Special to Lake Okeechobee News
OKEECHOBEE -- The Florida Housing Finance Corporation has awarded Okeechobee County $454,280 in State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program funds for State Fiscal Year 2023-2024.
Funding is limited and applicants on the current waiting list will be assisted first.
Do you have a low-income household?
Did you know you may be eligible for Affordable Housing assistance? Okeechobee County has several strategies that may be able to assist you.
Purchase assistance: Funds allocated to this program will provide assistance to income eligible households to purchase existing homes. The county will provide down payment and closing cost assistance through deferred payment loans to eligible homebuyers that meet program requirements. The amount of assistance provided is based on the household income and actual need. All applicants must be pre-qualified for a mortgage prior to applying for SHIP assistance. Additionally, SHIP funding may NOT be used to purchase a mobile home.
Owner-occupied rehabilitation: Funds allocated to this program will provide rehabilitation assistance to eligible income owner-occupied dwelling units. Applicants must have homeowners insurance. The amount of assistance provided is based on the household income and actual need.
Emergency Repair: Funds may be awarded to eligible applicants in need of emergency repairs to their home. This includes structural system failures, damaged roofing, damaged windows, hazardous electrical wiring, plumbing issues, septic problems, A/C not functioning properly, or any system failure that is an immediate health or safety hazard to the occupants.
Eviction prevention: Funds will be awarded to low income renter households recovering from or experiencing a temporary hardship in need of assistance for eviction prevention for up-to 3 months of past due rent and late fees. Eligible hardships include but are not limited to: job loss or income reduction, unexpected vehicle repairs, illness, sudden medical expenses or death of a family member residing in the household.
Foreclosure prevention: Funds will be awarded to low income households recovering from or experiencing a temporary hardship in need of assistance for foreclosure prevention for up-to 3 months of past due mortgage and late fees.
Eligible hardships include but are not limited to: job loss or income reduction, unexpected vehicle repairs, illness, sudden medical expenses or death of a family member residing in the household.
Security deposit and first and last month’s rent: Funds will be awarded to low income renter households in need of assistance for security deposit and first and last month’s rent. The SHIP applicant must sign a minimum of a one-year lease agreement and eligible mobile homes must be a 1996 or newer.
Applications will be available at the Office of Affordable Housing, in the Historic Okeechobee County Courthouse, 304 N.W. Second Street, Okeechobee, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. beginning Monday, Nov. 13. Applications will be accepted until all funds are encumbered.
Funds are awarded in a “First ready, First served” basis upon income limit, priorities identified and preference given to very-low income families, as well as elderly and special needs household.
For more information or reasonable accommodations please contact our Affordable Housing Coordinator at 863-763-6441 ext. 5 or jschooley@co.okeechobee.fl.us
