well as homeless, disability, local government, and supportive housing stakeholders. In March 2014, Florida Housing selected three p ermanent supportive housing developments to fund through a competitive application. The forgivable loans are to finance the construction and operations of each development. The permanent supportive housing developments will be located in Jacksonville, St. Petersburg and Miami -Dade. The non- profit awardees are required to incorporate a multi-year study evaluating the ability of Permanent Supportive Housing I inked with coordinated local and state public-private partnerships to reduce public expenditures and im prove personal outcomes for High Needs/High Cost Chronically Homeless persons. Florida Housing and relevant state agencies, including the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Elder Affairs and the Department of Veterans Affairs plan to conduct interagency meetings for the purposes of providing guidance and technical assistance to support the effective implementation of the pilot's objectives. RECOMMENDATION FIVE Support Funding for an Awareness Campaign to End Homelessness in Florida Support an awareness campaign to increase Floridians' understanding of the causes and impacts of homeless, includes effective ways to prevent and end homelessness. Identify a funding source (federal, state and/or private foundation) to develop and implement the campaign. Rationale Homelessness is more than a word to describe a social issue. It is a state which degrades individuals and harms society. It affects real people, including families, children, veterans, foster youth, adults with disabilities, and the elderly. Many families with extremely low incomes live on the verge of homelessness every day. One missed paycheck, or a costly medical bill, can mean the difference between sleeping under a roof, or in a car. I&M Homelessness also affects local economies. It creates a higher demand for public services, including health care, law enforcement, substance abuse and mental health programs, and social services. Rather than focusing on jobs and education, homeless individuals must focus their time finding a place to sleep. Increasing the public's awareness to the issues surrounding homelessness, and successful strategies to end and prevent it, will serve to engage more people and organizations in being part of the solution to end homelessness in Florida. Arthur's Story People experiencing homelessness are all over the news, and it's easy to feel hopeless and discouraged about the overwhelming amount of need in every comer of the nation. And then a bright ray of meaningful progress shines from the gloomy prospect. That point of light is named Arthur. "If I could tell people something about the homeless I would say that we're not all alcoholics and we're not all drug addicts. A lot of people living on the streets are there because they just got sick. We slipped through the cracks of the system," Arthur has said. Spend five minutes with Art and you will never forget him. Art brings a gregarious enthusiasm to everything he does. "I worked, got sick, and then lost my place," Arthur told the outreach worker at the first meeting, "I worked for fifteen years in Hillsborough County driving a school bus and another ten at Lowe's." About 4 years ago, Arthur needed bypass surgery and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and repeated blood clots. As his health declined, Arthur found himself unable to work, unable to walk, and unable to remain housed. Arthur was helpless and alone, and eventually found himself living on the streets; sick, sad, and confined to a wheelchair. But on a cold, December night, Arthur met an outreach worker that did care and the rest, as they say, is history. The worker took Arthur to a disabled -accessible hotel and then the real work began. Working together can often work miracles and Arthur is a living example of that concept. The Volusia/Flagler County Coalition for the Homeless took the lead and began the process of getting Arthur housed in a safe and stable place that this.wonderful man could call his own. A three -pronged coordinated approach was put into action: 1. Getting Arthur medically sound 2. Streamlining the process for SSI/SSDI 3. Finding permanent supportive housing Arthur's case was managed through a coalition of the best and the brightest the local area had to offer. Medical records through Halifax Hospital were obtained, medical transport was arranged when available and the outreach person's own vehicle when needed. The Coalition's Executive Director, Lisa Hamilton, worked vigorously with Flagler Counties Human Services angel, Janet Nickels, to get Arthur the help he so desperately needed. Arthur wanted to live in Flagler County where prevention funds and a primary care doctor where offered gladly. As Arthur began to climb out of the darkness of the streets, his spirits began to rise exponentially. "Most of the people on the street don't have anyone. We end up with no one when we become homeless and you think that no one cares no one worries about you and no one's willing to listen to what goes on in your life... what problems you have. " Arthur's eyes begin to tear up as his gratitude begins to pour out. 'Then I meet people like Lisa and Janet and the outreach folks that are willing to give up their time to help a nobody like me," Arthur said choking back his words ...'They made me feel like a somebody again." Most importantly, Arthur finally found his miracle... a place to call home. -10- SECTION 2 Homeless Conditions in Florida Point -in -Time Counts — 2014 The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that the homeless continuums of care conduct an annual count of homeless persons who are sheltered in emergency shelters, transitional housing and safe havens on a single night during the last ten days of January. Further, HUD requires that the continuums of care also must conduct a count of the unsheltered homeless population every other year, required on odd numbered years. For 2014, the state's 28 homeless continuums of care carried out both the sheltered and unsheltered counts as required. The goal is to produce an unduplicated count, or statistically reliable estimate of the homeless in the community. Who is counted as Homeless? The intent is to identify those men, women and children who meet HUD's definition of a homeless person. This is limited to: (1) Those living in a publicly or privately operated shelter providing temporary living arrangements; (2) Those persons whose primary nighttime residence is a public or private place not intended to be used as an accommodation for human beings, such as: a car, park, abandoned building or campground; (3) A person who is exiting from an institution, where he or she lived for 90 days or less, and who was otherwise homeless immediately prior to entering that institution; (4) A person who is fleeing from a domestic violence situation; (5) A person who will lose their primary nighttime residence within 14 days, where no subsequent dwelling has been found and the individual lacks the resources to obtain permanent housing. Who is not counted as homeless? • Persons residing in permanent supportive housing programs, such as rental assistance vouchers; • Persons living in emergency shelters and temporary housing that is not dedicated to serving the homeless, such as alcohol detox centers; • Individuals and families temporarily staying with family or friends due to the loss of their own housing or economic reasons (doubled up or sofa surfing). • Persons living in permanent housing with assistance from a government program. The count is undertaken on a single day and night. The federally approved methods include a report of all homeless persons counted, or a statistically valid sampling to arrive at the -11- unduplicated estimate of the homeless. The unsheltered count methods typically are street counts, street counts with interviews, or screening and interviewing persons at supportive service agencies, such as soup kitchens where the homeless seek help. Conducting the point -in -time counts is challenging, and requires many volunteers. The continuums of care continue to make remarkable success in compiling the one -day counts. Even so, the results can be influenced by many factors, some of which are outside the control of the local continuum. As a result, year-to-year comparisons at the community level can be misleading, especially if the observed trends are due to differing strategies used to undertake the count. 2014 One Day and Night Count Results For the 28 continuum of care planning areas reporting, the total number of homeless persons in 2014 was 41,335 compared to 43,455 persons in 2013. The 2014 count reflects a decrease of 2,120 homeless persons, a drop of 4.87% statewide. The number of homeless persons by county reflects differing trends. In 25 of the counties, the homeless population decreased from 2013. Sixteen rural county areas did not have point in time count conducted in 2014. In reporting their count results, the lead agencies identified a number of factors that impacted the totals, both up and down. Factors Cited as Contributing to a Decreased Number of Homeless • Successful programs implemented in the county over past two years; • Stricter enforcement of trespass ordinances made the street homeless less visible, and harder to find and count; • Changes in the method used for the count contributed to a lower count, and more reliable count numbers; • Adjusting count results to ensure that only those who are literally homeless are reported, resulting in decreases particularly by eliminating school age children and other homeless who are in jail. • Fewer emergency shelters that serve and target the homeless were identified in 2014 than prior years; • The lack of service providers in rural counties made it harder to identify the homeless, and where to find them during the count; • Change in federal instructions that limited shelter counts to only those facilities identified in the planning area's homeless housing inventory; • Large emergency shelter provider in area did not report their homeless service data for night of the count; • The continuum of care had fewer dollars, and volunteers available to carry out their street count; 12- " More permanent supportive housing beds available in 2014 to serve the homeless, whereby those housed are no longer counted as homeless; " Good, warm and dry weather on day of count in some areas of Florida kept the street homeless out of cold night shelters, and made them harder to find. " Better planning for the street count to identify encampments. " Recruitment of more volunteers; " Large increase in homeless families found; " More transient homeless were found during the count as result of having homeless persons help do the street count; " Shelter count up due to more beds available that serve homeless veterans; " Better count system used in 2014, including more homeless persons involved in the street count effort. Efforts to improve data quality, including developing consistent and better methodologies for conducting the point in time counts of the homeless, are needed, and are being called for by national homeless advocacy groups. Until those changes are made, the early caution is repeated year-to-year comparisons at the community level can be misleading. Too many variables can cause widely different results. 13- TABLE 1 HOMELESS PEOPLE BY COUNTY Source: 2014 Point -in -Time Count, Department of Children and Families, Office on Homelessness County 2008 2009 2010 20111 2012 20131 2014 Alachua 1,381 1,596 879 1,034 1,034 1,745 1,516 Baker 0 N/C 12 2 N/C N/C No count Bay 312 352 317 378 287 284 253 Bradford 67 78 5 39 36 50 No count Brevard 1,899 1,207 1,221 1,889 1,907 1,567 1,567 Broward 5,218 4,154 4,154 3,801 3,801 2,820 2,738 Calhoun N/C N/C N/C 1 1 1 No count Charlotte 730 541 598 716 828 573 511 Citrus 293 297 405 502 507 243 188 Clay 25 N/C 7 113 244 35 102 Collier 321 329 401 390 390 375 361 Columbia 362 554 554 462 458 491 473 DeSoto 639 319 761 15 176 330 340 Dixie N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C No count Duval 2,681 3,244 3,910 4,284 2,533 2,594 1,801 Escambia 791 713 713 549 572 830 862 Flagler 38 39 79 98 128 154 188 Franklin N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C No count Gadsden N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C No count Gilchrist N/C N/C 1 6 32 0 No count Glades 172 220 220 N/C N/C N/C 96 Gulf N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C 2 Hamilton 81 123 343 103 103 107 102 Hardee 835 1,410 1,410 104 17 61 124 Hendry 422 727 727 16 N/C N/C 138 Hernando 196 185 136 148 209 147 77 Highlands 912 1,782 1,782 105 55 215 495 Hillsborough 9,532 7,473 7,473 7,336 7,336 • 2,291 Holmes N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C 2 No count Indian River 462 662 648 606 774 837 1,048 Jackson 3 N/C 11 34 34 14 13 Jefferson N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C No count Lafayette 44 69 69 57 58 63 60 Lake 518 491 796 1,008 1,019 282 187 Lee 899 931 1,041 1,054 969 848 871 -14- County 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Leon 430 437 437 683 783 1,072 805 Levy 99 115 15 0 98 13 No count Liberty N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C No count Madison N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C No count Manatee 472 558 528 528 612 820 494 Marion 458 678 356 941 1,032 530 918 Martin 507 211 517 306 314 486 567 Miami -Dade 4,574 4,333 3,832 3,777 3,817 3,734 4,156 Monroe 1,121 1,040 1,040 926 904 658 678 Nassau 111 N/C 61 165 84 138 93 Okaloosa 1,752 2,361 1,842 2,145 1,962 1,108 904 Okeechobee 112 383 383 32 190 78 158 Orange 1,962 1,279 1,494 2,872 2,281 2,937 1,701 Osceola 573 374 443 833 722 599 278 Palm Beach 1,766 2,147 2,147 2,148 2,148 1,543 1,543 Pasco 4,074 4,527 4,527 4,442 4,502 3,305 