Background

The State Apartment Incentive Loan program (SAIL) provides low-interest loans on a competitive basis to affordable housing developers each year. This money often serves to bridge the gap between the development's primary financing and the total cost of the development. SAIL dollars are available to individuals, public entities, not-for-profit or for-profit organizations that propose the construction or substantial rehabilitation of multifamily units affordable to very low income individuals and families.
 
A minimum of 20 percent of the development's units must be set aside for families earning 50 percent or less of the area median income. Developments that use housing credits in conjunction with this program may use a minimum set-aside of 40 percent of the units for residents earning 60 percent of the area median income. Developments in the Florida Keys Area may use a minimum set-aside of 100 percent of the units for residents with annual household incomes below 120 percent of the state or local median income, which ever is higher.

Loan interest rates are set at zero percent for those developments that maintain 80 percent of their occupancy for farmworkers, commercial fishing workers or homeless people. The interest rates are set at one percent for all other developments. Loans are issued for a maximum of 15 years unless housing credit syndication requirements or FannieMae requirements dictate longer terms or if the Corporation's encumbrance is subordinate to the lien of another mortgage, in which case the term may be made coterminus with the longest term of the superior loan. In most cases, the SAIL loan cannot exceed 25 percent of the total development cost and can be used in conjunction with other state and federal programs.

Eligible applicants should apply for funding through the Universal Application Cycle or contact our office for further information. This program is governed by Rule 67-48 of the Florida Administrative Code.