ServicesExemption Applications
Live Local Act Exemption Applications in Miramar
We build Live Local Act property tax exemption files for multifamily developments. The work starts with a count of qualifying apartments, one unit at a time, and ends with a check-in after the property appraiser decides. You get a complete application and a short list of records that keep the exemption alive.
What the exemption covers and who it fits
Section 196.1978(3) of Florida law exempts part of a development's assessed value when more than 70 of its units are set aside for residents earning no more than 120 percent of area median income. An apartment leased to a resident at or under 80 percent of AMI can be exempt on its full assessed value. One in the 80 to 120 percent band carries a 75 percent exemption.
The exemption is not automatic. It takes a certification from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, a DR-504AFH application filed with the county property appraiser by March 1, and rents that stay within the published limits. A missing rent roll column or a late filing can cost a full year of savings, which is why the paperwork matters as much as the eligibility.
We do this work for developers and owners across Miramar and the surrounding Broward and Miami-Dade markets. Clients include Coral Rock Development Group and Terra Group.
What our application work includes
Unit-level eligibility review
We read your rent roll unit by unit and sort each one into the 80 percent tier, the 120 percent tier or market rate. This shows whether you clear the 70-unit threshold and which units carry the larger exemption.
Rent limit check
We compare current rents against the FHFC rent limits for your county and against 90 percent of market rent. A unit priced above the lesser of the two does not qualify, so we flag those before anything is filed.
Savings estimate
Using the assessed value and your qualifying unit mix, we estimate the reduction in taxable value. You see the number before you decide to proceed.
FHFC certification package
We assemble the documents FHFC needs to certify the property, including the unit schedule and the restriction details. Our FHFC Certification Filing page covers that step in more depth.
DR-504AFH preparation and filing
We complete the county form and attach the FHFC certification so the property appraiser receives one consistent file before the March 1 deadline.
Follow-up after the decision
Once the appraiser rules, we call to confirm the result, check that the exemption shows on the TRIM notice and walk you through the records to keep for next year.
Signs it is time to apply
- Your affordable units are taxed at full value
- If income-restricted units sit on the same assessment as market-rate units, you may be paying tax on value the law exempts.
- You are planning a new multifamily project
- Unit mix and rent levels decided now determine whether the building qualifies later. Reviewing it early avoids reworking the rent schedule after lease-up.
- A previous application was denied
- Denials often trace to a count below 70 qualifying units, rents above the limit or a missing FHFC certification. Each of those can usually be corrected for the next cycle.
- March 1 is approaching and nothing is filed
- The county deadline is fixed. If the FHFC certification is not in hand, the application has nothing to stand on.
How the application runs
- 1
Phone review
You tell us about the property, unit count and current rents. We tell you plainly whether it looks like a fit and what we need to confirm it.
- 2
Document collection
We give you a short list of records to gather: the rent roll, recent income certifications, the latest assessment and any recorded land use restriction. Nobody needs to walk the property. We review the documents from our desk and talk through open questions with you on a phone or video call.
- 3
Analysis and estimate
We test every unit against the income and rent limits, then give you the savings estimate and a list of anything that needs fixing first.
- 4
Filing
We file the FHFC certification request first, then the DR-504AFH with the property appraiser, and keep a copy of each filing for your records.
- 5
Check-back
After the decision we confirm the exemption posted correctly and explain what to track during the year so Annual Recertification goes smoothly.
What moves the price of an exemption application
We price application work by the effort each file needs rather than charging every building the same amount. The eligibility check and savings estimate are free. Once we have reviewed the rent roll, you get your quote for the filing work by phone.
- Unit count
- A 75-unit building takes less review time than a 300-unit property with several floor plans and income tiers.
- Condition of the rent records
- Clean, current income certifications speed things up. Missing or outdated files mean we need Resident Income Verification before filing.
- Number of parcels
- Developments split across more than one parcel need separate applications for each, which adds preparation time.
- Timing
- Files that start well before March 1 leave room to correct problems. A late start compresses that work.
Questions about Live Local Act exemption applications
- How many units do I need to qualify?
- The development needs more than 70 units rented to residents at or below 120 percent of area median income. The units must also meet the rent limits. We count them for you during the free eligibility check.
- Do I file with FHFC or the county?
- Both. FHFC issues the certification confirming the property meets the requirements. The DR-504AFH is then submitted to the county property appraiser, and the FHFC certification travels with it as supporting proof. We prepare and submit both pieces for you.
- What happens if I miss the March 1 deadline?
- The property appraiser can deny the application for that tax year. In that case we prepare the file so it is ready well ahead of the next deadline.
- Does the exemption carry over once it is granted?
- Only for the tax year it covers. A fresh application goes in every year, and rents and resident incomes have to stay inside the limits the whole time. On our follow-up call after approval, we list the records you should keep on file.
- Can you tell me the savings before I commit?
- Yes. The savings estimate is free and is based on your assessed value and qualifying unit mix. It is an estimate, and the final figure depends on the appraiser's determination.
Find out if your property qualifies
Tell us on the phone how many units the property has and what they rent for, and we will give you a straight answer on whether an application is worth filing and roughly what it could save. After the filing, we check back so you know what keeps the exemption in place.