3,305 Pinellas 4,680 4,163 3,948 3,890 3,971 3,9131 3,391 Polk 973 8201 820 1,0951 1,100 4041 536 Putnam 789 911 288 141 164 89 49 St. Johns 1,238 1,237 1,237 1,386 1,391 1,437 1,401 St. Lucie 964 788 995 771 636 915 976 Santa Rosa 237 317 317 72 70 151 N/C Sarasota 662 787 787 787 890 1,234 891 Seminole 561 368 397 810 658 842 275 Sumter 97 52j 48 57 77 37 59 Suwannee 220 3431 123 280 284 318 308 Taylor N/C N/C N/C N/C 14 6 No count Union N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C No count Volusia 1,763 1,874 2,076 2,215 2,276 1,967 1,445 Wakulla N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C N/C No count Walton N/C 85 420 619 484 453 Okaloosa- Walton combined Washington 6 3 N/C N/C N/C N/C No count Totals59,034 57,687 57,751 56,771 54,972 43,455 41,335 "Homeless people" means those living on the street, or staying in emergency housing. The count covers those identified during one 24-hour period of time. The number of homeless people may be higher, but 16 counties do not have the resources to participate in the count. -15- Section 3 Homeless Population Characteristics The 28 local continuum of care planning agencies have reported the following information on the make-up of the homeless population in Florida. They captured this information from direct interviews or from agency data on homeless persons served as entered into the Homeless Management Information System [HMIS]. The 2014 data is compared to 2013 data. Gender Men made up the majority of the homeless persons. Of 30,552 persons surveyed in 2014, 19,988 were men (65%). The data for 2014 remains consistent with last year's results. Gender Age Year Men Women 2013 67% 33% 2014 65% 35% Aoe The age ranges of the 2014 homeless population were reported as follows: These results are consistent with the focus of the count — those persons living in shelters or staying on the streets. Families with children are more likely to be sharing the housing of others, and are not allowed to be included in the federal counts, due to this living arrangement. Ethnicity In 2014, 3,384 homeless persons out of 32,181 responding to the survey, indicated that they were either Hispanic or Latino. At 10.5% of the homeless population, this is down from the 2013 level of 12.1 %. Race The reported race of the homeless population reflects more White and Black/African Americans than other races. Population Category Age 2014 Percentage 2013 Percentage Age Ranges Number of Persons 2014% 2013% Under 18 5,794 18.6% 17.8% 18-24 2,736 8.8% 7.7% 24-60 20,128 ' .64.8% 65.3% ' Over60 2,418 7.9% 7.2% Notal 31,076 These results are consistent with the focus of the count — those persons living in shelters or staying on the streets. Families with children are more likely to be sharing the housing of others, and are not allowed to be included in the federal counts, due to this living arrangement. Ethnicity In 2014, 3,384 homeless persons out of 32,181 responding to the survey, indicated that they were either Hispanic or Latino. At 10.5% of the homeless population, this is down from the 2013 level of 12.1 %. Race The reported race of the homeless population reflects more White and Black/African Americans than other races. Population Category 2014 Number 2014 Percentage 2013 Percentage American Indian/Alaskan 339 1.0% 1.5% Asian 116 0.3% 0.4% Black/African American 10,957 34.0% 36.5°% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 95 0.3% 0.4% White 17,611 54.3°% 61.2°% Total 32,407 16- Household Type The great majority, 20,633, of the unsheltered an d sheltered homeless population are single adults or households without children. For 2014, the breakdown of the homeless by household type was reported as follows: Household Type Number responding %of Total One adult and one child 3,243 13.1 No children in household 20,633 83.4% Only children in household 874 0.4% Total 24,750 86.0% Military Veterans Of the homeless persons responding to the question on active duty in the U.S. military, 14.1 % indicated that they were veterans. This is down from the 2013 level of 16.1 %, possibly due to the Veterans Affairs increased focus on resources like the HUDNASH rent vouchers targeted to homeless veterans. ' Disabling Condition Military Veterans Condition Served/Active Duty 2014 numbers 2014 Percentage 2013 Numbers 2013 Percentage Yes 3,97414.0% 5,063 37.1% 4,915 16.1% No 24,139 86.0% 25,616 83.9% Total 28,113 Developmental 30,531 Disabling Conditions The breakdown by type of disability indicates once again that the greatest issues are substance abuse and mental illness. In the survey, respondents may report more than one disabling condition. Foster Care History In asking whether the homeless individual had been in foster care, 1,398 persons out of the 19,823 responding to the question indicated that they had been in foster care. This figure represents 7.1% of the respondents. Causes and Length of Time Homeless The data collected upon entry to shelters seeks to identify the major causes contributing to a person becoming homeless, how long they have been homeless as of the day of the count, whether the person has had previous episodes of homelessness, and how long the person has lived in the community before becoming homeless. The 2014 survey results follow. -17- Disabling Condition Condition 2014 Number 2014 Percentage 2013 Percentage Physical 3,677 26.1% 28.0% Substance Abuse 5,063 37.1% 49.2°% Mental illness 4,055 29.8% 40.2% HIV/AIDS 454 3.3% 5.0% Developmental 378 2.3% 4.0% Total 13,627 Foster Care History In asking whether the homeless individual had been in foster care, 1,398 persons out of the 19,823 responding to the question indicated that they had been in foster care. This figure represents 7.1% of the respondents. Causes and Length of Time Homeless The data collected upon entry to shelters seeks to identify the major causes contributing to a person becoming homeless, how long they have been homeless as of the day of the count, whether the person has had previous episodes of homelessness, and how long the person has lived in the community before becoming homeless. The 2014 survey results follow. -17- [Source: Lead Agency Survey of 2014 Point -in -Time Count, May 2014, Department of Children and Families.] 18- Causes of Homelessness Cause 2014 Number 2014% 2013% Employment/Financial 9,105 48.0% 49.0% Medical/Disability 3,267 17.2% 14.9% Family Problems 3,268 17.2% 11.7% Forced to relocate 3,054 16.1% 14.1% Recent Immigration 95 0.5% 0.6% Natural Disaster 222 1.2% 1.4% [Source: Lead Agency Survey of 2014 Point -in -Time Count, May 2014, Department of Children and Families.] 18- Number of Times Homeless Times 2014 Number 2014% 2013% No prior/First time 2,622 14.3% 27.3% One prior episode 5,836 32.2% 25.3% Two or three prior episodes 5,439 30.0% 22.8% Four or more prior episodes 4,327 24.0% 19.9% Total 18,224 62.2% 58.71% [Source: Lead Agency Survey of 2014 Point -in -Time Count, May 2014, Department of Children and Families.] 18- Length of Time in Community Before Becoming Homeless Length of Time 2014 Number 2014 Percentage 2013 Percentage Less than one week 2,023 10.9% 4.52% 1 to 4 weeks 1,162 6.3% 4.73% 1 to 3 months 1,379 7.4% 10.23% 3 to 12 months 2,466 13.3% 15.73% More than 1 year 11,559 62.2% 58.71% Total - 18,589 [Source: Lead Agency Survey of 2014 Point -in -Time Count, May 2014, Department of Children and Families.] 18- Section 4 Homeless Students in Florida Broader Definition of Homelessness The school districts in our state capture and report to the Florida Department of Education, the number of students identified as homeless during the school year. By Federal law, the public schools use the expanded definition of homeless individuals to include those children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including those who are: 1. Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason; 2. Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, and camping grounds, due to lack of adequate alternative housing; 3. Living in emergency or transitional shelters; 4. Abandoned in hospita Is or awaiting foster care placement; 5. Living in a public or private place not designed for or used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings to live; 6. Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, bus or train stations; substandard housing or similar setting; and 7. Migratory children living in any of the above circumstances. During the 2012-2013 school year, the Florida school districts identified 70,215 children and youth who were homeless. This is a 10% increase from 2011-2012. Of those identified, 6,658 (9%) were "unaccompanied youth." An "unaccompanied youth" is defined as one who is not in physical custody of a parent or guardian. The majority, 52,673 (75%) were reported as homeless and temporarily sharing the housing of other persons due to the loss of their housing or economic hardship; a one percent increase from the previous school year. Homeless Students Reported in Florida Public Schools School Homeless Change Year Students 2008-2009 41,286 +20% 2009-2010 49,112 +19% 2010-2011 56,680 +15% 2011-2012 63,685 +12% 2012-2013 70,215 +10% Source: 1008-1013 Survey 5 Student Demographic Format and Federal State Indicator Format. Florida Department of Education, Automated Student Database System. 19- Table 2 Homeless Students Reported in Florida Public Schools by Florida County -20- 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 DISTRICT NAME HOMELESS HOMELESS HOMELESS HOMELESS HOMELESS Alachua 707 446 594 632 551 Baker 153 191 249 304 262 Bay 700 641 1,175 1,477 1,626 Bradford <11 122 154 215 143 Brevard 478 965 1,165 1,350 1,645 Broward 1,807 2953 2,101 2,158 2,185 Calhoun 12 47 58 84 57 Charlotte 376 441 495 488 493 Citrus 483 371 323 328 303 Clay 816 824 741 862 1,379 Collier 814 1360 1,407 1,281 1,123 Columbia 423 380 403 567 578 Dade 2,581 4268 4,406 5,773 6,475 Desoto 193 223 225 278 367 Dixie .12 60 48 31 29 Duval 2,144 947 1,169 1,422 1,896 Escambia 1,036 1237 1,091 1,423 1,621 Flagler 166 246 322 367 517 Franklin 140 126 160 205 230 Gadsden 689 713 533 556 586 Gilchrist <11 27 20 17 <11 Glades <11 18 34 26 17 Gulf <11 <11 <11 <11 35 Hamilton 251 342 326 343 218 Hardee 49 146 188 183 128 Hendry 74 139 156 200 195 Hernando 207 242 497 645 521 Highlands 37 61 92 429 385 Hillsborough 2,054 3124 3,659 3,559 3,170 Holmes <11 24 62 90 96 Indian River 349 347 311 273 278 Jackson 182 119 158 177 152 Jefferson <11 <11 <11 <11 <11 Lafayette 105 141 196 195 217 Lake 778 2162 2,992 3,541 2,908 Lake Wales Charter N/A N/A N/A 136 187 Lee 1,030 1143 1,282 1,392 1,446 Leon 329 523 762 650 470 Levy 114 263 182 128 217 Liberty 23 22 21 41 52 Madison 89 57 74 103 263 -20- N/A means not applicable. Source: 2008-2013 Survey 5 Student Demographic Format and Federal State Indicator Format, Florida Department of Education, Automated Student Database System. -21- 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 DISTRICT NAME HOMELESS HOMELESS HOMELESS HOMELESS HOMELESS Manatee 1,770 1684 1,788 1,641 1,791 Marion 1,675 1691 1,911 2,223 2,421 Martin 48 68 80 115 125 Monroe 317 298 328 343 343 Nassau 54 145 230 210 331 Okaloosa 335 482 404 573 538 Okeechobee 130 203 318 396 495 Orange 2,467 1324 3,887 4,844 7,234 Osceola 1,251 1364 1,923 2,825 3,156 Palm Beach 1,339 1960 1,443 1,636 3,107 Pasco 1,815 2093 2,230 1,997 1,904 Pinellas 1,870 2462 2,915 3,085 3,076 Polk 2,024 2219 2,446 2,304 2,547 Putnam 623 720 736 885 734 St. Johns 149 344 493 584 679 St. Lucie 72 222 348 324 466 Santa Rosa 943 1328 1,467 1,651 1,703 Sarasota 1,006 872 1,229 877 917 Seminole 1,008 1322 1,697 1,865 2,235 Sumter 105 124 48 155 156 Suwannee 387 322 315 346 344 Taylor 101 73 89 96 88 Union 51 121 148 157 f24 Volusia 1,973 1889 2,016 2,228 2,195 Wakulla 283 108 56 99 56 Walton 36 40 114 175 230 Washington 22 165 168 79 121 School for Deaf and Blind 0 0 0 <11 14 FL Virtual School 0 0 0 <11 38 FAU - Lab School 0 0 <11 <11 <11 FSU - Lab School 0 0 <11 <11 <11 FAMU - Lab School 0 0 0 11 <11 TOTALS 41,255 49,104 56,658 63,685 70,215 Note: <11 means that fewer than eleven students were identified; counts of one to ten students are identified as <11. N/A means not applicable. Source: 2008-2013 Survey 5 Student Demographic Format and Federal State Indicator Format, Florida Department of Education, Automated Student Database System. -21- Section 5 Continuum of Care Planning and Funding What is a homeless continuum of care plan? The local homeless assistance continuum of care plan is intended to be a framework for a comprehensive and seamless array of emergency, transitional, and permanent housing and services to address the various needs of homeless persons, as well as those at risk of becoming homeless. [Section 420.624, Florida Statutes] This locally driven plan reflects the community's vision for solutions to its specific homeless needs. This planning is required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to be eligible to apply for and compete for federal grants to develop and operate housing for the homeless. The continuum of care plan outlines the strategies and actions planned at th a community level to accomplish the federal goal for reducing and ending homelessness. Each continuum of care plan serves a specific geographical area, and the local planning effort shall identify an agency to lead this planning. These lead agencies are local homeless continuums of care, units of local government or other private nonprofit entities. Florida's Planning Effort In 2014, there are 28 local continuum of care planning areas covering 64 of the 67 counties. The present planning areas are depicted on the map on page 26, which also identifies the agency leading the homeless plan. The three counties that have elected not to be part of .planning are Baker, Union and Dixie. Return on the Planning Investment The state's continuum of care areas have become very successful in competing for and receiving