9/11/25 @ 10:30 a.m. 

On Friday, September 5, 2025, Nassau County resident Janice Albertie received the keys to her brand new home,  constructed by the County utilizing State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) funds. Established by the passage of the 1992 William E. Sadowski Affordable Housing Act, the SHIP program provides affordable housing assistance to very-low, low, and moderate-income families who meet all the requirements outlined in Florida Statute, Section 420.907, Administrative Code 67-37 and Nassau County's Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP). 

Prior to applying for the SHIP Program, Ms. Albertie resided in a 934 square foot home with 3-bedrooms and 1-bathroom. Constructed in 1989, the home lacked central air and heating, and the laundry area was located on an enclosed back porch.  A licensed contracted conducted a thorough inspection of home and determined that the cost to rehabilitate the home was prohibitive due to its condition and outdated systems. The original structure was replaced with a new, modern 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom home measuring 1,001 square feet. The new construction includes a dedicated utility room for a washer and dryer, as well as upgraded features such as central air and heating. Additionally, the home is equipped with energy-efficient appliances, including a refrigerator, stove, and water heater, significantly improving the home's livability, efficiency, and long-term sustainability.

Nassau County's SHIP Program is currently administered by Margie Drawdy, Financial Management & Budget Coordinator for the Office of Management & Budget. Margie has worked for Nassau County for over 20 years but has only served in this capacity since December 2024. Following completion of Ms. Albertie's home Margie stated, "This is the first project I've been involved in from start to finish. It has been a truly rewarding experience working with both the SHIP Program and Ms. Albertie.  She has expressed a deep appreciation for the SHIP Program, and our new contractors, Eason Development, who completed her new home in just 79 days, allowing Ms. Albertie to be in her home just in time for the holiday season. 

SHIP funds are awarded annually based on allocation of funding by the State of Florida. Nassau County is proud to offer the SHIP Program to make safe, efficient, and affordable housing possible for residents like Ms. Albertie.  To learn more about eligibility and future opportunities, please visit our website.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Communications Officer

7/24/24 @ 2:15 p.m. - The Board of County Commissioners would like to announce the available funding of $807,737 in State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Funding for FY 22/23 and $985,689 for FY 23/24. Funding categories include construction of rental housing development; new construction of homes; emergency repairs; demolition/reconstruction; owner-occupied rehabilitation; and homebuyer assistance for first-time homebuyers. For detailed information about each category, please click here. 

SHIP applications will be available beginning on Monday, August 26, 2024, through Thursday, October 31, 2024, between the hours of 9am-4pm (EST), Monday through Friday, by contacting: 

Anser Advisory
Cameron Farris at (850) 328-2255 or by email at [email protected]
​
All applications will be evaluated in the order of receipt per criteria set forth in the Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) with respect to priorities regarding funding strategy goals and limitations.  Funding priority for all categories will be persons with special needs, as defined in Florida Statutes, Section 420.0004.  Awards for all strategies are subject to the availability of funds. Questions regarding the SHIP Program and application process should be directed to Anser Advisory (information included above). 

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

7/15/24 @ 9:00 a.m. - In May 2017, the Board adopted a resolution creating the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee to review affordable housing and strategize on ways to bring more affordable housing to our community.

At this time, Nassau County is seeking two individuals to fill vacancies on the Affordable Housing Advisory Board. Florida Statutes, Chapter 420.9076, mandates that the committee be comprised of at least eight, but no more than eleven members.

Below are background/criteria recommended to be considered for appointment:

• A citizen who is actively engaged in the banking or mortgage industry with a connection to affordable housing
• A citizen who is a representative of those areas of labor actively engaged in home building in connection with affordable housing
• A citizen who represents employers within the jurisdiction
• A citizen who is actively engaged as a real estate professional in connection with affordable housing.

If you meet any of the above criteria and are interested in serving, please email your resume to Joshua Macbeth at [email protected] by the close of business on Friday, August 16, 2024.

AHAC meets on the third Wednesday of every month at 4:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers located at 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL 32097. These are volunteer positions therefore, members do not receive any compensation for their time and/or service.

If you have any questions, please contact the Planning Department at (904) 530-6320.

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Public Information Officer

1/20/23 @ 10:30 a.m. 

​NASSAU COUNTY has an allocation of approximately $300,000 in affordable housing dollars available through the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program.
 
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
Twenty percent (20%) of the 2022-23 SHIP funding has been designated to serve persons with Special Needs as defined in F.S. 420.004 (13)  “Persons with special needs” means an adult person requiring independent living services in order to maintain housing or develop independent living skills and who has a disabling condition; a young adult formerly in foster care who is eligible for services under F.S.. 409.1451(5); a survivor of domestic violence as defined in F.S. 741.28; or a person receiving benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program or the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program or from veterans’ disability benefits to meet set aside requirements. A child receiving SSDI qualifies the household for assistance.
 
