Title
MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE (AHAC) REPORT (2025) 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.
4. The following members served on the board 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 (VICE CHAIR) Resident
Tiffany Pinto Resident
Natalie Ramirez (CHAIR) Real Estate Professional
Nikita Shannon Home Building Industry
Jay Shechter Advocate for Low-Income Persons
Ronnie (Ran) Shoua Real Estate Professional
Lisa Stewart Real Estate Professional
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 19, 2025, 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.
• October 6, 2025, to review the draft AHAC report and make additional recommendations for affordable housing incentive strategies.
• October 27, 2025, the AHAC held a public meeting to discuss and approve the final report and its recommendations.
7. For 2025, the AHAC reviewed the following new documents of note during this cycle:
• Senate Bill 1080 - Affordable Housing - Expedited Permitting and Fee Waivers Act
• Senate Bill 1730 - Affordable Housing and Community Development Programs
• Housing Broward: 10-Year Affordable Housing Plan
• Land Development Code Update - Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s)
8. On October 27, 2025, the AHAC committee unanimously voted to transmit the report to the Commission with the following recommendations:
Flexible Densities
The City to reduce the minimum permitted floor area for multifamily housing units from 750 square feet to 550 square feet for developments that include affordable housing.
Reservation of Infrastructure Capacity
The City should monitor Broward County’s progress on the sewer conversion project and determine the appropriate timing to begin outreach to County Phase residents. In preparation, the Housing Administrator should consider establishing a non-binding resident interest list to help streamline outreach and application distribution once the grants become available.
Affordable Accessory Residential Units
The City will continue to provide the AHAC with an annual summary of newly permitted ADUs, including their locations, and evaluate strategies to support increased ADU development.
Support of Development Near Transportation Hubs
The City should continue to actively advocate for future expansions of the Flamingo Road Greenway throughout the County to promote safe, accessible, and sustainable non-automobile transportation options to our residents and visitors.
Additional Recommendations:
1. Encourage partnerships with local for-profit and not-for-profit entities to expand affordable housing options, including both rental and homeownership. Where feasible, the City should leverage existing affordable housing funds or grant funding, with an emphasis on assisting low-income residents in securing homeownership or rental opportunities.
2. The city to consider developing an ordinance to establish LDC guidelines for affordable housing development that would allow developers to seek site-specific waivers - such as for unit size, parking, height, roadway width, and/or lot configurations - in lieu of variances, as part of the site plan process.
9. The proposed AHAC report is required to be submitted to Florida Housing Finance Corporation by December 31, 2025, per State Statute. Failure to submit a report in a timely manner may impact future SHIP funding.
10. The City Commission must accept or reject all or some of the recommendations contained within this report prior to transmittal to the Florida Housing Corporation.
11. Administration recommends approval and acceptance of the 2025 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.