housing g rants from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, to create transitional and permanent housing for the homeless. In the most recent grant cycle, (FY2013), the 28 continuums of care have received grant awards totaling $72,724,924. This helps to fund over 327 local projects in Florida. The growth in grant funding being secured to help serve Florida's homeless is reflected in the following table of awards. Year Continuum of Care Awards 2001 $48,692,766 2002 $41,239,338 2003 $51,396,280 2004 $59,060,266 2005_ $58,053,746 2006 $56,269,722 2007 $62,693,380 2008 $67,181,336 1 2009 $73,836,367 2010 $77,739,489 2011 $78,767,112 2012 $78,554,056 2013 $82,932,029 -22- The total awards for 2013 cover both grant renewals and new projects. A breakdown of the grants by each of the planning areas for 2012 and 2013 follows: HUD Continuum of Care Awards By Florida Planning Areas 2012 and 2013 Continuum of Care 2012 Award 2013 Awad Suncoast $722,807 $800,833 Hillsborough 5,188,111 5,782,271 Pinellas 3,555,027 3,792,806 Polk 388,551 704,421 Lakeland 1,266,347 989,191 Volusia/Flagler 1,341,868 1,406,249 Okaloosa/Walton 61,853 621,146 Big Bend 1,204,042 1,309,174 Central FL 5,885,637 6,004,072 North Central 637,364 646,153 Treasure Coast 1,279,080 1,340,469 Jacksonville 4,588,269 4,586,646 Escallosa 987,587 964,894 St. Johns 208,264 152,400 Brevard 871,759 828,171 -Miami-Dade 31,389,776 32,519,448 Broward 9,318,247 10,246,854 Lee 2,164,377 2,030,730 Monroe 521,973 499,054' Palm Beach 5,098,759 5,496,169 Collier 315,368 298,064 Marion 243,341 242,225 Pasco 287,860 776,756 Northwest 44,470 42,247 Mid -Florida 390,205 371,706 Suwannee Valley 160,334 278,346 Highlands 201,534 201,534 TOTAL $78,554,056 $82,932,029 -23- The result of grant funding has been the growth in housing options to enable the h omeless to get off the street, and to get back into permanent housing. This growth is reflected in the chart below comparing the n umber of beds available in 2001 to the supply in 2012. Beds Available for Homeless People Emergency Year Shelter Transitional Housing Permanent Housing Total Beds 2001 7,967 10,589 3,683 22,239 2012 10,168 13,968 14,558 38,694 The major growth in the permanent housing bed supply reflects the shift in best practices away from sheltering, to rapid re -housing of the homeless into permanent housing. This model is called "Housing First," and has demonstrated cost effective outcomes in ending a person's episode of homelessness. Homelessness Prevention Grant The 2013 Florida Legislature enacted the Homelessness Prevention Grant program to provide emergency financial assistance to families with minor children who face the loss of housing due to a financial or other crisis. The Office on Homelessness is authorized to provide these grants annually to lead agencies for the 28 local homeless assistance continuum of care planning areas in the state. Only those agencies can apply for the grant. The program provides case management and financial assistance for overdue rent or mortgage payments and overdue utility bills to enable the family to remain stably housed after receiving the assistance. In April 2014, the Office on Homelessness awarded a total of $876,124 to 16 Homeless Continuum of Care lead agencies that applied for the funding.. Staffing Grant The Staffing Grant provides up to $25,000 per local homeless continuum of care to assist in covering a staff position, subject to appropriation. There are currently 28 recognized local continuums that meet the requirements for the grant. -24- Section 6 Glossary Catchment area —The geographical area of the state for which each Homeless Continuum of Care lead agency provides services. Coalition —A group of service providers, interested citizens, local government officials and others who work together on affordable housing and homelessness issues in their communities. Generally, a coalition is not to be confused with a Continuum of Care lead agencies which is a formal HUD - designation. Continuum of Care —The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) designed the Homeless Continuums of Care to promote communitywide commitment and planning to the goal of ending homelessness. In Florida there are 28 Continuum of Care lead agencies serving 64 of 67 counties. Council on Homelessness —The Council on Homelessness was created in 2001 to develop policies and recommendations to reduce homelessness in Florida. The Council's mission is to develop and coordinate policy to reduce the prevalence and duration of homelessness, and work toward ending homelessness in Florida. Department of Children & Families (DCF) —An agency of Florida state government charged with protecting vulnerable children and adults, helping families return to self-sufficiency, and advancing personal and family recovery and resiliency. Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) —An agency of Florida state government that promotes economic opportunities for all Floridians; formulating and implementing successful workforce, community, and economic development policies and strategies. Emergency Shelter — A living facility open to individuals and families who are homeless. The set-up of an emergency shelter may be in dormitory style, or with individual rooms for shelter residents. Many shelters offer case management to help residents with housing, jobs, and social services. Extremely Low -Income (ELI) — Household income that is 30% of the annual federal poverty guidelines published by the Department of Health and Human Services. For example, in 2014 a Florida family of 4 would have a yearly income of $16,850 or less. Florida Housing Finance Corporation — Florida Housing was created by the Florida Legislature more than 25 years ago to help Floridians obtain safe, decent, affordable housing that might otherwise be unavailable to them. The corporation provides funds for the development of housing. Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) —A Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is a local information technology system used to collect client information and data on the provision of housing and services to homeless individuals and families and persons at risk of homelessness. Each Continuum of Care is responsible for selecting an HMIS software solution that complies with HUD's data collection, management, and reporting standards. 25- Housing First— Housing First is an approach to ending homelessness that centers on providing people experiencing homelessness with housing as quickly as possible — and then providing services as needed. This approach has the benefit of being consistent with what most people experiencing homelessness want and seek help to achieve. Office on Homelessness— Created in 2001, the Office on Homelessness was established as a central point of contact within state government on homelessness. The Office coordinates the services of the various state agencies and programs to serve individuals or families who are homeless, or are facing homelessness. Office staff work with the 17 -member Council on Homelessness to develop state policy. The Office also manages targeted state grants to support the implementation of local homeless service continuum of care plans. The Office is responsible for coordinating resources and programs across all levels of government, and with private providers that serve the homeless. It also manages targeted state grants to support the implementation of local homeless service continuum of care plans. Point -in -Time (PIT) Count— HUD requires Continuums of Care (CoCs) to count the number of people experiencing homelessness in the geographic area that they serve through the Point -in -Time count (PIT). Conducted by most CoCs during the last ten days in January, the PIT count includes people served in shelter programs every year, with every other year also including people who are unsheltered. Data collected during the PIT counts is critical to effective planning and performance management toward the goal of ending homelessness for each community and for the nation as a whole. Housing Trust Funds— Housing trust funds are established in state and local governments as a way of funding affordable housing. Many trust funds like Florida's Sadowski Act Trust Fund receive funding from dedicated revenue from real estate doc stamps. They may also be.funded by general revenue and government bonds. Supportive Housing—A combination of housing and services intended as a cost -effective -way to help . people live more stable, productive lives. Supportive housing is widely believed to work wgll for those who face the most complex challenges—individuals and families confronted with homelessness and who also have very low incomes and/or serious, persistent issues that may include substance abuse, addiction, mental illness, HIV/AIDS, or other serious challenges to a successful life. Supportive housing can be coupled with such social services as job training, life skills training, alcohol and drug abuse programs, community support services (e.g., child care, educational programs), and case management to populations in need of assistance. Transitional Housing—Temporary housing, generally a room, a house or an apartment, that serves individuals and families who are going from homelessness to permanent housing and self-sufficiency. Transitional housing programs offer residents help in finding work, food, permanent affordable housing, etc. -26- S 09 �m U � s E S u u° c Y o ca Ed 6 u yg*�� E 6 l'' v II'S n E L x'�,X'sxo 3j: xqq'� 2J S c 8� O urs€? g U y S o$ pp L E E g D ick u a xoi m' E cti uou scar -S o�.�'<=chi=u = 411/v 3 f� d p v U 5 C .� 0 E E a n c A L t d a g o N 7 J Y v sa ! E 09 �m U � s E S u u° c Y o ca Ed 6 u yg*�� E 6 l'' v II'S n E L x'�,X'sxo 3j: xqq'� 2J S c 8� O urs€? g U y S o$ pp L E E g D ick u a xoi m' E cti uou scar -S o�.�'<=chi=u = w E LL6 3 '�} oY� x = • 0 c5e 8 � x e� o ,Di�u�cSLLcx Bgy��` E sr$ 8 m�": 3��ia�uEi Via'>z�u -27- 411/v 3 d p v U 5 C .� 0 E E a n c A L t d a g o N 7 J Y v sa ! E = U rn r 0 o V c O t Y Y w E LL6 3 '�} oY� x = • 0 c5e 8 � x e� o ,Di�u�cSLLcx Bgy��` E sr$ 8 m�": 3��ia�uEi Via'>z�u -27- Section 8 Council Members 2013-2014 Agencies Represented by Department of Children and Families Kriss Vallese Department of Economic Opportunity Sean Lewis Department of Health Mary T. Green Department of Corrections Chris Southerland Lauren Walker Department of Veterans' Affairs Alene Tarter CareerSource Florida, Inc. Carmen Mims Florida Department of Education Lorraine Husum Allen Agency for Health Care . Molly McKinstry Administration Florida Housing Finance Corporation Bill Aldinger Florida Coalition for the Homeless Florida Supportive Housing Coalition Florida League of Cities Florida Association of Counties Governor's Appointees Ex Officio -28- Angela Hogan Shannon Nazworth Rick Butler Claudia Tuck Steve Smith Ardian Zika Cherron "CC" Newby Lindsey Berling-Cannon Nikki Barfield Tom Bilodeau Col. Washington Sanchez, Jr. Why Airbnb Doesn't Worry When its Users Break the Law Since May of 2011, the vacation rental website Airbnb has been openly flouting a New York City law stating that it is illegal to rent full apartments for less than 3o days. It's a pretty basic law that the city worked closely with state legislators to make as simple as possible so that enforcement would be easy. In a frank interview with me, David Hantman, Airbnb's Global Head of Public Policy said, "We can't possibly keep up with the law in all the cities." That's insane. Businesses big or small -- and I started a small business with big ambitions this summer -- have a responsibility to be good neighbors or, failing that, at least understand the law of the land. And you'd think Airbnb would understand how important it is to be a good neighbor. Anything else is plain arrogance, even if you consider yourself "disruptive" and have a ".com" at the end of your name. Alrbnb says the law in New York is complicated, but it's not. It just doesn't fit with their business model: Before New York State passed the current law, residents and community leaders (and not hotel chains, as some uninformed Airbnb backers claim) had been complaining about a glut of illegal hotels and apartments for years, but a patchwork of contradicting laws meant that it was nearly impossible to stop them, especially since fines were so small. But the profits were nice: A studio apartment on a vacation rental site can go for $175 or so a night, bringing in much mord than the monthly income from someone with a standard year-long lease. The hosts could basically operate like a hotel, but without all the pesky safety regulations, insurance requirements, permits or zoning that real businesses have to deal with. Screw the neighbors. Airbnb likes to argue that its hosts are just folks; musicians renting out their place while they are on tour, snowbirds getting a bit extra cash while they go to Florida. But that's not really the case. It's big operators like New York's Smart Apartments thatallegedly run 200+ units in 5o buildings illegally, infuriating neighbors and turning residential apartment buildings into transient dorms. Visitors maybe well-meaning, but they make life difficult for people who want to go to work or take their kids to school without seeing a new stranger in the building every day. Airbnb has known about bad apples like Smart Apartments (which was the offspring of Hotel Toshi) for some time. Every major newspaper in the city wrote about Toshi s brazen antics and angry neighbors. Following a meeting CEO Brian Chesky had with me and a few colleagues at my old company about a possible partnership, I emailed him about the dubious listings I found on the site and asked why they let them remain. I got silence. Those listings stayed live until this October when the Bloomberg administration sued Smart Apartments and demanded over $i million in damages. Toshi, Smart