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Mayor’s Message

Fort Lauderdale focuses efforts to tackle

need for more affordable housing

Far too often in recent months has someone stopped me on the street or
written me an email concerned about the affordability of housing in the greater
FFort Lauderdale area.
Prices for single-family homes and condos have increased to the point where the
American dream of homeownership is out of grasp for many families. Meanwhile, higher
rental rates are causing other families to struggle to make ends meet day to day.

This crisis is occurring across the nation, and many factors are outside the control
Dean Trantalis
Mayor of local governments. Inflation is at a 40-year high. Interest rates are rising. The
City of Fort Lauderdale continued popularity of Florida as a place to live has created a housing shortage
dtrantalis@fortlauderdale.gov that is forcing up prices. And, the state has yet to undertake meaningful reform of
our expensive property insurance system.
The city of Fort Lauderdale has been fighting hard to combat the problem and
increase the stock of affordable housing. We want to do as much as possible to
ensure we remain a diverse community open to all income levels – a place where
workers from nurses and teachers to bank tellers and waiters can afford to live, a
place where someone fresh from college can launch a career and a place where
a senior citizen can retire comfortably. There are a number of affordable and
workforce housing projects that have either come online in the last couple years or
are currently moving through the design and construction process:
City Hall, 8th Floor
100 N Andrews Ave The city’s efforts go beyond these cooperative arrangements with private developers
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 and our own Housing Authority. In another initiative, we have been converting city-
owned lots toward the construction of affordable housing.

A year ago, the city retained five development firms to construct homes on 43 lots
owned by our redevelopment agency and sell them at reduced prices that reflected
the lack of land-acquisition costs. The owners must live in them for seven years under
the program we set up.

In November, the city conveyed another seven properties to the redevelopment
agency for the purpose of constructing affordable housing. Occupancy would be
restricted to families with low to moderate incomes with a requirement of seven-year
Office Contact residency. We added 15 more properties in May.
Scott Wyman The city looks for other ways to help as well. We will receive $1.7 million this year
Chief of Staff
Office of the Mayor in State Housing Initiatives Partnership money and will use the majority of those
swyman@fortlauderdale.gov funds to sponsor affordable housing projects.
954.828.5314
The city also operates a program to assist qualified individuals make down
payments, cover closing costs or reduce principal on a home purchase.
There are restrictions set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development that a household of two seeking assistance can earn no more than
$58,050 and a family of four can make no more than $72,550. The program is
limited to first-time homebuyers.
Individuals can receive up to $75,000 in down payment assistance. This carries
a 15-year lien that is forgiven if the buyer remains in the home for that length of
time. Three firms manage this program for the city: the Housing Foundation of

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