ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – As school districts across Central Florida face tightening budgets, a new change to Florida’s Live Local Act gives school districts authority to build affordable housing on district-owned land, even when local zoning wouldn’t normally allow it.
In Orange County, a proposal for 100 apartments on an 8.5-acre parcel near Catalina Elementary is already drawing opposition from residents of the neighboring Isle of Catalina community.
Under Florida law, “affordable” housing generally refers to housing where eligible households spend no more than 30% of their income on rent or mortgage payments, taxes, insurance and utilities. Eligibility is tied to household income compared with the area’s median income, with different income limits applying to different affordable housing programs…