Housing Finance Authority

The Leon County Housing Finance Authority was created on June 10, 1980 by adoption of Ordinance 80-39, per Chapter 159, Part IV Florida Statutes, by the Leon County Board of County Commissioners. The Housing Finance Authority (HFA) is a seven member, dependent special district.

The mission of the HFA is to consider opportunities that increase the availability of affordable housing in Leon County. This includes financing for owner-occupied single-family and multi-family housing units (townhouses and condominiums) and the sale of taxable bonds once approved by the Leon County Board of County Commissioners. The HFA receives revenue in the form of fees from the sale of tax bonds, program participation fees and lien payoffs from housing rehabilitation projects.

Since its creation, the HFA has issued or joined with other counties to issue single-family mortgage revenue bonds. The HFA continues its long term partnership with Escambia County Housing Finance Authority to issue bonds.

The HFA encourages investment by private enterprise and stimulates construction and rehabilitation of housing through use of public financing. The HFA is authorized to issue and sell bonds, but first must seek approval of the Leon County Board of County Commissioners (BCC).

The Ordinance requires:
Section 8: Any bonds to be issued and sold by the HFA on the negotiated basis authorized in Sec. 159.613(2), FS, 1979, shall first be approved by resolution of the BCC, both as to the documents and the method of sale by the HFA.
Section 9: Any rules or regulations to be promulgated by the HFA setting forth standards or criteria for determining "eligible persons" in the program shall be submitted to and approved by the BCC prior to implementation.
Section 10: Contracts by the HFA shall first be approved by resolution of the BCC.
Section 11: The exercise of any of the powers hereby authorized or conferred is subject to the power of the BCC to approve the budget of the HFA. More