ServicesFHFC Certification Filing
FHFC Certification Filing in Miramar
Before a county will weigh a Live Local Act exemption, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation has to certify your qualifying units. We build the unit schedule, rent data and income tiers FHFC reviews, file the request, and check back afterward so you know what the certification asks of you next.
The state certification behind the county exemption
An owner pursuing the Live Local Act affordable housing exemption first needs a certification from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) stating that the property and its qualifying units meet the statute. That document then supports the County DR-504AFH Filing with the property appraiser. If the certification is missing, the county application stalls.
The certification is unit-specific. FHFC wants to see how many units are set aside, which income tier each one serves (at or below 80 percent of area median income, or above 80 and up to 120 percent), and whether the rent charged stays within the applicable limit. Errors usually come from mismatched unit counts, rents checked against the wrong year's limits, or tenant income figures that do not line up with the rent roll.
The drafting and reconciliation happen at our desk. Your leasing and management staff only join for short phone or video sessions, so daily operations at the property keep moving while the file takes shape.
What our certification filing includes
- Eligibility screen
- Before any paperwork, we confirm the property can qualify: the number of affordable units, the income tiers involved and whether the development meets the size threshold in the statute. If it does not, we tell you plainly.
- Unit schedule build
- We map every qualifying unit by number, bedroom count, income tier and current rent. This schedule is the backbone of the certification and the later county filing, so we reconcile it against your rent roll line by line.
- Rent limit check
- We compare each unit's rent to the published affordable rent limits for Broward County and flag any unit that runs over. One overcharged unit can pull that unit out of the exemption.
- Income documentation review
- We review the tenant income records that support each tier assignment. Where verification is thin or outdated, our Resident Income Verification service can fill the gap before filing.
- Filing and FHFC correspondence
- We file the certification request with FHFC and answer its questions or deficiency notices on your behalf, keeping you informed of each exchange.
- Post-filing follow-up
- Once the certification issues, we check back with you, walk through what it covers and explain what must stay true for the exemption to hold, from rent ceilings to annual recertification.
Signs you need help with FHFC certification
Your county deadline is approaching
The DR-504AFH generally needs to reach the property appraiser by March 1, and the FHFC certification supports it. If you have not started the certification, time is short.
Your rent roll and unit list disagree
Units that changed tiers, turned over mid-year or were re-designated create mismatches FHFC will question. These need to be reconciled before filing.
FHFC sent a deficiency notice
A notice asking for corrected data or missing documents means the clock is running. We read what was flagged and prepare the response.
You are unsure which units qualify
Mixed-income buildings often have units serving several tiers. If you cannot say with confidence which units sit at 80 percent and which at 120 percent, the certification will be hard to support.
Your team has never filed before
First-time filers tend to underestimate the data FHFC expects. A quick review now costs less than a rejected request later.
What affects the cost of certification filing
We quote each filing after the free review, in writing, with the work broken out. The price depends on how much reconciliation your data needs, not on a flat formula. Most of the variation comes from the factors below.
Number of qualifying units
More units means a longer schedule to build and more rents and incomes to check against the limits.
Number of income tiers
A property serving only one tier is simpler than one splitting units between the 80 percent and 120 percent levels.
Condition of your records
Clean, current rent rolls and income files move quickly. Missing or conflicting records take additional review time.
Timing relative to deadlines
Filings started well ahead of the March cycle allow normal pacing. Late starts compress the work.
FHFC follow-up
If FHFC issues a deficiency notice, preparing the response adds work that varies with what was flagged.
How a filing runs with us
- 1
Free Live Local review by phone
You call, we ask about unit count, tiers and current rents, and we give you a straight read on eligibility and a free savings estimate. No paperwork is needed for this first conversation.
- 2
Document collection
We give you a specific list: rent roll, unit mix, lease data and income certifications. You gather them, and we follow up by phone on anything missing.
- 3
Reconciliation and drafting
We reconcile units, rents and incomes, then draft the certification request. You review it with us on a video call before anything goes to FHFC.
- 4
Filing and FHFC response
We file with FHFC and handle any questions that come back. When the certification issues, we confirm it matches the unit schedule exactly.
- 5
Follow-up call
After approval we schedule a call to explain your ongoing obligations and how this certification feeds into the County DR-504AFH Filing and next year's Annual Recertification.
What owners ask before filing with the state
Does the FHFC certification lower my property taxes on its own?
Not by itself. The state document confirms your set-aside units meet Live Local Act rules, but the tax relief comes from the county property appraiser once the DR-504AFH is filed. Think of the certification as the evidence and the county filing as the request. Both pieces have to be in place.
Do I need to recertify every year?
Yes, the exemption is not permanent once granted. Rents and tenant incomes must keep qualifying, and the filing has to be renewed each year. Our Annual Recertification service handles that cycle.
What happens if one unit's rent is over the limit?
That unit generally will not qualify for the exemption, though the rest of the property can still be certified. We flag overages before filing so you can decide whether to adjust the rent or remove the unit from the schedule.
Have you handled filings for larger developers?
Yes. Clients include Coral Rock Development Group and Terra Group. We bring the same unit-by-unit reconciliation to smaller owners in Miramar, Pembroke Pines and Davie.
Do I need to come to your office?
No. Most clients work with us entirely by phone and video. Meeting at our office is also an option if that suits your team better.
Start your certification with a clear picture
One phone call gets you a free eligibility check and an honest read on whether your units qualify. If you move ahead, we file, follow through with FHFC and check back once the certification is in hand.