Apartments and their unsavory peers were just too popular and profitable to ditch. I like Airbnb. I think its website is inspiring for travelers, house hunters and armchair dreamers. They've pulled vacation rentals kicking and screaming into the present century and they've made it look sexy. The listings that are legal fulfill the site's promise of connecting travelers with interesting locals in just as interesting neighborhoods. Although this is the vision Airbnb likes to promote, it's not the reality. Airbnb pretends that any impediments to its success -- or an eventual IPO -- are messy, old - school regulations that stifle creativity. If you don't like it, you just don't get the new economy, Airbnb and its defenders say. But the new economy, like the old, has rules they need to obey, even if they are a slight speed bump along the road to success. Over the last 24 hours our story has sparked lots of responses across the web, most of them around the "I didn't know it was illegal" theme. Ideally we'd see Airbnb respond by saying, "Hey, we're going to operate according to the law in our leading markets and stop enabling and profiting from illegal activity." But I don't see that happening. I think that their leaders' reality is so distant from everyone else's that they honestly believe the nonsense that comes out of their mouths, rather than the great prospects possible in the (legal) connections they make possible. -- By Jason Clampet P26/2014 wcuoorrus Tampa Is tee nicest city In Amenca, says AlfbnD - GNt 1 Ad: Get an [Phone 6 for $0 when you trade in any (Phone Connect with us L 5,z1! CPRE- J New= `-'iuc". IDownloadRcviews How To l US Edition Our fastest way to order CNET . Internet , Tampa is the nicest city in America, says Airbnb Is att.com. ORDER NOW TampaTampa is the nicest city in THIS WEEK'S MUST READS/ Tampa Is the In �7 nicest city America, says Airbnb 1 America, says Airbnb Internet The peer-to-peer housing service ranks the hos itality of towns p p g p 2 Amazon draws in between Fire tablet and Kindle e -reader across the country based on the stays of its more than 4 million Internet guests. While the South and West make it on the board, Four of Apple's biggest r Northeast cities dorft make the cut. 3 missteps, from Maps to by Donna Tam @DonnaYTam / July 22, 201310:23 AM PDT 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / / more+ presented oy Private Airbnb room known as'The Green Room' in Tampa, Florida. Airbnb Airbnb crunched its unique set of data to rank American's most hospitable cities, and according to Its more than 4 million guests, small cities In the South and the West are the nicest. Tampa, Florida topped the list released on Monday, based on something the company calls the "Airbnb Hospitality Index." No major metropolitan cities or any towns in the Northeast made the list. Instead, towns known for things like warm weather, the great outdoors, and collegiate activities were the friendliest for Airbnb users. MoblleMe Mobile Should Uber and Lyft keep 4 passenger ratings secret? Tech Culture BlackBerry hopes 'love it or 5 hate it' Passport earns It a second chance Mobile tp://tvww.cnet.cominews/tampa-is-the-nicest-city-in-america-says-airbnb/ in 9/26/2014 Tampa is the nicest city in America, says Airbnb - CNET The company used Its customers' ratings to determine which cities had the highest percentage of five-star rated trips. It then filtered the list to cities that hosted at least 500 trips in the last two years. The index considered factors like cleanliness, the check-in experience, and the quality of communication. Airbnb said it plans to do an International ranking next. Here's the complete list: Tampa, Florida Mendocino, California Eugene, Oregon Bend, Oregon Raleigh, North Carolina Memphis, Tennessee Madison, Wisconsin Nashville, Tennessee Tucson, Arizona Lake Tahoe, California Airbnb's data team also noted some trends based on user demographics: older hosts are more hospitable, younger guests are more generous with their reviews, and guests tend to rank female hosts higher than male hosts. And, not surprisingly, those who book early have a better trip overall. "The longer in advance a guest books, the more highly they rate their host. This could be because they have a better selection to choose from, or because they've more carefully thought through their trip and have a clear sense of what they need In a host," according to the blog post. Check out the rest of data crunching here. IO MOST OOSPITAB CITIES t . � r Airbnb Tags: Internet, Airbnb FEATURED VIDEO htipJ/www.cnet.conVnews/tampa-is-the-nicest-city-In-amedca-says-airbnb/ 217 26/2014 The Other Complication for Airbnb and the Sharing Economy: Taxes I TIME.com Subscribe Sign In Subscribe vnCntion Y:tcx igos 5mritm w TPC Snwgrac ; I TFC $couvdeir..l TPC tea Vegas In for Airbnb and the es y know what taxes they're supposed to pay, nor :tear, enforcement is almost nonexistent, and the ill, very few people do pay them. 3y Brad Tuttle @bradrtuttle .)line 15, 2C' 3 . 5 Comments )haring economy businesses like Airbnb, RelayRides, and FlightCar have' :ome under fire recently, with participants accused of failure to comply with nsurance regulations, building codes, and other rules. In addition to those :omplications, which I wrote about in the recent issue of TIME magazine, here's the problem of taxes. Namely, it seems as if almost no one involved in he sharing economy knows exactly what taxes they're supposed to pay, nor vhen or how to pay them. And for several reasons — the rules are unclear, enforcement is almost nonexistent, and many feel that "sharing" shouldn't >e taxed at all — very few people pay them. )ne part of the equation is fairly straightforward: Money earned from enting out a room in your apartment, loaning your car to a stranger, or from my other sharing economy business is considered income, and participants herefore may have to pay income taxes on those earnings. Airbnb, in fact, ,ends iogg-Mise forms to all hosts who are supposed to pay taxes on their ental income. i'he site also mentions that a state or locality may require that other short- erm rental fees or taxes be paid, and this is where things get really, really nessy. According to Airbnb, its entirely up to the host to include the proper axes in their rental listing rates, and then it's up to the host to pay them. You are responsible for managing your tax and other regulatory tbligations," Airbnb's Taxes FAQ section says. "Please contact a tax RELATED Lyft-Off: Car -Sharing Start -Up Raises $60 Million Led by Andreessen Horowitz Car Sharing: Future Looks Bright, Even With Some Cloudy Legal Issues Will High Marijuana Taxes Encourage Black Markets? Airbnb is still snubbing SF, even after a NY judge rules it illegal there San Francisco Bay Guardian Airbnb Announces Tool to Shelter Disaster Victims Fast Company Airbnb.com Redux: Competition from Vacation Rentals Euromonitor International tp://business.lime.mml2013106/15/the-other-complication-for-alrbnb-end-the-sharing-economy-taxes/print/ 114 9/26/2014 The Other Complication for Airbnb and the sharing Economy: Taxes I TIME.com professional or city compliance department for advice about your tax status and compliance." How many Airbnb hosts actually hand over hotel taxes to the local tax collector? No one really knows, but ifs likely that the percentage is tiny—perhaps even zero. Most cities haven't even clarified if short-term hosts should be paying hotel taxes on their rental income, because such a stipulation would implicitly tell residents that short- term rentals are legal — which is itself unclear in many cases. In the spring of 2012, San Francisco made it clear that short-term rentals are indeed subject to hotel taxes. The treasury office announced that its interpretation of existing laws require "anyone who rents out a guest room to pay the city's roughly 15 percent transient occupancy tax — commonly referred to as the hotel tax," as the San Francisco Chronicle explained. Over the last few months, however, Steven T. Jones of the Bay Guardian has repeatedly pointed out that no Airbnb listings in San Francisco mention the hotel tax. The paper estimates that the transient occupancy taxes (TOT) that should be collected by Airbnb, or Airbnb hosts, amount to at least $1.8 million per year. (MORE: Sharing Is Hard: Legal Trouble for Airbnb, RelayRides, FlightCar) The city won't say how much, if anything, it collects in hotel taxes from Airbnb rentals. What's more, there seems to be some mystery as to who should be paying the taxes—Airbnb or the individual hosts? And how does this work? Should somebody just be dropping off a bag of money at city hall? Greg Kato, policy and legislative manager for the San Francisco treasurer and tax collector, clarified over the phone that there is indeed a process for an Airbnb host to collect and pay TOTs. First, the host must register as a business with the treasurer and get a certificate of authority to collect the tax. There are some application fees involved (like $25), and quarterly filings of taxes with the city. Simple, right? Actually, the forms and red tape probably seem like quite a hassle to the individual who just wants to rent a room out for a few days a year. I'm not running a business, many will think, why should I be registering as one? (Officially registering with the city would also seem scary to anyone with an inkling that their building or neighborhood doesn't allow short-term rentals.) What's more, the certificate of authority form is plainly written with hotels in mind, asking for things like the "hotel name." To which a sensible Airbnb host might respond, I'm not running a hotel, and my apartment doesn't have a name. Kato said that regardless of the verbiage, the forms apply to short-term rental hosts. And when money is changing hands as it does in the Airbnb arrangement, the host is undoubtedly running a business in the city's eyes. Because the business directly involves transient occupants (i.e., Airbnb guests), payment of the transient occupancy tax is required. Kato also pointed out that there's a misperception about what the TOT is. "It's a tax on the transient occupant, not on the hotel or person hosting a short-term rental," he said. "If I am a visitor in San Francisco, I am the one personally being taxed, regardless of whether the space is in an apartment or a 20 -story hotel." (MORE: Amazon's New Grocery Service: For $299, You Never Had to Leave the House Again) hUp://business.time.com/2013/06/l5/the-other-complication-for-airbnb-and-the-sharing-economy-taxes/pdntl 2/4 26/2014 The Other Complication for Airbnb and the sharing Economy: Taxes I TIME.com .n the 14 or so months since San Francisco announced that short-term rental operators should be paying the TOT, Cato says that people have occasionally contacted his office asking for guidance. "I haven't been overwhelmed vith calls," he said. "Maybe 20, and most were anonymous—people saying they were calling for a friend or Iomething." And how many Airbnb hosts have followed the proper steps for registering and are now paying hotel .axes? No one knows. Urbnb hosts in other cities have little reason to worry about paying hotel taxes, but that's only because in many nunicipalities, it's not entirely clear if Airbnb rentals are legal. And how would anyone pay taxes on a business arrangement that's not acknowledged as lawful? .n New Orleans, for instance, the Times -Picayune reported a few months ago that hundreds of short-term rentals are listed at Airbnb and other sites for the French Quarter area, despite a local law banning rentals of fewer than io days in the neighborhood (or less than 3o days anywhere else in the city). None of these rentals contribute totel occupancy taxes to the city, of course, and members of a local business and property owners association 'estimated that licensed hotels, motels, inns and bed -and -breakfasts annually lose $13 million in revenue to Ihort-term rental scofflaws," according to the Times -Picayune. "That adds up to about $1.4 million in taxes and icensing fees the city fails to collect every year, they said." MORE: Why Hotels Aren't Making a Killing on Fees Like the Airlines) n the recent case in which an Airbnb host in New York City was fined $2,400 for renting part of his apartment to . ;trangers, the host testified that he did not know if his guest paid hotel taxes — because Airbnb payments go lirectly to Airbnb. In any case, it would be surprising if anyone did pay hotel taxes in this instance—because the udge ruled the host wasn't supposed to be renting out the space in the first place! Besides, the city hasn't %plicitly stated that short-term rentals should incur hotel taxes; doing so would basically be an endorsement -Of he concept as l00% acceptable and legal, and that's something regulators in New York and many other cities lon't seem ready to do. n situations where Airbnb hosts are theoretically expected to pay hotel taxes, the obligation strikes many as nherently unfair—because these residents are not running a hotel. Hosts typically view their rental practices as Inly marginally different than having a friend stay over. It's not a full-fledged business, they argue, and taxing it s such is wrong. Besides, as one Airbnb host explained to the Financial Times, taxes are already being paid to the orality: "For us, we're already paying taxes toward the city: property tax, sales tax anytime I buy something," i said Quynh Yamada, a San Francisco nurse who rents her two-bedroom apartment on Airbnb during the summer.1 don't see why I have to pay extra." Vhile some say Airbnb hurts cities because it competes with the hotel tax -collecting hotels, Airbnb counters that is model helps city businesses in a major way—especially in residential neighborhoods where there are few aotels, and where tourists probably wouldn't venture if it weren't for their short-term Airbnb rental. "We know 1pJ/business.time.com/2013/06/15/the-other-complication-for-airbnband-the-shadng-economy-taxes/pdnt/ 314 - 9/26/2014 The Other Complication for Airbnb and the sharing Economy: Taxes I TIME.com that our community has already had a very positive economic impact on neighborhoods throughout the world," David Hartman, Airbnb's head of global policy, said in a statement. "Last year, an independent economist found that activity facilitated through Airbnb contributed $56 million to the San Francisco economy." (MORE: Southwest Airlines: We're Not Really About Cheap Flights Anymore) Likewise, a new Airbnb study estimates that Airbnb rentals contributed roughly $240 million to the local economy in Paris over a one-year span. This is partly due to the fact that Airbnb guests reportedly take their time visiting the city, with an average stay of 5.2 nights, compared to 2.3 nights for hotel guests. Airbnb welcomed the recent news from Amsterdam that clarified that, under certain circumstances, short-term rentals were legal in the city. But in many cities around the world, the legality of short-term rentals remains muddled. For Airbnb, the largest priority is making sure that it's OK for people to earn a little money by hosting travelers. "The first step is clarifying existing laws to ensure that average families can rent out their homes occasionally," said Hantman. Having to pay taxes on room rentals, after all, is better than not being allowed to rent rooms' at all. Brad Tuttle @bradrtuttle, Brad Tuttle covers business and personal finance for TIME. