Senate Bill 0406c3

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    Florida Senate - 2000              CS for CS for CS for SB 406

    By the Committees on Fiscal Policy; Commerce and Economic
    Opportunities; Comprehensive Planning, Local and Military
    Affairs; and Senators Hargrett, Latvala, Holzendorf, Childers,
    Laurent and Meek


    309-2075-00

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to community development;

  3         creating the Community and Faith-based

  4         Organizations initiative within the Institute

  5         on Urban Policy and Commerce at Florida

  6         Agricultural and Mechanical University;

  7         providing for the initiative to promote

  8         community development through partnerships with

  9         community and faith-based organizations;

10         specifying the activities to be conducted by

11         the initiative; providing for financial

12         assistance to community and faith-based

13         organizations; requiring the development of

14         grant-selection criteria; requiring leveraging

15         of funds; creating the Community and Library

16         Technology Access Partnership; specifying the

17         activities to be conducted by the partnership;

18         requiring the Institute on Urban Policy and

19         Commerce at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical

20         University to administer the initiative and the

21         Division of Library and Information Services of

22         the Department of State to administer the

23         Community and Library Technology Access

24         Partnership; authorizing certain activities and

25         uses of funds; prescribing eligibility of

26         organizations for funding or assistance;

27         requiring review and evaluation; providing

28         appropriations; creating a community

29         computer-access grant program, to be known as

30         the Community High-Technology Investment

31         Partnership, or "CHIP," program; providing

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  1         legislative intent; providing purposes of the

  2         program; providing for grants to be awarded to

  3         eligible neighborhood facilities; providing for

  4         the Division of Libraries and Information

  5         Services of the Department of State to

  6         administer the grant program; providing

  7         requirements for grant applications;

  8         prescribing the maximum amount of a grant;

  9         requiring a grant agreement between the

10         division and the recipient facility; providing

11         for establishing minimum specifications of

12         computers purchased under the program;

13         providing for an evaluation and a report;

14         authorizing the division to contract with the

15         Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce for

16         program administration; authorizing the

17         institute to subcontract for specified

18         assistance services; creating an inner city

19         redevelopment assistance grants program;

20         providing duties of the Office of Tourism,

21         Trade, and Economic Development; prescribing

22         eligibility requirements for grants; providing

23         expected outcomes from grants; creating the

24         Inner City Redevelopment Review Panel and

25         providing its membership and duties; providing

26         legislative findings; amending s. 14.2015,

27         F.S.; directing the Office of Urban Opportunity

28         to give priority to projects receiving certain

29         federal grants; amending s. 163.2523, F.S.;

30         providing allocation criteria for the Urban

31         Infill and Redevelopment Grant Program;

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  1         amending s. 420.5087, F.S.; providing

  2         allocation criteria for the State Apartment

  3         Incentive Loan Program; amending s. 420.5089,

  4         F.S.; providing allocation criteria for the

  5         HOME Investment Partnership Program; amending

  6         s. 420.5093, F.S.; giving priority to certain

  7         projects in the State Housing Tax Credit

  8         Program; amending s. 420.5099, F.S.; giving

  9         priority to certain projects in the allocation

10         of low-income housing tax credits; providing an

11         effective date.

12

13         WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

14  Development awards grants under the Revitalization of Severely

15  Distressed Public Housing (HOPE VI) program to redevelop

16  distressed public housing sites, and

17         WHEREAS, these HOPE VI grants intend to create new

18  housing units and broader housing opportunities for families

19  who are eligible for public housing assistance, and

20         WHEREAS, older, distressed, or substandard public

21  housing sites can create a blighting influence on the

22  surrounding neighborhoods, and

23         WHEREAS, the redevelopment of these public housing

24  sites creates unique opportunities to disperse the location of

25  publicly owned or assisted housing and its low-income

26  residents, and

27         WHEREAS, such redevelopment offers an opportunity to

28  spur the redevelopment of the surrounding neighborhoods, and

29         WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that the state should

30  encourage the broader redevelopment of neighborhoods

31  surrounding HOPE VI sites by working in partnership with the

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  1  public housing authority, the unit of local government, and

