Housing & Human Services

Notice of Public Meetings and Surveys

• Public Meetings on Five-Year Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing (PDF)
• Community Needs Survey for Consolidated Plan - English | Spanish
• Fair Housing Survey for AI - English | Spanish

Notice of Funding Availability

The Florida Housing Finance Corporation has awarded the City of Tallahassee $429,000 in State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Hurricane Housing Recovery Program (HHRP) disaster assistance funds for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. The purpose of this funding is to address the needs of eligible applicants whose housing has been either directly affected by Hurricane Michael or to protect their homes against future storm damage. Housing assisted with City funds must be located within City limits.

Applications for the programs listed below will be accepted beginning on November 1, 2019 and will continue until all funds are obligated, or until September 30, 2021, whichever comes first. Information on available programs, eligibility requirements, selection criteria, and current income limits (Area Median Income - AMI) may be found on the City's website at http://www.talgov.com/neighborhoodservices/housing.aspx#hp.

Down Payment Assistance Services - $64,000 - This program provides homebuyer education and other services. It is open to potential homebuyers who are interested in applying for a down payment assistance loan.  Applicants may apply by contacting the Tallahassee Lenders Consortium (TLC) at www.tallahasseelenders.org, or by calling (850) 222-6609.

Major Rehabilitation and Reconstruction - $150,000 - This program makes needed repairs to meet City building codes.  It is open to owner occupants earning 80% or less than the AMI and who meet the eligibility criteria of the program. Applicants may apply by contacting the City's Housing Division at (850) 891-6566.

Accessibility Rehabilitation Program - $72,100 - This program makes accessibility modifications to the homes of disabled persons.  It is open to owner occupants who: 1) earn 80% or less than the AMI and meet the eligibility criteria of the program; and 2) have a household member with a documented disabling condition. Applicants may apply by calling Ability 1st at (850) 575-9621.

Storm Damage Mitigation Repair Program - $100,000 - This program assists low-income homeowners make property improvements to reduce damage susceptibility during major storm events and make other improvements that will harden the home against future storm damage.

The local contact person for the SHIP program is:

Julie Evans, Housing Planner
Department of Community Housing and Human Services
City of Tallahassee
435 North Macomb St.
Tallahassee, Florida

Notice of Funding Availability

The State of Florida has awarded the City of Tallahassee, Department of Community Housing and Human Services, $330,658 in fiscal year 2019-2020 State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) funds for housing programs administered by the City's Housing Division. Housing assisted with City funds must be located within City limits. Applicants who have been previously qualified may be assisted first with fiscal year 2019-2020 funding if all 2018-2019 funding has been exhausted.

Applications for the programs listed below will be accepted beginning on October 1, 2019, and will continue until all funds are obligated, or until September 30, 2020, whichever comes first. Information on these programs, eligibility requirements, selection criteria, and current income limits (Area Median Income - AMI) for each program may be found on the City's website, at http://www.talgov.com/neighborhoodservices/housing.aspx#hp.

Down Payment Assistance Services - $69,000 - This program provides homebuyer education and other services. It is open to potential homebuyers who are interested in applying for a downpayment assistance loan. Applicants may apply by contacting the Tallahassee Lenders Consortium (TLC) at www.tallahasseelenders.org, or by calling (850) 222-6609. 

Down Payment Assistance Loans - $60,000 - This program provides down payment loans to homebuyers earning 81% to 100% of AMI purchasing an Inclusionary Housing Unit as defined by the City and who meet the eligibility criteria of the program. Applicants may apply by contacting the Tallahassee Lenders Consortium (TLC) at www.tallahasseelenders.org, or by calling (850) 222-6609.

Emergency Repair Program - $175,000 - This program eliminates health and safety hazards in the home. It is open to owner occupants earning 50% or less than the AMI meeting the eligibility criteria of the program or earning 80% or less than the AMI for owner-occupants with a household member with a documented disabling condition. Applicants may apply by contacting the City's Housing Division at (850) 891-6566.

Owner Occupied Rehabilitation - $28,040.07 - This program makes needed repairs to meet City building codes. It is open to owner occupants earning 80% or less than the AMI and who meet the eligibility criteria of the program. Applicants may apply by contacting the City's Housing Division at (850) 891-6566.

Accessibility Rehabilitation Program - $100,000 - This program makes accessibility modifications to the homes of disabled persons. It is open to owner occupants who: 1) earn 80% or less than the AMI and meet the eligibility criteria of the program; and 2) have a household member with a documented disabling condition. Applicants may apply by calling Ability 1st at (850) 575-9621.

The local contact person for the SHIP program is:

Jean Amison, Housing and Grants Administrator
Department of Community Housing and Human Services
City of Tallahassee
435 North Macomb St.
Tallahassee, Florida

Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER)

The City of Tallahassee has prepared a Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This CAPER reports the uses of HUD funds during the last fiscal year (October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019) and compares it to the goals set in the Annual Action Plan. It is in draft form and ready for public review.

• 2018-2019 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (PDF)

Consolidated Plan & Annual Action Plan

The Consolidated Plan is a planning document that identified the City's overall housing and community development needs, and it outlines a strategy to address those needs.

The Annual Action Plan is prepared as the document that describes actions, activities and programs proposed during the next fiscal year to address priority needs and specific objectives identified in the City's approved Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development. The plan focuses specifically on the housing and community development needs of low- and moderate-income persons, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This plan is required by HUD and must be developed by local governments in order to receive funding under the following programs:

• Community development Block Grant (CDBG)
• HOME Investments Partnerships Program Grant (HOME)
• Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)

FINAL - Tallahassee’s Annual Action Plan (October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020) (PDF)
Tallahassee's Consolidated Plan (October 1, 2015 - September 30, 2020) (PDF)
Tallahassee Citizen Participation Plan (PDF)
Consolidated Plan Maps (PDF)

SHIP Local Housing Assistance Plan (2016-2019)

State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP)

The State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program aids government in providing affordable housing.

• 2019 Annual Report (PDF)

Local Housing Assistance Plan

The Local Housing Assistance Plan provides a summary of the housing strategies the City will fund with State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) money for state fiscal years 2019-2020 through 2021-2022. SHIP funds may be used for homebuyer purchase assistance, homeowner rehabilitation, disaster assistance, and new construction for ownership and rental.

• SHIP Local Housing Assistance Plan 2019-2022 (PDF)

Human Services

The City of Tallahassee targets its human services funds to meet the needs of low and moderate-income persons and neighborhoods. In support of this principal, the City's human services funds are targeted for the provision of human services, which include, but are not limited to the following:

• Substance abuse support, case management services for persons affected by HIV/AIDS; comprehensive medical health care such as pharmaceuticals and primary care;
• Accessibility and case management services for persons with disabilities, including the Sickle Cell disease;
• Basic needs services such as clothing, food, household items, and employability training and placement; mental health counseling to meet the urgent needs of children; emergency shelter for families with children;
• Health services for the elderly, including respite care for individuals affected by the Alzheimer's disease; and
• After school and summer enrichment programs for children and youth residing in targeted neighborhoods.

Although certain human services are supported by CDBG funds (totaling $327,145), the City, as it has for the past several years, added additional funds ($876,750) to address a full-range of human services needs.

Recent Updates

• First Public Hearing on Annual Action Plan 2017-2018
• City of Tallahassee Affordable Housing Advisory Committee 2015 Report of Recommendations
• Appointment to the Tallahassee/Leon County Affordable Housing Workgroup
• Notice of Comment Period, Material Revision of Citizen Participation Plan
• Citizen Participation Plan Proposed Draft
• Citizen Participation Plan 6-2015

Funding Distribution Process

In order to provide a more efficient and effective method for allocating human service grants, the City of Tallahassee, Leon County, and the United Way joined forces to create the Community Human Service Partnership (CHSP).

Prior to the development of the CHSP funding distribution process, all three partners conducted separate grant review processes; consequently, local human service providers had to participate in three different processes. Recognizing the need to make improvements in the overall approach to funding not-for-profit organizations, the CHSP was formulated to address various systems' challenges that resulted due to the lack of coordination amongst the three local funding agents.

Overall, the CHSP serves as a joint planning and funding distribution process, which utilizes a standardized funding application, site visit format, and review and recommendation process. This process allows the partners to make funding decisions in a more informed and systematic manner.

CHSP, a citizens-driven process, includes the following strategic steps:

• A public notification process.
• A mandatory workshop for interested private, not-for-profit organizations.
• Use of a standardized application, which includes legal, organizational, financial, managerial, programmatic, and program evaluation information.
• Technical assistance is available after the workshop for a period of several weeks.
• Submission of agency applications by a designated time frame.
• A technical review of all applications.
• Recruitment and training of volunteers.
• The organization of volunteers into Citizens Review Teams (CRTs).
• Each team reviews the applications, conducts program site visits, completes agency/programmatic assessments, recommends priorities, and makes initial funding recommendations.
• CHSP staff determines funding allocations based on legal, procedural, and historical funding factors.
• Agency award letters, which include direct feedback from CRTs, are forwarded.
• An appeal process is built into the CHSP process.
• Recommendations from the CRTs are forwarded to each funding source's citizen-staffed committee.
• Recommendations are submitted to the City Commission, the Leon County Commission, and the United Way Board of Directors for final approval.
• Contracts and memorandum of agreements are executed. The CHSP funding cycle is from October 1, to September 30.

For additional questions or information, please call 850-891-6566.