PROGRAMS FUNDED FOR THE 2022-2023 FUNDING PERIOD include:

• Emergency Repairs Grant for minor repairs to owner occupied housing such as but not limited to roof repairs/replacements, wheelchair ramps, septic tank repairs/replacements, and heating/air conditional repairs/replacements. Repair costs cannot exceed $10,000.
• Purchase Assistance with or without Rehabilitation Loan for buyers who do not currently own a home. Repair costs cannot exceed $5,000. 
• Purchase Assistance Loan for the purchase of new or existing manufactured home/land packages that are less then 20 years old.  Maximum award $25,000.  

 
Eligible applicants can only receive assistance through the SHIP Program once in a 10-year period.
                                             
Applications will be available Friday, February 24, 2023, starting at 9 a.m. Applications will not be accepted after funds are exhausted.  Applications will be processed “first come, first qualified, first eligible” with a priority given to Special Needs and Essential Service Personnel defined as teachers, police and fire personnel, health care personnel and skilled building trades personnel.
 
Assistance Limits for Emergency Repairs: Eligible applicants must qualify under very low- or low-income limits. The maximum award for emergency repairs is $10,000. Repairs will include minor work necessary to provide general renovation of the housing stock to correct code violations. No application will be accepted for SHIP clients who have received SHIP funds within the previous ten years.
 
Assistance Limits for Home Purchases: Currently assistance limits are 20%, 25% and 30% of the sales price of a home and the amount of funding is dependent on the income level of the applicant’s household. The maximum deferred loan is $102,747 and the maximum price of a home for SHIP eligibility is 90% of the Median Home Sold Price for the last 12 months not to exceed $359,263.80 for applicants meeting income limits. Funds may be used for closing costs, first mortgage down payment or a combination of both needs. Up to $5,000 can be used for home repair costs such as roof repairs, window replacement, plumbing, electrical etc. The buyer must occupy the home for ten (10) years for the SHIP loan to be satisfied. A pre-qualification letter from your primary mortgage lender is required for submission of your application.
 
Assistance Limits for Manufactured Home Purchases: Assistance limits are $25,000 with a maximum purchase price of 90% of the Median Home Sold Price for the last 12 months not to exceed $359,263.80 for applicants meeting the income limits. Funds may be used for closing costs, first mortgage down payment or a combination of both. The buyer must occupy the home for ten (10) years for the SHIP loan to be satisfied. A pre-qualification letter from your primary mortgage lender is required for submission of your application. Only new and existing manufactured land/home packages less than 20 years old are eligible for assistance.
 
THE NASSAU COUNTY Grants Specialist administers the local SHIP program. Applications will be available on Friday, February 24th, 2023, at 9 a.m. and can be picked up at the address below. Individuals interested in participating in the SHIP program are encouraged to visit our website at www.nassaucountyfl.com and under DEPARTMENTS click on Office of Management and Budget then SHIP. It will provide Purchase Assistance Guidelines and Emergency Repair Guidelines for application or call Carol Gilchrist, Office of Management and Budget, 96135 Nassau Place, Suite 2, Yulee, FL 32097, (904) 530-6020, [email protected].
 

4/26/22 @ 1:30 p.m.-

In May 2017, the Board adopted a resolution creating the Essential Housing Advisory Committee (formerly known as the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee) to review affordable housing and strategize on ways to bring more affordable housing to our community.

There are currently two vacant positions on the Essential Housing Advisory Board. Florida Statutes, Chapter 420.9076, mandates that the committee be comprised of at least eight, but no more than eleven members.

Below are background/criteria recommended for the new appointments:

• A citizen who is actively engaged in the banking or mortgage industry with a connection to affordable
• housing
• A citizen who is a representative of those areas of labor actively engaged in home building in
  
• connection with affordable housing
• A citizen who is actively engaged as an advocate for low-income persons in connection with
• affordable housing
• A citizen who is actively engaged as a for-profit provider of affordable housing
• A citizen who represents employers within the jurisdiction

If you meet any of the above criteria and are interested in serving, please email your resume to Joshua Macbeth at [email protected] by the close of business on Wednesday, May 11, 2022.

EHAC meets on the third Wednesday of every month at 4:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers located at 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL 32097. These are volunteer positions therefore, members do not receive any compensation for their time and/or service.