  2  the residents of the public housing and surrounding

  3  neighborhoods, and

  4         WHEREAS, many community and faith-based organizations

  5  are providing a new focus on economic uplift in Florida's poor

  6  and most vulnerable neighborhoods, and

  7         WHEREAS, these nonprofit organizations have local

  8  experts who serve in leadership roles by assisting individuals

  9  to move from dependency to self-sufficiency and restoring the

10  lives of residents in Florida's most distressed communities,

11  and

12         WHEREAS, crime, drug addiction, teenage pregnancy,

13  homelessness, and juvenile delinquency, the most notable

14  indicators of a distressed community, are being addressed by

15  small, and sometimes unrecognized, community and faith-based

16  organizations, and

17         WHEREAS, the leadership and expertise of these

18  organizations should not be ignored, and

19         WHEREAS, a recognized effort to empower community and

20  faith-based organizations, encourage community revitalization,

21  and implement educational reform will help those who reside in

22  inner cities and distressed rural communities to gain their

23  share of the state's resources, and

24         WHEREAS, residents of low income communities lack

25  access to technology, the internet, and computer literacy

26  needed to succeed in Florida's emerging information-based

27  economy, and

28         WHEREAS, Florida public libraries eligible for e-rate

29  discounts have the capacity to partner effectively with

30  community and faith-based organizations and agencies to

31

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  1  provide technology access and training to assist in closing

  2  the digital divide, NOW, THEREFORE,

  3

  4  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  5

  6         Section 1.  Subsection (9) of section 14.2015, Florida

  7  Statutes, is amended to read:

  8         14.2015  Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

  9  Development; creation; powers and duties.--

10         (9)(a)  The Office of Urban Opportunity is created

11  within the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development.

12  The director of the Office of Urban Opportunity shall be

13  appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Governor.

14         (b)  The purpose of the Office of Urban Opportunity

15  shall be to administer the Front Porch Florida initiative, a

16  comprehensive, community-based urban core redevelopment

17  program that will empower urban core residents to craft

18  solutions to the unique challenges of each designated

19  community.

20         (c)  The selection criteria for designating Front Porch

21  Communities must give priority consideration to communities

22  where there is an active grant award from the U.S. Department

23  of Housing and Urban Development under the HOPE VI program and

24  there is:

25         1.  Documented support by the unit of local government

26  to redevelop the neighborhoods surrounding the HOPE VI

27  project.

28         2.  A joint agreement between the local government and

29  the public housing authority receiving the HOPE VI grant

30  regarding the redevelopment of neighborhoods surrounding the

31  HOPE VI project.

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  1         3.  A plan to promote the redevelopment of the HOPE VI

  2  neighborhoods; to disperse the location of publicly assisted

  3  housing within the neighborhood and to promote mixed-income

  4  neighborhoods; to promote home ownership; and to involve the

  5  residents of the neighborhood in redevelopment.

  6         Section 2.  Section 163.2523, Florida Statutes, is

  7  amended to read:

  8         163.2523  Grant program.--An Urban Infill and

  9  Redevelopment Assistance Grant Program is created for local

10  governments. A local government may allocate grant money to

11  special districts, including community redevelopment agencies,

12  and nonprofit community development organizations to implement

13  projects consistent with an adopted urban infill and

14  redevelopment plan or plan employed in lieu thereof. Thirty

15  percent of the general revenue appropriated for this program

16  shall be available for planning grants to be used by local

17  governments for the development of an urban infill and

18  redevelopment plan, including community participation

19  processes for the plan. Sixty percent of the general revenue

20  appropriated for this program shall be available for

21  fifty/fifty matching grants for implementing urban infill and

22  redevelopment projects that further the objectives set forth

23  in the local government's adopted urban infill and

24  redevelopment plan or plan employed in lieu thereof. The

25  remaining 10 percent of the revenue must be used for outright

26  grants for implementing projects requiring an expenditure of

27  under $50,000. Projects that provide employment opportunities

28  to clients of the WAGES program, and projects within urban

29  infill and redevelopment areas that include a community

30  redevelopment area, Florida Main Street program, Front Porch

31  Florida Community, sustainable community, enterprise zone,

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  1  federal enterprise zone, enterprise community, or neighborhood

