Fort Lauderdale leaders weigh AHAC plan to boost affordable housing outreach, use city land and craft a master plan

Rachel Williams, the city’s housing and community development manager, told the Fort Lauderdale City Commission at a joint workshop that the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) is proposing three primary incentives: expanded public awareness and education about affordable units; a regular, transparent review of city‑owned parcels (including commercial and industrial lots) for affordable development; and a dedicated affordable housing master plan for the city.

Williams said the incentives aim to increase access and information for renters and buyers and to better align public land management with affordability goals. “The incentives to be discussed today are 1, to increase public awareness and education, the use of city owned land for affordable housing, and develop an affordable housing master plan,” she said. The AHAC also recommended considering small‑lot aggregation where multiple adjoining parcels could meet development thresholds.

Commissioners focused early discussion on the city‑land proposal, including a staff explanation of how zoning relief and the Board of Adjustment variance process could be used to enable smaller infill lots. Staff advised that typical single‑family lot minimums in RSA/RS‑4 districts are about 6,000 square feet, but older neighborhoods often contain smaller lots that might become developable with targeted regulatory relief. Staff also noted that, under Florida statute, municipalities may consider commercial or industrial parcels for affordable housing development, widening the pool of potential sites.

On targets and thresholds, AHAC and commissioners discussed prioritizing households at 50% area median income (AMI) for a share of units and setting percentages for mixed‑income projects; the AHAC suggested 15%–20% of units targeted at 50% AMI as part of the parcel review, while commissioners debated a range of targets for incentives and projects (proposals ranged from 15%–25% as a feasible policy target, with some commissioners urging focus on 40%–60% AMI as a priority band).

The committee also urged an emphasis on communication: staff and Kevin Pulido, director of strategic communications, recommended more proactive use of city social channels, targeted emails, civic associations and electronic message boards to ensure Fort Lauderdale residents learn about openings and application requirements in advance. Pulido said the city can leverage neighborhood targeting and existing channels to reduce the appearance that units are being filled before local residents know how to apply.

Chair Susan Sprague asked commissioners for direction on the master plan idea, saying AHAC was selected for a Florida Housing Coalition support initiative that will review land development regulations and recommend best practices. Staff noted that a prior needs assessment in 2019 cost about $60,000 and that a city‑level master plan would depend on the depth of analysis requested.

Commissioners generally supported bringing back specific policy options and analyses. Staff said next steps would include crafting policy proposals that could layer incentives (e.g., city land, density bonuses, affordability covenants), performing financial and pro‑forma analysis, checking bond covenants before any fee waivers, and returning with recommendations on thresholds, costs and implementation timelines.