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife and four sons, and also teaches journalism at Wass -Amherst. ' I hdp://business.time.com/2013/O6/l5/the-other-complication-for-airbnb-and-the-sharing-economy-taxes/print/ 4/9 20/2014 Nightmare Palm Springs AIrBnB Renter Refuses to Leave - Squatting - Curbed LA Free Eviction Notice Fonn ® onlineforms.lawdepot.com Edit, Download and Print. Collection of Forms for Landlords. Get the latest from Curbed LA Facebook Email newsletter Like JE :Your email _ E1 Twitter Follow @CurbedLA lightmare Palm Springs AirBnB Renter Refuses to Leave cnday, July 21, 2014, by Bianca Banagan - y1,, , !vk8en sign via Chris Domey <hhijjAv w.shutiersrock.com/gallery-631318pf.htmh / huderstock] i addition to the fact that AlrBnB is likely not legal in your neighborhood http:/Aa.curbed.mmlarchives/2014/03/the_few_plams_In_ los_angeles_where_ irbnbs_might_be_legal.php> , another potential downside to the vacation rental 3rvice is that you might have to take renters to court to evict them. Business isider reports on <hdp:/Avww.businessinsider.mm/airbnb-host-cant-gel- auatler-to-leave-2014-7> an AlrBnB host living who's having to do just that with ar condo In Palm Springs. The "guest" a man whose profile identified him as laksym, rented the woman's condo for a month and paid upfront, but after two ays said he was dissatisfied and demanded a refund. And that's where the ouble began ... he property owner, now feeling uneasy about the visitor, contacted AirBnB so let he could get his money back and leave. It turns out that, aside from the dual AIrE3nB fees, the company was "unable" to collect for actual time stayed In ie condo. Al a loss for what to do, and after a chain of "antagonistic texts" with ie guy in her condo, the property owner decided to let him stay for the term of Is reserved time, hoping he'd leave afterward. ut on the last day of his reservation, when the condo owner emailed the guest nd told him to leave or she'd shut off the utilities, he responded with a caps - Ick -riddled tirade claiming that he was occupying the condo legally and that he PALM SPRINGS AIRRNR LAWSUITS RENTAL NIGHTMARES RENTALS SQUATTERS SQUATTERS'RIGHTS SQUATTING TOP tp:/Aa.curbed.comlarchivesl2014107/nightmare_airbnb_guasl In_palm_spdngs_refuses_lo_leave.php 1f/ 9/26/2014 Nightmare Palm Springs AIrBnB Renter Refuses to Leave - Squatting - Curbed LA was going to sue her because his brother got an ulcer from drinking the tap water in the condo. It turns out, he was only partially crazy. When the condo owner hired a lawyer, she discovered that, in California, tenants who rent property, for 30 days are considered month -to -month -lease tenants, meaning that in order to kick her squatter out, she would actually have to go through the whole process to evict him. Eviction is neither fast nor cheap: it could take as much as half a year and cost around $5,000 in lawyer's fees. AirBnB always reminds hosts to be aware of their state's laws, but if they'd Include a footnote about this exchange, maybe people would actually pay attention to that warning. • Airbnb Host: A Guest Is Squatting In My Condo And I Can't Get Him To Leave <http://www.businessinsider.mm/airbnb-host-canl-gel-squatter-to-leave-2014- 7#Ixzz388JNMNQi> [BI] • The Few Places in Los Angeles Where Airbnbs Might be Legal <httplAa.curbed.com/amhives/2014/03/the_few places_in_los_angeles_where_ airbnbs_might_be_legal.php> [Curbed LA] Recommended Here's the $20M SoCal Big Stupid House Wants Take a Stroll Through Mansion Kim and Kenya Big Stupid Price of - the Biggest House in LA Just Bought $800K County-Megamansions - Curbed LA Lea. mt. Did the dude have reviews from previous airbnb stays? $0 Down Home Loan for Veterans - PreQualify Now sponsored Powered by for Casey Report him to the City of Palm Springs. He is in violation of licensing laws. Get "'- 4 - them Involved as well. He has already stated he is running an unlicensed business from your property. Also see if your HOA CCBR's have a policy on businesses run from the property. Many do. 5.22.020 Business license required. It shall be unlawful for any person to tarty on any home occupation in the city without first having procured a business license and complied with any and all applicable provisions of Chapters 3.40 through 3.96 of this code. (Ont. 1170 § 1, 1982) http://Ia.curbed.comlarchives/2014/07/nightmare_airbnb_guest_in_palm_spdngs_refuses_to_leave.php 20 Public Records SB 1648 (Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee) and CS/HB 1151 (Hood) would have made various changes to the public records laws. • The bills stated that each agency (governmental entity) must provide "appropriate" training on the requirements of the public records law to every employee of the agency commensurate with the employee's duties. (This provision appeared to be very broad, requiring the training of employees who do not handle public records or are not custodians of public records.) • The bills provided a definition of what is a "confidential and exempt" public record and an "exempt" public record. • The bills specified that a public records request need not be made in writing unless required by law. • If extensive clerical or supervisory assistance was needed to produce a public record, the cost for such assistance could not be greater than the labor cost of the lowest -paid personnel,capable of providing the assistance and could not include the costs of employer -paid health insurance premiums or other employer -paid benefits.. • Contractors of public agencies that were required to comply with the public records law must consult the public agency's custodian of public records before denying a request to inspect or copy a record and must provide notice of any civil actions filed to enforce the provisions of the public records law. • The bills allowed for courts to require the payment of reasonable cost of enforcement when civil actions were brought relating to obtaining public records, which included reasonable attorney's fees and other costs. Under current law, if an agency uses public funds for dues or membership contributions to a corporation, association or other organization, the financial, business and membership records of that organization pertaining to the agency become public records. SB 1648 (but not HB 115 1) provided these same requirements if the agency made a payment to an organization on behalf of an employee, and also provided that any record the organization shared publicly, or had presented to or shared with its members generally, became a public record. Agencies join a variety of organizations, including local and state chambers of commerce, state entity associations, local entity associations, etc. Agencies also make dues or membership contributions on behalf of agency employees to a variety of organizations including various professional or occupational -related organizations: accountants, engineers, lawyers, law enforcement officers, building and planning employees, risk managers, recreational employees, utility employees, etc. These organizations are not governmental entities. While an organization's financial and membership records directly pertaining to an agency should be public records, the organization's other business, financial and proprietary records should not be considered public records. SB 1648 died in House messages. CS/HB 1151 passed the House Government Operations Subcommittee but died in the House. Contact: Kraig Conn kconn@flcities.com Revised: 5/6/2014 Gulf Stream: Town working overtime on public records requests • Posted by Chris Felker on September 3, 2014 at 12:35pm • View Bloe By Dan Moffett In waging their legal wars against the town of Gulf Stream, residents Chris O'Hare and Martin O'Boyle have used Florida's public records laws hundreds of times in the last 18 months to challenge how their community is governed. As of mid-August, the town had responded to 1,252 public record requests filed in roughly equal numbers by O'Hare and O'Boyle, according to Town Clerk Rita Taylor. The requests touch most every imaginable tangent of the disputes O'Hare and O'Boyle have had with the town: fights over the architecture of home entrances and roofs, election rules, Americans With Disabilities Act compliance, parking regulation, constitutional protections and general governmental procedures. The two have sought documents, emails, phone texts, receipts, expense vouchers, transcripts and recordings. Between them, O'Hare and O'Boyle have filed dozens of suits and complaints against the town in the circuit and federal courts during the last two years. Taylor, 83, said she has been working seven days a week since last year and her assistant works Saturday mornings. The town also has added a full-time temporary office worker, solely to help satisfy the requests. "Even with the extra temporary worker," Taylor said, "a lot of our other work is undone because we're working on public records." Since mid -2013, Taylor says the clerk's office has logged 4,650 hours handling the public records requests from O'Hare and O'Boyle. She says the office currently is logging about 145 hours per week, or 72 percent of its total work time, dealing with the requests. Gulf Stream spent about $360,000 in legal fees during the last fiscal year to fight the lawsuits of O'Hare and O'Boyle, and the related clerical work at Town Hall has cost at least another $100,000, officials say. In recent months, the town has added a folder on its website just to keep track of public records requests and make them accessible to the public. O'Boyle and O'Hare accuse town officials of creating their own problems. O'Boyle blames the town for being unwilling to negotiate and choosing a "legal slugfest" over a settlement. "If you really want to get the legal fees under control," O'Boyle told Mayor Scott Morgan during the July Town Commission meeting, "you have to really want to get the legal fees under control." O'Hare has accused the town of violating the very public records laws it claims to be upholding. "If you tell your staff to follow the law," O'Hare told town commissioners during the same meeting, "all this stuff would go away and go back to normal." The town has installed a $3,500 video security system at Town Hall after an incident on July 24, when O'Boyle and two associates entered the clerk's office and asked for records during a meeting of the architectural review board, officials said. The new system allows staff to use a video monitor to identify people at the door, talk to them through an intercom and then release the lock electronically — or not. In other business: The Aug. 8 Town Commission meeting was canceled because of a lack of a quorum. Commissioner Donna White was ill, and Morgan and Commissioner Joan Orthwein were on vacation. 