Title
MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE (AHAC) REPORT (2026) AND TRANSMIT THE REPORT TO THE FLORIDA HOUSING CORPORATION.
Summary Explanation and Background
SUMMARY EXPLANATION AND BACKGROUND:
1. As a recipient of State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) funds, the City of Pembroke Pines established an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) in 2008 as required by the Florida Statutes, Sec. 420.9076. The AHAC is responsible for reviewing and evaluating local plans, policies, procedures, land development regulations, the Comprehensive Plan, and other aspects of Pembroke Pines housing activities that impact the production of affordable housing. The City has been convening this Board triennially up until 2018.
2. In 2020, the State of Florida approved HB 1339 which updated that the AHAC requirements to include the following changes of significance:
- AHAC to meet annually in order to create the AHAC report where previously the Board was required to meet every three years.
- AHAC membership to include an elected official.
- Elected official appointed to AHAC is required to attend State of Florida affordable housing training.
3. The AHAC must be comprised of members with one or more of the following backgrounds:
(a) A citizen who is actively engaged in the residential home building industry in connection with affordable housing.
(b) A citizen who is actively engaged in the banking or mortgage banking industry in connection with affordable housing.
(c) A citizen who is a representative of those areas of labor actively engaged in home building in connection with affordable housing.
(d) A citizen who is actively engaged as an advocate for low-income persons in connection with affordable housing.
(e) A citizen who is actively engaged as a for-profit provider of affordable housing.
(f) A citizen who is actively engaged as a not-for-profit provider of affordable housing.
(g) A citizen who is actively engaged as a real estate professional in connection with affordable housing.
(h) A citizen who actively serves on the local planning agency is comprised of the governing board of the county or municipality; the governing board may appoint a designee who is knowledgeable in the local planning process.
(i) A citizen who resides within the jurisdiction of the local governing body making the appointments.
(j) A citizen who represents employers within the jurisdiction.
(k) A citizen who represents essential services personnel, as defined in the local housing assistance plan.
Note: Not all categories above are required to be represented on the AHAC
4. The following members were listed as board members during this cycle and category they occupied:
Board Member Category
Commissioner Thomas Good, Jr. Elected Official (Regular Member)
Commissioner Jay Schwartz Elected Official (Alternate Member)
Daniel Almaguer Essential Services Personnel
Elinne M. Dominguez Resident
Linda Gonzalez Local Planning Agency Representative
Carina Guillen (Chair) Resident
Tiffany Pinto Resident
Natalie Ramirez Real Estate Professional
Nikita Shannon Home Building Industry
Ronnie (Ran) Shoua (Vice-Chair) Real Estate Professional
Lisa Stewart Real Estate Professional
Karen Trent Advocate for Low-Income Persons
5. The State AHAC report template includes the following affordable housing strategies to be reviewed by the Board:
• Processing Of Expedited Permits or Development Orders to A Greater Degree Than Other Projects
• Modification of Impact-Fee Requirements
• Allowance of Flexibility in Densities
• Reservation of Infrastructure Capacity
• Reduction of Parking and Setback Requirements
• Allowance of Affordable Accessory Residential Units in Residential Zoning Districts
• Allowance of Flexible Lot Configurations
• Modification of Street Requirements
• Establishment of a Process by which a Local Government Considers, before Adoption, Policies, Procedures, Ordinances, Regulations, or Plan Provisions that Increase the Cost of Housing
• Preparation of a Printed Inventory of Locally Owned Public Lands Suitable for Affordable Housing
• Support of Development near Transportation Hubs and Major Employment Centers and Mixed-Use Development
6. The AHAC met on the following dates:
• August 24, 2026, for an organizational meeting to discuss an overview of affordable housing, during which the City Attorney and City Staff provided a legislative update on affordable housing.
• September 28, 2026, to review the draft AHAC report and make additional recommendations for affordable housing incentive strategies.
• October 5, 2026, the AHAC held a public meeting to discuss and approve the final report and its recommendations.
7. At the September 28, 2026 meeting, Mandy Bartle, President and CEO of the South Florida Community Land Trust (SFCLT), presented to the AHAC on the use of community land trusts as a tool for creating and preserving affordable housing. Ms. Bartle also provided an overview of the partnership between the City, County, and South Florida Community Land Trust (SFCLT) on the Casa Apartments project.
8. For 2026, the AHAC reviewed the following new documents of note during this cycle:
• Updates to House Bill 1389 - Affordable Housing Development on Land Owned by Religious Institutions and Local Governments and other Live Local Amendments (AKA: Live Local 4.0)
• House Bill 399 -- Chapter 2026-07, Development Permit Application Fees and Development Compatibility
• HB 803: Chapter 2026-63, Building Permits and Inspections
9. On October 05, 2026, the AHAC committee voted to transmit the report to the Commission with the following recommendations:
• Explore the implementation of an online submittal option for qualifying affordable housing permits while maintaining the existing expedited review and coordination process.
• City to consider an affordable housing impact-fee reduction and tiered-waiver program that provides full or partial waivers based on household income and the affordability level of the housing produced. Where a waiver is not feasible, the city could consider deferred payment, installment payments, or referral to other funding sources to reduce upfront development costs. Eligibility should include affordability requirements for a defined period of time to ensure that the benefit we are hoping to attain is actually producing affordable housing and not simply a way to reduce developer costs.
• Support density flexibility on a case-by-case basis when the development demonstrates adequate fire flow, hydrant coverage, emergency access, apparatus turning and staging, means of egress, and any required automatic sprinkler and fire-alarm protection.
• Continue coordination with Broward County to provide timely updates to residents whose homes are within the current Pines Village project phase and promote awareness of income eligibility and available financial assistance.
• City staff to research best practices across the State for providing Accessory Dwelling Units and to develop proposed programs and/or amendments to the Land Development Code for City Commission review that would make it easier for eligible residents to build ADUs.
• When proposed policies, procedures, regulations, or plan changes relate to affordable housing, the City should consider their potential impact on housing costs and availability and identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary costs while maintaining applicable requirements and standards.
• The Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) recommends as policy the adoption of an 80/20 affordability ratio, whereby:
- 80 percent of affordable housing resources are prioritized for affordable homeownership, and
- 20 percent are allocated to affordable rental housing.
• Explore redevelopment opportunities along approved comprehensive plan major corridors that could accommodate affordable housing within existing developed areas.
10. The proposed AHAC report is required to be submitted to Florida Housing Finance Corporation by December 31, 2026, per State Statute. Failure to submit a report in a timely manner may impact future SHIP funding.
11. The City Commission must accept, modify or reject all or some of the recommendations contained within this report prior to transmittal to the Florida Housing Corporation.
12. Administration recommends approval and acceptance of the 2026 AHAC report and to transmit the report to the Florida Housing Corporation.
Financial Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT DETAIL:
a) Initial Cost: None.
b) Amount budgeted for this item in Account No: Not Applicable.
c) Source of funding for difference, if not fully budgeted: Not Applicable.
d) 5-year projection of the operational cost of the project: Not Applicable.
e) Detail of additional staff requirements: Not Applicable.
FEASIBILITY REVIEW:
A feasibility review is required for the award, renewal and/or expiration of all function sourcing contracts. This analysis is to determine the financial effectiveness of function sourcing services.
a) Was a Feasibility Review/Cost Analysis of Out-Sourcing vs. In-House Labor Conducted for this service? Not Applicable.
b) If Yes, what is the total cost or total savings of utilizing Out-Sourcing vs. In-House Labor for this service? Not Applicable.