Housing, Agriculture & Tourism Subcommittee Meeting Packet, November 18, 2025

Summary

Meeting packet for the House of Representatives Housing, Agriculture & Tourism Subcommittee, Tuesday, November 18, 2025. The notice lists consideration of HB 97 Transportation Concurrency by Grow, HB 191 Verification of Reemployment Assistance Benefit Eligibility by Abbott, and HB 267 Local Housing Assistance Plans by Stark. The bill analysis for HB 97 states that the bill allows counties with a population of 200,000 or less that apply concurrency to transportation facilities to maintain current levels of service, with an effective date of July 1, 2026. The packet ends with the text of HB 267, which states that the act shall take effect July 1, 2026.

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Housing, Agriculture & Tourism
Subcommittee
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Morris Hall (17 HOB)

Meeting Packet

Daniel Perez Michelle Salzman
Speaker Chair
Committee Meeting Notice
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Housing, Agriculture & Tourism Subcommittee

Start Date and Time: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 01:00 PM

End Date and Time: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 03:00 PM

Location: Morris Hall (17 HOB)
Duration: 2.00 hrs

Consideration of the following bill(s):

HB 97 Transportation Concurrency by Grow
HB 191 Verification of Reemployment Assistance Benefit Eligibility by Abbott
HB 267 Local Housing Assistance Plans by Stark

NOTICE FINALIZED on 11/10/2025 3:26PM by Young.Kimberly

11/10/2025 03:26:28PM Leagis ® Page 1 of 1
HB 97
FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
BILL ANALYSIS
This bill analysis was prepared by nonpartisan committee staff and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
BILL #: HB 97 COMPANION BILL: SB 324 (McClain)
TITLE: Transportation Concurrency LINKED BILLS: None
SPONSOR(S): Grow RELATED BILLS: None
Committee References
Housing, Agriculture & Tourism Intergovernmental Affairs Commerce
 

SUMMARY
Effect of the Bill:
The bill allows counties with a population of 200,000 or less that apply concurrency to transportation facilities to
maintain current levels of service rather than meeting adopted levels of service.

Fiscal or Economic Impact:
The bill has an indeterminate fiscal and economic impact on local governments.

JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY

ANALYSIS
EFFECT OF THE BILL:
The bill amends Florida’s Community Planning Act. For small counties 1 that apply transportation concurrency, the
bill provides that the capital improvements element of their respective comprehensive plans may maintain current
levels of service. (Section 1.)

In effect, the bill allows a small county that has imposed transportation concurrency requirements to identify in its
comprehensive plan only those facilities necessary to maintain current levels of service, rather than meeting levels
of service adopted to accommodate new development.

The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2026. (Section 2.)

FISCAL OR ECONOMIC IMPACT:

LOCAL GOVERNMENT:
The bill has an indeterminate fiscal and economic impact on local governments.

1 For purposes of these provisions, “small county” means any county that has a population of 200,000 or less, as determined by

the most recent official estimate. See ss. 339.2818(2) and 186.901, F.S.
STORAGE NAME: h0097.HAT
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HB 97
RELEVANT INFORMATION
SUBJECT OVERVIEW:
Community Planning Act
Florida’s Community Planning Act (CPA) 2 requires every local government 3 to plan for future development and
growth by adopting, implementing, and amending as necessary a comprehensive plan. 4 All elements of a plan or
plan amendment must be based on relevant, appropriate data 5 and an analysis by the local government which may
include surveys, studies, the respective community’s goals and visions, and other data available at the time of
adopting the plan or amendment. 6

Among other requirements, each comprehensive plan must include a transportation element that addresses
mobility issues in relation to the size and character of the local government. 7 The purpose of the transportation
element is for the local government to plan a multimodal transportation system with an emphasis on public
transportation systems, where feasible. 8

The transportation element must:
• Provide for a safe, convenient multimodal transportation system, coordinated with the future land use
map or map series and designed to support all elements of the comprehensive plan; and
• Be coordinated with the plans and programs of any applicable metropolitan planning organization,
transportation authority, the Florida Transportation Plan, and the Department of Transportation adopted
work program. 9

Transportation Concurrency
Under Florida’s concurrency laws, certain public facilities and services must be in place and available to serve new
development no later than the issuance of a certificate of occupancy or its functional equivalent by a local
government. 10 “At its core, concurrency is a state requirement that development is not to proceed unless
infrastructure capacity and specific urban services are in place to service the new development.” 11 Sanitary sewer,
solid waste, drainage, and potable water are the only public facilities and services subject to the concurrency
requirement on a statewide basis; 12 however, any local government may extend the concurrency requirement to
additional public facilities, such as transportation. 13

If a local government chooses to apply concurrency to transportation facilities, the local government’s
comprehensive plan must provide the principles, guidelines, standards, and strategies, including adopted levels of
service to guide the local government’s application of concurrency to the transportation facilities. 14 A level of
service is an indicator of the extent or degree of service provided by, or proposed to be provided by, a facility based