25/2014 10 C. Fla. cities that have restrictions on where medical marijuana is legal -Orlando Business Journal From the Orlando Business Journal :http://www.bizjournals.com/oriando/blog/2014/09/ 10-c-fla-cities-that-have- restrictions-on-where.html 10 C. Fla. cities that have restrictions on where medical marijuana is legal Sep 16, 2014, 11:23am EDT JL Abraham Aboraya Reporter- Orlando Business Journal Email I Twitter I Google+ Orange County isn't alone in considering restrictions to where medical marijuana outfits can set up shop. The Orange County Planning & Zoning Commission on Sept. 18 will take a first vote on a proposed ordinance to limit medical marijuana treatment centers to industrial areas. The public meeting is the first in a series of votes that could bring the measure to the full Orange County Commission this fall for approval. Database: Each property zoned for medical marijuana in Orange County See Also • Winter Park considers limiting marijuana zoning to industrial area • First look at Orange County's proposed medical marijuana zoning law • Database: Each property zoned for medical marijuana in Orange County The ordinance, if ultimately approved, would limit medical marijuana treatment centers to general industrial zoning and heavy industrial zoning. Florida's Legislature this year approved a low -THC medical marijuana law, but regulations to implement medical marijuana by January 2015 may be delayed ,. and a broader medical marijuana constitutional amendment will be voted on Nov. 4. We've been getting bits and pieces here and there of which cities are considering and passing laws on medical marijuana zoning, so I reached out to the Florida League of Cities. They sent over a listing of each city they know of that's passed a law about where medical marijuana dispensaries are allowed to set up shop. Is the list official? No, it's a survey asked of the 410 cities in Florida, with a voluntary response Ip://www.bizjoumals.com/oriando/blog/2014/09/10-c-ila-cities-that-have-restrictions-on-where.html?s=print 1/4 9/2512014 10 C. Fla. cities that have restrictions an where medical marijuana is legal - Orlando Business Journal rate. But it does give a snapshot of the landscape as of Aug. 6. In addition to the cities listed below, the subject has at least come up for discussion in Cocoa, Malabar and Brevard County. And, of course, Winter Park also is considering a similar law. See below for the full breakdown. E City County Provisions of the law Ordinance number Date of voting Final vote Sept. 16, 2014 19 -Jun -14 August 13, 2014 2nd reading 27 -May -14 17 -Jun -14 2h Ordinance being revised by City Cape Brevard Attorney; will be presented to P&Z N/A Canaveral County in July and presented to City Council in August. Dispensaries allowed as Special Exception Use in the General Commercial (CG) zoning; 1,000 feet from any school or church; 200 feet Cocoa Brevard from residential; prohibited in CRA; 1581 Beach County no onsite marijuana cultivation; no loitering; no drive-through service; no on-site consumption of marijuana and/or alcohol; 200 feet from arterial roads; operating hours Dispensaries as a Conditional Use Grant- Brevard Permit in Industrial Light (IU) and 2014-04 Valkaria County Industrial Heavy (IU -1) zoning; siting standards and requirements Dispensaries only with Conditional Use Permit in Light Industrial (M-1); no loitering; no drive through Palm Brevard service; no outside display; no Shores County alcohol; 2,500 feet from any school, 2014-06 park, or another dispensary; no delivery; no vending machines; signage; security; permit revocation terms Prohibits dispensaries, cannabis farms and non-medical marijuana sales; Dispensaries only with Conditional Use Permit in Industrial Orange (I) as Special Exception Use; no Edgewood County loitering; no drive through service; 2014-04 no alcohol; 2,500 feet from any school, day care, public park, or another dispensary; no delivery; no vending machines; signage; security; permit revocation terms httpJ/www.bizjoumals.rom/odandolblog/2014/09/10-c- la-cities-that-have-restrictions-on-where.html?s=print Final vote Sept. 16, 2014 19 -Jun -14 August 13, 2014 2nd reading 27 -May -14 17 -Jun -14 2h 25/2014 10 C. Fla. cities that have restrictions on where medical marijuana is legal - Orlando Business Journal Prohibits dispensaries, cannabis farms and non-medical marijuana sales; Conditional Use Permit in Maitland Orange Commercial Dist. 3 (OC -3); no NSA August or County loitering; no drive through service; September no alcohol; 2,500 feet from any school, day care, public park, or another dispensary Prohibits dispensaries, cannabis farms and non-medical marijuana sales; Dispensaries permitted as a Special Exception Use in the Heavy Lady Lake Lake Commercial (HC) zoning district; no 2014-05 4 -Aug -14 County loitering; no drive through service; no alcohol; 2,500 feet from another dispensary; 1,500 feet from any school, religious facility, day care, or public park; hours of operation Prohibits dispensaries, cannabis farms and non-medical marijuana sales; Dispensaries only with Mount Lake Conditional Use Permit in Workplace Dora County District (WP -2) as Special Exception 2014-05- 20 -May -14 Use; no loitering; no drive through service; no alcohol; 2,500 feet from any school, day care, public park, or another dispensary Prohibits dispensaries, cannabis farms and non-medical marijuana sales; Dispensaries only with Conditional Use Permit in Highway Flagler Volusia Commercial (HC) as Special 2014-12 22 -May -14 Beach County Exception Use; no loitering; no drive through service; no alcohol; 2,500 feet from any school, church, day care, public park, or another dispensary Prohibits dispensaries, cannabis farms and non-medical marijuana sales; Dispensaries only with Ponce Volusia Conditional Use Permit in General Inlet County Retail (B-1) as Special Exception 2014-05 17 -Jul -14 Use; no loitering; no drive through service; no alcohol; 2,500 feet from any school, church, day care, public park, or another dispensary tp:l/www.bizjoumals.com/orlando/blog/2014/09/10-c-fla-cities-that-have-restrictions-on-where.html?s=print 3/4 25/2014 Palmetto medical marijuana ordinance squeaks by with 3-2 vole I Local News I Bradenton Herald Bradenton Herald Previous Story Next Story ,Pal�rn t �rogedical marijuana ordinance squeaks by By MARK YOUNG myoung@bradenton.comSeptember 23, 2014 FILE --Samples of medical marijuana are displayed at Canna Care in Sacramento, Calif. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. / SACRAMENTO BEE via MCT p://www.bmdenlon.mml2Ol4lO9l23153742221palmeHo-medical-marijuana-ordinance.html - 1/5 9/25/2014 Palmetto medical marijuana ordinance squeaks by with 3-2 vole I Local News I Bradenton Herald PALMETTO — The Palmetto City Commission narrowly passed a medical marijuana ordinance Monday to potentially restrict facilities to the city's commercial heavy industrial zone. http!/www.bradenlon.conJ2014/09/23/53742221paimetto-medical-marijuana-ordinance.html 2/5 15/2014 Palmetto medical marijuana ordinance squeaks by with 3-2 vote I Local News I Bradenton Herald Ward 2 Commissioner Tambra Varnadore said the vote was neither in support nor against the proposed constitutional amendment on whether to legalize medical marijuana in the state. Florida voters will decide the question Nov. 4. "The city's not weighing in with support or not support," said Varnadore. "It's being proactive. It's a good starting point to have something on the books so if Amendment 2 passes, it's handled. If it doesn't pass, then it doesn't matter." Ward 1 Commissioner Charles Smith reiterated his argument that it is senseless to vote on an ordinance when the will of the people has yet to be determined. "It's up to the will of the voter and this should go to the ballot box and then to the city commission," said Smith. "To do so prior to people voting is not proper, whether for it or against it." Smith said he believes city officials attempting to legislate medical marijuana before it is allowed by law open themselves up to lawsuits "because there is not consistency in these ordinances being created all across the state. I don't know anyone who is going to be able to sell marijuana the day after the vote without going to jail. There has to be state licenses and regulations established. To create ordinances prior without some kind of acknowledgement that something in it is flawed, is irresponsible." After initial arguments and concerns, it took several seconds of silence before Ward 3 Commissioner Brian Williams motioned to adopt it. Williams said it was a "tough one" to make. Several more seconds passed before Vice Mayor Jonathan Davis seconded the motion "for discussion." Davis asked city attorney Mark Barnebey what would happen if Amendment 2 passes without a city ordinance in place. Barnebey said technically anyone applying for a medical marijuana business license " would be afforded the opportunity to apply as general retail use "and could then be located anywhere in our commercial districts without further commission review." The city's primary commercial districts are its downtown corridor, waterfront and parts of 10th Street West. It was an argument noted by commissioners still on the fence with a vote pending. "My issue is we need to be prepared to have someplace for these prospective businesses to go where it's not going to affect children," said Williams. "I don't want that. Having some regulation is far better than nf)thaving anything." Smith remained adamantly opposed, saying the Florida League of Cities recommends against restricting medical marijuana facilities in out -of -the way industrial districts more vulnerable to criminal activity. "You may want it where you can see it," said Smith. "If you want to pass this ordinance, then fine, but the will of the people is Nov. 4. State licenses will be required and the criteria for that hasn't been decided yet. You may find that you are voting for something you didn't want." Williams, Davis and Varnadore voted to adopt the ordinance, while Smith and at -large Commissioner Tamara Cornwell voted against. Cornwell, too, has expressed opposition to the ordinance throughout the process, preferring to wait on the Amendment 2 results and see what the state will decide to regulate. She even proposed a one-year moratorium on allowing medical marijuana facilities in the city until state regulations were clear should Amendment 2 pass, but she did not garner support. Facebook Twitter Google Plus Reddit E-mail Print Join -The Conversation Bradenton Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations p://www.bmdenton.com/2014/09/23/53742221paimetto-medical-marijuana-ordinance.html 3/5 9/2512014 Palmetto medical marijuana ordinance squeaks by with 3-2 vole I Local News I Bradenton Herald about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts. Commenting FAQs I Terms of Service Today's Circulars SPORTS AUTHORITY GUITAR CENTER 3 DAYS LEFT VALID UNTIL SEP 30 View All Circulars �4slNorm r&rihvr PETSMART VALID UNTIL OCT 05 ACADEMY SPORTS + VALID UNTIL OCT 04 Email Newsletters > Manage newsletter subscriptions Tablets > Apps and services for tablet devices Mobile > Apps and services for your mobile phone Social Media > Get updates via Facebook and Twitter e -Edition > Your daily paper delivered to your computer Home Delivery > Manage your home delivery account Digital Subscriptions > Manage your online subscriptions httpJ/www.bradenton.conV2014/09/23/5374222/palmetto-medical-marijuana-ordinance.html 4/5 r�pGUE Oj, mom, For more information, contact Allison Payne at Florida League of Cities 2014 Federal Action Agenda WATERS OF THE U.S. RULE On April 21, 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jointly proposed regulations to revise the definitions of "Waters of the United States" or "WOTUS;' as the term is to be used in the application of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Corps of Engineers' jurisdictional regulations. The EPA has indicated that the purpose of the proposed rule is to clarify what waters are (and are not) covered by the CWA. In addition, the EPA has said that the new regulations will not have a substantial direct effect on the states since it will not significantly change what is currently considered WOTUS. However, there are some areas that, depending on the interpretation, could constitute a very significant expansion of the WOTUS definition and include waters previously not deemed jurisdictional under previous Corps of Engineers and EPA practice or guidance. The EPA is currently accepting public comment on the proposed rule through October 20, 2014. The Florida League of Cities believes the proposed rule lacks clarity. The League has expressed concerns as to what the consequences of the proposed rule will be on municipal stormwater and wastewater utilities and the significant potential costs for Florida's municipalities. The Waters of the U.S. Regulatory Overreach Protection Act (H.R. 5078), sponsored by Representative Steve Southerland (FL -2), would halt enforcement of the proposed rule among other things. The League supports language in the bill that would require the EPA to consult with state and local officials to formulate recommendations for a consensus regulatory proposal that would more clearly identify the scope of waters to be covered under the CWA. TRANSPORTATION REAUTHORIZATION The Moving Ahead for Progress In the;lst Century Act (MAP -21) is the federal surface transportation program that is set to expire in May - 2015. Funding for the program -via gas taxoreceipts de(osited in the -Highway Trust Fund is not sustainable. A new transportation bill will require Congress to make some difficult decisions regarding funding. The Florida League of Cities supports long-term transportation planning and funding that includes local decision-making authority, invests in long-term equitable transportation solutions, supports sustainable multimodal choices and maintains a strong federal commitment. Specifically, the League requests Congress to consider the following local government priorities in the next surface transportation bill: ■ Provide local governments with long-term funding: Provide local governments with the certainty of a multi-year program. Such certainty is vital for local governments to plan and fund transportation in their communities. The shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund also needs to be addressed immediately through enhanced gasoline taxes or alternative sources of revenue that do not interfere with local governments' ability to finance local transportation needs. ■ Send funding directly to the projects where people live and work by giving local leaders a stronger role in selecting projects: Increase the roles for local officials to make decisions about project funding through metropolitan planning organizations and rural planning organizations. ■ Support alternative financing: Fund the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program, incentivize local innovation and preserve the federal tax exemption for municipal bonds. ■ Streamline the planning and approval process: Continue MAP -21 provisions that help cities deliver transportation projects quickly, eliminate red tape and maintain environmental standards. ■ Support public transportation systems of all sizes: Continue to fund transit programs from federal gas tax revenues and provide discretionary funding for