  2  improvement district, and projects that include the recipient

  3  of a HOPE VI grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and

  4  Urban Development must be given an elevated priority in the

  5  scoring of competing grant applications. The Division of

  6  Housing and Community Development of the Department of

  7  Community Affairs shall administer the grant program. The

  8  Department of Community Affairs shall adopt rules establishing

  9  grant review criteria consistent with this section.

10         Section 3.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (6) of section

11  420.5087, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

12         420.5087  State Apartment Incentive Loan

13  Program.--There is hereby created the State Apartment

14  Incentive Loan Program for the purpose of providing first,

15  second, or other subordinated mortgage loans or loan

16  guarantees to sponsors, including for-profit, nonprofit, and

17  public entities, to provide housing affordable to

18  very-low-income persons.

19         (6)  On all state apartment incentive loans, except

20  loans made to housing communities for the elderly to provide

21  for lifesafety, building preservation, health, sanitation, or

22  security-related repairs or improvements, the following

23  provisions shall apply:

24         (c)  The corporation shall provide by rule for the

25  establishment of a review committee composed of the department

26  and corporation staff and shall establish by rule a scoring

27  system for evaluation and competitive ranking of applications

28  submitted in this program, including, but not limited to, the

29  following criteria:

30         1.  Tenant income and demographic targeting objectives

31  of the corporation.

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  1         2.  Targeting objectives of the corporation which will

  2  ensure an equitable distribution of loans between rural and

  3  urban areas.

  4         3.  Sponsor's agreement to reserve the units for

  5  persons or families who have incomes below 50 percent of the

  6  state or local median income, whichever is higher, for a time

  7  period to exceed the minimum required by federal law or the

  8  provisions of this part.

  9         4.  Sponsor's agreement to reserve more than:

10         a.  Twenty percent of the units in the project for

11  persons or families who have incomes that do not exceed 50

12  percent of the state or local median income, whichever is

13  higher; or

14         b.  Forty percent of the units in the project for

15  persons or families who have incomes that do not exceed 60

16  percent of the state or local median income, whichever is

17  higher, without requiring a greater amount of the loans as

18  provided in this section.

19         5.  Provision for tenant counseling.

20         6.  Sponsor's agreement to accept rental assistance

21  certificates or vouchers as payment for rent; however, when

22  certificates or vouchers are accepted as payment for rent on

23  units set aside pursuant to subsection (2), the benefit must

24  be divided between the corporation and the sponsor, as

25  provided by corporation rule.

26         7.  Projects requiring the least amount of a state

27  apartment incentive loan compared to overall project cost.

28         8.  Local government contributions and local government

29  comprehensive planning and activities that promote affordable

30  housing.

31         9.  Project feasibility.

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  1         10.  Economic viability of the project.

  2         11.  Commitment of first mortgage financing.

  3         12.  Sponsor's prior experience.

  4         13.  Sponsor's ability to proceed with construction.

  5         14.  Projects that directly implement or assist

  6  welfare-to-work transitioning.

  7         15.  Projects receiving HOPE VI grants from the U.S.

  8  Department of Housing and Urban Development.

  9         Section 4.  Subsection (6) of section 420.5089, Florida

10  Statutes, is amended to read:

11         420.5089  HOME Investment Partnership Program; HOME

12  fund.--

13         (6)  Applications for loans under any competitive

14  scoring process established by program rule must be approved

15  by a review committee established by corporation rule which

16  shall analyze factors, including, but not limited to, the

17  following:

18         (a)  Demographic targeting objectives of the

19  corporation.

