WRE News: Florida Lawmakers Propose Amendments to Live Local Act

Miami, FL – January 5, 2024 – In a bid to address concerns surrounding the Live Local Act, Florida lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 328 and House Bill 1239, seeking amendments to the controversial law passed last year to tackle the state’s affordability crisis. The Live Local Act provides tax breaks to developers and allows them to bypass certain local regulations, provided 40% of a project’s units are made affordable for individuals earning up to 120% of the area’s median income. Despite bipartisan support, the law faced backlash from local governments as developers proposed projects, such as an 18-story workforce housing tower at the Clevelander Hotel site in Miami Beach. The new bills aim to revise the Live Local Act’s language to address concerns from both developers and local leaders. Proposed changes include clarifying that local governments cannot use floor-area ratio (FAR) to limit project size while giving them more control over building heights.