If you have any questions, please contact the Planning Department at (904) 530-6300.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

9/1/19 @ 4:20 p.m.- At the Florida Housing Coalition held in Orlando this week, Nassau County was recognized for a recent success story for a resident that received rehabilitation assistance through Nassau County's State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program.

The SHIP Program was established by the passage of the 1992 William E. Sadowski Affordable Housing Act and provides funding to local governments to produce and preserve affordable home ownership. In order to participate, counties must establish a local housing assistance program by Ordinance and develop a local housing assistance plan and housing incentive strategy. Funds are then allocated to local governments on a population based-formula. The funds are used for emergency repairs, new construction, rehabilitation, and down payment and closing cost assistance for very-low, low and moderate income families who meet all the requirements listed in Florida Statutes, Chapter 420.907, Florida Administrative Code 67-37, and Nassau County's Local Housing Assistance Plan.

The SHIP success story was shared previously with Nassau County residents on June 25, 2019. Click here to see the original story and to view the video.

The State asked counties to submit videos of their local recipients to share resident's personal experiences with the program and to spread awareness to other residents who may need assistance. We were notified on August 15th that our video was selected as one that best reflects the SHIP Program and how it changes the lives of those in need.

This couldn't have been done without the efforts of our SHIP Coordinator, Carol Gilchrist. Great job Carol!

3/13/19 @ 4:00 p.m. - The Department of Planning & Economic Opportunity has issued a Press Release regarding the recently approved changes to the County's Land Development Code to allow Accessory Dwellings County-wide. The changes originated from a subcommittee of the County's Affordable Housing Advisory Committee who were tasked with making draft changes to the Code.

Accessory Dwellings are defined as a self-contained residential unit that is an accessory to a single-family home and on the same parcel. It has its own bathroom, kitchen facilities, living and sleeping areas, though it can share other features with the single-family home including the yard, parking, storage or laundry facilities. Accessory Dwellings are seen nationwide as a practice for addressing affordable housing issues.

Please see the attached Press Release to learn more about Accessory Dwellings and the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

9/7/18 @ 9:10 a.m. - Nassau County's Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) is working to tackle housing issues facing our county and have coordinated a series of public outreach strategies to engage our communities in this important conversation. A second speaker series event is titled: Staying in Your Home: Legal Issues & Home Ownership.

The event will be held on Wednesday, September 19th at 6:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers located at 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL 32097. This is event is free and open to the public.

If you have any questions, please contact Adrienne Burke, Assistant Director for the Department of Planning & Economic Opportunity, at (904) 530-6300 or via e-mail at [email protected].

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

7/24/18 @ 2:15 p.m. - The State Housing Initiatives (SHIP) Program was established by the passage of the 1992 William E. Sadowski Affordable Housing Act and provides funding to local governments to produce and preserve affordable home ownership. In order to participate, counties must establish a local housing assistance program by Ordinance and develop a local housing assistance plan and housing incentive strategy. Funds are then allocated to local governments on a population-based formula. The funds are used to fund emergency repairs, new construction, rehabilitation, and down payment and closing cost assistance for very-low, low and moderate income families who meet all the requirements listed in Florida Statutes, Chapter 420.907, Florida Administrative Code 67-37, and Nassau County's Local Housing Assistance Plan.

In Fiscal Year 2017/2018, 26 households were awarded SHIP funding for down payment and closing cost assistance for purchase of a new home or rehabilitation of an existing home. So far, 6 loans for down payment assistance have closed and 8 rehabilitation projects have been completed. Below are before and after photos of two homes that received assistance through the SHIP Program.

For additional information about the SHIP Program including income requirements and associated guidelines, please visit our website. You may also call the Grants Office at (904) 530-6020 or e-mail Carol Gilchrist at [email protected].

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

New roof, siding, windows, hand rails and gutters were added to the exterior of the home. The sub floor of front porch was secured and sagging foundation at rear of home was corrected. The bathroom was enlarged and sink, toilet, vanity and a new walk in shower was installed. New flooring was installed throughout. Electrical panel was brought up to code, smoke detectors replaced throughout, and insulation added to the attic.
 

Replaced roof, all siding and added gutters. Electrical panel was brought to code, GFI installed where needed and smoke detectors replaced throughout. Windows and HVAC was replaced. Installed walk in shower with handicapped bars, toilet, and vanity. Insulation added where needed.
 

7/20/18 @ 3:40 p.m. - On July 18, 2018, Bill Lazar with the St. Johns Housing Partnership was the speaker at the County’s regular Affordable Housing Advisory Committee meeting, and also speaker for a community outreach event that evening hosted in partnership with the City of Fernandina Beach.

