Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill (SB) 102, known as the Live Local Act, which represents the largest investment in housing efforts in the state's history. The bill allocates $711 million to various programs aimed at expanding housing availability, providing down payment assistance, and supporting military communities. This investment is almost double the amount invested in the previous year and the highest in 15 years.

The Live Local Act aims to help Florida's workforce and their families live closer to their workplaces, and it offers significant support for military communities and families living near military bases. The bill received praise from various government officials, including Governor Ron DeSantis, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, and House Speaker Paul Renner.

The legislation allocates $259 million for the SAIL program, which provides low-interest loans to developers constructing workforce housing.

An additional $150 million of the funds are recurring and targeted for specific uses, such as projects near military installations and the redevelopment of underused properties. The SHIP program will receive $252 million to incentivize local governments to form partnerships with developers for housing preservation or new construction.

The Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program will receive $100 million to provide downpayment and closing cost assistance to first-time homebuyers. The program focuses on law enforcement, first responders, teachers, active-duty military, and military veterans. Furthermore, FHFC will receive $100 million to implement a loan program that addresses inflation-related cost increases for FHFC-approved housing projects.

The bill also codifies the Hometown Heroes program and increases the borrowing limit per loan to $35,000 or 5% of the purchase price of a home, to help Floridians afford their first homes.

The legislation expands FHFC's capacity to invest in affordable housing for individuals in foster care or aging out of the system and extends eligibility for the Job Growth Grant Fund to support public infrastructure projects that promote expanding housing opportunities.

The Live Local Act also started a new tax donation program. This allows corporate taxpayers to give money to the FHFC for the SAIL program, up to $100 million each year. It also increases the amount of tax credits available through the Community Contribution Tax Credit Program from $14.5 million to $25 million annually. Lastly, the bill provides a sales tax refund of up to $5,000 on building materials for housing units funded through FHFC.