20         (b)  Corporation portfolio diversification.

21         (c)  Developer's agreement to make units for the

22  targeted group available for more than the minimum period

23  required by rule.

24         (d)  Leveraging of HOME funds.

25         (e)  Local matching funds.

26         (f)  The project's feasibility and long-term economic

27  viability.

28         (g)  Demonstrated capacity of the proposed project's

29  development team.

30         (h)  Conformance with the consolidated plan for the

31  state and area in which the proposed project will be located.

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  1         (i)  Projects receiving HOPE VI grants from the U.S.

  2  Department of Housing and Urban Development.

  3         (j)(i)  Other factors determined and approved by the

  4  corporation's board of directors.

  5         Section 5.  Subsection (3) of section 420.5093, Florida

  6  Statutes, is amended to read:

  7         420.5093  State Housing Tax Credit Program.--

  8         (3)  The corporation shall adopt allocation procedures

  9  that will ensure the maximum use of available tax credits in

10  order to encourage development of low-income housing and

11  associated mixed-use projects in urban areas, taking into

12  consideration the timeliness of the application, the location

13  of the proposed project, the relative need in the area of

14  revitalization and low-income housing and the availability of

15  such housing, the economic feasibility of the project, and the

16  ability of the applicant to proceed to completion of the

17  project in the calendar year for which the credit is sought.

18  The allocation procedure must give priority to projects

19  receiving HOPE VI grants from the U.S. Department of Housing

20  and Urban Development.

21         Section 6.  Subsection (2) of section 420.5099, Florida

22  Statutes, is amended to read:

23         420.5099  Allocation of the low-income housing tax

24  credit.--

25         (2)  The corporation shall adopt allocation procedures

26  that will ensure the maximum use of available tax credits in

27  order to encourage development of low-income housing in the

28  state, taking into consideration the timeliness of the

29  application, the location of the proposed housing project, the

30  relative need in the area for low-income housing and the

31  availability of such housing, the economic feasibility of the

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  1  project, and the ability of the applicant to proceed to

  2  completion of the project in the calendar year for which the

  3  credit is sought. The allocation procedure must give priority

  4  to projects receiving HOPE VI grants from the U.S. Department

  5  of Housing and Urban Development.

  6         Section 7.  Community and Faith-based Organizations

  7  Initiative; Community and Library Technology Access

  8  Partnership.--

  9         (1)  CREATION.--There is created the Community and

10  Faith-based Organizations Initiative which shall be

11  administered by the Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce at

12  Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and the

13  Community and Library Technology Access Partnership which

14  shall be administered by the Division of Library and

15  Information Services of the Department of State.

16         (2)  INTENT.--The purpose of the initiative is to

17  promote community development in low-income communities

18  through partnerships with not-for-profit community and

19  faith-based organizations. The purpose of the partnership is

20  to encourage public libraries eligible for e-rate discounted

21  telecommunications services to partner with community and

22  faith-based organizations to provide technology access and

23  training to assist other state efforts to close the digital

24  divide.

25         (3) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.--

26         (a)  Authorized activities of the initiative.--The

27  Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce at Florida Agricultural

28  and Mechanical University may conduct the following activities

29  as part of the Community and Faith-based Organizations

30  Initiative:

31

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  1         1.  Create and operate training programs to enhance the

  2  professional skills of individuals in community and

  3  faith-based organizations.

  4         2.  Create and operate a program to select and place

  5  students and recent graduates from business and related

  6  professional schools as interns with community and faith-based

  7  organizations for a period not to exceed 1 year, and provide

  8  stipends for such interns.

  9         3.  Organize an annual conference for community and

10  faith-based organizations to discuss and share information on

11  best practices regarding issues relevant to the creation,

12  operation, and sustainability of these organizations.

13         4.  Provide funding for the development of materials

14  for courses on topics in the area of community development,

15  and for research on economic, operational, and policy issues

16  relating to community development.

