In an attempt to address the growing outcry over the implementation of the Live Local Act, Florida lawmakers have taken steps to reform the legislation aimed at boosting affordable housing across the state. The act, originally passed with a hefty $711 million budget, was designed to facilitate the construction of thousands of affordable housing units for low- and middle-income Florians, a move lauded as a significant stride toward alleviating the state’s housing crisis.
However, less than a year after its enactment, the Live Local Act has come under fire from various quarters. Local officials and communities have raised concerns over the act’s unintended consequences, including the erosion of neighborhood characters, loss of control over local planning decisions, and the negligible impact on the availability of genuinely affordable housing. A key criticism has been the act’s provision allowing developers to sidestep millions in local taxes, with fewer than 500 new apartments being affordable for those earning 80% or less of the median income.