Florida Skips Affordable Housing Requirements

New rules in effect since April 5th require developers to build a certain percentage of homes in any development to sell at "affordable" prices. But a group of developers in Palm Beach County were recently exempted from that requirement. The county zoning commission allowed the exemption because the developments in question were filed before the rule came into effect April 5th. Though the county had previously made efforts to include affordable housing requirements on plans filed before the deadline, the county did not in this instance.

"Before developer representatives even rose to speak at Thursday's Palm Beach County Zoning Commission meeting, the advisory board called for dropping requirements to price some homes for middle- and low-income buyers."

"Because county commissioners this year prioritized creating more affordable housing, planning officials started using an existing but seldom enforced building standard to require reduced-price homes at developments proposed before the April 5 deadline, Chief Planner Patrick Rutter said."

"Instead of using that standard, the Zoning Commission unanimously voted to recommend that the County Commission approve the developments without requiring affordable housing."