17         5.  Provide financial assistance to community and

18  faith-based organizations through small grants for

19  partnerships with universities and the operation of programs

20  to build strong communities and future community development

21  leaders. The Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce at Florida

22  Agricultural and Mechanical University shall develop selection

23  criteria for awarding such grants which are based on the goals

24  of the initiative.

25

26  The institute, to the maximum extent possible, shall leverage

27  state funding for the initiative with any federal funding that

28  the institute may receive to support similar community-based

29  activities.

30         (b)  Authorized activities of the partnership.--The

31  Division of Library and Information Services of the Department

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  1  of State may conduct the following activities as part of the

  2  Community and Library Technology Access Partnership:

  3         1.  Provide funding for e-rate eligible public

  4  libraries to provide technology access and training to

  5  community and faith-based organizations. Funding provided

  6  under this subparagraph must be for eligible public libraries

  7  in distressed communities in the state. The division shall

  8  consult with the Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce to

  9  identify such communities and to develop criteria to be used

10  in evaluating funding proposals. The division shall coordinate

11  with the institute to ensure that, to the maximum extent

12  possible, the division and the institute leverage their

13  resources under the programs authorized by this section in

14  order to focus efforts on addressing the most distressed

15  communities in the state. The division shall include a

16  representative of the institute on a review team to evaluate

17  funding proposals under this subparagraph.

18         2.  Provide a method of assessment and outcome

19  measurement for e-rate eligible public libraries to assess

20  progress in closing the digital divide and in training for

21  individuals to succeed in the emerging information economy.

22         (4)  ELIGIBILITY.--A community or faith-based

23  organization receiving funding or other assistance under the

24  Community and Faith-based Organizations Initiative or the

25  Community Library Technology Access Partnership must be a

26  nonprofit organization holding a current exemption from

27  federal taxation under s. 501(c)(3) or (4) of the Internal

28  Revenue Code. Funding under this section shall not be used for

29  religious or sectarian purposes.

30         (5)  REVIEW AND EVALUATION.--

31

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  1         (a)  By January 1, 2001, the Institute on Urban Policy

  2  and Commerce and the Division of Library and Information

  3  Services shall submit to the Governor, the President of the

  4  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives brief

  5  status reports on their respective implementation of the

  6  activities authorized under this section. The institute and

  7  the division may elect to collaborate on the submission of a

  8  combined status report covering both programs. At a minimum,

  9  the status reports or combined report shall address:

10         1.  The activities and accomplishments to date;

11         2.  Any impediments to the effective implementation or

12  utilization of each program; and

13         3.  The initial progress toward achievement of

14  measurable program outcomes.

15         (b)  By January 1, 2002, the Institute on Urban Policy

16  and Commerce and the Division of Library and Information

17  Services shall submit to the Governor, the President of the

18  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives final

19  reports on the activities authorized under this section. The

20  institute and the division may elect to collaborate on the

21  submission of a combined final report covering both programs.

22  In addition to updating the elements addressed under paragraph

23  (a), the reports or combined report shall include

24  recommendations on whether it would be sound public policy to

25  continue the programs and recommendations on any changes

26  designed to enhance the effectiveness of the programs.

27         Section 8.  Community computer access grant program.--

28         (1)  The Legislature finds that there is a growing

29  digital divide in the state, manifested in the fact that many

30  youths from distressed urban communities do not possess the

31  degree and ease of access to computers and information

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  1  technologies which youths in other communities in the state

  2  possess. This disparity in access to rapidly changing and

  3  commercially significant technologies has a negative impact on

  4  the educational, workforce development, and employment

  5  competitiveness of these needy youths, and thereby impedes the

  6  economic development of the distressed urban communities in

  7  which these youths reside. Although many public libraries

  8  offer users access to computers and are increasingly making

  9  library materials available to the public through electronic

10  means, many youths from distressed urban communities do not

11  live near a library that has such technology and do not have

12  computers to access Internet-based virtual libraries.