2 Ch. 163, Part II, F.S.
3 Local government means any county or municipality. S. 163.3164(29), F.S.
4 Ss. 163.3167(2) and 163.3177, F.S.
5 To be based on data means to react to it in an appropriate way and to the extent necessary indicated by the data available on

that particular subject at the time of adoption of the plan or plan amendment at issue. S. 163.3177(1)(f), F.S.
6 S. 163.3177(1)(f), F.S.
7 S. 163.3177(6)(b), F.S.
8 Id.
9 Id.
10 S. 163.3180(2), F.S.
11 Chapin, Timothy S., T. Gregory, & J. Brown, Rethinking the Florida Transportation Concurrency Mandate (Aug. 2007),

https://gradschool.fsu.edu/sites/g/files/imported/storage/original/application/d4bd2fba3ffe3f180a973d0d838aac7c.pdf
(last visited Nov. 6, 2025).
12 S. 163.3180(1), F.S.
13 Id.
14 S. 163.3180(5)(a), F.S.

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2
HB 97
on the operational characteristics of the facility. 15 The level is measured by the capacity per unit of demand for
each public facility.

Further, the premise of concurrency is that the public facilities will be provided in order to achieve and maintain
the adopted level of service standard. 16 A local government’s comprehensive plan that imposes transportation
concurrency must contain appropriate amendments to the capital improvements element 17 of its comprehensive
plan. 18

Under current law, for a local government that imposes transportation concurrency, the capital improvements
element of its comprehensive plan must identify facilities necessary to meet adopted levels of service during a 5-
year period. 19

Small Counties
Under Florida law, a “small county” is defined for the purposes of transportation finance and planning as any
county that has a population of 200,000 or less. 20 Each year, the Office of Economic and Demographic Research
(EDR) provides population estimates of local governments to the Executive Office of the Governor. 21 Population is
computed as the number of residents and EDR employs the same general guidelines used by the United States
Bureau of the Census. 22 In 2024, 38 out of Florida’s 67 counties were considered small counties. 23

RECENT LEGISLATION:

HOUSE/SENATE
YEAR BILL # OTHER INFORMATION
SPONSOR(S)
2025 CS/HB 203 - Revises facilities required to be Grow Passed in the House.
identified in capital improvements element of Ingoglia Died in Senate Rules.
comprehensive plan that imposes
transportation concurrency for small counties.

15 S. 163.3164(28), F.S.
16 S. 163.3180(5)(d), F.S.
17 “Capital improvement” means physical assets constructed or purchased to provide, improve, or replace a public facility and

which are typically large scale and high in cost. The cost of a capital improvement is generally nonrecurring and may require
multiyear financing. For the purposes of the Community Planning Act, physical assets that have been identified as existing or
projected needs in the individual comprehensive plan elements are considered capital improvements. S. 163.3164(7), F.S.
18 S. 163.3180(5)(d), F.S.
19 Id.
20 See s. 339.2818(2), F.S.
21 S. 186.901(1), F.S.
22 S. 186.901(2)(a), F.S.
23 See Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research, Florida’s Resident Population, The Florida Legislature

Econographic News (2024 Vol. I), https://edr.state.fl.us/Content/population-
demographics/reports/econographicnews_2024_Volume%201.pdf (last visited Nov. 6, 2025).
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3
HB 97
BILL HISTORY
STAFF
DIRECTOR/ ANALYSIS
COMMITTEE REFERENCE ACTION DATE POLICY CHIEF PREPARED BY
Housing, Agriculture & Tourism Curtin Fletcher
Subcommittee
Intergovernmental Affairs
Subcommittee
Commerce Committee

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4
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

HB 97 2026

1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to transportation concurrency;
3 amending s. 163.3180, F.S.; revising facilities
4 required to be identified in the capital improvements
5 element of a comprehensive plan that imposes
6 transportation concurrency for small counties;
7 providing an effective date.
8
9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11 Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (5) of section
12 163.3180, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
13 163.3180 Concurrency.—
14 (5)
15 (d) The premise of concurrency is that the public
16 facilities will be provided in order to achieve and maintain the
17 adopted level of service standard. A comprehensive plan that
18 imposes transportation concurrency shall contain appropriate
19 amendments to the capital improvements element of the
20 comprehensive plan, consistent with the requirements of s.
21 163.3177(3). The capital improvements element shall identify
22 facilities necessary to meet adopted levels of service during a
23 5-year period or to maintain current levels of service for small
24 counties as defined in s. 339.2818(2).
25 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.

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hb97-00
HB 191
FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
BILL ANALYSIS
This bill analysis was prepared by nonpartisan committee staff and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
BILL #: HB 191 COMPANION BILL: SB 216 (McClain)
TITLE: Verification of Reemployment Assistance Benefit LINKED BILLS: None
Eligibility RELATED BILLS: None
SPONSOR(S): Abbott
Committee References
Housing, Agriculture & Tourism Commerce


SUMMARY
Effect of the Bill:
The bill adds conditions for disqualification from reemployment assistance and requires the Department of
Commerce to implement new provisions to verify a claimant’s eligibility.

Fiscal or Economic Impact:
The bill may have an indeterminate negative fiscal impact on the Department of Commerce.

JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY

ANALYSIS
EFFECT OF THE BILL:
The bill adds the following conditions for disqualification from reemployment assistance:
• Failing to contact five prospective employers per week;
• Failing to appear on three or more occasions for a scheduled job interview without notifying the prospective
employer of the need to cancel or reschedule the interview; or
• Failing to return to work when recalled by their former employer after a temporary layoff. (Section 2).

The bill requires the Department of Commerce (Department) to verify a claimant’s eligibility for reemployment
assistance benefits through the following measures:
• Verify the identity of each claimant;
• Cross-check the information contained in an initial claim with information in the database of the Systematic
Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program.
• Cross-check the information contained in a claim every two weeks that a claimant files a claim to ensure that
the claimant is:
o Living.
o Not incarcerated.
o Not already employed. (Section 3).

The bill also requires the Department to verify each claimant’s eligibility for reemployment assistance benefits by:
• Investigating any claim in this state associated with another existing claim for reemployment assistance
benefits, either in this state or another state, that indicates suspicious activity.
• Examining each claim in this state filed from a foreign Internet Protocol address.
• Work with the United States Department of Labor, the Department of Justice, other state workforce agencies,
the Department of Law Enforcement, the state attorneys, or the Office of the Statewide Prosecutor, as
feasible, to investigate and prosecute fraudulent claims.
• Maintain a website through which an individual or an employer may report known or suspected violations
of the Reemployment Assistance Program Law, and annually notify employers of the website.
STORAGE NAME: h0191.HAT
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HB 191
• Annually make available on its website a report identifying for the prior year:
o The number of successful detections of fraudulent claims;
o The number of claims not paid due to the detection of fraud;
o The number of fraudulent claims paid and the amount paid on those claims;
o The amount recovered from fraudulent overpayments;
o The number of fraudulent claims referred for investigation and possible prosecution; and
o The sources used to cross-check claims during the reporting period. (Section 3).

The bill provides an effective date of July 1, 2025. (Section 4).

FISCAL OR ECONOMIC IMPACT:

STATE GOVERNMENT:
The Department of Commerce may incur indeterminate costs related to the creation, maintenance, and operation
of websites and database checks with the overall impact on the state expenditures remaining indeterminate. A
request for a formal analysis was submitted to the Department of Commerce on November 5, 2025.

RELEVANT INFORMATION
SUBJECT OVERVIEW:
Unemployment Compensation
The Federal-State Unemployment Insurance Program provides unemployment benefits to eligible workers who are
unemployed through no fault of their own (as determined under state law) and who meet the requirements of state
law. 1 The program is administered as a partnership between the federal government and the states. 2 Individual
states and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) collect employer payroll taxes to pay reemployment assistance
benefits. 3 Costs of administering state unemployment compensation and job service programs are paid by the federal
government. 4 In addition, Federal funds pay one-half of the cost of extended unemployment benefits (during periods
of high unemployment) and provide a fund from which states may borrow, if necessary, to pay benefits. 5

States are permitted to set benefit eligibility requirements, the amount and duration of benefits, and the state tax
structure, as long as state law does not conflict with the Federal requirements. 6 Florida’s Reemployment Assistance
Program was created by the Legislature in 1937 and the Department of Commerce (Department) is the agency
responsible for its administration. 7 The Department contracts with the Florida Department of Revenue to provide
unemployment tax collections services. 8

1 United States Department of Labor (DOL), Employment & Training Administration, State Unemployment Insurance Benefits,

https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/uifactsheet.asp (last visited Nov. 5, 2025).
2 DOL, Federal – State Partnership, https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/partnership.pdf (last visited Nov. 5, 2025).
3 Florida Department of Revenue, Florida Reemployment Tax,

https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/reemployment.aspx (last visited Nov. 5, 2025); Internal Revenue Service,
Federal Unemployment Tax, https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/federal-unemployment-tax (last visited
Nov. 5, 2025).
4 DOL, Unemployment Insurance Tax Topic,

https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/uitaxtopic.asp#:~:text=FUTA%20taxes%20are%20calculated%20by,times%20the%20emp
loyer's%20taxable%20wages.&text=Employers%20who%20pay%20their%20state,tax%20paid%20to%20the%20state (last
visited Nov. 5, 2025).
5 Id.
6 DOL, Federal – State Partnership, https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/partnership.pdf (last visited Nov. 5, 2025).
7 Ch. 18402, Laws of Fla.; S. 443.171(1), F.S.; S. 443.011, F.S.
8 S. 443.1316(1), F.S.

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HB 191

In Florida, which rebranded the unemployment compensation program as the reemployment assistance program in
2012, 9 a qualified claimant may receive benefits equal to 25 percent of wages, not to exceed $6,325 in a benefit
year. 10 Benefits range from a minimum of $32 per week to a maximum weekly benefit amount 11 of $275, for a
maximum of between 12 weeks and 23 weeks. 12

Disqualification for Reemployment Assistance Benefits
An individual shall be disqualified from receiving reemployment assistance benefits for any of the following reasons,
which include, but are not limited to: 13
• Voluntarily leaving work without good cause, or being discharged by his or her employing unit for
misconduct connected with the work;
• Failing to apply for available suitable work when directed by the department or the One-Stop Career Center,
to accept suitable work when offered, or to return to suitable self-employment when directed to do so;
• Making false or fraudulent representations in filing for benefits;
• Being discharged from employment due to drug use or rejection from a job offer for failing a drug test; or
• Becoming unavailable for work due to incarceration or imprisonment.

