CITY OF COCOA BEACH 2025 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. Section V Housing Element Goals, Objectives, and Policies

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1 CITY OF COCOA BEACH 2025 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Section V Housing Element Goals, Objectives, and Policies Adopted August 6, 2015 by Ordinance No NOTES There are no changes to this element s GOPs since the 2014 transmittal hearings.

2 V HOUSING ELEMENT Table of Contents Page Number INTRODUCTION 1 GOAL, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES Goal I Supply of Safe, Sanitary, Accessible and Affordable Housing 3 Objective I.1 3 Policy I Policy I Policy I Objective I.2 3 Policy I Policy I Policy I Objective I.3 4 Policy I Policy I Policy I Policy I Objective I.4 4 Policy I Policy I Policy I Objective I.5 5 Policy I Policy I Objective I.6 5 Policy I Policy I Objective I.7 6 Policy I Policy I Objective I.8 6 Policy I Policy I Policy I City of Cocoa Beach Comprehensive Plan 2025 Page V-i

3 V HOUSING ELEMENT Table of Contents (continued) Page Number DELETIONS 7 TEXT TO BE MOVED TO SUPPORTING DATA AND ANAYSIS (HOUSING) 9 TEXT TO BE MOVED TO CITY S STRATEGIC PLAN 9 City of Cocoa Beach Comprehensive Plan 2025 Page V-ii

4 INTRODUCTION As outlined in Section (6)(f), Florida Statutes, this Element s goal, objectives, and policies focus on the provision of housing that meets existing and future needs (including affordable housing) as well as the elimination of substandard housing conditions. Based on the 2010 census, there are 9,128 housing units within the City of Cocoa. Of the occupied units (5,985), 70% are owner occupied and 30% are renter occupied. There are no mobile homes within the City. Due to its desirable location, housing prices within the City tend to be about twice as much as the average for Brevard County. Existing and Future Needs As described in the Future Land Use Element, the City has reached a built-out condition with little vacant land left for new development. Future changes in the housing stock will be the result of redevelopment. In 2010, the City of Cocoa Beach lost permanent population (from 12,482 in 2000 to 11,231 in 2010) and this trend is expected to continue with a projected permanent population of 10, 362 by While the City s permanent population is stabilizing, the seasonal population continues to fuel housing demand. Of the 11,231 permanent residents in Cocoa Beach, 7,974 are homestead homeowners and 3,257 are renters. City utilities are in place to serve the City s existing and future housing needs. New housing cannot be served by septic tanks. Affordable Housing Several factors have contributed to the higher than average housing costs in Cocoa Beach, which include: the community value of low-density residential neighborhoods (stated in the City charter), the continued demand to be close to the water (Atlantic beaches and the Banana River Lagoon), and additional construction standards (due to hurricane vulnerabilities). These factors pose a challenge to finding affordable housing within the City, especially for new families and for local workers. According to Florida Statutes, housing is considered affordable if monthly rents or mortgage payments (plus housing-related taxes, insurance, and utilities) do not exceed 30% of the gross annual income for households defined as very low income, low income, and moderate income. For reference, here are those definitions. Very Low Income A household income that does not exceed 50% of the statewide Median annual adjusted gross income, or 50% of the median annual adjusted gross income for households in the metropolitan statistical area or, if not within a metropolitan statistical area, within the county in which the person or family resides, whichever is greater. City of Cocoa Beach Comprehensive Plan 2025 Page V-1

