Is Florida’s Live Local Act making a difference?

[C.]

The Live Local Act is a new law which allows developers of affordable housing to preempt local zoning rules as long as 40% of the units remain affordable for a 30-year period. It removes height and density restrictions and sets it to the highest height in the jurisdiction. It also allows for reduced parking if by transit.

It’s raising bit of a stink in Miami Beach as developers are proposing very tall and high density developments that nevertheless will add some badly needed affordable housing.

I’m curious how this is being perceived in Florida and is it the tough love necessary that’s forcing communities to address their affordable housing shortage. NIMBY groups have gone berserk! But so has some level headed local politicians.

[UrbanImpact]

Originally Posted by C.

The Live Local Act is a new law which allows developers of affordable housing to preempt local zoning rules as long as 40% of the units remain affordable for a 30-year period. It removes height and density restrictions and sets it to the highest height in the jurisdiction. It also allows for reduced parking if by transit.

It’s raising bit of a stink in Miami Beach as developers are proposing very tall and high density developments that nevertheless will add some badly needed affordable housing.

I’m curious how this is being perceived in Florida and is it the tough love necessary that’s forcing communities to address their affordable housing shortage. NIMBY groups have gone berserk! But so has some level headed local politicians.

From my perspective, most Floridians don't know anything about it. The only project I've heard about that wanted to take advantage of the new law is the Clevelander in South Beach.

[lio45]

I’m considering taking advantage of it to convert a commercial triplex into residential (the local zoning doesn’t allow residential, but the area is already a mix of commercial and residential, with the residential grandfathered in). It’s been empty since the pandemic, and my local manager in FL thinks it would be preferable to turn it into housing.

Before this new legislation, I looked into getting a zoning exception from the City, and decided against it, too complicated.

The affordability requirement seems a reasonable price to pay.

[C.]

Originally Posted by UrbanImpact

From my perspective, most Floridians don't know anything about it. The only project I've heard about that wanted to take advantage of the new law is the Clevelander in South Beach.

It should be making a big slash soon. There is a huge number of development proposals coming online. I know some local governments have passed development moratoriums, illegally in defiance of the new law, as they try to get a handle on the implications.

[C.]

Originally Posted by lio45

I’m considering taking advantage of it to convert a commercial triplex into residential (the local zoning doesn’t allow residential, but the area is already a mix of commercial and residential, with the residential grandfathered in). It’s been empty since the pandemic, and my local manager in FL thinks it would be preferable to turn it into housing.

Before this new legislation, I looked into getting a zoning exception from the City, and decided against it, too complicated.

The affordability requirement seems a reasonable price to pay.

Sounds like the perfect project that the law was designed to promote. Local government would rather exacerbate the housing crisis and keep a building vacant.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by UrbanImpact

From my perspective, most Floridians don't know anything about it. The only project I've heard about that wanted to take advantage of the new law is the Clevelander in South Beach.

See post above: it’s possible many (much smaller) projects taking advantage of it would just never show on anyone’s radar yet. The only way for someone like you to learn of a project like mine is in a couple years, through published data about the number of cases who took advantage of this measure.

[dave8721]

Originally Posted by UrbanImpact

From my perspective, most Floridians don't know anything about it. The only project I've heard about that wanted to take advantage of the new law is the Clevelander in South Beach.

The zoning is already pretty wide open in South Florida. The historic section of South Beach where the Clevelander is, is probably one of the few places where it would make sense for a developer to try to use it. Maybe some place like Coral Gables which also has restrictive zoning, but then they would have to include affordable housing so I'm not sure it would make much sense for the developer.

[C.]

Originally Posted by dave8721

The zoning is already pretty wide open in South Florida. The historic section of South Beach where the Clevelander is, is probably one of the few places where it would make sense for a developer to try to use it. Maybe some place like Coral Gables which also has restrictive zoning, but then they would have to include affordable housing so I'm not sure it would make much sense for the developer.

You’d be surprised.

A lot of development projects that were not feasible under the old rules are starting to pencil under the Live Local Act.

There is probably a bunch of older malls where developers are drawing up plans to convert to residential behind the scenes. Mark my words.