both rural and urban transit systems to address major investments. FEMA DEOBLIGATIONS/ CLAW -BACKS Over the last few years, a number of local governments in Florida have expressed concerns with the FEMA Public Assistance Program (FEMA PA). FEMA PA, which provides recovery project funding to local governments for uninsured infrastructure repairs following a presidential disaster declaration, is a critical part of a community's recovery process. Since around 2011, the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General (OIG) has been auditing previously approved recovery projects in an attempt to recapture funds that it asserts should not have been awarded. Many of these audits are from the 2004 and 2005 storms and the moneys received have been long spent on recovery projects. These so-called "deobligations" can run in the millions of dollars and have impacted the budgets of local governments and other special districts across the state. While local governments have the right to an appeal process, the appeals process can result in lengthy delays, denials and, moreover, can involve issues so timeworn that neither the relevant documentation nor local government staff remain to accurately appeal these audit 301 South Bronough Street • Suite 300 • P.O. Box 1757 • Tallahassee, FL 32302-1757 • (850) 222-9884 • Fax (850) 222-3808 • www.floridaleagueoicities.com `EpOUE Opr'�3 �N FEMA DEOBLIGATIONS/CLAW-BACKS (CONTINUED) findings. This situation has left local governments with no choice but to pay back moneys for recovery projects that, in some instances, were previously identified, developed and determined eligible by FEMA staff. In a state where natural disasters are never a question of if, but rather when, the Florida League of Cities strongly supports the mission and role of FEMA and the assistance it provides to local governments in times of need. However, the League believes improvements can be made to the process. FEMA has also acknowledged that there are problems and is currently considering reforms to the process. A more organized and cooperative approach needs to be further explored, specifically as it relates to the unlimited OIG timeframe for review of recovery projects, FEMA deobligations of previously approved recovery project funding years after the loss event and improvements to streamline the appeals process. MARKETPLACE FAIRNESS ACT/INTERNET ACCESS A 1992 Supreme Court case left state and local governments unable to enforce sales tax collections by out-of-state catalog and online sellers. As a result, billions of local tax dollars are lost each year by allowing this tax-free platform to exist, while brick -and -mortar retailers collect sales taxes from customers. This creates an unfair disadvantage to the shopkeepers on main streets, especially at a time when local governments are trying to encourage job creation and economic development. HR 3086, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives this summer, would make permanent the Internet Tax Freedom Act's (ITFA) moratorium on state and local government Internet taxes. The Florida League of Cities and several national and state local government associations oppose a permanent extension of the moratorium. As more services transition from telecommunications and cable to broadband, the scope of what the ITFA covers will greatly expand, even if the ITFA's current language remains unchanged. To protect the tax bases and fiscal strength of state and local governments, the Florida League of Cities does not support anything more than a short-term extension of the ITFA. A temporary extension would provide more time for the full scope of the transition from telecommunications/cable to broadband to occur, and provide a better sense of the costs that ITFA preemption would impose. Recently, there have been efforts to combine the Marketplace Fairness Act with the ITFA. On July 15, 2014, Senators Enzi (WY), Durbin (IL) and several other senators introduced the Marketplace and Internet Tax Fairness Act (MITFA), S. 2609. The legislation combines the Marketplace Fairness Act, which passed the Senate last year with a strong bipartisan majority (69-27), with a 10 -year extension of the ITFA. The Florida League of Cities supports S. 2609 as long as the moratorium is not permanent. F*el-l4tI:(elul Recovery residences, also known as "sober living homes" or "sober houses," provide a great value to people overcoming drug and alcohol addictions. The recovery residence industry's prolific growth has raised questions nationwide as to whether a regulatory structure is necessary. These homes typically provide a drug- and alcohol -free living environment for individuals recovering from substance abuse; however, there is no universally accepted definition for these businesses, leaving to interpretation those characteristics that distinguish them from other regulated housing options. Individuals in recovery are disabled within the meaning of the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAA) and handicapped within the meaning of the Federal Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHAA). These acts prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability/handicap status. There is no clarifying definition of the protected class, except to describe individuals blanketed by the law as individuals who are "not currently using alcohol or substances." State and local governments are limited by federal laws in their ability to address the impacts to local communities of "over -concentration" and "clustering" due to the proliferation of homes in many cities around the country. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is charged with the interpretation of the FHAA, while the Department of Justice is charged with the enforcement of the law. However, there has been no updated interpretation of the acts and how they apply to these homes or their protected residents since a Joint Agency Statement dated August 18,1999, titled the Group Homes, Local Land Use, and the Fair Housing Act The courts have applied the FHAA and ADAA inconsistently over the years, causing a great financial and social burden on state and local governments facing over -concentration of sober homes. The Florida League of Cities urges Congress to enact legislation that provides state and local governments with the authority to oversee and regulate recovery residences within their jurisdictions. 301 South Bronough Street • Suite 300 • P.O. Box 1757 • Tallahassee, FL 32302-1757 • (850) 222-9684 • Fax (850) 222-3806 • www.florideleagueolcities.com Federal Advocacy Update September 12, 2014 Congress Moving on Continuing Resolution; Would Defer Debate Over FY15 Appropriations to Post -Election Session Michael Mallace, 202.626.3025 The House and Senate returned to Washington after a five week recess for an abbreviated session in which they will need to pass a temporary spending measure, known as a Continuing Resolution (CR), in order to avoid a government shutdown when the current fiscal year ends on September 30. Action on a GR is necessary because, in a pattern familiar to local officials, Congress was unable to approve any of the FY15 Appropriations bills under regular order before the September 30 deadline. The CR will likely authorize funding at current levels until the middle of December, which will allow Congress to defer debates and votes on the FY15 spending bills until after the November mid-term elections. If the CR is approved, as widely expected, cities and towns will experience no disruption in federal funding. NLC Calls for Renewed Partnership to Reinvest in Our Water Infrastructure Carolyn Berndt, 202.626.3101 NLC Executive Director Clarence Anthony speaks at a Capitol Hill Meting This week, NLC joined local governments and water utility and industry leaders to call attention to the state of our nation's aging infrastructure, the staggering need for water infrastructure investments, and the impact that such investment would have on local, regional and national economies. A report released this week by the Water Research Foundation and the Water Environment Research Foundation, National Economic ondLaborImpacts ofrhe Hater UtilirySecror, is the first in the industry that looks at the job creation, labor market, and economic benefits of 30 of the largest water and wastewater agencies based on actual capital programs and operating budgets. The report found that these 30 utilities contribute $52 billion in economic output annually and support more than 289,000 permanent jobs annually. Over the next decade, these the utilities will put $233 billion into the economy - $145 billion in operating spending and $88 billion in capital spending. While these investments are substantial, they "represent only a modest proportion of the nation's unfunded water infrastructure needs," the report states_ "The Environmental Protection Agency has estimated the nation's capital need over the next 20 years to be approximately $720 billion in total: $20 billion annually for drinking water infrastructure and an additional $16 billion per year for wastewater infrastructure." In a congressional briefing, moderated by NLC Executive Director Clarence Anthony, a panel that featured public and private sector representatives highlighted the report's findings and underscored the need for and impacts of investments in water infrastructure. Although the EPA estimates are substantial, Anthony said, "[O]ther estimates put the cost at more than $4 trillion to maintain and build a 21st Century water system. Clearly, the time is now to renew federal -local partnerships and reinvest in our water infrastructure." To read more about the report and the event, click here. Florida City Leaders Advocate for Hometown Priorities in Washington Angelina Panettieri, 202.626.3196 Florida city leaders prepare to visit federal policymakers in Washington, D.C. This week, city leaders from throughout the state of Florida, joined staff from the Florida League of Cities in Washington, D.C. to lobby federal policy makers on a variety of city priorities. Following a briefing at NLC's offices hosted by NLC's executive director Clarence Anthony and the Federal Advocacy team, the group met with members of the Florida congressional delegation and the Administration to push for passage of marketplace fairness legislation, preservation of the tax exemption for municipal bonds, and other priorities. City leaders meet tti th White House and federal agency officials The group also met with the White House and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) representatives to discuss improvements to FEMA's processes for auditing spending and recovering federal funds from local governments after extreme weather events. "Having face to face meetings with our congressional delegation in D.C. has provided an opportunity for city officials to strengthen their relationships with members of Congress," said Scott Dudley, Florida League of Cities Legislative Director. "This gives our membership a chance to provide real world examples of how the decisions made in Washington affect their cities back home and ensures that Members of Congress know that their city officials are paying attention to what is going on in our nation's capital." City leaders traveling to Washington to meet with federal officials are invited to visit NLC's office and discuss their advocacy priorities and activities with NLC staff. For more information or to schedule a visit, contact Carolyn Coleman, NLCs director of federal advocacy. NLC Highlights Value of Municipal Broadband for FCC JuliaPulidindi, 202.626.3176 In comments filed with the FCC last week, the National League of Cities highlighted the importance of the availability of municipal broadband networks as catalysts to stimulate businesses development, foster work force retraining, and boost employment in economically underachieving areas. NLC filed the comments in response to petitions from the Electric Power Board of Chattanooga, TN, and the City of Wilson, NC, asking the FCC to act pursuant to section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to preempt portions of Tennessee and North Carolina state statutes that restrict their local ability to provide broadband services. This proceeding comes at a time when FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is paying special attention to the issue of municipal broadband networks. On July 10, Chairman Wheeler noted the value of these local networks and specifically pointed out the economic impact of Chattanooga's network. Chairman Wheeler wrote "if the people, acting through their elected local governments, want to pursue competitive community broadband, they shouldn't be stopped by state laws promoted by cable and telephone companies that don't want that competition." NLC will continue to monitor this proceeding and advocate for local control and authority on issues relating to municipal broadband networks. Fed's New Liquidity Standards Fail to Include Municipal Bonds Priya Ghosh Ahola, 202.626.3015 Last week, the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation agreed to new liquidity standards designed to strengthen the banking system through clarifying credit and liquidity standards for banks' capital requirements. However, despite the advocacy of a broad coalition ofgroups representing municipal issuers that included NLC, the new standards failed to include a very strong and stable investment category with deep funding markets - municipal securities. NLC's concerns with the new standards center around the fact that this failure to classify municipal securities as High Quality Liquid Asset (HQLA) not only overlooks an investment category that contributes to greater market stability, but that this oversight will have negative effects on the municipal securities market and communities across the country by significantly reducing the appeal