Benefit Eligibility
To be eligible for benefits each week of unemployment, a claimant must meet certain requirements, which generally
involve efforts to find new employment, including, but not limited to, the following:14
• Completing the Department’s online work registration;
• Reporting to the One-Stop Career Center when directed to do so by the local CareerSource board;
• Being able and available for work;
• Contacting at least 5 prospective employers each week; and
• Participating in reemployment services.

Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program
The SAVE program is an online service that verifies immigration status and U.S. citizenship of applicants seeking
benefits or licenses. 15 The program assists registered federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial government
agencies. 16 SAVE does not determine eligibility, as that responsibility rests with the benefit-granting or licensing
agency. 17

In order for the SAVE program to verify a benefit applicant’s immigration or citizenship status, the benefit-granting
or licensing agency must submit:18
• First name and last name;
• Date of birth;
• The public benefit(s) requested by the applicant; and
• At least one unique immigration identifier such as the Alien Registration Number, I-94, SEVIS ID, I-797, or
Citizenship Certificate Number.

9 Ch. 2012-30, Laws of Fla.
10 S. 443.111(5), F.S.
11 S. 443.111(3), F.S. the “weekly benefit amount,” is an amount equal to one twenty-sixth of the total wages for insured work

paid during the quarter of the base period where the wages paid were highest.
12 S. 443.111(5)(c), F.S.
13 S. 443.101, F.S.
14 S. 443.091(1), F.S.,
15 United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Save, https://www.uscis.gov/save (last visited Nov. 5, 2025).
16 Id.
17 Id.
18 USCIS, Verification Process, https://www.uscis.gov/save/about-save/save-verification-process (last visited Nov. 5, 2025).

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HB 191
The SAVE program typically provides an initial response within seconds, and most requests do not require additional
verification. For those requests that do require additional verification, the response time is 11 federal workdays. 19
SAVE charges $3.10 per verification for federal agencies and has eliminated verification charges for all state, local,
tribal, and territorial government agencies that use SAVE. 20 In addition, SAVE charges a minimum of $25 for each
month that an agency submits at least one SAVE case. 21

RECENT LEGISLATION:

YEAR BILL #/SUBJECT HOUSE/SENATE OTHER INFORMATION
SPONSOR(S)
2025 CS/CS/HB 1157 - Verification of Abbott/ Rodriguez The bill died in the Senate.
Reemployment Assistance Benefit Eligibility

BILL HISTORY
STAFF
DIRECTOR/ ANALYSIS
COMMITTEE REFERENCE ACTION DATE POLICY CHIEF PREPARED BY
Housing, Agriculture & Tourism Curtin Rodriguez
Subcommittee
Commerce Committee

19 USCIS, SAVE Verification Response Time, https://www.uscis.gov/save/about-save/save-verification-response-time (last

visited Nov. 5, 2025).
20 USCIS, Transaction Charges, Transaction Charges | USCIS (last visited Nov. 5, 2025).
21 Id.

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

HB 191 2026

1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to verification of reemployment
3 assistance benefit eligibility; providing a short
4 title; amending s. 443.101, F.S.; revising
5 circumstances under which the Department of Commerce
6 disqualifies claimants from reemployment assistance
7 benefits; creating s. 443.1112, F.S.; requiring the
8 department to verify claimants' identities before
9 paying benefits; requiring the department to cross-
10 check certain information to verify claimants'
11 eligibility under certain circumstances; providing
12 duties of the department; requiring the department to
13 maintain a web page for a specified purpose and to
14 notify employers each year of the web page; providing
15 annual reporting requirements; providing an effective
16 date.
17
18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20 Section 1. This act may be cited as the "Promoting Work,
21 Deterring Fraud Act of 2026."
22 Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 443.101, Florida
23 Statutes, is amended to read:
24 443.101 Disqualification for benefits.—An individual shall
25 be disqualified for benefits:

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hb191-00
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HB 191 2026

26 (2) If the Department of Commerce finds that the
27 individual has failed without good cause to apply for available
28 suitable work, to contact the required number of prospective
29 employers per week for any week of unemployment claimed in a
30 benefit year in accordance with s. 443.091, to appear on three
31 or more occasions for a scheduled job interview without
32 notifying the prospective employer of the need to cancel or
33 reschedule the interview, to accept suitable work when offered
34 to him or her, to or return to the individual's customary self-
35 employment when directed by the department, or to return to
36 employment when recalled to work by the individual's employer
37 after a temporary layoff, the disqualification continues for the
38 full period of unemployment next ensuing after he or she failed
39 without good cause to apply for available suitable work, to
40 appear on three or more occasions for a scheduled job interview
41 without notification, to accept suitable work, to or return to
42 his or her customary self-employment, or to return to his or her
43 employment after a temporary layoff, and until the individual
44 has earned income of at least 17 times his or her weekly benefit
45 amount. The department shall by rule adopt criteria to implement
46 this subsection, including criteria for determining the
47 "suitability of work," as used in this section. In developing
48 these rules, the department shall consider the duration of a
49 claimant's unemployment in determining the suitability of work
50 and the suitability of proposed rates of compensation for