5 Low Income Moderate Income A household income that does not exceed 80% of the applicable median annual adjusted gross income. A household income that does not exceed 120% of the applicable median annual adjusted gross income. There are opportunities for the City to increase affordable housing opportunities by mixing housing types and increasing densities as redevelopment occurs in the Downtown and Gateway Districts; reduce permitting steps which reduces construction costs; and partner with agencies and groups to fill in the housing gaps. The City s Strategic Plan outlines these approaches in more detail. Elimination of Substandard Housing The City of Cocoa Beach uses the following definitions in assessing the condition of its housing stock. Standard Unit appears to provide safe and adequate shelter (no defects or slight defects that are normally corrected during the course of regular maintenance) Standard with Minor Defects Substandard/ Deteriorated Substandard/ Dilapidated Unit appears to provide safe and adequate shelter, but requires more than routine or minor repairs or improvements Unit does not appear to provide safe and adequate shelter, requires considerable repair or rebuilding, or is of inadequate original construction Unite is a hazard and is condemned or subject to condemnation, rehabilitation is not feasible, and the unit should be demolished Based on these definitions, 2% of the City s housing stock is considered to be substandard. Format The following Housing Element goal, objectives, and policies are based on Volume II Supporting Data and Analysis, Housing, reflecting the City s desire to provide an adequate supply of housing that is safe, sanitary, accessible and affordable. Data, maps, and other background information supporting the Housing Element s goal, objectives, and policies are located in the Plan s Volume II Supporting Data and Analysis, Housing. City of Cocoa Beach Comprehensive Plan 2025 Page V-2

6 GOAL I (Existing Goal) Objective I.1 To ensure the provision of an adequate supply of safe, sanitary, accessible, and affordable housing units to meet the future needs of the City. To encourage a mixture of housing types, while maintaining a low density, family-oriented residential community. Policy I.1.1 (New Policy) Policy I.1.2 (New Policy) Policy I.1.3 (New Policy; part of existing Policy II.1.3 and existing Policy II.1.4 are included here) Objective I.2 (Existing Objective II.1) Policy I.2.1 (Existing Policy II.1.1 and Policy II.1.2) Policy I.2.2 (part of Existing Policy II.1.5; Existing list to be moved to City s Strategic Plan) As development and redevelopment occurs, the City shall support a mixture of residential types. Higher densities will occur in the Downtown and Gateway Districts with lower densities in the remaining residential neighborhoods. The City of Cocoa Beach will review the Land Development Code (LDC) to identify and implement changes that will provide flexibility in providing a range of housing types and price ranges, including affordable housing. The City shall evaluate its permitting and review processes to identify opportunities for streamlining the review and approval of residential projects, especially for those projects that include significant affordable housing. This process would eliminate any requirements that are more stringent than needed to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, or that otherwise would add to the cost of housing. To increase the number and availability of affordable housing units for all current and future City residents. The City recognizes that high land costs and hurricane evacuation concerns will constrain the development of affordable housing within the City, even though the data and analysis show that a need for affordable housing exists. The City further recognizes the significance of affordable housing in attracting young families and persons seeking active lifestyles to Cocoa Beach. It shall be the policy of the City to ensure affordable housing opportunities are provided to all residents regardless of race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. marital status, familial status, ethnicity, religion or age. The City may develop and implement economic incentives to be provided to the private sector for affordable housing projects that will allow cost savings to be passed on to the consumers in terms of lower rents or sales prices. City of Cocoa Beach Comprehensive Plan 2025 Page V-3

7 Policy I.2.3 (Existing Policy II.1.7 Objective I.3 (Existing Objective II.2) The City recognizes its additional challenges in providing affordable housing due to high land costs and State mandates to build outside the coastal high hazard area (CHHA). The City shall continue to work closely with Brevard County and other agencies to identify partnering and funding opportunities that would result in an increase in affordable housing. To eliminate substandard housing conditions and improve the structural and aesthetic conditions of existing housing units. Policy I.3.1 (Existing Policy II.2.1) Policy I.3.2 (Existing Policy II.2.2) Policy I.3.3 (Existing Policy II.2.3) Policy I.3.4 (Existing Policy II.2.4) Objective I.4 (Existing Objective II.3) Policy I.4.1 (Existing Policy II.3.1) The City shall conduct an annual windshield survey of the structural conditions of housing units within the City to identify in areas subject to deterioration. As this inventory is completed, housing will be considered to be either standard, standard with minor defects, substandard/deteriorated or substandard/dilapidated. Any housing units which are found to be substandard/deteriorated or substandard/dilapidated (based on the standards identified in Policy II. 2.1) shall be cited and the owner shall be required to rehabilitate or demolish the structure within one year. If greater than 25% of the residential structures in a neighborhood (but not less than five) are determined to be substandard/deteriorated or substandard/dilapidated (based on the standards identified in Policy II. 2.1), that neighborhood shall be considered to be in danger of deterioration, and the City will develop a plan for the stabilization of the neighborhood within two years of such determination. The City shall prioritize areas with more than 50% investor-owned housing units and areas designated for redevelopment for systematic inspection by Code Enforcement staff. To provide adequate sites and distribution of housing for very-low-income, low-income, and moderate-income. In order to provide a mix of housing types to meet the need for all types of housing at of all income levels, consumer affordability will be considered along with market demand as lands shall be designated for future residential development occurs. based upon analyses of consumer affordability, rather than perceptions of the preferences of particular consumers. City of Cocoa Beach Comprehensive Plan 2025 Page V-4