[UrbanImpact]

Originally Posted by C.

You’d be surprised.

A lot of development projects that were not feasible under the old rules are starting to pencil under the Live Local Act.

There is probably a bunch of older malls where developers are drawing up plans to convert to residential behind the scenes. Mark my words.

There has been a lot of mall conversions already here in Broward County, and some on the drawing board, perhaps they can become even denser:

- The Fashion Mall in Plantation has already been demolished and converted to residential/retail (my company did the architectural plans for one of the restaurants...Frank Pepe's Pizzeria).
https://maps.app.goo.gl/X28DcmWkT9Z1pjYH7

- The Riverwalk mall in downtown Fort Lauderdale was demolished for residential highrises.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/RqgW8APCpDL8cFRr5

-Pompano Citi Centre plans on adding residential
https://maps.app.goo.gl/vh1WtgHkSks1HbQ36

-The Galleria in Fort Lauderdale already has plans to add mid-rise residential buildings.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/qsxdXU3qiNMxkjEw8

-Sawgrass Mall in the exburbs already has highrises on the mall periphery with plans to add more. I've always wondered what the view is like from the balconies since some of them face The Everglades:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/mGCjLJ9SatfzwGw38

[Altoic]

It's making a large difference, mostly in South Florida. I haven't noticed much action in cities like Jacksonville, Tampa, and Orlando. But, change is bound to come.

One recent example in South Florida is the Oasis at Doral, a multi tower development in a typical suburb.




In areas of town where development is typically rejected, but land is sought after, there has been a wave of development. Miami Beach is currently battling a developer over a highrise condo planted in the middle of the iconic Ocean Drive.

In Wynwood where development is capped at 12 floors for most of the area, Clara Homes recently bought a property where they're planning to allow higher density under the act.

[chris08876]

As with most zoning laws or anything that dictates land use, effectiveness and difference is measured long term.

Considering the time tables for projects in some cases. The volume and frequency take time to reach a point where we can call if effective. But in general... anything that makes it easier to build either taller or denser... overtime... good things happen development wise.

The net benefit in the end may be 1000's of units and millions of more sq-ft that may not have been possible in the past. Considering this countries anemic housing crisis... more density and an easier time building is needed!

[C.]

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023...xed-use-tower/

31 floors for Orlando.

[Altoic]

Live Local's new amendments were just signed into law. In short, local governments cant restrict projects with up to 150% of the current allowed FAR, there's set protections for some single-family neighborhoods, it allows for no parking in transit-orientated developments, and a 20% parking reduction for projects 1/2 mile from transit. Although slightly weakened, the act is still extremely powerful for developers.

Not even a week after the amendments were signed, a 28 story tower was proposed in Kendall (an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade) with 40% of units as required workforce housing.

https://www.thenextmiami.com/28-stor...ive-local-act/



Expect a bunch of drama soon lol

[C.]

[wanderer34]

The Live Local Act for FL is a very good act since as long as at least 40% of units are affordable, you can build multifamily dwellings as high as you can. You can't just grow cities and locales with just the rich, wealthy, and well-off. If anything, it's usually the rich, wealthy, and well-off who lobbies for less people in their enclaves, not more, and the rich, wealthy, and well-off are the ones who don't give a damn if their enclave is declining, as long as enough affluent people live nearby.

Cities like NY, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, DC, SF, and LA didn't get to be so large with just the rich alone populating those cities, but mainly the poor, working class, and middle class immigrants and migrants. Back to Miami Beach, it can't compete with Miami for population since Miami Beach is only 7 sq. mi and Miami has 5 times the land plus Miami is the administrative, economic, and corporate center for South FL.

However, the developments that are either being proposed or built in Sunny Isles Beach really should've been built in Miami Beach in certain locations from South to North Beach. Imagine having one skyline wall extending through most of Miami Beach, looking similar to what's going on with Dubai. It won't be larger that Miami but it will be just as impressive as Miami's skyline if such an endeavor was made!

[Altoic]

I'm torn on the clevelander proposal, the bal harbour shops proposal not so much.