Terms Used In Florida Statutes > Chapter 159 > Part IV - Housing Finance Authorities

• Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Area of operation: means the area within the territorial boundaries of the county for which the housing finance authority is created, and any area outside the territorial boundaries of such county if the governing body of the county within which such outside area is located approves. See Florida Statutes 159.603
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Bonds: means any bonds, notes, debentures, interim certificates, or other evidences of financial indebtedness issued by a housing finance authority under and pursuant to this act. See Florida Statutes 159.603
• Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Eligible persons: means one or more natural persons or a family, irrespective of race, creed, national origin, or sex, determined by the housing finance authority to be of low, moderate, or middle income. See Florida Statutes 159.603
• Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
• Housing development: means any residential building, land, equipment, facility, or other real or personal property which may be necessary, convenient, or desirable in connection therewith, including streets, sewers, water and utility services, parks, gardening, administrative, community, health, recreational, and educational facilities, and other facilities related and subordinate to moderate, middle, or lesser income housing, and also includes site preparation, the planning of housing and improvements, the acquisition of property, the removal or demolition of existing structures, the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of housing and improvements, and all other work in connection therewith, and all costs of financing, including without limitation the cost of consultant and legal services, other expenses necessary or incident to determining the feasibility of the housing development, administrative and other expenses necessary or incident to the housing development and the financing thereof (including reimbursement to any municipality, county, or entity for expenditures made with the approval of the housing finance authority for the housing development), and interest accrued during construction and for a reasonable period thereafter. See Florida Statutes 159.603
• Housing finance authority: means a housing finance authority created pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 159.603
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Lending institution: means any bank or trust company, mortgage banker, savings bank, credit union, national banking association, savings and loan association, building and loan association, insurance company, or other financial institution authorized to transact business in this state and which customarily provides service or otherwise aids in the financing of mortgages located in the state. See Florida Statutes 159.603
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• political subdivision: include counties, cities, towns, villages, special tax school districts, special road and bridge districts, bridge districts, and all other districts in this state. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Qualifying housing development: means any work or improvement located or to be located in this state, including real property, buildings, and any other real and personal property, designed or intended for the primary purpose of providing decent, safe, and sanitary residential housing for four or more families, at least 60 percent of whom are eligible persons, whether new construction, the acquisition of existing residential housing, or the remodeling, improvement, rehabilitation, or reconstruction of existing housing, together with such related nonhousing facilities as the authority determines to be necessary, convenient, or desirable. See Florida Statutes 159.603
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• writing: includes handwriting, printing, typewriting, and all other methods and means of forming letters and characters upon paper, stone, wood, or other materials. See Florida Statutes 1.01