Affordable Housing for Developers

On September 13, 2022, the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners approved the amendment to the Livable Manatee Incentive Program regarding homeowner and rental affordable housing projects pursuant to Resolution R-22-158, amending the Livable Manatee Incentive Program, and authorizing the amendments of administrative procedures. Please click on the topics below for additional information.

CONTACT US +

  • Rachel W Layton, Division Manager
  • (941) 748-4501, x6862
  • Email Us

Click here: Affordable Housing Scoping Meeting Request Form and Designation Application for Developers

Manatee County offers various incentives for affordable housing designated projects, including:

  • Rapid Response Team/Fast Tracking
  • Fee Refund and Fee Increments
  • Density Bonus
  • Expedited Permitting
  • Other Incentives

Find out more about Affordable Housing Incentives in Section 545 of Manatee County's Land Development Code and Resolution R-22-158, amending the Livable Manatee Incentive Program

Affordable Housing Incentive Programs - Process/Timelines

Designation Process

  • Developer meets with Affordable Housing Development Coordinator to review project (s) and eligibility requirements.
  • Developer completes Affordable/Workforce Housing application through Neighborly Click Here.
  • Affordable Housing Development Coordinator reviews application and determines eligibility.
  • Affordable Housing Approval Letter provided to developer with Rapid Response Certificate.
  • Affordable Housing Scoping Meeting scheduled with developer/builder, Affordable Housing Development Coordinator, and Development Services (Planning and Plans Review) Teams.

Planning/Permitting Process

  • Pre-application Meeting.
  • Rezone (for density)/ Hearing with BOCC (4-6 months).
  • FSP/Administrative (8-10 weeks).
  • Land Use Restriction Agreement (LURA) executed prior to approval of FSP.
  • For Homeownership Projects
    • Application for Final Plat (eight weeks)
    • Building Permit –concurrent with Final Plat (one week)
    • Construction of up to 10 units can commence with approved building permit pending Final Plat
    • Final Plat approval – Construction of full project
  • For Rental Projects
    • Building Permit –concurrent with Final Site Plan (8-10 weeks)   

    PROJECT TIMELINE FOR LIVABLE MANATEE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.PDF/REVISED 9/15/2023

Income Levels

2024 Rental Limits
2024 Sales Price

Livable Manatee Incentive Program Amended 9/13/22 – Homeownership

Goals

  1. Encourage at least 25% affordable housing units within mixed-income developments, scattered sites and infill development.
  2. Establish an efficient process for customer service and ease of program administration.
  3. Protect the community’s investment in affordable housing development.
  4. Ensure Compliance with State and County guidelines for affordable housing.

Incentive

  1. Manatee County will pay 100% of impact fees (including education fees) and Facility Investment Fees (FIF) on the designated affordable units only. Impact fees include Libraries, Public Safety, Law Enforcement, Parks and Natural Resources, Schools, Multi-modal Transportation, and the administrative surcharge. Facility Investment Fees includes potable water FIF and wastewater FIF.
  2. Expedited review and permitting per Florida Statutes 420.9076

Process

  1. Developer submits an Affordable Housing Scoping Meeting Request and Designation application prior to building permits to Development Services through Neighborly Click Here. 
  2. Affordable housing designation request reviewed, approval letter with rapid response certificate issued and reservation of funding occurs.
  3. Land Use Restriction Agreement (LURA) is recorded prior to Certificate of Occupancy (CO) and runs with property for 30 years.
  4. Homebuyer is approved prior to CO.
  5. County pays for impact fees and FIF at CO (administrative process).

Program Requirements

  1. Unit must be for sale and includes fee simple properties, single family, townhomes, tiny homes (following Board approval), and Duplexes/Triplexes.
  2. Homebuyer must be at or below 120% of Area Median Income (AMI).
  3. Sales prices of the unit must not exceed established guidelines set in County’s Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) and reviewed every three years.
  4. Program is available in unincorporated county.

