Division of Housing and Community Development

Division Home (FloridaCommunityDevelopment.org)

Housing Resources

Although the Department of Community Affairs does not provide direct housing-related assistance to individuals, we are aware of the following resources that may be able to provide such assistance to you. These external linked sites are not part of the Department's website and will open in a new browser window. The Department does not vouch for the accuracy of the information found on these external websites, nor does it endorse any of the sites or the products they present. In addition, the Department cannot assure that the contents of the external sites comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The housing resources are categorized as follows:

Affordable Housing | Elderly and People with Disabilities | Emergency Housing | Homelessness | Home Ownership | Public Assistance | Social Services | Veterans | Other - Starting a Business | Other

My Safe Florida Home Program (administered by the Florida Department of Financial Services) - Call 1-800-342-2762 or 850-413-3089 or visit MySafeFloridaHome.com to find out how to better protect you and your family against hurricanes and how to make your home stronger and safer from storms.

Affordable Housing

• Find an Affordable Apartment - Visit this site to find an affordable apartment in your area.
  
• Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development's Renter's Kit - Visit this site to review a wealth of information you'll need to know before hunting for your apartment, including listings for cities and locales across Florida.

If you're looking for an apartment, one of these listings may help you compare rents. Take along a checklist to help you compare each unit.

• Apartments.com
• ApartmentWorld.com
• Places4Rent
• Homestore.com

Elderly and People with Disabilities

• Multifamily Inventory of Units for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities - Visit this site to find H.U.D. insured and H.U.D. subsidized multifamily properties that serve the elderly and/or persons with disabilities.
• Housing Resources for Seniors in Florida - Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. Contains a wealth of housing resources.
• Communities for a Lifetime - is a statewide initiative to assist Florida cities, towns and counties in planning and implementing improvements benefiting the lives of all residents, youthful or senior. Participating Communities for a Lifetime use existing resources and state technical assistance to make crucial civic improvements in such areas as housing, health care, transportation, accessibility, business partnerships, community education, efficient use of natural resources and volunteer opportunities to the betterment of their communities.
• Florida Health Stat - Locate Assisted Living Facilities, Adult Day Care Centers, and Adult Family Care Homes.
• Department of Elder Affairs - Housing, assisted living facilities and adult care.
• Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS - This Florida Department of Health program provides temporary housing assistance to eligible individuals. The services include transitional housing, assistance with rent, mortgage, utilities and supportive services (such as case management).

Emergency Housing

• Your Local American Red Cross Chapter - when a fire, earthquake, tornado, flood, or other emergency happens in your community, you can count on your local American Red Cross chapter to be there to help you and your family.

Homelessness

• Department of Children and Families, Office on Homelessness - The Office on Homelessness was established in 2001 to serve as a central point of contact within state government on the issue of homelessness. The Office's primary duty is to coordinate the services of the various state agencies and programs to serve those persons or families who have become homeless, or are facing becoming homeless.
• Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development - Visit this site to find out about programs managed by local organizations that provide a range of services, including shelter, food, counseling, and jobs skills programs. This site also contains a link to homeless assistance agencies in your area.
• American Red Cross - Visit this site to find out about the American Red Cross Homeless Services, such as life skill development assistance (budget development, parenting classes, counseling and support groups) and transitional housing programs. Contact your local chapter to find out which of these services are available in your area.

Home Ownership

• First Time Homebuyer Program - Low to moderate income families in the market for purchasing their first homes may be eligible for low-interest rate mortgages and down payment and closing cost assistance through Florida Housing's First Time Homebuyer program.

Public Assistance

• Public Housing Authorities - Visit this site if you need public housing assistance. It contains information about public housing programs, such as Housing Choice Vouchers and Section 8. Questions about programs and requests for specific information must be directed to the appropriate housing authority in Florida.

Social Services

• Community Assistance Local Programs and Contacts List - A listing (pdf), by county, of community assistance agencies that may be able to help with energy efficiency related repairs, utility payments, and self-sufficiency.
• Florida Alliance for Information and Referral Services
• Florida Legal Aid Websites - Legal Aid Services in Florida.
• FloridaLawHelp.org - Legal Aid Listings (Landlord-Tenant Disputes) - Answers to legal questions, sample forms,and information about the courts, lawyers and social service organizations that provide services related to housing including eviction, foreclosure and predatory lending, housing discrimination, and landlord and tenant disputes.
• Catholic Charities provides a wide array of services. Each Diocese in Florida has a Catholic Charities that operates independently within that Diocese. To contact the Catholic Charities in your area, contact the appropriate Diocesan office:
  • Archdiocese of Miami
  • Diocese of Orlando
  • Diocese of Palm Beach
  • Diocese of Pensacola - Tallahassee
  • Diocese of St. Augustine
  • Diocese of St. Petersburg
  • Diocese of Venice
    
• Temporary Cash Assistance - The purpose of the Temporary Cash Assistance program is to provide temporary financial help to eligible low-income families. The program is designed to end dependence by needy parents on government benefits by promoting training, job preparation and work.
  
• Economic Self-Sufficiency - Provides assistance to low income families through the Food Stamp, Medicaid and Temporary Cash Assistance Programs.

Veterans

• Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development's Veteran Resource Center - This is the result of a unique partnership between National Veteran Service Organizations and H.U.D. This directory is designed to increase your knowledge of and participation in the wide variety of H.U.D. homeless assistance programs and services for veterans and other individuals who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. In addition, the center also provides information on housing and human services available to assist veterans and active duty military personnel in the United States, overseas or aboard ship

Other

• Homeowners' Associations - Frequently Asked Questions
• Homeowners' Associations - Arbitration, Mediation, and Education - Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Florida Land Sales, Condominiums and Mobile Homes.
• Homeowners' Association Covenants - Department of Community Affairs, Division of Community Planning. Process for homeowners' associations to reinstate covenants that were extinguished by Florida's Marketable Record Titles Act.
• Condominiums - Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Florida Land Sales, Condominiums and Mobile Homes. This site contains information on the Florida Condominium and Cooperative Act.
• Mobile Homes - Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Florida Land Sales, Condominiums and Mobile Homes. This site contains information on the Florida Mobile Home Act.
• Timeshares - Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Florida Land Sales, Condominiums and Mobile Homes. This site contains information on the Florida Vacation Plan and Timesharing Act.

Other - Starting a Business & Business Assistance

• Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (information on federal grant and loan programs)
• Enterprise Florida
• Florida Resource Directory
• Florida Small Business
• United States Small Business Administration
• The Foundation Center
• Governor's Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development (Florida Enterprise Zone Program)
• Grants.gov and GovBenefits.gov
• Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities
• USDA Rural Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Communities Program

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