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RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR TO CREATE A SENIOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE PILOT PROGRAM TO ASSIST EXTREMELY LOW- AND VERY LOW-INCOME SENIORS RESIDING IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND TO APPOINT STAFF TO ADMINISTER AND MONITOR THE PROGRAM; ESTABLISHING GUIDELINES FOR SUCH PROGRAM; AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR THE COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR SAID PURPOSE; WAIVING RESOLUTION NO. R-130-06; DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR THE COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO IDENTIFY A FUNDING SOURCE; AND REQUIRING A REPORT

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WHEREAS, many Miami-Dade County residents 62 years and older (�seniors�) live on fixed incomes or other incomes which are significantly lower than the area median income (�AMI�) for Miami-Dade County as published by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (�HUD�); and
WHEREAS, many of those same seniors face and are burdened by increasing rents which outpace any increase in their incomes; and
WHEREAS, these unmitigated rental increases often force senior residents to choose between housing and other needs such as food and medication; and
WHEREAS, the County, as a public housing agency, is the steward of the HUD federal housing programs, such as public housing, Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation programs, that offer subsidized housing assistance to seniors, the disabled and families; and
WHEREAS, although these housing programs provide valuable assistance to persons, including seniors, who could not otherwise afford the rising cost of rents in Miami-Dade County, this Board is deeply concerned that the demand for affordable housing far outweighs the amount of housing that is available to house such persons as demonstrated by the number of applicants that remain on the County�s waiting lists; and
WHEREAS, this Board desires to lift the housing cost burden of extremely low- and very low-income seniors that are severely cost burdened by high rents; and
WHEREAS, this Board wishes to create a locally funded rent subsidy program for seniors that would lessen the County�s dependence on the underfunded federal housing programs; and
WHEREAS, such a program would be locally controlled, would have the potential for quicker placement of persons who apply for such assistance, would have more flexible policies and rules, less paperwork and fewer barriers for applicants when compared to the federal programs; and
WHEREAS, the City of Miami recently created a similar program that offers financial assistance for up to a year to income-eligible senior households residing in the City that spend more than 50 percent of their household income on housing costs; and
WHEREAS, like the City of Miami, similar programs exist in other localities such as in Portland, Oregon; and
WHEREAS, accordingly, this Board wishes to create a program to be named the �Senior Rental Assistance Pilot Program� for eligible senior residents residing in the unincorporated areas of Miami-Dade County,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:
Section 1. The matters contained in the foregoing recitals are incorporated in this resolution by reference.
Section 2. This Board directs the County Mayor to create a Senior Rental Assistance Pilot Program (�The Program�) for extremely low- and very low-income seniors (62 years or older�) residing in the unincorporated areas of Miami-Dade County (�UMSA�). This Board establishes the following guidelines for the Program:
(a) The Program shall provide direct monthly payments of $100.00 per month to the landlords of eligible seniors for a period of 12 months.

(b) Payments may be renewed for an additional 12 months subject to continued eligibility and availability of funds.

(c) The Program shall be open to residents who are 62 years of age or older that meet all of the following criteria:

(i) have household incomes of 40 percent of area median income or less;
(ii) have $5,000.00 or less in their bank accounts;
(iii) do not receive other rent subsidies from any other sources;
(iv) have monthly rent costs that exceed 50 percent of their monthly household incomes; and
(v) are current on their rents at the time such residents submit their applications to the County.

(d) The Program shall require applicants to submit the following documentation:

(i) proof of current income at the time of application;
(ii) State of Florida issued identification cards;
(iii) copies of executed lease agreements; and
(iv) affidavits attesting that the rental unit is their primary residence.
Section 3. This Board directs the County Mayor or the County Mayor�s designee to appoint staff to administer and monitor the Program.
Section 4. This Board further authorizes the County Mayor or the County Mayor�s designee to negotiate and execute any documents necessary, following approval by the County Attorney�s office, to carry out the purposes of the Program. This Board further waives the requirements of Resolution No. R-130-06, which provides that an item seeking approval of a contract shall not be placed on a County Commission or committee agenda until the underlying contract is completely negotiated, in final form and executed by all non-County parties, to give the County Mayor or the County Mayor�s designee time to negotiate and execute the documents required herein.
Section 5. This Board directs the County Mayor or the County Mayor's designee to identify sufficient funding in the fiscal year 2019-2020 County Budget which independently or combined may be utilized to fund the Program proposed by this resolution, provided that the expenditure of any funds for the Program will be subject to subsequent approvals of this Board.
Section 6. This Board directs the County Mayor or the County Mayor's designee to submit a report describing the steps taken to comply with section 2 of this resolution. This Board further directs the County Mayor or County Mayor's designee to place the completed report on an agenda of this Board pursuant to Ordinance No. 14-65 within 60 days of the effective date of this resolution.