8 Policy I.4.2 (Existing Policy II.3.2) Policy I.4.3 (Existing Policy II.3.4) Objective I.5 (Existing Objective II.4) Policy I.5.1 (Existing Policy II.4.1) Policy I.5.2 (Existing Policy II.4.2; specific list deleted and should be moved to LDC) Objective I.6 (Existing Objective II.5) Policy I.6.1 (Existing Policy II.5.1) Policy I.6.2 (Existing Policy II.5.2) Sites deemed to be suitable for very-low-income, low-income, and moderate-income families shall be designated for multi-family use, served by transit, and proximate to places to work, shop and recreate. Areas identified for redevelopment by the City Commission should be viewed by the City as opportunities to encourage an attractive and functional mix of living, working, shopping and recreational activities. The City shall be consistent with Florida Statutes in providing To provide adequate sites for group homes and foster care facilities that are licensed or funded by the Florida Department of Children and Family Services. consistent with Subsection , F.S., in Florida Statutes, residential areas and areas of residential character for group homes and foster care facilities, licensed or funded by the Department of Children and Family Services. Homes of six or fewer residents which otherwise meet the state s definition of a community residential home (s (1)(a), F.S.), shall be deemed a single-family unit and a non-commercial, residential use. These homes shall be allowed in single-family or multi-family areas without approval by the City, provided that such homes shall not be located within a 1,000 feet radius of another existing such home with six or fewer residents. The City shall not deny the siting of a community residential home which provides a living environment for seven to 14 unrelated residents who operate as the functional equivalent of a family unless the siting of the home at the selected site: does not meet specific criteria in the LDC. To conserve or rehabilitate housing, including the identification of historically significant housing. At least once every five years, the City shall evaluate candidate structures for inclusion on the Florida Master Site File and/or National Register of Historic Places. The rehabilitation of any structure designated by the City as historically or archaeologically significant shall be subject to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior s Standards for the Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings. City of Cocoa Beach Comprehensive Plan 2025 Page V-5

9 Objective I.7 (Existing Objective II.6) Policy I.7.1 (Existing Policy II.6.1) Policy I.7.2 (Existing Policy II.6.2) Objective I.8 (Existing Objective II.7) Policy I.8.1 (Existing Policy II.7.1) Policy I.8.2 (Existing Policy II.7.2) Policy I.8.3 (Existing Policy II.7.3) To provide for the relocation of housing. Because structural damages resulting from the repetitive coastal storms and flooding continually lower the value of the flooded properties, the City shall explore acquisition and relocation projects (with assistance from the State and federal governments) in severely flooded areas. The City shall, in acquiring real property for use in any public program or project in which federal or federal aid funds are used, conform with the land acquisition policies set forth in Public Law , and to pay or reimburse property owners in the manner specified in Public Law To increase the availability of housing implementation programs. The City shall meet with one or more non-profit housing development corporations to explore the possibility of providing housing opportunities within the City targeted to persons who work in the City (e.g., police officers, teachers, etc.) and whose wages would not be sufficient to afford market-rate housing in Cocoa Beach. The City may use federally funding funded available through programs such as the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), the Home Investment Partnership (HOME) Program, the State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) and Hope for Home Ownership (HOPE), to provide deferred payment and low-cost home improvement loans and along with first-time home ownership opportunities. The City shall periodically contact lending institutions, if and when this information has been requested by any person or party, to identify reduced interest loans available in accordance with the Community Reinvestment Act requirements. City of Cocoa Beach Comprehensive Plan 2025 Page V-6

