|
Leon County
Board of County Commissioners Agenda Item#17 January 27, 2026 |
| To: | Honorable Chairman and Members of the Board |
| From: | Vincent S. Long, County Administrator |
| Title: | Ratification of the Local Government Funding Commitment to the ViaNova Apartments Affordable Rental Housing Development |
| Review and Approval: | Vincent S. Long, County Administrator |
|
Department/Division Review and Approval: |
Shington Lamy, Assistant County Administrator Nawfal Ezzagaghi, Assistant County Administrator Artie White, Director, Planning, Land Management & Community Enhancement (PLACE) Keith Bowers, Director, Office of Economic Vitality (OEV) Abigail Thomas, Director, Human Services & Community Partnerships |
|
Lead Staff/ Project Team: |
Jelani Marks, Housing Services Manager |
Statement of Issue:
This item seeks Board ratification of a local government funding commitment in the amount of $93,750 to Volunteers of America of Florida, Inc. for the construction of the ViaNova Apartments affordable rental housing development on South Monroe Street.
Fiscal Impact:
This item has a fiscal impact. Volunteers of America of Florida, Inc. is requesting a total of $187,500 in local government funding (or $93,750 from both the County and City of Tallahassee). Funds from the Blueprint Affordable Housing Gap Finance Program established by the Intergovernmental Agency would be utilized as the local government contribution for the County and City should the project be awarded funding from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation.
Staff Recommendation:
Option #1: Ratify the County share of the local government funding commitment in the amount of $93,750 to Volunteers of America of Florida for the ViaNova Apartments and authorize the County Administrator to enter and execute any and all legal documentation related to ViaNova Apartments, and any amendments thereto, subject to legal review by the County Attorney.
Report and Discussion
Background:
This item seeks Board ratification of a local government funding commitment in the amount of $93,750 to Volunteers of America of Florida, Inc. (VOA) for the construction of the ViaNova Apartments affordable rental housing development on South Monroe Street (Attachment #1). The local government funding commitment would be utilized by VOA to leverage $7.2 million in state affordable housing funds through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC). The local funding commitment would be provided to the project only if state funding is awarded. Consistent with the County’s steadfast commitment to affordable housing, the proposed project would create an additional 86 affordable rental units for low, very low and extremely low-income households.
This item would advance the following FY 2022 – FY 2026 Strategic Initiatives:
Work with the City of Tallahassee on the development and implementation of the Neighborhood First Program to engage residents and develop plans to address poverty and inequity in targeted neighborhoods including 32304. (2022-33)
Continue to leverage County funding in partnership with local stakeholders to secure state and federal funding to build affordable rental housing for very low- and low-income families. (2023-61)
This Strategic Initiative aligns with the Board’s Quality of Life Strategic Priorities:
(Q4) Support and promote access to basic healthcare, mental health, affordable housing, and homeless prevention services to our community members most in need.
(Q5) Promote livability, health and sense of community by supporting strong neighborhoods, enhancing mobility, encouraging human scale development, and creating public spaces for people of all ages.
According to the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies at the University of Florida (Shimberg), the highest affordable housing need in Leon County is affordable rental units for very low-income households earning 50% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI) ($46,150 for a household of four). To address this need, the County has provided $5.8 million in direct funding over the past five years and has authorized approximately $198 million in bond financing that has or will develop more than 1,200 affordable rental units over the next 12-18 months.
The County’s Rental Development program provides gap financing or other financial contributions for projects that propose to construct or rehabilitate units dedicated to low-income housing households in unincorporated Leon County and within the City limits. Eligible projects are required to set aside units for very low and extremely low-income households. During the FY 2026 Budget Workshop, the Board increased the County’s annual investment in rental development projects with the approval of $250,000 in general revenue for gap financing of affordable housing projects for very low- and extremely low-income households. Additionally, the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency (IA) Board, which is comprised of the Board and City Commission, established and funded an affordable housing gap financing program in the amount of $250,000 annually through the Office of Economic Vitality (OEV).
Projects seeking gap financing or other financial contributions such as local funding match submit applications to the Housing Finance Authority of Leon County (HFA). The HFA was established by the Board to alleviate the shortage of affordable housing primarily through capital investment and bond financing. The HFA evaluates the operational and financial feasibility of projects and makes a recommendation to the Board. In coordination with the County, the City of Tallahassee (City) also utilizes an application process to evaluate proposed affordable rental housing projects and provide an equivalent amount of financial assistance with the County for development within the City limit.
