When a bipartisan coalition of legislators passed Florida’s Live Local Act in 2023, the law was heralded as a model for addressing housing affordability nationwide. The act incentivizes the development of affordable and workforce apartments by easing zoning restrictions, streamlining the public approval process and granting tax benefits to property owners that build apartments and commit to keeping rents low over time.
In 2 1/2 years since the law was passed, more than 3,000 new housing units have been built across the state, according to Florida Tax Watch. Thousands of additional units are in the development pipeline.
While this is a promising start, some affluent communities have been reluctant to embrace the law, instead throwing up roadblocks designed to delay Live Local Act developments — or rejecting them altogether…