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Baker County adopts updated housing plan, raises emergency award cap and ratifies resolution 2026-02
Summary
The Baker County Board approved revised Local Housing Assistance Plan award limits, adopted Resolution 2026-02 to certify the LHAP to the state, and accepted HOTMA asset-limit changes that raise the program asset threshold to $50,000.
Baker County commissioners on Tuesday approved revisions to the county’s Local Housing Assistance Plan that raise several program award limits and formally certified the changes to the state.
Staff told the board the recommended maximum award framework is a four‑tier system: a two‑bedroom, one‑bath unit without wheelchair access would be capped at $135,000 and a three‑bedroom, one‑bath unit with wheelchair accessibility at $150,000. Lydia, the county housing staff member presenting the changes, said the totals include site surveys and utility work such as wells and septics.
The revisions also preserve existing rehabilitation caps — $45,000 for extremely low‑income households, $40,000 for very low income and $35,000 for low income — while recommending the emergency repair ceiling be raised from $10,000 to $20,000 so crews can address both roofs and major mechanical needs such as air conditioning in a single emergency action. "When you have a senior or ADA resident trapped in a house without air conditioning, it's unbearable," Lydia said.
Staff noted a separate federal/state change (HOTMA) has reset the program’s asset limit to $50,000; certain retirement accounts no longer count as assets under the new guidance. That change means the LHAP strategy will show the $50,000 asset threshold the state now requires.
Commissioners moved to adopt the plan and to read Resolution 2026‑02 by title, a step staff said was necessary to authorize the county chair to sign the certification and submit the LHAP to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. The board approved the certification and then read and adopted Resolution 2026‑02 by voice vote.
The county manager and staff said the updated LHAP will be included in the county’s triennial submission to the state and that specific strategy language and award figures will appear in the Local Housing Assistance Plan sent to Florida Housing. The board did not change the rehabilitation award caps presented by staff and directed staff to prepare the necessary documents for state submission.
What happens next: staff will finalize the LHAP with the adopted figures and submit the certified plan and required certifications to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation for review and approval.
