The Florida House passed a bill on Tuesday supporters say would increase housing supply and lower costs. But critics are concerned it would erode local control and open the door to unchecked growth.
"This is probably the most significant step that we can take as a state of Florida to help lower the cost of housing, because you're letting supply come into a much-needed market,” said Rep. David Borrero, R-Hialeah, the bill sponsor. “When you provide more housing, when you make the cost of land less expensive, you're going to have less costs passed on to the end user."
Democrats worry the legislation, HB 399, undermines local control and could lead to urban sprawl, destroying Florida forests.
“There are areas that are unaffordable,” said Rep. Felicia Robinson, D-Miami Gardens. “However, I do not believe that this bill is addressing that. I believe that this bill seems to be addressing developers.”
The bill would limit how local governments regulate development. It tightens how much they can charge for development permits. It requires them to approve minor changes at large resorts. It'd be harder to say no to some housing projects. And it would allow some local land-use plan changes to pass with just a simple majority vote.
The Senate bill, SB 208, hasn’t reached a final vote yet. Lawmakers would have to reconcile differences between the versions.
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This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