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HB 191 2026

51 available work. Further, after an individual has received 25
52 weeks of benefits in a single year, suitable work is a job that
53 pays the minimum wage and is 120 percent or more of the weekly
54 benefit amount the individual is drawing.
55 (a) In determining whether or not any work is suitable for
56 an individual, the department shall consider the degree of risk
57 to the individual's health, safety, and morals; the individual's
58 physical fitness, prior training, experience, prior earnings,
59 length of unemployment, and prospects for securing local work in
60 his or her customary occupation; and the distance of the
61 available work from his or her residence.
62 (b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter,
63 work is not deemed suitable and benefits may not be denied to
64 any otherwise eligible individual for refusing to accept new
65 work under any of the following conditions:
66 1. The position offered is vacant due directly to a
67 strike, lockout, or other labor dispute.
68 2. The wages, hours, or other conditions of the work
69 offered are substantially less favorable to the individual than
70 those prevailing for similar work in the locality.
71 3. As a condition of being employed, the individual is
72 required to join a company union or to resign from or refrain
73 from joining any bona fide labor organization.
74 (c) If the department finds that an individual was
75 rejected for offered employment as the direct result of a

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HB 191 2026

76 positive, confirmed drug test required as a condition of
77 employment, the individual is disqualified for refusing to
78 accept an offer of suitable work.
79 Section 3. Section 443.1112, Florida Statutes, is created
80 to read:
81 443.1112 Verification of reemployment assistance benefit
82 eligibility; detection of fraud.—
83 (1) The Department of Commerce must verify the identity of
84 each claimant who applies for reemployment assistance benefits
85 before paying any benefits to the claimant.
86 (2) For the initial claim for benefits made by a claimant
87 and as necessary to verify a claimant's eligibility for
88 benefits, the department must cross-check the information
89 contained in the claim with information in the database of the
90 Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements Program
91 established by the United States Bureau of Citizenship and
92 Immigration Services.
93 (3) For every 2 weeks that a claimant makes a claim for
94 benefits, including the initial claim for benefits, to verify a
95 claimant's eligibility for benefits, the department must cross-
96 check the information contained in the claim to ensure that the
97 claimant is:
98 (a) Living.
99 (b) Not incarcerated.
100 (c) Not already employed.

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101 (4) The department shall do all of the following:
102 (a) Investigate any claim associated with a mailing
103 address, a bank account, an e-mail address, a telephone number,
104 or an Internet protocol address that is also associated with
105 another existing claim for reemployment assistance benefits in
106 this state or another state and verify that the claim in this
107 state is legitimate and not fraudulent before paying any
108 benefits for the claim.
109 (b) Examine each claim filed from a foreign Internet
110 protocol address before paying any benefits for the claim.
111 (c) Work with the United States Department of Labor, the
112 United States Department of Justice, other state workforce
113 agencies, the Department of Law Enforcement, the state
114 attorneys, or the Office of the Statewide Prosecutor to share
115 information related to fraudulent claims or attempted fraudulent
116 claims to the extent feasible for further investigation and
117 proceedings brought under this chapter.
118 (d) Maintain a web page through which an individual or an
119 employer may report known or suspected violations of this
120 chapter, including identity theft or fraud. Each year, the
121 department shall notify employers in this state of the web page
122 for reporting violations.
123 (e) Each year, make available on its website a report
124 identifying for the prior year the number of fraudulent
125 reemployment assistance claims identified, the number of claims

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126 not paid due to successful detection of fraudulent intentions,
127 the number of claims and the amount of reemployment assistance
128 benefits paid against claims subsequently identified as
129 fraudulent, the amount of fraudulent overpayments recovered, and
130 the number of fraudulent claims referred for investigation and
131 possible prosecution. The report must also list the sources of
132 information that were used to cross-check claims during the
133 reporting period.
134 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.

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hb191-00
HB 267
FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
BILL ANALYSIS
This bill analysis was prepared by nonpartisan committee staff and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
BILL #: HB 267 COMPANION BILL: None
TITLE: Local Housing Assistance Plans LINKED BILLS: None
SPONSOR(S): Stark RELATED BILLS: None
Committee References
Housing, Agriculture & Tourism Intergovernmental Affairs Commerce
 

SUMMARY
Effect of the Bill:
The bill revises the State Housing Incentives Partnership Program (SHIP) to:
• Authorize participating local governments to expend funds for lot rental assistance for mobile home
owners.
• Require local governments to include strategies for addressing the needs of persons impacted by the
closure of a mobile home park and providing SHIP funds to mobile home owners, including lot rental
assistance, in their local housing assistance plan.
• Provide that mobile homes are eligible for home ownership assistance and rehabilitation and emergency
repair funding.
• Eliminate the prohibition on participating local governments from using more than 20% of SHIP funds for
manufactured housing.

Fiscal or Economic Impact:
The bill may have an indeterminate insignificant negative impact on local government expenditures for costs
associated with updating their local housing assistance plans. The bill may have an indeterminate fiscal impact on
beneficiaries of the SHIP program to the extent the provisions of the bill revise which entities are eligible for
funding.
JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY

ANALYSIS
EFFECT OF THE BILL:
The bill allows a local government participating in the State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program (SHIP) to use
program funds to provide lot rental assistance to mobile home owners for up to six months. (Section 1).

