Florida lawmakers are currently revisiting and revising the Live Local Act (the act), Fla. Stat. Sections 125.01055, 166.04151 (2023), which was enacted last year to address Florida’s growing affordable housing crisis. The act’s core goal is to increase the availability of affordable housing by removing or reducing bureaucratic barriers that local governments impose on affordable housing projects by incentivizing private development. Issues raised over its application during its first year in action have prompted the Legislature to consider amendments to the act to more narrowly tailor its focus on housing affordability in Florida while adding clarity to its impacts on local governments.

As of this writing, companion bills containing the proposed changes are making their way through the state House (HB1239) and Senate (CS/CS/SB328). CS/CS/SB328—as amended—has unanimously passed its Senate committees and is scheduled for a vote on Feb. 7, 2024. Its House companion, HB1239, has not yet had any hearings, which suggests that the House is largely deferring to the Senate to take the lead. The proposal is a priority of current Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, a real estate attorney.