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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to the Affordable Workforce Housing

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Program; creating the Affordable Workforce Housing Program

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within the Division of Housing and Community Development

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of the Department of Community Affairs; providing purposes

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of the program; requiring that the Secretary of Community

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Affairs serve as chair of the program and appoint a

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committee; providing for membership of the committee;

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requiring that the committee establish certain policies

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and procedures on or before a specified date; requiring

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that the committee be appointed by a specified date;

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requiring that the committee meet on or before a specified

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date; providing for the purchase of land to be used by the

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program; excluding land acquired pursuant to eminent

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domain law from use in the program; requiring that the

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department adopt rules; providing an effective date.

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

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     Section 1. Affordable Workforce Housing Program.--

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     (1) There is created within the Division of Housing and

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Community Development of the Department of Community Affairs the

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Affordable Workforce Housing Program.

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     (2) The purpose of the program is to provide affordable

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housing to the members of the workforce of this state by

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purchasing land in areas designated by the program committee and

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contracting for the development of low-cost housing upon such

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land.

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     (3) The secretary of the department shall serve as chair of

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the program and appoint a committee consisting of six employees

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of the department. The committee shall establish procedures and

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policies regarding the general operation of the program, the

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purchase of land for use by the program, the designation of

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eligible areas for development, application procedures and forms,

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criteria for eligibility to participate in the program, methods

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by which land will be acquired for use by the program, guidelines

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for soliciting bids from and contracting with builders, benefits

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inuring to program participants, pricing of housing, and any

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other subject matter deemed appropriate by the committee. The

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committee shall establish any applicable policies and procedures

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on or before January 1, 2009.

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     (4) The committee chair shall appoint the committee on or

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before October 1, 2008, and the committee shall hold its first

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meeting on or before October 15, 2008.

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     (5) Any land used by the program must be purchased

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according to the procedures established by the committee. Land

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acquired pursuant to law regarding eminent domain may not be used

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for purposes of the program.

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     (6) The department shall adopt rules to administer the

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program.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.