The bill requires each local government participating in SHIP to address in its local housing assistance plan the
needs of persons who are deprived of affordable housing due to the closure of a mobile home park. The bill also
requires a local housing assistance plan to include a strategy for providing program funds to mobile home owners,
which must include lot rental assistance. (Section 2).

The bill specifies that lot rental assistance for mobile home owners is an approved home ownership activity.
(Section 2).

The bill authorizes the use of SHIP funds for rehabilitation and emergency repairs for mobile home owners.
(Section 2).

The bill eliminates the restriction that limited the amount of SHIP funds that could be used for manufactured
housing to no more than 20 percent of the allocated amount. (Section 2).
STORAGE NAME: h0267.HAT
DATE: 11/6/2025
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The bill makes a conforming change to a cross-reference in another statutory provision. (Section 3).

The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2026. (Section 4).

FISCAL OR ECONOMIC IMPACT:

STATE GOVERNMENT:
A request for a formal analysis was submitted to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation on November 5, 2025.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT:
The bill may have an indeterminate insignificant negative impact on local government expenditures for costs
associated with updating their local housing assistance plans.

PRIVATE SECTOR:
The bill may have an indeterminate fiscal impact on beneficiaries of the SHIP program to the extent the provisions
of the bill revise which entities are eligible for funding.

RELEVANT INFORMATION
SUBJECT OVERVIEW:
State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program (SHIP)
SHIP was created in 1992 1 to provide funds to local governments as an incentive to create partnerships that
produce and preserve affordable homeownership and multifamily housing. SHIP provides funds to all 67 counties
and 55 community development block grant 2 entitlement cities on a population-based formula to finance and
preserve affordable housing based on locally adopted housing plans. 3 To participate, local governments must
establish a local housing assistance program by ordinance and develop a local housing assistance plan (LHAP) and
housing incentive strategy. 4

SHIP is administered by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) 5 and was designed to serve very-low,
low, and moderate-income families. “Very-low income persons” means one or more persons or a family, not
including students, whose total annual adjusted gross household income does not exceed 50 percent of the median
annual adjusted gross income for households within the state, or 50 percent of the median annual adjusted gross
income for households within the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) or, if not within an MSA, within the county in
which the person or family resides, whichever is greater. For “low-income persons,” the statutory threshold is 80
percent, and for “moderate-income persons,” it is 120 percent. 6

1 Ch. 92-317, Laws of Fla.
2 The community development block grant program is a federal program created in 1974 that provides funding for housing

and community development activities. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, Community Development Block Grant
Program, https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/cdbg (last visited Nov. 5, 2025).
3 See ss. 420.907-420.9089, F.S.; Florida Finance Housing Corporation, Annual Report 2024, p. 23,

https://www.floridahousing.org/docs/default-source/data-docs-and-reports/annual-reports/2024-annual-
report.pdf?sfvrsn=88c6f17b_1 (last visited Nov. 5, 2025).
4 Id.
5 In 1997, the Legislature created the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) as a public-private entity to assist in

providing a range of affordable housing opportunities for Floridians. Ch. 97-167, Laws of Fla.
6 S. 420.9071, F.S.

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HB 267
SHIP funds may be used to pay for emergency repairs, new construction, rehabilitation, down payment and closing
cost assistance, impact fees, construction and gap financing, mortgage buy-downs, acquisition of property for
affordable housing, matching dollars for federal housing grants and programs, and homeownership counseling. 7

Funds are expended per each local government’s adopted LHAP, which details the housing strategies it will use. 8
Local governments submit their LHAPs to FHFC for review to ensure they meet the broad statutory guidelines and
the requirements of the program rules. FHFC must approve a LHAP before a local government may receive SHIP
funding. 9

A local government’s use of SHIP funds is subject to certain restrictions (excluding amounts set aside for
administrative costs):
• No more than 20 percent of SHIP funds may be used for manufactured housing. 10
• At least 75 percent of SHIP funds must be reserved for construction, rehabilitation, or emergency repair of
affordable, eligible housing. 11
• No more than 25 percent of SHIP funds may be reserved for allowed rental housing. 12
• At least 65 percent of SHIP funds must be reserved for home ownership for eligible persons. 13
• At least 20 percent of SHIP funds must serve persons with special needs. 14
• At least 30 percent of SHIP funds must be used for awards to very-low-income persons or eligible
sponsors 15 serving very-low-income persons, and another 30 percent must be used for awards for low-
income persons or eligible sponsors serving low-income persons. 16

Local governments may not use SHIP funds to provide ongoing rent subsidies, except for:
• Security and utility deposit assistance.
• Eviction prevention not to exceed six months’ rent.
• A rent subsidy program for very-low income households with at least one adult who meets either the
statutory definition of a person with special needs or homeless. The period of rental assistance may not
exceed 12 months. 17

In the state fiscal year 2021-2022, 18 SHIP reported the following: 19
• $147,433,487 in SHIP funding was disbursed for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
• $156,842,730 was expended or encumbered for homeownership activities, assisting 4,071 homeownership
units.

