Housing Programs
Select a program to get more information. In order to apply for one of the listed programs, call the Department of Neighborhood & Community Services, at 891-6500. Or you may pick up an application at the office located at The Frenchtown Renaissance Center, 435 North Macomb Street, Tallahassee, Florida.
Homeowner Rehabilitation Program
Committed to improving the quality of affordable housing, the City of Tallahassee allocates a substantial portion of its housing budget each year to the Homeowner Rehabilitation Program.
In order to apply for the Homeowner Rehabilitation Program, please call one of the non-profit organizations for an application, directions, and/or appointment at the numbers listed below, or call the City of Tallahassee at (850) 891-6551 for more information.
- Tallahassee Urban League - 923 Old Bainbridge Road - 850-222-6111 - FAX: 850-561-8390
- Home Rehabilitation and Development, Inc. - 850 Canton Circle, Apt. 54 - 850-513-9100 - FAX: 850-878-0894
- Frenchtown Community Development Corporation, Inc. - P.O. Box 10388 - 850-224-9745 - FAX: 850-224-9862
Rental Rehabilitation Program
Assistance to existing residential rental property owners is provided through the City's Rental Rehabilitation program.
Program Features
- Properties
- Residential rental units up to 4 units per building
- Buildings may be located anywhere in the City
- No targeted neighborhoods
- Funding
- City will provide up to 50% matching funds for cost of rehabilitation
- Funds are limited to no more than $20,000 per unit
- Total funding availability is limited to approximately $500,000 for FY 2007-2008
- Loan Terms
- Terms and conditions will be based on need, feasibility and availability of funds
- Loans can be from 0-3% deferred interest and possibly deferred payment based on cash flow
- Amortization schedule will be consistent with affordability period
- Proforma must demonstrate at least 1.1:1 debt service ratio
- City funds and private or bank funds will be released on pro-rata basis
- No funds released without prior NCS inspection and draw approval
- Affordability
- Units must be rented to those at or below 80% area median income
- Affordability period (5 to15 years) will be based on amount of City loan
- Underwriting
- Detailed scope of work and preliminary estimates must be submitted prior to underwriting
- All rehabilitation work must meet the City's written rehabilitation standards and be in compliance with the Florida Building Code for Existing Buildings
- Scope of Work must match permits pulled
For more information or to initiate the application process, please call Gwen Lightfoot at 891-6558.
Code Enforcement Rehabilitation Program
The Code Enforcement Rehabilitation Grant Program assists low-income owners of homes that are owner-occupied to eliminate exterior code violations, and to improve and preserve neighborhoods at the same time.
Emergency Home Repair Program
The goal of the Emergency Home Repair Program (EHRP) is to improve the living conditions of low-income homeowners by removing health and safety hazards and/or architectural barriers from their homes.
Sewer & Water Connection Assistance Program
Your Own Utilities, the City's utility department, has an ongoing commitment to provide affordable services for its utility customers. The Sewer Expansion Program is designed to assist homeowners to reduce health and environmental hazards by discontinuing the use of septic tanks to connect to the City's sewer system.
Under the law, if a septic tank located within city limits malfunctions and sewer service is available, the homeowner must connect to the city's sewer system. This unforeseen expense can cost more than $5,000 in plumbing and connection fees. Low to moderate-income homeowners within the city limits may qualify to connect to city sewer and water service for no charge.
To qualify, residents must own and occupy a home within the Tallahassee city limits. Mobile homes and rental properties are not eligible.
For more information or to receive an application, call 891-6106, or connect to the Your Own Utilities webpage.
Purchase Assistance Program
To assist low-income residents in purchasing a home, the City offers down payment and closing cost assistance to qualified applicants.
A loan of up to $10,000 is available for down payment or closing costs towards a new or existing home. For very low-income residents who qualify to purchase a home, an additional $5,000 loan is available.
The Tallahassee Lenders' Consortium (TLC) is a non-profit agency that administers the Purchase Assistance Program. In addition to the Purchase Assistance Program, TLC provides homebuyer education, credit and finance counseling, and assistance in selecting a mortgage lender. It is TLC's mission to provide affordable home ownership options, and serve as a resource to help citizens make the best possible decisions about finding, financing, and purchasing a home.