On December 11, 2025, VOA applied to the HFA for a local government funding commitment in order to submit an application for funding through FHFC in the amount of $7.2 million. VOA is proposing the development of an 86-unit six-story affordable development on South Monroe Street exclusively dedicated to low-income households with social services to individuals and families exiting homeless. On December 15, 2025, the HFA recommended that the Board approve the local government funding commitment for the ViaNova Apartments following its evaluation of the developer’s proforma and financials. VOA also submitted an application to the City which certified the project as affordable housing.
FHFC requires developers receiving local funding commitment to submit a local government contribution form with their application. Applications for the FHFC funding opportunity were due and submitted by VOA on January 20, 2026 which was in between Board meetings. As a result, the County Administrator executed the local government contribution form required for the application. Therefore, the item recommends the ratification of the County’s funding commitment for ViaNova Apartments.
Analysis:
VOA is a faith-based, non-profit human service organization based in St. Petersburg, Florida, dedicated to helping Floridians achieve stability, independence, and greater well-being through the provision of affordable housing, in-home behavioral health care and wrap-around services for vulnerable populations (homeless, at-risk veterans, etc.). VOA has extensive experience in affordable housing and has developed affordable rental development projects in St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
As mentioned earlier, VOA is proposing the construction of a one six-story mid-rise building with 86 units exclusive to low, very low or extremely low-income households (60% or below AMI) (Attachment #2). The units would be affordable to low-income households in perpetuity. The site of the proposed ViaNova development is on the west side of South Monroe Street in the South City neighborhood between Orange Avenue Magnolia Drive. This housing project would provide extensive programs and services targeted to individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness including case management, employment & financial literacy, behavioral health counseling, recovery support, health care screening and on-site voter registration. The project also aligns with the County’s commitment to work with the City to improve the quality of life and spur economic growth in the neighborhoods that have historically experienced poverty and inequities.
According to VOA, construction would commence within 9-12 months once funding is fully secured. Similar to the other affordable housing projects, VOA is anticipated to utilize local vendors for the construction of the rental units. The total project cost for the ViaNova Apartments is approximately $35.4 million. The project will primarily be funded with private equity financing and the FHFC funding if awarded. FHFC utilizes a scoring system as part of its evaluation of applications. A local funding commitment of $187,500 is required to receive the maximum allowable points for local government contributions as part of the FHFC application. As mentioned earlier, the HFA conducted an operational and fiscal review of the proposed development and recommended that the County provide a funding commitment to the project. The City also certified the project as affordable housing. This would result in the equal apportionment of the local government contribution by the County and City ($93,750 each).
FHFC requires developers receiving local funding commitment to submit a local government contribution form with their application. As mentioned earlier VOA submitted an application to the HFA for local funding commitment on December 11, 2025, and applications for the FHFC funding were due on January 20, 2026 which occurred in between Board meetings. Based on the HFA’s recommendation and in order for VOA to meet the application deadline, the County Administrator executed the local government contribution form for the ViaNova project in the amount of $93,750 which reflects half of the required funding commitment. The City also provided VOA the required form for its FHFC application. Similar to previous affordable housing projects, the funding provided by the County would be in the form of a loan, should VOA secure FHFA funding. The zero-interest loan would be due to the County in 20 years or upon the sale of the property, whichever comes first.
Should the project be awarded FHFC funding, the OEV Affordable Housing Gap Finance Program would be utilized as the funding source by the County and City for the required total of $187,500 ($93,750 each). No action would be required by the IA. Upon the request of County and City staff respectively, OEV would transfer the appropriate funds to the County and City for distribution to the developer. Therefore, it is recommended that the Board ratify the County’s funding commitment for ViaNova Apartments. Additionally, it is recommended that the Board authorize the County Administrator to execute any legal documentation required to effectuate the County’s contribution should the project be awarded FHFC funding.
Options:
Ratify the County share of the local government funding commitment in the amount of $93,750 to Volunteers of America of Florida for the ViaNova Apartments and authorize the County Administrator to enter and execute any and all legal documentation related to ViaNova Apartments, and any amendments thereto, subject to legal review by the County Attorney.
Do not ratify the County share of the local government funding commitment to Volunteers of America of Florida for the ViaNova Apartments.
Board direction.
Recommendation:
Option #1
Attachments: