Real estate is a central focus in the 2026 Florida legislative session, with lawmakers considering several proposals that could affect property development, taxes, and homeowners associations across the state.
One major area of debate involves the Live Local Act. Senator Alexis Calatayud has introduced Senate Bill 1548 to expand this workforce housing law. The Live Local Act allows developers to bypass local zoning rules if they dedicate at least 40 percent of their units to households earning up to 120 percent of the area median income (AMI). The new bill would include properties owned by counties, municipalities, and school districts, while also limiting local governments’ ability to restrict building heights through setbacks and stepbacks. It clarifies that farms are not considered commercial properties for these projects.
Lawmakers are also seeking to extend how long affordable units must remain below market rates under the Live Local Act. Currently set at 30 years, House Bill 675 and Senate Bill 756 propose increasing this period to 50 years. These bills would also lower the AMI threshold for tax abatements from 120 percent to 100 percent.
Last year’s SB 180 limited local governments’ power to impose stricter land use regulations after hurricanes within areas included in federal disaster declarations. This was intended to speed up rebuilding following three hurricanes in 2024 but drew criticism from municipalities who argued it undermined their authority over development decisions. Several South Florida cities joined a lawsuit against SB 180.
Senator Nick DiCeglie has filed Senate Bill 840, which would give more control back to counties and cities over development rules by narrowing restrictions imposed after hurricanes. The proposal limits bans on zoning changes only to damaged properties and reduces the affected area from within 100 miles of a hurricane’s track down to within 50 miles.
Another set of bills—Senate Bill 354 and House Bill 299—would allow owners of at least 10,000 acres who meet certain conditions, including providing affordable housing, to bypass county and municipal zoning rules for “Blue Ribbon Projects.” At least sixty percent of such land must be reserved for conservation or open space; twenty percent of residential units must be designated as affordable or workforce housing or homes for people qualifying under programs like Florida Hometown Hero.
Ruane Cunniff, an investment manager based in New York that has acquired about 80,000 acres in north Florida since 2017, is supporting these measures through lobbying efforts.
On property taxes, several proposals aim either to eliminate or reduce them for homeowners with homestead exemptions—a move that would require constitutional amendments approved by voters. House Joint Resolution (HJR) 201 seeks to remove all non-school property taxes on homes; HJR 203 proposes raising homestead exemption values each year until property taxes phase out by 2037; HJR 205 targets eliminating property taxes for those aged 65 or older; HJR 207 suggests adding another exemption worth twenty-five percent of assessed value after other exemptions apply. Local officials have warned these changes could impact funding for services like parks and emergency response.
House Representative Juan Carlos Porras is focusing on issues related to homeowners associations (HOAs). Residents have reported problems ranging from mismanagement and unfair assessment increases to bullying by board members—the most notable case being at Hammocks HOA in West Kendall with its large resident base. Porras introduced House Bill 657 allowing residents more say in dissolving their HOAs via petition and vote processes overseen by a trustee if termination proceeds.
However, legal experts caution that dismantling HOAs may prove complicated due to infrastructure ownership issues: “You may be dissolving the actual corporation, but how are you going to split up the assets?” said attorney Carolina Sznajderman Sheir. “Who is going to take responsibility for maintaining the roadways [and other infrastructure]? Who is going to be responsible for operating, maintaining and insuring this?”
Attorneys noted counties might resist taking over such responsibilities due partly because it could require higher taxes from residents outside those communities. Other parts of HB 657 received praise—for example creating a Community Association Court designed specifically for HOA-related cases instead of relying solely on already crowded circuit courts.
