On November 6, 2018, the voters of Collier County approved a one-cent local government infrastructure surtax on all taxable transactions occurring within the county. Twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) of this surtax is earmarked to be used for land acquisition in accordance with Section 212.055(2), Florida Statutes.

On March 28, 2023, Agenda Item No. 11.F, the Board approved a Workforce Housing Surtax Funding policy and application. Through implementing this application and reviewing policy, staff received applicant feedback and suggestions for certain program enhancements.

On January 9, 2024, Agenda Item No. 16.A.16, the Board enhanced the application policy to enable Surtax Funding applications that receive high enough initial scores (above 75 points on the Board's approved evaluation criteria) to be taken directly to the County Manager and then the Board of County Commissioners for further consideration, allowing the funding request to move forward. The item would then be presented to the Infrastructure Surtax Citizen Oversight Committee (ISCOC) for consideration at their next regularly scheduled hearing as well as the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) for recognition.

Requests that do not score high enough after their initial evaluation for the “fast-track” are still encouraged to go through the review process by amending and enhancing their plans as they seek recommendations from the advisory boards before presenting to the Board.

The procedure was also amended to include a two-part application process including 1) the Surtax Funding Application and 2) a Conceptual Site Plan (CSP) Application. Both of these pieces will enable timely and thorough review, recommendation and approval of Surtax funding.

Florida Statute Sec. 212.055 LOCAL GOVERNMENT INFRASTRUCTURE SURTAX.

(e) Any land acquisition expenditure for a residential housing project in which at least 30 percent of the units are affordable to individuals or families whose total annual household income does not exceed 120 percent of the area median income adjusted for household size if the land is owned by a local government or by a special district that enters into a written agreement with the local government to provide such housing. The local government or special district may enter into a ground lease with a public or private person or entity for nominal or other consideration for the construction of the residential housing project on land acquired pursuant to this sub-subparagraph.

Applications:
Conceptual Site Plan (CSP) Application
Affordable Housing Application

Contact:
Please feel free to contact us with questions regarding this process.

Cormac Giblin, Division Director
239-252-2460
Cormac.Giblin@CollierCountyFL.gov

Sarah Harrington, Planning Manager
239-252-4211
Sarah.Harrington@CollierCountyFL.gov