A coalition of realtors, home-builders and lawmakers gathered in Tallahassee on Tuesday, asking the legislature not to raid state trust funds intended for affordable housing. The trust funds are fed by the taxes paid on real-estate transactions statewide.
Until the recent recession, lawmakers generally let housing trust funds pay for affordable housing. But during the tight budget years, they used that money to pay for other government programs.
Florida Housing Coalition president Jaimie Ross says she understands why the trust funds were raided, but there's no reason to continue the practice now.
"We’re asking that the money that has been statutorily dedicated for housing be used for housing in a year when we have plenty of money to do so", said Ross.
This year, Governor Rick Scott’s proposed budget would continue to use housing trust-fund money for other purposes. One program dependent on the money is the State Housing Initiatives Partnership, which pays for first-time home-buyer programs, homeless prevention and renovating the homes of disabled Floridians.
