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ENROLLED
2026
Legislature
CS for CS for SB 1602, 1st Engrossed
20261602er
1
2 An act relating to housing for veterans; creating s.
3 83.684, F.S.; providing a short title; defining terms;
4 establishing the Homes for Veterans Property
5 Management Incentive Pilot Program in certain
6 counties, subject to legislative appropriation;
7 requiring the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, in
8 consultation with other entities and persons, to
9 establish and oversee specified aspects of the pilot
10 program; providing the responsibilities of the
11 corporation for the pilot program; requiring
12 contracted program administrators to maintain certain
13 functions of the pilot program; authorizing certain
14 landlords to apply to a contracted program
15 administrator to request funding under certain
16 circumstances; requiring a landlord to submit to the
17 contracted program administrator required
18 documentation within a specified time period to apply
19 for funding; requiring certain case managers to assist
20 the contracted program administrator; requiring the
21 contracted program administrator to maintain and
22 provide certain documentation to the corporation;
23 requiring the entity responsible for certain functions
24 to maintain any supporting documentation; authorizing
25 the corporation to rely on certifications,
26 determinations, and documentation provided by
27 specified entities; authorizing a landlord to apply
28 for up to a specified dollar amount from the funds;
29 providing requirements to apply for funding; providing
30 that funding for the pilot program is awarded on a
31 first-come, first-served basis; authorizing the
32 corporation to suspend the acceptance of applications
33 under certain circumstances; requiring specified
34 notice; requiring the corporation to adopt rules;
35 providing an effective date.
36
37 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
38
39 Section 1. Section 83.684, Florida Statutes, is created to
40 read:
41
83.684
Homes for Veterans Property Management Incentive
42
Pilot Program.—
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(1)
This section may be cited as the “Homes for Veterans
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Property Management Incentive Pilot Program Act.”
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(2)
As used in this section, the term:
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(a)
“Corporation” means the Florida Housing Finance
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Corporation.
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(b)
“HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program” means
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a program that combines the United States Department of Housing
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and Urban Development’s housing choice voucher rental assistance
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for homeless veterans with case management and clinical services
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provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
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(c)
“Pilot program” means the Homes for Veterans Property
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Management Incentive Pilot Program.
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(d)
“Veteran” has the same meaning as in s. 1.01(14).
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(3)
The Homes for Veterans Property Management Incentive
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Pilot Program is established in Broward, Escambia, Hillsborough,
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and Santa Rosa Counties to provide eligible landlords with
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incentives to lease eligible dwelling units to veterans who are
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participating in the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing
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program. Implementation of this pilot program is subject to
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annual legislative appropriation. The corporation, in
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consultation with the local public housing authority and case
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managers assigned to veterans by the United States Department of
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Veterans’ Affairs, shall establish and oversee the document
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requirements and all processes of the pilot program. The
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corporation’s responsibilities under this section are limited to
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program administration, including rulemaking, oversight, and
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establishing and executing contracts with one or more local
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public housing authorities, contracted program administrators,
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or other public or nonprofit entities that have experience
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administering the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing
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program, supportive housing, or landlord mitigation programs to
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perform intake, documentation review, and claim verification
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functions to locally administer funds and to distribute funding
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to the contracted program administrator for payment of approved
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reimbursement requests. The corporation is not responsible for
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maintaining eligibility files, tenancy records, or other case
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level documentation for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive
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Housing program. Such functions shall be maintained by the
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contracted program administrator.
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(4)(a) A landlord who enters into a rental agreement with
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an eligible veteran may apply to a contracted program
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administrator to request funding for the purpose of allowing a
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landlord to hold a dwelling unit for a period of time, and still
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be compensated for the time that the dwelling unit is vacant,
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until the veteran is able to move into the dwelling unit. Such
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funding provides proportional rent to eligible landlords for a
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period of up to 45 days after the date the dwelling unit becomes
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available or until the actual date that the veteran moves into
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the dwelling unit, whichever is sooner.
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(b) To apply for funding under paragraph (a), a landlord
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must submit all required documentation to the contracted program
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administrator within 60 days after the veteran moves into the
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dwelling unit. The case manager assigned to the veteran shall
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assist the contracted program administrator by facilitating
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funding requests from landlords and documentation compliance.
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The contracted program administrator shall maintain all
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documentation required under this subsection and provide the
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corporation with a certification of eligibility, tenancy dates,
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and verified costs within the timeframe established by the
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corporation by rule. At a minimum, a landlord shall submit
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documentation to the contracted program administrator in the
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form and manner established by the corporation. Required
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supporting documentation necessary to confirm eligibility for
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reimbursement and oversight shall be maintained by the entity
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responsible for case management or rental assistance
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administration in the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing
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program.
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(c) The corporation may rely on certifications,
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determinations, and documentation provided by public housing
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authorities, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs,
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providers of Supportive Services for Veteran Families,
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continuums of care, or other entities responsible for
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administering or supporting the functions of the HUD-Veterans
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Affairs Supportive Housing program. The corporation’s reliance
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on such certifications, determinations, and documentation
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satisfies the corporation’s oversight and evaluation
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responsibilities of the functions, activities, and outcomes for
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the pilot program.
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(5)(a) If a veteran moves out of the dwelling unit during
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the first 12 months of a year-to-year rental agreement or after
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the expiration of a rental agreement for any duration, the
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landlord may apply to the contracted program administrator for
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funding to cover property loss at the dwelling unit caused by
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the veteran which exceeds the amount of the deposit money. The
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landlord may apply for up to $2,000 beyond the deposit money.
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(b) To apply for funding under paragraph (a), a landlord
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must submit all required documentation to the contracted program
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administrator within 60 days after the veteran moves out of the
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dwelling unit. The case manager assigned to the veteran shall
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assist the contracted program administrator by facilitating
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funding requests from landlords and documentation compliance.
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The contracted program administrator shall maintain all
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documentation required under this subsection and provide the
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corporation, within the timeframe established by rule, a
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certification of eligibility, tenancy dates, verified damage
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amounts, and verified costs. Required supporting documentation
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necessary to confirm eligibility for reimbursement and oversight
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shall be maintained by the entity responsible for case
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management or rental assistance administration in the HUD
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Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program.
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(c) After the veteran vacates the dwelling unit, the
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landlord shall provide the contracted program administrator a
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copy of the move-out checklist with current photos of the
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dwelling unit and a copy of the written notice provided to the
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veteran by the landlord in accordance with s. 83.49(3)(a).
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(d) A landlord may apply for funding under paragraph (a)
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only if the landlord previously applied for funding under
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paragraph (4)(a).
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(6) Funding for the pilot program is limited, and the
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corporation shall award funds on a first-come, first-served
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basis. The corporation may suspend acceptance of applications
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when available appropriations are fully obligated. The
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corporation must notify contracted program administrators if
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intake of applications is suspended and when intake of
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applications is resumed.
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(7) The corporation shall adopt rules to implement this
159
section.
160 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.