7 State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program (SHIP), https://www.floridahousing.org/programs/special-programs/ship---

state-housing-initiatives-partnership-program (last visited Nov. 5, 2025).
8 Sections 420.9075(1)(a), F.S. and 420.9075(3), F.S., outline a list of strategies LHAPs are encouraged to employ, such as

helping those affected by mobile home park closures, encouraging innovative housing design to reduce long-term housing
costs, preserving assisted housing, and reducing homelessness.
9 Counties and eligible municipalities participating in SHIP receive funding from “local housing distributions,” which are the

proceeds of the taxes deposited into the Local Government Housing Trust Fund. S. 420.9071(17), F.S.
10 S. 420.9075(5)(e), F.S.
11 S. 420.9075(5)(c), F.S.
12 S. 420.9075(5)(b), F.S.
13 “Eligible person” or “eligible household” means one or more natural persons or a family determined by the county or eligible

municipality to be of very low income, low income, or moderate income based upon the annual gross income of the household.
S. 420.9075(5)(a), F.S.
14 S. 420.9075(5)(d), F.S.
15 “Eligible sponsor” means a person or a private or public for-profit or not-for-profit entity that applies for an award under

the local housing assistance plan for the purpose of providing eligible housing for eligible persons. S. 420.9071(12), F.S.
16 S. 420.9075(5)(g)2., F.S.
17 S. 420.9072(7)(b), F.S.
18 Local governments have three years to expend funds. 2021-2022 is the most recent closed out fiscal year.
19 Annual Report 2024, supra note 3.

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HB 267
• $23,240,239 was expended or encumbered for rental housing activities, assisting 1,223 rental housing
units.

Mobile Homes
Florida has one of the largest numbers of mobile homes parks in the country. 20 Florida law defines a mobile home
as “a residential structure, transportable in one or more sections, which is 8 body feet or more in width, over 35
body feet in length with the hitch, built on an integral chassis, designed to be used as a dwelling when connected to
the required utilities, and not originally sold as a recreational vehicle, and includes the plumbing, heating, air-
conditioning, and electrical systems contained therein.” 21 Mobile homes are designed to be used as a permanent
dwelling.

A mobile home park is land in which lots or spaces are offered for rent or lease for the placement of mobile homes
in which the primary use of the park is residential. 22 Mobile home parks have historically served as an affordable
housing option for low-and-moderate-income residents. However, increasing redevelopment pressures and rising
housing costs have put many mobile home owners at risk of permanent displacement. 23

RECENT LEGISLATION:

YEAR BILL #/SUBJECT HOUSE/SENATE OTHER INFORMATION
SPONSOR(S)
2025 CS/HB 701 - Local Housing Assistance Plans Stark, Berfield/ Burton The bill died in the Senate.

2024 CS/CS/SB 1456 - Counties Designated as Mooney/ Calatayud The bill became law on July 1,
Areas of Critical State Concern 2024.
2024 CS/CS/CS/HB 613 - Mobile Home Park Lot Stark/ Burton The bill became law on July 1,
Tenancies 2024.

BILL HISTORY
STAFF
DIRECTOR/ ANALYSIS
COMMITTEE REFERENCE ACTION DATE POLICY CHIEF PREPARED BY
Housing, Agriculture & Tourism Curtin Rodriguez
Subcommittee
Intergovernmental Affairs
Subcommittee
Commerce Committee

20 Tiffany Salameh, Florida’s Mobile Home Parks Are an Affordable Housing Lifeline. But Residents Face Steep Eviction Risks,

News4JAX, (Aug. 14, 2025) https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2025/08/14/floridas-mobile-home-parks-are-an-
affordable-housing-lifeline-but-residents-face-steep-eviction-risks/ (last visited Nov. 5, 2025).
21 S. 723.003(8), F.S.
22 S. 723.003(12), F.S.
23 Since 2011, at least 183 Florida mobile home parks have closed, according to self-reported and likely incomplete data from

the Florida Mobile Home Relocation Corporation and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Clara-Sophia
Daly, New development will rise to dizzying heights – and wipe out their trailer park, Miami Herald (Oct. 8, 2023)
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/real-estate-news/article278731494.html (last visited Nov. 5, 2025).
JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

HB 267 2026

1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to local housing assistance plans;
3 amending s. 420.9072, F.S.; authorizing a county or an
4 eligible municipality to expend certain funds on lot
5 rental assistance for mobile home owners for a
6 specified time period; amending s. 420.9075, F.S.;
7 requiring counties and eligible municipalities to
8 develop certain strategies in their local housing
9 assistance plans; providing that lot rental assistance
10 is an approved home ownership activity for certain
11 purposes; authorizing certain funds to be provided to
12 mobile home owners for rehabilitation and emergency
13 repairs; removing a prohibition that only a certain
14 percentage of funds may be used for manufactured
15 housing; amending s. 420.9071, F.S.; conforming a
16 cross-reference; providing an effective date.
17
18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (7) of section
21 420.9072, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
22 420.9072 State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program.—
23 The State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program is created for
24 the purpose of providing funds to counties and eligible
25 municipalities as an incentive for the creation of local housing

