Florida Sen. Kathleen Passidomo’s ‘Live Local Act’ focuses on increased development, bars local rent control

A priority of Senate President Kathleen Passidomo to make housing more affordable for workers started to move forward Wednesday despite some questions about issues such as preventing rent controls. The Senate Community Affairs Committee unanimously backed the wide-ranging bill (SB 102), which would provide incentives for private investment in affordable housing, pre-empt local government rules on zoning, density and building height in certain circumstances, encourage mixed-use development in struggling commercial areas and bar local rent controls. The bill, dubbed the “Live Local Act,” carries a $711 million price tag.