13  Neighborhood organizations, such as churches, are more likely,

14  however, to be located in closer proximity to the homes of

15  these youths than are educational institutions or libraries,

16  and these youths are more likely to gain the desirable

17  computer access at church-related or other neighborhood

18  facilities than at other institutions. The Legislature

19  therefore finds that a public purpose is served in enhancing

20  the ability of youths from these communities to have access to

21  computers and the Internet within the neighborhoods in which

22  they reside.

23         (2)  Subject to legislative appropriation, the Division

24  of Library and Information Services of the Department of

25  State, in consultation with the State Technology Office and

26  the state's Chief Information Officer, shall establish a

27  Community High-Technology Investment Partnership (CHIP)

28  program to assist distressed urban communities in securing

29  computers for access by youths between the ages of 5 years and

30  18 years who reside in these communities.

31

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  1         (3)(a)  Under this program, neighborhood facilities,

  2  through their governing bodies, may apply to the division for

  3  grants to purchase computers that will be available for use by

  4  eligible youths who reside in the immediate vicinity of the

  5  neighborhood facility. For purposes of this program, eligible

  6  neighborhood facilities include, but are not limited to,

  7  facilities operated by:

  8         1.  Units of local government, including school

  9  districts;

10         2.  Nonprofit, faith-based organizations, including

11  neighborhood churches;

12         3.  Nonprofit civic associations or homeowners'

13  associations; and

14         4.  Nonprofit organizations, the missions of which

15  include improving conditions for residents of distressed urban

16  communities.

17

18  To be eligible for funding under this program, a nonprofit

19  organization or association must hold a current exemption from

20  federal taxation under s. 501(c)(3) or (4) of the Internal

21  Revenue Code.

22         (b)  Notwithstanding the eligibility of the

23  organizations identified in paragraph (a), the division shall

24  give priority consideration for funding under this program to

25  applications submitted by neighborhood churches or by

26  neighborhood-based, nonprofit organizations that have as a

27  principal part of their missions the improvement of conditions

28  for residents of the same neighborhoods in which the

29  organizations are located. The division also shall give

30  priority consideration to organizations that demonstrate that

31  they have not been awarded community enhancement or similar

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  1  community support grants from state or local government on a

  2  regular basis in the past. The division shall develop weighted

  3  criteria to be used in evaluating applications from such

  4  churches or organizations. Funding under this section shall

  5  not be used for religious or sectarian purposes.

  6         (4)  The division shall develop guidelines governing

  7  the administration of this program and shall establish

  8  criteria to be used in evaluating an application for funding.

  9  At a minimum, the division must find that:

10         (a)  The neighborhood that is to be served by the grant

11  suffers from general economic distress;

12         (b)  Eligible youths who reside in the vicinity of the

13  neighborhood facility have difficulty obtaining access to a

14  library or schools that have sufficient computers; and

15         (c)  The neighborhood facility has developed a detailed

16  plan, as required under subsection (5), for:

17         1.  Providing youths who reside in the vicinity of the

18  facility with access to any computer purchased with grant

19  funds, including evening and weekend access when libraries and

20  schools are closed; and

21         2.  Promoting the maximum participation of neighborhood

22  youths in use of any computers purchased with grant funds.

23         (5)  As part of an application for funding, the

24  neighborhood facility must submit a plan that demonstrates:

25         (a)  The manner in which eligible youths who reside in

26  the immediate vicinity of the facility will be provided with

27  access to any computer purchased with grant funds, including

28  access during hours when libraries and schools are closed;

29         (b)  The existence of safeguards to ensure that any

30  computer purchased with grant funds is reserved for the

31  educational use of eligible youths who reside in the immediate

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  1  vicinity of the facility and is not used to support the

  2  business operations of the neighborhood facility or its

  3  governing body; and

  4         (c)  The existence, in the neighborhood facility, of

  5  telecommunications infrastructure necessary to guarantee

  6  access to the Internet through any computer purchased with

  7  grant funds.

  8         (6)  To the maximum extent possible, funding shall be

  9  awarded under this program in a manner designed to ensure the

10  participation of distressed urban communities from regions

11  throughout the state.

12         (7)  The maximum amount of a grant which may be awarded

13  to any single neighborhood facility under this program is

14  $25,000.

15         (8)  Before the division may allocate funds for a grant

16  under this program, the division and the eligible neighborhood

17  facility must execute a grant agreement that governs the terms

18  and conditions of the grant.

19         (9)  The division, based upon guidance from the State

20  Technology Office and the state's Chief Information Officer,

21  shall establish minimum requirements governing the

22  specifications and capabilities of any computers purchased

23  with funds awarded under this grant program.

24         (10)  Before the 2002 Regular Session of the

25  Legislature, the division shall evaluate the outcomes of this

26  program and report the results of the evaluation to the

27  Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the

28  House of Representatives. At a minimum, the evaluation must

29  assess the extent to which the program has improved access to

30  computers for youths who reside in distressed urban

31  communities. As part of this report, the division shall

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  1  identify any impediments to the effective implementation and

  2  utilization of the program and shall make recommendations on

  3  methods to eliminate any such impediments. In addition, the

  4  division shall make recommendations as to whether it would be

  5  sound public policy to continue the program; whether the

  6  program should be expanded to address additional target

  7  populations, including, but not limited to, youths in

  8  distressed rural communities and adults in distressed urban or

  9  rural communities; and whether the list of neighborhood

10  facilities eligible to participate in the program should be

11  revised or whether priority consideration for funding should

12  be revised to emphasize a particular type of neighborhood

13  facility. The report required under this subsection must be

14  submitted by January 1, 2002.

15         (11)(a)  Notwithstanding any provisions in this section

16  to the contrary, the division may contract with the Institute

17  on Urban Policy and Commerce at Florida Agricultural and

18  Mechanical University for administration of this program;

19  however, in no case may the total costs for administration of

20  this program exceed 10 percent of the amount appropriated to

21  the division for the program. If the division elects to

22  contract with the institute, the duties and responsibilities

23  assigned by this section to the division shall be performed by

24  the institute under the supervision and oversight of the

25  division, and the division shall retain ultimate

26  accountability for such duties and responsibilities.

27         (b)  The institute may subcontract with the Information

28  Service Technology Development Task Force for assistance in

29  carrying out the provisions of this section, including, but

30  not limited to, technical guidance, assistance in developing

31  and evaluating program outcomes, and preparation or

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  1  distribution of materials designed to educate the public about

  2  community access centers and other relevant resources.

  3         Section 9.  There is created an Inner City

  4  Redevelopment Assistance Grants Program to be administered by

  5  the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development. The

  6  office shall develop criteria for awarding these grants which

  7  give weighted consideration to urban high-crime areas as

  8  identified by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. These

  9  criteria shall also be weighted to immediate creation of jobs

10  for residents in the targeted areas.

11         Section 10.  Eligibility requirements for grant

12  proposals are as follows:

13         (1)  An eligible grant recipient must serve within one

14  of the 13 urban high-crime job tax credit areas and be:

15         (a)  A community-based organization;

16         (b)  A community development corporation;

17         (c)  A faith-based organization;

18         (d)  A nonprofit community development organization;

19         (e)  A nonprofit economic development organization; or

20         (f)  Another nonprofit organization serving the

21  nominated area.

22         (2)  Each applicant must submit a letter of support

23  from the local government serving the targeted urban area.

24         (3)  Each applicant must submit a proposal response

25  outlining the work plan proposed using the grant funding, as

26  well as proposed performance measures and expected, measurable

27  outcomes.

28         (4)  Eligible uses of grant funding must result in the

29  creation of job opportunities for residents of targeted areas.

