Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Live Local Act on March 29, a bipartisan bill setting aside $711 million for affordable housing in the state.
The bill passed through the Florida Senate with a 40-0 vote. Lawmakers in the state House approved it with a vote of 103-6.
The legislation builds on the state’s Hometown Heroes Housing Program.
Created by a measure signed by DeSantis in June 2022, the program provides down-payment and closing-cost help for first-time homebuyers who are teachers, first responders, veterans, or active-duty military.
It also makes available lower-interest mortgages from existing federal programs such as FHA, VA, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac….