Boca Postpones Considering New Laws To Encourage Workforce Housing

By Marci Shatzman

Boca’s plans to revise the city’s zoning and apartment size minimums to encourage workforce housing, especially for single professionals, were postponed until Florida decides what the state plans to do.

Florida’s 2024 legislative session started Tuesday Jan. 9. Although Senate bill 102, also known as the Live Local Act, was enacted in July to invest in more affordable housing, a house and a senate bill are under consideration.  

“The state is trying to promote affordable housing in the whole state, not just here. We have to see what happens in session. Even if we’re against it, we have to follow their lead,” City Councilman Marc Widger said at council’s Jan. 8 meeting.

Council members agreed to revisit changes in local ordinances until their March 26 meeting, and may postpone even further until April meetings.

“We’re looking for more people who can afford to live here. We haven’t built affordable units for a long time and we’re just starting to do this,” said Deputy Mayor Monica Mayotte, whose term will be up after the city’s Municipal Election on March 19. “The land here is more expensive,” to build on, she added, a factor for apartment developers.

“The goal is a good one,” said Mayor Scott Singer. But he agreed on the decision to wait until the end of the state legislative season. “I don’t see anything happening in the (housing) market in the next two  months,” he said.

Citing the end of the legislative session on March 8, council member Yvette Drucker “wants to push this off until April. We have to wait for the governor to approve bills and text amendments. We’ll get to hear from…other parts of Florida.’’