Hernando County housing advisory committee to meet June 11 in Brooksville

Hernando County’s housing debate will return to the County Commission Chambers in Brooksville when the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee meets at 10 a.m. June 11 at the Hernando County Government Center, 20 N. Main Street. The public meeting gives residents a chance to watch how county officials are weighing the cost of homes, rents and housing assistance programs that affect everyday budgets.

The committee’s job reaches well beyond a routine advisory role. Hernando County says the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee reviews policies, ordinances, land-development regulations and the comprehensive plan, then recommends actions to encourage or facilitate affordable housing. That makes the June 11 meeting relevant to renters hoping for more help, first-time buyers looking for down-payment support and neighborhood residents concerned about how new housing could affect traffic, infrastructure and property values.

The county says the meeting is open to the public, and anyone needing disability accommodations can contact Lisette Gardner at (352) 754-4000, Ext. 20122. The session will be held in the County Commission Chambers, also identified as the John Law Ayers room, at the Government Center.

Housing policy in Hernando County is being shaped through the State Housing Initiative Program and the county’s Local Housing Assistance Plan, which covers fiscal years 2023-2024, 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. The county says the plan was technically revised April 10, 2024 and amended Jan. 29, 2026. Its strategies include down-payment assistance, owner-occupied rehabilitation, disaster assistance, special-needs housing, emergency repairs, multifamily affordable housing, new construction and mandatory septic-to-sewer connection.

For eligible first-time homebuyers at or below 120% of area median income, the county’s purchase-assistance program can provide up to $50,000 through an interest-free deferred forgivable loan secured by a second mortgage. Hernando County says SHIP is meant to serve very low-, low- and moderate-income households while expanding and preserving affordable housing.

The stakes are clear in the county’s own numbers. U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts estimates Hernando County’s population at 221,701 as of July 1, 2025, with 26.1% of residents age 65 and older. It lists the median value of owner-occupied housing units at $276,000 and median gross rent at $1,298. Those figures help explain why the county’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan says Hernando County shall encourage adequate and affordable housing opportunities to accommodate expected population growth.

The June 11 meeting follows other recent AHAC notices posted by the county, including April 9 and May 14 this year, as well as a June 13, 2024 meeting and a Nov. 14, 2024 public hearing to adopt the local housing incentive strategy. In a county where housing costs continue to climb, the committee’s recommendations could influence who can afford to stay, buy or build in Hernando County.