Housing Programs

Download BMRH Application in PDF format

BMRH: Below Market Rate Housing on Sanibel
A Program of Affordable Rental Housing for the City of Sanibel

In 2005, CHR will complete its 22nd year as Sanibel’s Housing Foundation, responsible for the operation of the Below Market Rate Housing program which provides affordable housing opportunities to many individuals and families of limited means. In turn, the BMRH program helps maintain diversity in age and income in the Sanibel community.

Over 335 adults and children have lived in the Below Market Rate Housing units to date. The Below Market Rate Housing tenants are of all ages, including longtime older residents who would otherwise find it difficult to afford to continue to live here, and younger persons who often live in Below Market Rate Housing a few years before moving onward and upward in their careers and their lives.

“BMRH” and “CHR”
BMRH, Below Market Rate Housing, is a unique program started by the City of Sanibel in 1983 with the purpose of providing affordable housing for persons of limited means who work on Sanibel but can’t afford to live there, and for longtime residents who can no longer afford Sanibel rents. Priority is given to those persons who live or work on Sanibel. Older and retired persons are also eligible. A 12 unit complex for senior citizens is included in the program.

Why a BMRH Program?
There are two basic reasons behind the program – one legal, one humanitarian.

On the legal side, the State of Florida mandates that all local governments include a provision for affordable housing in their land use plans. In keeping with the 1983 ordinance, the Sanibel Plan (the City’s comprehensive land use plan) is in full compliance with State requirements and commits the City to providing some 95 BMRH units by the year 2017. Currently there are more than 50 units in the program, with an additional 12 units under development.

Equally important is the fact that in the 1970’s, soaring land values on Sanibel Island caused rents to increase so sharply that many residents of moderate means were forced to leave the island, or to live in substandard housing. BMRH was initiated by Sanibel residents to provide homes for their financially pressured neighbors. Many also believed this would help retain Sanibel’s social diversity, making it possible for younger, less affluent residents to remain on the island – thus balancing to a degree the larger than normal proportion of retirees and higher income residents.

Over the years the program has developed into a successful private/public partnership. CHR builds, acquires and maintains the housing units and administers the program. The City of Sanibel pays the administrative costs and waives City fees. The program is financed through the support of private citizens, grants, bank loans and the City of Sanibel.

Eligibility for the Program
Anyone who meets the City’s income limits may apply, with priority selection going to people with Sanibel history. The program is designed to accommodate workers and their families, long-term residents, and seniors. Applications are available at the CHR office or can be downloaded online here [link].

The BMRH program is of course available to all City employees and others eligible under the BMRH income guidelines set annually by the Sanibel City Council and the reference criteria specified in the Sanibel Code. In fact, all 9 city employees from several departments, including Administration, Police, Public Works, Planning and Recreation who have applied to BMRH have been accepted.

However, BMRH is a rental program, not a sales program, and certain income restrictions are necessary to enable the BMRH program to be considered by the State of Florida as an affordable housing program for persons of low and very low income, and for CHR to be eligible to secure sizeable State and other types of BMRH grant monies. The need for EAH is evidenced by some Sanibel City employee salaries being higher than the maximum BMRH income limits, yet insufficient to afford market rate homes of 5 person households are $31,650; $36,850; $42,050; $45,150; or $50,350 respectively. As an example, if a Sanibel City employee has a spouse who is working, their combined salaries may exceed the BMRH limit of $36,850 for two persons, yet they still find it difficult to afford to buy a home on Sanibel Island.

BMRH – Unique and Special
Sanibel’s BMRH program is both unique and special – so much so it is generally considered a model of affordable housing success. Why? Because it is truly a community program, designed and implemented by Sanibel people to meet the needs and wishes of our residents – not the imposed regulations of an outside agency. For instance, the ordinance establishing the BMRH program was sensitive to the concern that housing might look “different;” it therefore requires that BMRH homes to be indistinguishable from the others in the neighborhood. A visitor to Sanibel would be hard pressed to distinguish the below market rate homes from private residences.

It is the spirit of cooperation among local citizens, government and businesses that has created the successful partnership that is enabling Sanibel to meet its affordable housing needs.

Potential private owner development of some BMRH and/or EAH units is also foreseeable in the future. Recently, CHR has talked with four representatives of owners of Sanibel commercial property, resort property and vacant land site owners about potential use of their properties or existing units for future BMRH and/or EAH. These opportunities appear viable and are being further researched for future projects.

BMRH Maximum Income Limits

1 person - $47,040
2 persons - $53,760
3 persons - $60,480
4 persons - $67,200
5 persons - $72,600
6 persons - $78,000

This is based on 120% of area median income. Woodhaven & Casa Mariposa are slightly lower.

BMRH Maximum Rents
All rents are based on 30% of gross monthly income with a utility allowance.

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