Last Wednesday, Governor Ron Desantis signed the Live Local Act into law, representing one of the largest investments for housing efforts in the state’s history. The bill, also known as SB102, invests over 700M in multiple programs to expand the availability of affordable housing in Florida. It includes property tax discounts and exemptions, tax credits for donations toward community development and housing projects for low-income housing, low-cost loans to affordable housing developers, down payment assistance, and focused support for military communities and families living near military bases.
Major provisions in the law will commit $259M for the SAIL (State Apartment Incentive Loan) programs that provide low-interest loans for developers. The bill also promises $252M for the SHIP program and $100M for the “Hometown Heroes” program (i.e., teachers’ emergency personnel and others under the program).
Live Local Act will preempt local governments’ zoning, density, and height requirements for affordable housing in areas zoned for mixed-use development or commercial. This means other countries and local governments cannot restrict height below what’s allowed within one mile of the proposed building. According to Governor Ron Desantis, they aim to provide affordable housing to the people of Florida and help them live closer to their work areas.
Like many other states, Florida faces an acute affordable housing crisis. The growing problem of lack of affordable housing in the state has been building for several years, and with COVID, the numbers are even higher. According to a report by SachsMedia, Florida saw one of the biggest net migrations between July 2020 and 2021, breaking the 2005 record.
Today, the state has surpassed New York for the total number of jobs, and with more people moving there, house prices have significantly increased. This has made it more difficult for low-income families to find affordable housing.
The state’s affordable housing crisis has also been linked to inflation, stagnant wages, and job loss. A high percentage of the population has yet to recover from the COVID pandemic and is struggling to keep up with the rising housing costs.
With the newly passed bill, Ron Desantis aims to ease this shortage. Experts say the bill could contribute to a new boom in housing development in the state, particularly in seaside urban landscapes deemed infeasible for some time.
Brian Sidman of Miami Beach-based Redwood Dev Co. called the legislation a great start that will help solve the growing affordable housing crisis in the state. Redwood Dev Co. has invested in the seaside urban landscapes. The company has over 1500 units in South Florida and aims to build 5000+ affordable houses and workforce units over the next 5 to 7 years.
With new low-cost housing legislation passing, Florida is set to see a significant change in its urban landscapes, particularly in the seaside regions. The law, which goes into effect on July 1, intends to increase the affordable housing supply and restore the Sadowski Housing Trust fund.