Livable Manatee Incentive Program Amended 9/13/22- Rental

Goals

  1. Encourage at least 25% affordable housing units within rental, mixed-income developments.
  2. Establish an efficient process for customer service and ease of program administration.
  3. Protect the community’s investment in affordable housing.
  4. Ensure Compliance with State and County guidelines applicable for affordable housing development.

Incentive: 80% and Below Area Median Income

  1. Manatee County will pay 100% of impact fees (including education fees) and Facility Investment Fees (FIF) on the designated affordable units only. Impact fees include Libraries, Public Safety, Law Enforcement, Parks and Natural Resources, Schools, Multi-modal Transportation, and the administrative surcharge. Facility Investment Fees includes potable water FIF and wastewater FIF.
  2. Expedited review and permitting per Florida Statutes 420.9076
  LURA terms for this incentive: Affordability Period
  1. Projects receiving incentives up to $250,000, LURA is for 25 years from project completion.
  2. Projects receiving more than $250,000 and less than $500,000 in incentives, LURA is for 30 years from project completion.
  3. Projects receiving incentives greater than $500,000, LURA is for 50 years from project completion.

INCENTIVE: 81% - 120% AREA MEDIAN INCOME

Manatee County will provide: 

    1. Site Improvements
    2.  Density Bonus
    3. Expedited review and permitting per Florida Statutes 420.9076

Affordability Period:
LURA term is for 20 years from project completion.

PROCESS

  1. Developer submits an Affordable Housing Scoping Meeting Request and Designation application prior to Site Plan application to Development Services through Neighborly. Click Here
  2. Affordable housing designation application reviewed, approval letter with rapid response certificate issued and reservation of funding occurs subject to Developer having C.O. within two years.
  3. LURA* is recorded prior to approval of Final Site Plan (FSP).
  4. County pays for impact fees and FIF at CO per building (administrative process) for 80% AMI and below.
  5. Developer’s Management Company submits tenant applications to Community and Veterans Services (CVS) for tenant approval at time of lease up with supportive documentation for income eligibility determination and
    approval of tenant in accordance with terms of LURA.
  6. Once lease up is complete as specified in LURA, County monitors project annually for term of LURA*

*Note: If other incentives apply, most restrictive term for LURA takes precedence.

Program Requirements

  1. Rents do not exceed Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) maximums per bedroom count and income for household size. Click Here
  2. Development must serve 120% AMI and below (very-low, low, and moderate income households).
  3. Projects in the Urban Service Area boundary or unincorporated Manatee County.
  4. New construction preferred; residential conversions allowed.

Land Use Restriction Agreements: Affordability Periods

  1. Projects not receiving a Dollar Value Incentive, LURA is for 20 years from project completion.
  2. Projects receiving incentives up to $250,000, LURA is for 25 years from project completion.
  3. Projects receiving more than $250,000 and less than $500,000 in incentives, LURA is for 30 years from project completion.
  4. Projects receiving incentives greater than $500,000, LURA is for 50 years from project completion.

Development of Affordable Multi-Family Housing and Designation of Local Government Area of Opportunity (LGAO) funded through the State of Florida's Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program

2020 RFA Application Instructions

2020 RFA Application

2020 RFA LGAO Selection Matrix


Surplus Properties

On June 8, 2021, the Board of County Commissioners adopted Resolution R-21-089 approving the Inventory List of County land for use as affordable housing within the jurisdiction of Manatee County. As sites become available, they will be added to the inventory.

Currently, the County is developing a process to consider requests from For-profit and Non-profit Developers who would be interested in developing affordable housing on these sites for rental or homeownership units. Once the process has been finalized, it will be posted to this website.

View the resolution here

View more information on Surplus Property here


SURPLUS PROPERTY ITN

Click here to view the Manatee County Property Management Surplus Property page for Invitations to Negotiate