A significant expansion to Florida’s Live Local Act took effect on July 1, 2026, and it is worth understanding for residents here in Winter Springs and across Seminole County.
Governor DeSantis signed House Bill 1389 into law, extending the Live Local Act’s zoning preemptions to public land, including property owned by cities, counties, and school districts, as well as land owned by qualifying religious institutions. It is the fourth consecutive year Florida has expanded this law since it was first passed in 2023.
What the Live Local Act Does
The Live Local Act is the state’s primary tool for overriding local zoning to encourage more affordable and workforce housing. Developers who set aside at least 40 percent of a project’s units as affordable rentals generally qualify for added density, added height, reduced parking requirements, and administrative approval that bypasses local review boards.
What Changed in 2026
The most significant update is that these zoning preemptions now reach public land. Local governments, including cities, counties, and school districts, can put underused parcels toward affordable and workforce housing without a rezoning process, as long as the government co-applies with a private developer.
Religious institutions received a similar provision. A church, synagogue, or mosque can now build affordable housing on its land if the site is at least three acres, the institution has held at least ten years of active worship there, and 40 percent of the units are designated affordable.
The update also strengthens enforcement. It amends Florida’s Fair Housing Act to make it easier to challenge cities that block affordable housing based on a project’s financing. Some guardrails remain in place, however. Farms, open-space districts, and conservation land are excluded from these preemptions.
Why This Matters Locally
For communities like Winter Springs that have worked to balance growth with local planning authority, this expansion continues a pattern of the state taking on a larger role in housing and land use decisions that were previously left to local governments.
Public land in Seminole County, including underused municipal and school district parcels, could now be eligible for this type of fast-tracked development. That is a meaningful shift worth watching as local governments across the region assess how this affects planning and zoning decisions going forward.
Looking Ahead
This is the fourth consecutive year Florida has expanded the Live Local Act, and the trend suggests continued growth in the state’s authority over local housing and zoning decisions. I will continue to follow how this affects Seminole County and Winter Springs specifically and will share updates as they become available.
This summary was inspired by Discover South Florida’s reporting on the Live Local Act update.
Victoria Bruce
Winter Springs Commissioner, District 2
Protecting Winter Springs
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