TAMPA, Fla. — We've seen how just one affordable housing program can make all the difference in someone's life. Now, imagine dozens of new options that were never on our radar.
A newreport by the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) aims to open up new options for leaders across Florida.
The group is aresearch arm of the Florida state legislature. In a report from Dec. 2023, "OPPAGA reviewed 1,046 housing programs and surveyed housing agencies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Using feedback from FHFC, some national housing experts, and housing program staff from other states, OPPAGA identified 13 innovative housing programs in other states that do not duplicate Florida or federal programs. Most of these programs were related to homeownership or community revitalization and zoning to support affordable housing development."
Three programs from Connecticut,New York, and Illinoishave a "high potential for implementation in Florida."
"Research has shown that it's hard to maintain your health if you don't have stable housing," Sarah Torres, Planning and Research Specialist at the Illinois Housing Development Authority, told ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska. "This is a way to bring the healthcare system into affordable housing."
"Are you guys excited that another state like ours has said, 'Hey, look, this is a great program; we need to do it here," Paluska asked.
"It's really interesting. I think that, you know, we're seeing an affordable housing crisis throughout the country," Amy Bashiti, community revitalization services manager, said.
"And I think we all should be coming up with our own innovative ways to meet these needs and meet them as quickly as possible," Bashiti said. "So, it's very exciting that other states are seeing what we do and thinking they might be able to adapt it."
"Are those programs we can implement here a win?" Paluska asked Mike Sutton, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Pinellas, West Pasco Counties.
They can be," Sutton said. "I had a boss one time that used to use the acronym case, copy and steal everything. There are 50 states throughout the community, countless municipalities, and somebody's doing something good. And I think we have to go out look at what people are doing, and how can we replicate that in our own community."
Sutton said they've mastered the single-family home.
"The habitat model is designed to provide a zero-interest mortgage. And so a $300,000 house is 800 bucks a month. And so you add taxes and insurance, we are coming in around $1,200 a month. If you run a current mortgage calculator on one of these houses based on today's mortgage rate, you'd pay about $1.5 million for this house over the course of 30 years.
In June, Sutton tells Paluska they will celebrate their 900th home.
They are also expanding into different builds. They now build townhomes, duplexes, and triplexes, similar to what Habitat non-profits nationwide have started doing.
We saw firsthand just how life-changing homeownership can be. A Pinellas County school bus driver will receive the keys to her new Habitat home in a few weeks.
"It was around Christmas Eve two years ago. I sat down and cried. I just cried because I had nowhere to go, literally nowhere to go. I had put in applications. I was getting denied. I was getting turned down paying application fee at the application fee only for them to take it knowing they're not going to give you the property," Tangela Butler said. "I was not in the shape to buy a house. My income at that time was not enough. And my credit at that time was not where it needed to be."
That all changed with one phone call to Habitat for Humanity.
"This is everything to me. Standing here two years later is like a dream come true. I did it, and I'm so proud of myself."