10 LIST OF DELETIONS Introduction Policy II.1.6 Completely rewritten In accordance with the City of Cocoa Beach Redevelopment Vision Plan and the Future Land Use Element, the City will investigate the use of flexible regulations, such as special zoning provisions in the downtown area to provide for possible additional housing facilities. Policy II.1.7 The City recognizes that the high cost of land, coupled with strong State mandates to avoid concentrating population within coastal high hazard areas, make it difficult for the City to provide affordable housing within the corporate limits of the City. To address this problem, the City shall aggressively pursue an agreement with Brevard County to help address the City s affordable housing needs. Under this agreement, which the City anticipates being in effect by December 31, 2001, the City would: (a) (b) (c) Provide an outreach, educational and referral function for its residents; Advise eligible persons seeking services as to the local contact with Brevard County s housing programs; and Act as a liaison between Brevard County and individual community members, private developers, community-based non-profit organizations, and private-public partnerships seeking funding or other assistance available through existing programs. Policy II.2.1 The City shall use the following standards in conjunction with windshield and structural surveys: (a) (b) (c) (d) Standard --- Unit appears to provide safe and adequate shelter (i.e., no defects or slight defects that are normally corrected during the course of regular maintenance); Standard With Minor Defects --- Unit appears to provide safe and adequate shelter, but requires more than routine or minor repairs or improvements; Substandard/Deteriorated --- Unit does not appear to provide safe and adequate shelter, requires considerable repair or rebuilding, or is of inadequate original construction; and Substandard/Dilapidated --- Unit is a hazard and is condemned or subject to condemnation, rehabilitation is not feasible, and the unit should be demolished. City of Cocoa Beach Comprehensive Plan 2025 Page V-7

11 LIST OF DELETIONS (continued) Policy II.3.3 The City shall continue to implement its current zoning regulations that are consistent with the requirements of chapters 320 and 553, F.S., regarding the placement of mobile homes and manufactured housing in residential areas of the City, subject to compliance with local land use and zoning requirements, fire zones, building setback and side and rear yard requirements, site development and property line requirements, subdivision controls, on-site installation requirements, and local architectural and aesthetic requirements for roofing and siding materials. Policy II (a) (b) (c) Does not otherwise conform to existing zoning regulations applicable to other multi-family uses in the area; Does not meet the licensing criteria established by the Department of Children and Family Services, including requirements that the home be located to assure the safe care and supervision of all clients in the home; or Would result in such a concentration of community residential homes in the area in proximity to the site selected, or would result in a combination of such homes with other residences in the community, such that the nature and character of the area would be substantially altered. Consistent with Subsection , F.S., A home that is located within a radius of 1200 feet of another existing community residential home in a multifamily zone shall be an overconcentration of such homes that substantially alters the nature and character of the area. A home that is located within a radius of 500 feet of an area of single-family zoning substantially alters the nature and character of the area. City of Cocoa Beach Comprehensive Plan 2025 Page V-8

12 TEXT TO BE MOVED TO SUPPORTING DATA AND ANALYSIS (HOUSING) Policy II.1.3 The City shall review its existing development permitting and review processes and site improvement standards for the purpose of eliminating any requirements that are more stringent than needed to protect the public health, safety and welfare, or that otherwise add to the cost of housing. This shall include, but not be limited to, requirements for large minimum lot sizes, large floor area homes, and single-family zoning within existing urban areas. Policy II.1.4 The City should encourage the production of affordable housing through the developments that contain a significant affordable housing component. Such treatment may include any or all of the following: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) Scheduling joint meetings of all reviewing departments; Scheduling pre-application conferences with the developer and reviewing departments to reduce time delays; Creating a one-stop review process; Granting priority status projects in development review of bonafide affordable housing; Establishing a separate review process for affordable housing projects. TEXT TO BE MOVED TO CITY S STRATEGIC PLAN Policy II These may include, but not be limited to: (a) Reserving infrastructure capacity for affordable housing projects and target new infrastructure to areas with sites designated for affordable housing; (b) Allowing developments with affordable housing components to rely on transportation system management (TSM) and transportation demand management (TDM) techniques in lieu of capital improvements; and (c) Waiving certain permit application and processing fees for affordable housing projects. City of Cocoa Beach Comprehensive Plan 2025 Page V-9