Seminole County's affordable housing advisers looked at 11 ways the county could make cheaper housing easier to build and recommended changing only one: giving affordable projects a faster path through permitting. Residents have until Tuesday, Nov. 10, to comment on the draft report before it goes to county commissioners.
The Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, created by county ordinance in 2007, is required under the state's SHIP housing program to review a set list of incentives each year and report to the Board of County Commissioners. The report is then submitted to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. The committee met Sept. 17 to work through this year's list.
The one proposed change
Seminole has no separate fast track for affordable housing permits today, according to the draft. An ordinance commissioners adopted in July, No. 2026-12, allows expedited permitting for residential subdivisions, but it does not single out affordable projects.
Committee members talked about modeling an affordable housing process on the emergency permitting procedures the county uses after declared disasters. Their recommendation asks commissioners to consider widening expedited permitting to cover every activity state law makes eligible, affordable housing included.
What stays the same
On the other 10 items, the committee recommended leaving current policy alone. Among them:
- Impact fees. The county already discounts mobility, library and fire impact fees for qualifying units rented or sold to households earning between 80.01% and 140% of area median income, and waives them for households at or below 80%.
- Density. Projects that include affordable units can earn bonus market-rate units, up to the cap in the comprehensive plan.
- Accessory dwelling units. Backyard and in-law units have been allowed under a 2021 ordinance meant to add affordable rentals.
- Surplus land. The county keeps a list of county-owned escheated lots and donates surplus lots to qualified nonprofit builders for low- and moderate-income first-time buyers.
- Transit. Projects near transportation hubs get bonus points when they compete for county housing money.
