Policy Intelligence Briefing
A convergence of state legislation, school board action, and city commission signaling has created the strongest policy environment for affordable housing in Broward County's history. This is what the data shows.
Florida's legislature just expanded the Live Local Act to cover school district land. Broward's school board is closing schools and repurposing sites. Fort Lauderdale's city commission is publicly workshopping city-owned land for affordable housing. These three threads are weaving into a single opportunity.
Effective July 1, 2026. Passed near-unanimously — House 98–4, Senate 35–0. This is the most significant expansion of affordable housing authority since the original Live Local Act in 2023.
Live Local Act zoning and density preemptions now apply to all land owned by a city, county, or school board — not just commercial, industrial, or mixed-use zoned parcels. The government entity must serve as co-applicant.
F.S. §§125.01055(7) & 166.04151(7)
Multifamily projects serving residents up to 120% AMI on government ground leases are eligible for full ad valorem tax exemption. This is a massive incentive for public-land housing development.
F.S. §196.19782
Live Local projects now permitted on religious institution property — 3+ acres with a house of worship operating 10+ years. The institution must be co-applicant and continue operating post-construction.
Discrimination based on “source of financing” or because a development is for affordable housing is now explicitly prohibited under Florida Fair Housing Act (Ch. 760 F.S.). Sovereign immunity is waived for violations.
Heritage Crossing sits on city-owned land. Under HB 1389, a conveyance to the CRA or Housing Authority for affordable housing triggers both the Live Local preemptions and the 100% tax exemption — the strongest incentive structure available in Florida law.
Broward County Public Schools is the most aggressive public-sector mover on affordable housing in the county. A $94 million budget hole and declining enrollment are forcing action — and HB 1389 hands them the legal framework.
| School | Location | Proposed Reuse | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Fork Elementary | Fort Lauderdale (NW 7th Ave corridor) | Sistrunk Rising: job training + hotel brand + affordable housing for school staff | Two competing proposals under review |
| Seagull Alternative High | Fort Lauderdale | Police/fire training facility | Proposed |
| Panther Run Elementary | Pembroke Pines | District office consolidation | Approved |
| Plantation Middle | Plantation | District office consolidation | Approved |
| Sunshine Elementary | Miramar | District office consolidation | Approved |
| Palm Cove Elementary | Pembroke Pines | TBD | Closed January 2026 |
North Fork Elementary is in the NW 7th Avenue corridor — the same corridor as Heritage Crossing and the Huizenga Campus. The Sistrunk Rising proposal explicitly includes affordable housing for school staff. As of July 1, 2026, HB 1389 extends Live Local Act preemptions to school board-owned land, meaning these sites can bypass traditional zoning barriers.
236,000 students across ~300 schools. 50,000+ empty seats. 10,000 students lost in a single year. $94 million budget gap. Superintendent Hepburn projects enrollment losses of 25,000+ students over five years. Phase 3 closures are coming.
Every closed school is a potential housing site. The district is actively seeking revenue-generating reuses. BPHI’s CLT model — ground lease with permanent affordability — gives the school board ongoing revenue without selling the asset. This aligns perfectly with the district’s stated goals.
Fort Lauderdale's City Commission is not waiting for the market. Multiple signals point to active institutional support for public-land affordable housing.
City Commission and Affordable Housing Advisory Committee jointly workshopped: use of City-owned land for affordable housing, an Affordable Housing Master Plan, ADU policy, and impact fee waivers for affordable developments.
The Alridge Post Office site (400 NW 7th Ave) appeared on the City Commission conference agenda under CAM #26-0409. The §8.02 conveyance-to-CRA pathway for affordable housing at or below 80% AMI is one of four published options.
The city’s Housing and Community Development Division administers approximately $10–12 million annually in federal and state housing funds. The infrastructure to deploy capital exists.
The city’s Affordable Housing Incentive program is actively promoting density bonuses and fee waivers for qualifying developments. The policy machinery is already in motion.
Broward County is in the middle of an affordable housing construction surge. The data as of May 2026:
| Project | Location | Units | Developer | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Arcadian | Fort Lauderdale | 502 | Fuse Group | Partially Affordable |
| Douglas Garden Residences | Pembroke Pines | 410 | McDowell Properties | Fully Affordable |
| The Era | Fort Lauderdale (Downtown) | 400 | Affiliated Development | Workforce (80–120% AMI) |
| Parks at Hallandale | Hallandale | 398 | 13th Floor Investments | Partially Affordable |
| Pine Island Park | Sunrise | 120 | Centennial Management | Fully Affordable |
| Aspire 1650 | Fort Lauderdale (BPHI Campus) | 120 | Green Mills Group | Fully Affordable (LIHTC) |
Source: Miami Association of Realtors, “South Florida Affordable Housing Construction Surges Under Live Local Act,” May 21, 2026. Aspire 1650 data from FHFC filing 2025-362CSA. Fort Lauderdale market area encompasses most of Broward County.
| Date | Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| June 26, 2026 | FHFC Board Meeting | Aspire 1650 waiver petition on consent agenda with positive staff recommendation. If approved, credit award moves to 2027. |
| June 26, 2026 | Broward Housing Council | Bimonthly meeting at Govt Center East, Room 430, 10am. Advisory body to County Commission on housing policy. |
| July 1, 2026 | HB 1389 Takes Effect | Live Local Act expansion: school board land preemptions, 100% tax exemption on government ground leases, fair housing protections. |
| Fall 2026 | School Board Phase 3 | Additional under-enrolled school closures and repurposing decisions expected. Superintendent projects 25,000+ enrollment loss over 5 years. |
| Dec 11, 2027 | USPS Lease Expires | Heritage Crossing site (400 NW 7th Ave) becomes available. City Commission has already begun public deliberation on future use. |
| Mar 2 – Apr 30, 2027 | Florida Legislative Session | Window for Special Member Project funding ask. Precedent: Chip LaMarca’s $250K for Seven on Seventh workforce lab (FY2023). |
The school board is the most aggressive public-sector mover — surplus land, a budget crisis forcing action, and HB 1389 handing them the legal framework on July 1. The city commission is publicly workshopping city-owned land for housing and has Heritage Crossing on the agenda with a conveyance pathway explicitly listed. The county’s construction pipeline is 43% affordable. The Sadowski Trust Fund is fully funded. The Live Local Act now covers school board land with 100% tax exemption on government ground leases. This is not a forecast. This is happening.
BPHI’s framework — layered capital stack, Community Land Trust, public-private partnership — was designed for exactly this moment. The Heritage Crossing conveyance pathway, the school board surplus land pipeline, and the HB 1389 tax exemptions are not separate opportunities. They are the same strategy playing out across multiple institutions simultaneously.
The FHFC board vote on June 26 (Aspire 1650). The school board’s North Fork Elementary decision (Sistrunk Rising vs. competing proposal). The city commission’s next action on Heritage Crossing after the June 16 conference. And July 1 — when HB 1389 makes all of this law.
This briefing is prepared for discussion purposes only. Analysis and strategic commentary represent the views of Common Ground Housing Trust and do not constitute legal or financial advice. Filed facts are sourced and cited; strategic assessments are labeled as analysis. All data current as of June 22, 2026.