May 2023

Florida has seen tremendous growth and development over the past decade. With that growth has come a lot of changes in the economy and a large spike in population. This has created a thriving real estate market for homebuyers, with the demand for housing rising greatly. But there is one major thing we have learned throughout recent years: there is a need for more affordable and workforce housing.

To promote more affordable and workforce housing, Governor Ron Desantis signed SB 102 into law. SB 102, now known as the Live Local Act, has significantly impacted zoning laws and limited local government’s power to regulate affordable housing.

This new law makes it easier for affordable housing projects to get approved quickly without going through a long public hearing process to change a property’s zoning. It also allows for affordable housing to be built in areas that are currently zoned for commercial or industrial use. The affordable housing project can be approved quickly and easily, if it meets certain requirements. This law will go into effect on July 1st, 2023. Overall, SB 102 will help make it easier to build affordable housing in your community.

Below is a more detailed explanation of how the Live Local Act will affect the local approval and development of affordable and workforce housing.

What is “Affordable” Housing?

Continue Reading Live Local Act and Its Major Effects on Development Approvals for Affordable Housing

As a landlord, you’ve probably heard horror stories about tenants who refuse to pay rent, damage your property, or violate the terms of the lease agreement. These disputes can quickly escalate into costly lawsuits, leaving both parties frustrated and stressed. As a landlord, it’s crucial to be aware of the common disputes that can arise with tenants and take steps to prevent them from occurring.
Continue Reading Navigating Landlord Tenant Disputes in Florida: 5 Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

On April 13, 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law SB 360, a bill to make significant changes to the state’s construction defect claims process. The new law, which goes into effect immediately, should provide some additional protections  to those in the construction industry by shorting the time period for bringing design and construction defect claims, clarifying the application of these time periods on multi-building projects, and adding  a “materiality” requirement to statutory claims for violation of Florida’s Building Code according to Fla. Stat. § 554.84.

How does this impact Florida Contractors?

Continue Reading Florida’s New Legislation Provides More Protection for Contractors and Design Professionals