Read the article here: Florida’s Live Local Act Has People Picking Sides – Commercial Observer https://commercialobserver.com/2024/01/florida-live-local-act-critics-affordable-housing/ Based on the article it sounds as if the Pembroke Pines City Commission voted approval of a multi-family townhouse project in fear of “what could be built” there under the Affordable Housing Act regulations. Our group finds this to be a very concerning way of making developmental decisions and could interpret this to mean that a development team was able to strong arm a local commission by making them fear what could be built versus what was presented before them at that hearing. We have seen this happen in local jurisdictions around us as well and imagine this has been happening across the state since the act’s effective date of July 1, 2023. In the same breath the local jurisdictions may also be delaying review of these projects in hopes of an amendment that would allow staff to deny the project. In the article, real estate attorney Keith Poliakoff, stated, “There is not a governmental entity out there that is not slow-playing the applications in hopes the new law [revising the Live Local Act] will take effect, so they can deny the plans they have sitting on their desk.” Other sections of the article references hotel developers pursuing multifamily affordable projects they had not considered previously because of the incentives of the act. Also, a large commercial development in Miami Beach has modified their commercial business to include a major multifamily component of the project which was never on their radar until the act became effective. Please answer questions: The article quotes Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis who stated, “the problem with the state legislature trying to impose zoning rules on individual cities is that zoning is not a one-size-fits-all proposition”. Do you feel that this is an accurate statement? If so, how would you recommend amending the legislature to address the varying needs of individual cities? If not, what is your reasoning that each city should be bound by the same set of standards? How do the proposed limitations on height in the article affect the desirability to developers for these projects? Condra Property Group is mentioned in the article attempting to build 18 story residential housing but due to the proposed changes limiting building height to the maximum height of properties within a quarter mile (instead of mile) area, they would only be able to build five stories of affordable housing. They claim this revision would change the affordable housing plan to a hotel entirely. Are there any other states or countries that you are aware of that are also pursuing affordable housing initiatives that would preempt the local jurisdictions?
