The bill aims to enhance the development of affordable housing in Florida by amending existing statutes to allow county commissioners and municipal governing boards to approve affordable housing projects on parcels owned by religious institutions, irrespective of the underlying zoning. It mandates that local governments permit multifamily and mixed-use residential developments in certain flexibly zoned areas while prohibiting excessive requirements on these projects. The legislation specifies that at least 10% of units in such developments must be affordable and limits non-residential use in mixed-use projects to 10%. Additionally, it revises regulations concerning density, floor area ratios, and building heights, ensuring that local governments cannot impose restrictions below specified thresholds. The bill also streamlines the approval process for developments by allowing administrative approvals without further action from local boards, provided they meet certain criteria.

Moreover, the bill introduces new definitions for industrial and mixed-use categories, clarifying that certain activities, such as automobile manufacturing and waste disposal, are considered industrial uses. It restricts counties from enforcing building moratoriums that delay the permitting of multifamily or mixed-use residential developments, with exceptions for specific circumstances like stormwater management. The legislation mandates that counties assess affordable housing needs before imposing moratoriums and requires annual reporting to the state land planning agency on related litigation and project approvals. Additionally, it establishes a public sector and hospital employer-sponsored housing policy to promote affordable housing for employees of hospitals and governmental entities, encouraging developers to create housing preferences for these employees. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 1730 Filed: 380.0552, 760.26
S 1730 c1: 380.0552, 760.26
S 1730 c2: 380.0552, 760.26
S 1730 e1: 125.01055, 166.04151, 380.0552, 760.26