ServicesExemption Applications
Live Local Act Exemption Applications in Plantation
Florida's Live Local Act offers a property tax break on qualifying multifamily units, and the county grants it only when every document lines up with the statute. We check eligibility, assemble the file and handle the filing, with one person running your application from first call to county decision.
What this service covers
Section 196.1978 of the Florida Statutes lets owners of newly built or substantially rehabilitated multifamily properties claim an ad valorem exemption on units rented to residents at or below 120 percent of area median income. Units serving residents at 80 percent or below can qualify for a full exemption on their share of the assessed value, and units between 80 and 120 percent for a partial one. The property must have more than 70 qualifying units, and rents must stay under the published limits.
The exemption is not automatic. It takes a certification from Florida Housing Finance Corporation and a timely DR-504AFH application to the county property appraiser. Most denials we see trace back to small mismatches: a unit count that differs between documents, a rent above the limit for its bedroom size, or a missed date.
We handle the whole application for owners and developers in Plantation and across Broward County, working from our office or by phone and video. You talk to the same person each time, so nobody has to re-explain your rent roll.
What we do on your application
- Eligibility screen
- We review your unit count, completion date, certificate of occupancy and current rents against the statute. If the property falls short, we tell you why before you spend time on filings.
- Rent roll analysis
- Each unit is checked against the income tier it is assigned to and the rent limit for its bedroom count. We flag units priced above the limit so you can decide whether to adjust rent or leave them out.
- FHFC certification request
- We prepare the certification request for Florida Housing Finance Corporation, deliver it, and track it until the certification letter is issued. Our FHFC Certification Filing page covers that step in more detail.
- County DR-504AFH filing
- We complete the DR-504AFH application, attach the FHFC certification and supporting schedules, and file with the property appraiser before the March 1 deadline.
- Follow-up with the appraiser
- If the county asks for more records, we gather and send them. You get a plain summary of what was requested and why.
Signs this application is worth a look
You recently finished a large rental project
Properties with more than 70 units that were completed or substantially rehabilitated in recent years are the core group the law targets.
Some units already rent below market
If a share of your units sit near 80 or 120 percent of area median income, the exemption may already fit how you operate.
Your tax bill jumped after reassessment
New construction often gets a large first full assessment. The exemption applies to the qualifying units' share of that value.
A prior filing was denied or never sent
A denial usually points to a fixable gap in the record. We find the gap and rebuild the file for the next cycle.
No one owns the deadline
When leasing, accounting and legal each hold part of the data, filings slip. One coordinator closes that gap.
What affects the cost
Our fee depends on how much work the file takes, not on a fixed package. A clean, current rent roll for a single building moves quickly. Several phases or missing income records take longer. We explain the scope by phone before any work starts.
Unit count and mix
More units and more bedroom types mean more rent and income checks against the limits.
Condition of your records
Current, consistent rent rolls and tenant income files keep the work short. Gaps mean extra reconciliation.
Number of parcels
Projects spread across separate parcels may need separate applications and schedules.
Timing
Starting close to the March 1 deadline compresses the schedule and can add work.
How the application runs
- 1
Free eligibility check by phone
We ask about unit count, completion date, rents and tenant income tiers. You get a direct answer on whether the property looks eligible.
- 2
Document collection
We send one list: rent roll, certificate of occupancy, unit mix and income certifications. Everything comes back to the same person.
- 3
Certification and county filing
We file with FHFC first, then lodge the DR-504AFH with the property appraiser, certification attached, before March 1.
- 4
Decision and next year
Once the county responds, we review the result with you and set up what is needed for Annual Recertification.
Questions about exemption applications
Does my property need more than 70 affordable units?
Yes. The statute requires more than 70 units serving residents at or below 120 percent of area median income. The property can contain market-rate units too, but those are not exempt. We confirm your count during the free eligibility check.
What is the filing deadline?
The DR-504AFH application goes to the county property appraiser by March 1 for that tax year. The FHFC certification has to be in hand to attach, so we start well before that date.
Is the whole property exempt?
No. The exemption applies to the assessed value tied to qualifying units. Units at 80 percent of area median income or below can receive a full exemption on their share, and units between 80 and 120 percent receive a partial one.
Do I need to reapply every year?
Yes. The units and rents must keep meeting the requirements, and the filing is renewed each year. Our Annual Recertification service handles that cycle.
Will I deal with several people?
No. One person takes your call, collects your documents, files with FHFC and the county, and answers questions afterward.
Find out if your property qualifies
Give us a call with your unit count, completion date and rents, and we will tell you where the property stands under the Live Local Act. A short phone conversation is all it takes to start.