of municipal securities, resulting in increased borrowing costs for state and local governments to finance desperately needed infrastructure projects. In a statement released following the federal regulators actions, NLC Executive Director Clarence Anthony applauded the efforts by the regulators to strengthen the banking system and warned of cities on-going concerns with the new standards. "Cities remain concerned that unless changed, the new rules will reduce the appeal of municipal securities for banks to underwrite them, thus increasing borrowing costs for state and local governments for desperately needed infrastructure projects," he said. "The cost impacts on governments could be significant, as bank holdings of municipal securities and loans have increased by 86 percent since 2009. We hope that regulators will work with us to address these concerns as they explore improvements to the new rules." NLC's 2015 Leadership and Steering Committee Appointments Process Gets Underway Avery Peters, 202.626.3020 The process for leadership and membership appointments to NLC's Committees and Councils is now officially underway. "Achieving the goals of NLC's bold strategic plan and ensuring that local governments collectively have a powerful advocacy voice in Washington, can only be realized with the strong leadership of the chairs and vice chairs of NLC's committees and councils, along with committee membership, and NLC's five constituency groups," said NLC Executive Director Clarence E. Anthony. Leadership Positions Open The incoming NLC President will appoint chairs and ace chairs to NLC's Policy and Advocacy Committees; the Council on Youth, Fducation, and Families; the International Council; the targe Cities Council; the Military Communities Council; the First Tier Suburbs Council; the Small Cities Council; and the University Communities Council. City officials from NLC member cities who are interested in serving as Chairs and Vice Chairs should complete and submit online applications and biographical statements by October 3. Committee chairs and ace chairs will be notified of their selection in late October or early November. Steering Committee Membership Positions Open In addition, the incoming President will appoint city officials to be members of the Policy and Advocacy Steering Committees, the University Communities Council Steering Committee; and the Small Cities Council Steering Committee. City officials from NLC member cities who are interested in serving as members on one of these Committees should complete and submit online applications by November 24. The Steering Committee appointments will be announced in December. All appointments will be for a one year tens. "2015 will be an important year as we continue to implement the strategic plan and transform NLC into the most relevant, powerful force for cities that it can be. Now is the time to get active in NLC by leading or joining a committee. If you have a passion for advocacy and public policy and want to engage with federal policy decision makers about the effects of federal legislation on your city, then you should be a part of NLC's Committees and Councils. The leadership and membership of these groups will be essential to our success in Washington and our communities next year," said Anthony. To learn more about these committees and councils and to complete the online application, visit the NLC website. All committees and councils will meet for the first time at the Congressional City Conference, which will be held March 7-11, 2015, in Washington, D.C. Congress of Cities to Feature Prominent Political Journalist Angelina Panettieri, 202.626.3196 Fortner White House correspondent and political journalist David Gregory is set to be the keynote speaker for the closing general session during NLC's Congress of Cities in Austin. Gregory will cap off a conference dedicated to helping city leaders explore the future of cities by sharing his perspective and insights on politics, current affairs, and the role of mass media in society. Gregory, known for his sharp observations and accounts of being one of the president's most necessary challengers and litmus testers, is sure to close the Congress of Cities with thought-provoking stories, insights, and challenges for city leaders to take into the future. Visit the conference website for the full event program, and register today to ensure your opportunity to hear David Gregory this November in Austin! The early bird registration deadline is September 30th. National League of Cities 2015 Committee Process NLC Policy and Advocacy Committees develop National Municipal Policy positions for consideration by membership at the annual Congress of Cities and Exposition. These positions form the basis for NLC's advocacy on matters of interest to municipal governments before Congress, the courts, and federal agencies. Together with NLC leadership and Federal Relations staff, the Policy and Advocacy Committees play a key role in all NLC advocacy efforts. Committee members include local officials from cities and towns across the country who are committed to discussing and influencing federal policy that has a direct and profound impact on local government operations. Policy Committee and Steering Committee members serve a one-year term and are eligible for reappointment annually. NLC Steering Committees (Must be NLC Member City) — Deadline to Apply — November 24, 2014 Membership to the seven Policy and Advocacy Steering Committees is open on an annual basis to local officials from all member cities and towns. Committee appointees are selected by the president of the NLC board of directors, taking into account endorsements from state municipal leagues and NLC staff. Members are appointed to serve one-year terms with no term limits. Members of each steering committee generally meet four times every year: at both the Congressional City Conference and Congress of Cities, as well as at spring and fall meetings. It is at these gatherings that the steering committees discuss advocacy strategies and craft specific NLC policy amendments and resolutions. Online application to apply for 2015 Committees: http://www.nlc.org/build-skills-and- networks/networks/committees-and-cou nc i Is/steering-committee-and-council-cha i rvice-chair-a pplication- 2015 Policy & Advocacy Committees NLC's seven Policy & Advocacy Committees play an important role in shaping the organization's annual legislative agenda. Local officials from cities and towns across the country are appointed annually by state municipal leagues to serve one-year terms with no term limits. Members of the full Policy & Advocacy Committees are required to meet twice every year: once at the Congressional City Conference in Washington, and again in the fall at the Congress of Cities. At these meetings, committee members are called upon not only to advocate for NLC's legislative priorities, but also to review and approve the policy proposals and resolutions that guide the organization and its federal relations team in all outreach efforts. Committees: The Community and Economic Development Committee is responsible for developing policy positions on issues involving housing, community and economic development, land use, recreation and parks, historic preservation, and international competitiveness. The Energy, Environment & Natural Resources Committee is responsible for developing policy positions on issues involving air quality, water quality, energy policy, national wetlands policy, noise control, and solid and hazardous waste management. The Finance, Administration & Intergovernmental Relations Committee is responsible for developing policy positions on issues involving national economic policy, general financial assistance programs, liability insurance, intergovernmental relations, Census, municipal bonds and capital finance, municipal management, antitrust issues, citizen participation and civil rights, labor relations, Native American sovereignty and municipal authority. The Human Development Committee is responsible for developing policy positions on issues involving social services, children and learning, poverty and income support, employment and workforce development, equal opportunity, Social Security and seniors, individuals with disabilities, public health care, mental health parity, and immigration reform. The Information Technology & Communications Committee is responsible for developing policy positions on issues involving telecommunications and information systems (and public access to these systems), privacy concerns, cable TV, phone services, spectrum issues, communications tower siting, universal service, broadcasting, and defense of city rights-of-way from degradation caused by installation of communications facilities. The Public Safety & Crime Prevention Committee is responsible for developing policy positions on.issues involving crime prevention, corrections, substance abuse, municipal fire policy, juvenile justice, disaster preparedness and relief, homeland security, domestic terrorism, court systems and gun control. The Transportation & Infrastructure Services Committee is responsible for developing policy positions on issues involving transportation, including planning, funding, safety and seclurity of public transit, streets and highways, aviation, railroads and ports. NLC National Municipal Policy The National Municipal Policy is a compilation of federal policy positions adopted by the full NLC membership. These positions focus on federal actions, programs, and legislation that directly impact municipalities and guide all of NLC's federal advocacy efforts. The NLC National Municipal Policy can be found at: http://www. n ic.o re/i nfl uen ce-federal-pol icy/resources/national-m u n ici pal-pol icv. Other NLC Committees • Large Cities Council • First -Tier Suburbs Council • Military Communities Council • Small Cities Council • University Communities Council • Council on Youth, Education and Families • International Council • Leadership Fellows Program For more information, contact Allison Payne at the Florida League of Cities (850)-701-3602, e-mail apayne@flcities.com or visit the NLC website at www.nlc.org. 2015 Legislative Key Contact Information An essential part of the Florida League of Cities' advocacy strategy is the legislative key contact program. City officials with a strong relationship with a particular legislator(s) are asked to sign up as a legislative key contact. Key contacts are responsible for keeping in constant communication with their legislator to keep him/her updated on key municipal issues being considered by the Legislature; responding to urgent calls to action and other legislative alerts during the legislative session; and strengthening the relationship with legislators and their staff. Please complete with your preferred day -time contact information to receive timely legislative information. Name: City/Town/Village: Title: Phone # (cell): (where you can be reached during the day) E-mail: Do you wish to receive text alerts? Legislative Contact Information Senator/ Representative: Type of Relationship: Check the box that you believe most accurately describes the.type of relationship you have with this Member. ❑ Political ❑ Business ❑ Personal ❑ Other Strength of the Relationship: Check the box that most accurately reflects the strength of your relationship. ❑ Close ❑ Acquaintance ❑ Distant Senator/ Representative: Type of Relationship: Check the box that you believe most accurately describes the type of relationship you have with this Member. ❑ Political ❑ Business ❑ Personal ❑ Other Strength of the Relationship: Check the box that most accurately reflects the strength of your relationship. ❑ Close ❑ Acquaintance ❑ Distant Please send to Allison Payne at the Florida League of Cities via fax 850-222-3806 or e-mail: apavne(a)flcities.com Top 10 Things City Officials Should Do Between Now and the 2015 Legislative Session The 2015 Legislative Session will begin on March 3, 2015. Now is the time for city officials to meet with legislators to build and strengthen relationships and educate legislators on what is going on in their cities. Below is a list of 10 things city officials can do before session begins: 1. Share your proposed budget with your legislators. Provide them with your city's budget summary and then schedule a meeting to discuss your city's priorities for the next year. 2. Offer assistance to your legislators. Be sure to ask, "What can I do for you?" Don't wait until you need their assistance on an issue. It will go a long way and strengthen these relationships. 3. Prepare a brief summary of important legislative issues that are important to your city. If your city has a particular issue (or issues) that you wish to discuss, prepare a one-page summary of the issue that you can leave with the legislator. Don't forget to also provide information to his or her legislative assistant! 4. Invite legislators to attend local/regional league meetings and city commission meetings. This will give your legislators an opportunity to discuss their priorities for the upcoming session. 5. Become personally acquainted with the legislative staff. Always be courteous. They are your link to getting an appointment and can help with your legislative issues. 6. Brief legislators on what is going on in your city. Add legislators to your city mailing list for important issues. 7. Invite legislators/staff to visit project facilities, such as water treatment plants, CRAs and transportation projects. 8. Meet with your legislative delegation to discuss municipal issues at least 10-12 weeks prior to session. 9. Publicly recognize legislators for good deeds. 10. Attend the Florida League of Cities Legislative Action Day March 17-18, 2015 in Tallahassee. Contact Allison Payne at apayne@flcities.com to schedule a legislative briefing or advocacy training. t