30         (5)  Applicants are urged to leverage grant funds with

31  other existing resources.

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  1         Section 11.  In order to enhance public participation

  2  and involvement in the redevelopment of inner city areas,

  3  there is created within the Office of Tourism, Trade, and

  4  Economic Development the Inner City Redevelopment Review

  5  Panel.

  6         (1)  The review panel shall consist of seven members

  7  who represent different areas of the state, who are appointed

  8  by the Director of the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

  9  Development, and who are qualified, through the demonstration

10  of special interest, experience, or education, in the

11  redevelopment of the state's inner-city areas, as follows:

12         (a)  One member must be affiliated with the Black

13  Business Investment Board;

14         (b)  One member must be affiliated with the Institute

15  on Urban Policy and Commerce at Florida Agricultural and

16  Mechanical University;

17         (c)  One member must be affiliated with the Office of

18  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development;

19         (d)  One member must be the president of Enterprise

20  Florida, Inc., or the president's designee;

21         (e)  One member must be the Secretary of Community

22  Affairs or the secretary's designee;

23         (f)  One member must be affiliated with Better

24  Jobs/Better Wages of Workforce Florida, Inc., if such body is

25  created. Otherwise, one member must be the president and chief

26  operating officer of the Florida Workforce Development Board;

27  and

28         (g)  One member must be affiliated with the First

29  Job/First Wages Council of Workforce Florida, Inc., if such

30  body is created. Otherwise, one member must be the Secretary

31  of Labor and Employment Security or the secretary's designee.

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  1         (2)  The importance of minority and gender

  2  representation must be considered when making appointments to

  3  the panel, and the geographic representation of panel members

  4  must also be considered.

  5         (3)  Members of the review panel shall be appointed for

  6  4-year terms. A person may not serve more than two consecutive

  7  terms on the panel.

  8         (4)  Members shall elect a chairperson annually. A

  9  member may not be elected to consecutive terms as chairperson.

10         (5)  All action taken by the review panel shall be by

11  majority vote of those present. The Director of the Office of

12  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development or the director's

13  designee shall serve without voting rights as secretary to the

14  panel. The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development

15  shall provide necessary staff assistance to the panel.

16         (6)  It is the responsibility of the panel to evaluate

17  proposals for awards of inner city redevelopment grants

18  administered by the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

19  Development. The panel shall review and evaluate all proposals

20  for grants and shall make recommendations, including a

21  priority ranking, reflecting such evaluation.

22         Section 12.  Each provision of this act will be

23  implemented to the extent that funds are specifically

24  appropriated in the General Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year

25  2000-2001.

26         Section 13.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.

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  1          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
  2                  CS for CS for Senate Bill 406

  3

  4  Specifies that those organizations eligible to participate in
    the Community and Faith-based Organizations Initiative or the
  5  Community Library Technology Access Partnership must have a
    501(c)(3) or (4) federal tax exemption and must establish
  6  accountability measures and reporting requirements for the
    programs. No funds provided under either of these programs may
  7  be used for religious purposes.

  8  The Division of Library and Information Services is authorized
    to contract with the Institute on Policy and Commerce for
  9  program administration and to allow the institute to
    subcontract for services.
10
    The Inner City Redevelopment Assistance Grants Program is
11  created and will be administered by the Office of Tourism,
    Trade, and Economic Development (OTTED) within the Office of
12  the Governor.  There is also created the Inner City
    Redevelopment Review Panel within OTTED, charged with
13  reviewing proposals submitted for consideration under this
    grant program.
14
    Various state housing programs receiving grant funds from the
15  U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, specifically
    funds allocated under the Revitalization of Severely
16  Distressed Public Housing (HOPE VI) program, must give
    preference to projects which encourage the broader
17  redevelopment of neighborhoods surrounding HOPE VI sites.

18  The committee substitute provides that each provision of the
    bill may be implemented to the extent that funds have been
19  specifically appropriated in the General Appropriations Act
    for fiscal year 2000-2001.
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