Eligibility
To qualify for assistance in the Purchase Assistance Program, you must be a candidate to be approved for a home mortgage. Tallahassee Lenders' Consortium can assist you to improve your credit and manage your finances. To be eligible to receive the purchase assistance loan, your TOTAL GROSS household income (before taxes) must not exceed the following amounts, adjusted for household size:
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Income Guidelines (as of March, 2007)
(Family Size - Max Gross Income)
- 1 Person - $32,750
- 2 Persons - $37,450
- 3 Persons - $42,100
- 4 Persons - $46,800
- 5 Persons - $50,550
- 6 Persons - $54,300
- 7 Persons - $58,050
- 8 Persons - $61,800
For more information please contact Tallahassee Lenders' Consortium at 222-6609.
Purchase Assistance for City of Tallahassee Employees
The City has additional assistance available for employees who are purchasing homes in one of the City's target areas. Target areas include Apalachee Ridge, Providence, Bond, and Greater Frenchtown (Frenchtown, Griffin Heights and Springfield) neighborhoods. Employees can receive a loan of up to $5,000 if their GROSS household incomes do not exceed the following amounts, adjusted for household size:
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Income Guidelines (as of March, 2007)
(Family Size - Max Gross Income)
- 1 Person - $49,200
- 2 Persons - $56,160
- 3 Persons - $63,240
- 4 Persons - $70,200
- 5 Persons - $75,840
- 6 Persons - $81,480
- 7 Persons - $87,000
- 8 Persons - $92,640
For more information or to obtain an application, please call the Housing Division at 891-6500.
Disaster Relief and Preparedness
Assistance is available for homeowners in the City of Tallahassee who have experienced an emergency due to a natural disaster. Assistance is also available for homeowners to prevent disasters by removing potentially hazardous situations.
The American Red Cross Capital Area Chapter administers the program to assist homeowners whose homes have been damaged by a natural disaster, or whose homes are vulnerable to damage by a natural disaster. Funds are used to assist with the installation or construction of mitigation measures that make homes more disaster-resistant. Such measures may include, but are not limited to:
- Installing backflow valves on sewer lines
- Installing hurricane shutters
- Installing smoke alarms
- Elevating water heaters and /or air conditioning condensers in flood prone areas
- Trimming and removing trees that create hazards during high wind events.
For more information about this program please contact the American Red Cross at 878-6080.
Homeownership Opportunities
Each year new units are built for very-low income and low-income households in the City of Tallahassee to purchase. The City works with non-profit organizations called Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs) to build the new units. More new units may be available through Inclusionary Housing.
Community Housing Development Organizations
Community Housing Development Organizations are non-profit agencies that are qualified to develop affordable housing for the community they serve. Federal money is set-aside for CHDOs each fiscal year. In Tallahassee, the organizations that currently build new housing units as CHDOs include: Bethel Community Development Corporation, Frenchtown Community Development Corporation, and Tallahassee Lenders' Consortium.
Habitat for Humanity also builds new housing units for purchase, and is currently applying to qualify as a CHDO. To purchase a housing unit built by a CHDO, a household must meet all program requirements. There is an income limit and households must qualify for a home mortgage. The best way to get information about the new units being constructed by CHDOs is to contact the Tallahassee Lenders' Consortium at 222-6609.
Inclusionary Housing
The Tallahassee City Commission passed an ordinance in 2005, requiring new developments in certain areas of the city with 50 housing units or more, to sell 10% of their units at an affordable price. The sales price range is set by the ordinance. Developers are allowed to pay a fee instead of building the units. The money collected will then be used to build future affordable housing units.
To qualify for inclusionary housing units, your income must fall between 70% and 100% of area median income. This range is determined by the HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) income guidelines for 2007:
- 1 person household: annual income between $28,675 and $40,975
- 2 person household: annual income between $32,765 and $46,805
- 3 person household: annual income between $36,360 and $52,670
- 4 person household: annual income between $40,950 and $58,500
- 5 person household: annual income between $44,235 and $63,195
- 6 person household: annual income between $47,520 and $67,890
- 7 person household: annual income between $50,775 and $72,525
- 8 person household: annual income between $54,060 and $77,220
Households must qualify for a home mortgage loan. A household that makes less annual income than the range above may still qualify for an inclusionary housing unit if they can secure a sufficient home mortgage loan. Inclusionary housing units are subject to re-sale restrictions. For details about the inclusionary housing program or ordinance, please see the Planning Department web page. You may also call the Housing Division at 891-6540 for information or to request an application by mail.