Winter Haven Spent $736K Over 2 Years Assisting 18 Residents with Housing Needs
by James Coulter
According to an Annual Report on Winter Haven’s SHIP program, 18 low-moderate income families were assisted in fiscal year 2023/2024
In order to continue to be eligible to receive State funds for it’s SHIP program the City must file annual reports detailing its expenditures. The fiscal year 2023/2024 report, recently transmitted by the City Commission to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, revealed continues success.
The City utilized $736K of SHIP program revenue to assist 18 low to moderate income residents, and their families, with home rehabilitation or down payment assistance.
SHIP, according to Florida Housing, is a statewide program that “provides funds to local governments as an incentive to create partnerships that produce and preserve affordable homeownership and multifamily housing.”
Nancy Hurley, Affordable Housing Compliance Manager, explains that these funds are “based on a formula and distributed annually.” Polk County Housing, Lakeland, and Winter Haven participate in the program.
“These funds vary annually from approximately $350,000 to $500,000 and are disbursed quarterly,” she wrote.
For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the City was given $626,236 in annual state distributions. With funding carried over from the previous year, combined with program income, the City had a total of $736,252.44 to spend.
Specifically, the funding assisted 18 low to moderate income residents. 13 were assisted with home rehabilitation services and 5 were provided down payment assistance to purchase a home. In total, the City was able to spend $714,879.91, leaving $21,373.30 to carry over into the next fiscal year.
“Of the eighteen households assisted in fiscal year 2023-2024, fourteen were located in the northeast quadrant of the City, one was located in the northwest quadrant, and three were located in the southeast quadrant. Fifteen of the households were located within the Florence Villa Community Redevelopment Area”, Hurley wrote.
Shawn Wilson, President of Blue Sky Communities, the owners of the Florence Place affordable housing community, appeared at the meeting to commend City Commissioners for their support of affordable housing through SHIP funding. He even recommended potentially partnering with the City by matching the City’s SHIP funds with private funding to assist those that are currently renting in his community to purchase their first homes.
