In 2008 Florida Housing Finance Corporation, with direction from the Florida State Legislature, established a pilot demonstration program to help preserve affordable rental housing in Orange, Palm Beach, and Pasco counties. The Florida Community Loan Fund (FCLF) was competitively selected as administrator of the pilot. FCLF is a nonprofit, statewide Community Development Financial Institution established in 1994. Today, as a result of FCLF’s work with Florida Housing and after completion of the pilot, the Florida Preservation Fund has been expanded to 26 Florida counties. You can find more about the specific program guidelines by going here to the Loan Fund’s website.

Florida Housing received a grant of just under $6 million from the Florida Office of Energy to establish a revolving loan fund for energy retrofits in aging Florida Housing properties. The goal of MERP is to reduce energy use and cost at rental properties by updating and replacing old, inefficient building components with energy efficient components. Learn more about MERP here.