We appreciate Mr. Lazar for being the first in our Housing Speaker Series, and learning about programs and policies in place in St. Johns that we could look at implementing in Nassau County. For more information on AHAC and housing in Nassau, visit our website. Stay tuned for the second in our speaker series, tentatively scheduled to be in September.

-Adrienne Burke
 Department of Planning & Economic Opportunity
 
 

7/20/18 @ 11:50 a.m. - In  May 2017, the Board of County Commissioners established an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) to craft a policy to effectively improve affordable housing County-wide. A recent report indicated that there are many individuals in the County who are just above the poverty level and do not qualify for any type of assistance to provide them with affordable housing options for their families. Additionally, Nassau County has been identified as one of four counties in which the affordability of housing has dropped more than 20% from 2007-2015.

It's important to note, the AHAC is not looking to create a housing authority, nor are they focusing on Section 8 housing. They are, however, being proactive in developing a plan that would encourage developers to include some affordable housing options within their developments. This is intended to provide options for working families who struggle to find safe and affordable housing for their families.

Guidelines issued by the Housing and Urban Development indicates that an individual with a salary of $32,000 per year should not be paying more than $800 monthly. As most of you know, there aren't many options in Nassau County that would meet that criteria. AHAC is working to address that. Please read the attached Press Release from AHAC Chairmanm, Justin Taylor, to gain a better understanding on this very important issue.

The AHAC Committee meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 4:00 p.m. Meetings are held in the Commission Chambers located at 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL 32097. The public is always welcome to attend and participate in these meetings.

If you have any questions, Chairman Taylor can be reached at (904) 625-5624.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

7/3/18 @ 3:30 p.m. - Nassau County's Affordable Housing Committee (AHAC) has been meeting monthly in an effort to identify affordable housing opportunities for our residents. They have coordinated a series of public outreach strategies to engage with Nassau County communities about affordable housing. The first of these Affordable Housing Speaking Series has been scheduled for Wednesday, July 18, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. in the Peck Center located at 516 South 10th Street. The event will feature Bill Lazar, Executive Director for the St. Johns Housing Partnership, who will be hosting the discussion.

This event is free and open to the public.

If you have any questions, please contact Adrienne Burke, Assistant Director for the Department of Planning & Economic Opportunity, at (904) 530-6300 or via e-mail at [email protected].

-Sabrina Robertson
County Manager's Office

6/9/17 @ 11:00 a.m. - At the March 27, 2017, Board of County Commissioner's meeting, Commissioner Justin Taylor expressed an interest in establishing a committee to review current affordable housing options in the County and to develop a plan to provide additional affordable housing options for the community. The Board of County Commissioners subsequently adopted Ordinance No. 2017-11 which outlines the Committee's purpose, member terms, and mandated industry criteria for representatives serving on the Committee.

Florida Statute, Chapter 420.9076, states that an affordable housing committee shall be comprised of at least 8, but not more than 11 members. At least 6 of those members must meet certain industry criteria as outlined by Florida Statute. The remaining members may be appointed from any industry or background.

Nassau County's newly established Affordable Housing Advisory Committee consists of 11 members, 7 of which meet the criteria outlined by Florida Statute, and 4 general appointments. Below are the committee member names and the area they represent:

• Greg Matovina, owner of Matovina & Company, representing the home building industry.
• Lorra Britt, Branch Manger for Southeastern Bank in Callahan, representing the mortgage banking industry.
• Jenna Emmons, Property Development Administrator for Ability Housing, representing for-profit providers of affordable housing.
• Carlene McDuffie, Owner/Broker for Palm III Realty, representing the real estate industry.
• Justin Taylor, County Commissioner for District 5, representing the governing body of Nassau County and serving as Chairman of the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee.
• Laura DiBella, Executive Director of the Nassau County Economic Development Board, representing employers in the County.
• Dr. Kathy Burns, Superintendent of the Nassau County School Board, representing public services personnel.
• Len Kreger, Commissioner for the City of Fernandina Beach, general appointment.
• Dr. Laureen Pagel, Chief Executive Director of Starting Point Behavioral Health, general appointment.
• Lisa Rozier, Education and Community Specialist for Family Support Services, general appointment.
• Betsie Huben, Real Estate Consultant for Keller Williams Atlantic Partners Realty, general appointment.

The Affordable Housing Advisory Committee will be holding their first meeting on Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at 3:30 p.m. in the Commission Chambers located at 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL 32097 (James S. Page Governmental Complex). Their first meeting will include setting a regular meeting schedule and determining the Committee's goals and objectives. This public is invited to attend.

If you have any questions, please contact Committee Chairman, Justin Taylor, at (904) 625-5624 or the County Manager's Office at (904) 530-6010.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office