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Florida legislature passes bill allowing demo of aging coastal buildings

Though some structures, including those on National Register, are protected, legislation opens the door to new waterfront construction Florida lawmakers approved a controversial bill that would make it easier to demolish some coastal buildings, many of which are aging, and redevelop the sites. The proposed legislation pitted property owners and developers against preservationists who decried […]

Florida Lawmakers Update Live Local Act But Leave 1-Mile Radius Intact

Glitch bill strengthens the law, while adding some protections for single-family neighborhoods Florida lawmakers have passed a bill updating last year’s Live Local Act, offering some concessions to single-family neighborhoods while ultimately expanding the law’s purview even further. The original Live Local Act was designed to increase workforce housing development, and its main provision allowed developers to bypass […]

Revisions Show Fla.’s Dedication To Affordable Housing Law

With the approval of significant revisions to a landmark affordable housing law they passed in 2023, Florida state lawmakers have reinforced their commitment to incentivizing an increase in much-needed housing supply, real estate attorneys and developers said. The revised version of the Live Local Act passed 112-1 in the House on Wednesday following an earlier […]

Florida residents are in court over a cemetery’s future

Every morning, Elijah Wooten walks through the Westview Community Cemetery. On this particular morning, he’s wearing a loose polo shirt, slacks and a Korean War Veteran cap pulled down over his gray hair. The hair spills out from underneath the hat and runs down as sideburns. He walks across the unkempt field of the cemetery, […]

Live Local Act Changes ‘Favorable To Developers’ Approved, But Battles Likely To Rage On

The Florida Legislature passed broad changes to its year-old affordable housing law, closing what many developers and land use attorneys saw as loopholes that allowed local governments to block projects while adding more rules that municipalities could potentially leverage to hold back projects. The Florida House of Representatives passed the changes by a 112-1 vote […]

“Beneficial to developers”: Florida Legislature approves tweaks to Live Local Act

Amendments loosen floor area ratio restrictions for projects with affordable rentals Florida lawmakers approved changes to the Live Local Act that are expected to benefit developers planning affordable housing projects. The state House on Wednesday passed a slew of tweaks with a 112-1 vote, three weeks after the Senate first approved the changes. The legislation won’t […]

Newly amended Live Local Act bill heads to state Senate for a vote

Among the proposed amendments are tax abatements for landlords and parking breaks for projects near train stations. Tax abatements for landlords and parking breaks for projects near train stations are among the provisions of an amended Live Local Act bill headed to the Florida Senate for a vote. The SB 328 bill was proposed by […]

Florida’s Live Local Act Has People Picking Sides

Developers love the affordable housing law — the first of its kind in the nation — for the same reasons that local officials are starting to loathe it. Even its critics think Florida’s Live Local Act is working. In fact, they think it’s working too well. Local politicians are concerned that the new state law […]

Tall Tower Tussles

Florida’s new law promotes affordable housing. Local leaders hate it. South Florida’s got an affordable housing shortage. And why wouldn’t it? An unprecedented migration of wealth and business has flowed into the state, sending demand for homes and rentals soaring — as well as prices. Developers are exuberant, building ever more lavish and pricey units […]

A Texas Win In Takings Dispute ‘Could Have A Chilling Effect’

While U.S. Supreme Court justices may very well overturn a lower court ruling in a Texas takings dispute, a decision in favor of the state could open the floodgates for states across the country to avoid making payments in alleged takings disputes, experts say. Justices earlier this week heard oral arguments in Devillier v. Texas, […]