THE BILL ITSELF
SB 236
Rental Assistance for Veterans
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 236 By Senator Smith 17-00068-26 2026236__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to rental assistance for veterans;
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creating s. 420.54, F.S.; providing legislative
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findings; creating the Veterans’ Rental Assistance
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Grant Program; authorizing the Florida Housing Finance
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Corporation to provide certain grants to eligible
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applicants for a specified purpose; providing
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eligibility requirements for the program; authorizing
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rulemaking; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Section 420.54, Florida Statutes, is created to
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read:
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420.54 Veterans’ Rental Assistance Grant Program.—
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(1) The Legislature finds that:
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(a) Honorably discharged veterans have earned and deserve
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the highest level of social welfare support.
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(b) Honorably discharged veterans deserve reasonable access
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to housing.
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(c) Some honorably discharged veterans are only able to
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secure housing through renting.
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(d) Lower-income, honorably discharged veterans may not
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have the financial means to provide a security deposit and first
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and last month’s rent, which many landlords require before
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issuing a lease.
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(e) Providing rental assistance for eligible honorably
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discharged veterans would help eliminate barriers to housing.
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(2) The Veterans’ Rental Assistance Grant Program is
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created to provide security deposit assistance for low-income,
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honorably discharged veterans.
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(3) The Florida Housing Finance Corporation is authorized
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to provide one-time grants under the program from funds of the
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corporation in amounts up to $2,000 to eligible applicants for
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the purpose of assisting in the payment of security deposits for
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rental housing.
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(4) To be eligible to receive a rental assistance grant
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under this section, a person must meet all of the following
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requirements:
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(a) Be an honorably discharged veteran of a branch of the
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United States Armed Forces. A DD-214 form issued at the time of
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separation is required as proof of honorable discharge from a
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branch of the United States Armed Forces. However, if a DD-214
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form is not available, other documentation may be acceptable if
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recognized by the United States Department of Defense or the
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United States Department of Veterans Affairs, as determined by
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the Florida Housing Finance Corporation.
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(b) Be a resident of this state. A Florida driver license
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or Florida identification card is required as proof of
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residency.
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(c) Have an annual household income that is at or below 140
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percent of the area median income. Annual household income must
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be verified in the manner required by the Florida Housing
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Finance Corporation, which may include background checks and a
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review of documentation such as bank statements and W-2 forms.
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(d) Apply to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation in the
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manner prescribed by the corporation.
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(5) The Florida Housing Finance Corporation may adopt rules
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to implement this section.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.