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26 partnerships, to expand production of and preserve affordable
27 housing, to further the housing element of the local government
28 comprehensive plan specific to affordable housing, and to
29 increase housing-related employment.
30 (7)
31 (b) A county or an eligible municipality may not expend
32 its portion of the local housing distribution to provide ongoing
33 rent subsidies, except for:
34 1. Security and utility deposit assistance.
35 2. Eviction prevention not to exceed 6 months' rent.
36 3. Lot rental assistance for mobile home owners as defined
37 in s. 723.003, not to exceed 6 months' rent.
38 4.3. A rent subsidy program for very-low-income households
39 with at least one adult who is a person with special needs as
40 defined in s. 420.0004 or homeless as defined in s. 420.621. The
41 period of rental assistance may not exceed 12 months for any
42 eligible household.
43 Section 2. Paragraphs (d) through (g) of subsection (3) of
44 section 420.9075, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
45 paragraphs (e) through (h), respectively, paragraphs (f) through
46 (n) of subsection (5) are redesignated as paragraphs (e) through
47 (m), respectively, paragraph (c) of subsection (3) and
48 paragraphs (a), (c), and (e) and present paragraph (n) of
49 subsection (5) are amended, and new paragraphs (d) and (i) are
50 added to subsection (3) of that section, to read:

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51 420.9075 Local housing assistance plans; partnerships.—
52 (3)
53 (c) Each county and each eligible municipality is
54 encouraged to develop a strategy within its local housing
55 assistance plan that addresses the needs of persons who are
56 deprived of affordable housing due to the closure of a mobile
57 home park or the conversion of affordable rental units to
58 condominiums.
59 (d) Each county and each eligible municipality shall
60 include in its local housing assistance plan a strategy that
61 addresses the needs of persons who are deprived of affordable
62 housing due to the closure of a mobile home park.
63 (i) Each county and each eligible municipality shall
64 include in its local housing assistance plan a strategy for
65 providing program funds to mobile home owners, as defined in s.
66 723.003, which must include lot rental assistance.
67 (5) The following criteria apply to awards made to
68 eligible sponsors or eligible persons for the purpose of
69 providing eligible housing:
70 (a) At least 65 percent of the funds made available in
71 each county and eligible municipality from the local housing
72 distribution must be reserved for home ownership for eligible
73 persons. For purposes of this paragraph, lot rental assistance
74 for eligible mobile home owners as defined in s. 723.003 is an
75 approved home ownership activity.

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76 (c) At least 75 percent of the funds made available in
77 each county and eligible municipality from the local housing
78 distribution must be reserved for construction, rehabilitation,
79 or emergency repair of affordable, eligible housing. Funds may
80 be provided to mobile home owners as defined in s. 723.003 for
81 rehabilitation and emergency repairs under this paragraph.
82 (e) Not more than 20 percent of the funds made available
83 in each county and eligible municipality from the local housing
84 distribution may be used for manufactured housing.
85 (m)(n) Funds from the local housing distribution not used
86 to meet the criteria established in paragraph (a) or paragraph
87 (c) or not used for the administration of a local housing
88 assistance plan must be used for housing production and finance
89 activities, including, but not limited to, financing
90 preconstruction activities or the purchase of existing units,
91 providing rental housing, and providing home ownership training
92 to prospective home buyers and owners of homes assisted through
93 the local housing assistance plan.
94 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (a) and
95 (c), program income as defined in s. 420.9071(26) may also be
96 used to fund activities described in this paragraph.
97 2. When preconstruction due-diligence activities conducted
98 as part of a preservation strategy show that preservation of the
99 units is not feasible and will not result in the production of
100 an eligible unit, such costs shall be deemed a program expense

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101 rather than an administrative expense if such program expenses
102 do not exceed 3 percent of the annual local housing
103 distribution.
104 3. If both an award under the local housing assistance
105 plan and federal low-income housing tax credits are used to
106 assist a project and there is a conflict between the criteria
107 prescribed in this subsection and the requirements of s. 42 of
108 the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the county or
109 eligible municipality may resolve the conflict by giving
110 precedence to the requirements of s. 42 of the Internal Revenue
111 Code of 1986, as amended, in lieu of following the criteria
112 prescribed in this subsection with the exception of paragraphs
113 (a) and (f) (g) of this subsection.
114 4. Each county and each eligible municipality may award
115 funds as a grant for construction, rehabilitation, or repair as
116 part of disaster recovery or emergency repairs or to remedy
117 accessibility or health and safety deficiencies. Any other
118 grants must be approved as part of the local housing assistance
119 plan.
120 Section 3. Subsection (27) of section 420.9071, Florida
121 Statutes, is amended to read:
122 420.9071 Definitions.—As used in ss. 420.907-420.9079, the
123 term:
124 (27) "Recaptured funds" means funds that are recouped by a
125 county or eligible municipality in accordance with the recapture

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126 provisions of its local housing assistance plan pursuant to s.
127 420.9075(5)(i) s. 420.9075(5)(j) from eligible persons or
128 eligible sponsors, which funds were not used for assistance to
129 an eligible household for an eligible activity, when there is a
130 default on the terms of a grant award or loan award.
131 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.

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