Bill > H1471

Introduced Session

An act relating to housing; providing a short title; creating s. 20.71, F.S.; creating the Department of Housing and Tenant Rights; requiring the secretary, the head of the department, to be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate; providing duties of the secretary; providing the purpose of the department; requiring a report on the implementation of an empty homes tax to be provided to the Governor and Legislature by a specified date; providing government reorganization for certain chapters of law; amending s. 83.43, F.S.; revising the definitions of the terms "rent" and "tenant"; creating s. 83.455, F.S.; providing requirements for rental agreements; requiring rental agreements to include certain information; amending s. 83.46, F.S.; providing requirements relating to a written notice of a planned rent increase provided to tenants; amending s. 83.47, F.S.; providing that certain provisions in a rental agreement are void and unenforceable; amending s. 83.49, F.S.; providing requirements relating to security deposits; removing the option for a landlord to deposit certain money into a non-interest-bearing account; revising written notice requirements to tenants; providing for damages if a landlord fails to meet certain requirements; creating s. 83.495, F.S.; providing a short title; prohibiting landlords from requiring prospective tenants to pay certain fees; providing construction; amending s. 83.51, F.S.; requiring a landlord to inspect a dwelling unit at a specified time to ensure compliance with applicable codes; amending s. 83.54, F.S.; requiring certain records to be removed from a tenant's credit report under certain circumstances; amending s. 83.56, F.S.; revising and specifying grounds for termination of a rental agreement; requiring landlords to provide certain tenants a specified amount of time to vacate the premises before bringing a specified action; amending s. 83.60, F.S.; removing a requirement that certain money be paid into the registry of the court; creating s. 83.626, F.S.; authorizing tenants, mobile home owners, mobile home tenants, and mobile home occupants who are defendants in certain eviction proceedings to file a motion with the court to have the records of such proceedings sealed and to have their names substituted on the progress docket under certain conditions; requiring the court to grant such motions without a hearing if certain requirements are met; authorizing that such relief be granted only once; requiring tenants, mobile home owners, mobile home tenants, or mobile home occupants to submit a specified sworn statement; requiring the court to substitute a defendant's name on the progress docket under certain circumstances; prohibiting certain defendants from being eligible for such relief; providing for retroactive applicability; amending s. 83.63, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 83.67, F.S.; prohibiting a landlord from engaging in certain conduct; providing definitions; creating s. 83.675, F.S.; providing definitions; requiring a landlord to give tenants the opportunity to purchase the dwelling unit or premises under certain circumstances; providing requirements for an offer of sale; authorizing a tenant to challenge an offer of sale; creating s. 83.676, F.S.; providing definitions; prohibiting a landlord from evicting a tenant or terminating a rental agreement because the tenant or the tenant's minor child is a victim of actual or threatened domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking; specifying that a rental agreement may not include certain provisions; authorizing a victim of such actual or threatened violence or stalking to terminate a rental agreement under certain circumstances; requiring certain documentation and written notice to be provided to the landlord; providing for liability for unpaid rent for the tenant and the perpetrator, if applicable; specifying that a tenant does not forfeit certain money paid to the landlord for terminating the rental agreement under certain circumstances; requiring a landlord to change the locks of the dwelling unit within a specified time period under certain circumstances; authorizing the tenant to change the locks under certain circumstances; prohibiting certain actions by a landlord under certain circumstances; authorizing the filing of a civil action and an award of damages, fees, and costs under certain circumstances; prohibiting the waiver or modification of certain provisions; creating 83.685, F.S.; prohibiting the purchase of single-family homes for a specified purpose in certain circumstances; authorizing civil investigations and actions; authorizing the award of certain relief; requiring joinder of certain parties in certain circumstances for specified purposes; providing for joint and several liability; providing construction; defining the terms "affiliate" and "person"; amending s. 163.31801, F.S.; authorizing local governments and special districts to adopt a specified impact fee; requiring that the revenue generated from such impact fee be used for a specified purpose; creating s. 166.0452, F.S.; providing definitions; authorizing municipalities to create community land bank programs for a certain purpose; requiring certain municipalities to develop and annually adopt a community land bank plan; providing requirements for such plan; requiring a public hearing on the proposed plan before its adoption; requiring notice to certain entities; requiring the proposed plan to be made public within a certain timeframe before the public hearing; providing requirements for the sale of certain property to land banks; providing that such sale is for a public purpose; prohibiting certain persons from challenging the market value of property under certain circumstances; requiring written notice of a sale of such property to be provided to certain persons in a certain manner within a specified timeframe; authorizing the owner of certain property to contest the sale of such property and requiring such property to be sold in a different manner; specifying that the owner of certain property is not entitled to proceeds from the sale and is not liable for certain deficiencies; authorizing land banks to buy certain property for less than market value under certain circumstances; conveying the right, title, and interest in certain property to land banks; requiring land banks to offer qualified organizations a right of first refusal to purchase certain property; providing requirements for the right of first refusal; providing conditions for the subsequent resale of property acquired by land banks; requiring certain deed restrictions on certain property; providing requirements for such deed restrictions; authorizing the modification of or addition to deed restrictions; requiring land banks to maintain certain records; requiring land banks to file annual audited financial statements within a certain timeframe; requiring land banks to submit an annual performance report to a municipality by a certain date; providing requirements for such report; requiring copies of such report to be provided to certain entities and made available for public review; providing applicability; amending s. 196.061, F.S.; providing that rental of certain homestead property does not constitute abandonment in specified circumstances; creating s. 201.025, F.S.; providing the amount of documentary stamp tax imposed on purchases of certain property by certain entities; requiring revenue generated by such tax to be deposited into the Florida Affordable Housing Trust Fund; providing exceptions; creating s. 220.1851, F.S.; providing definitions; authorizing a tax credit for certain projects; providing the maximum value of such credit; authorizing the Florida Housing Finance Corporation to allocate the tax credit among certain projects; authorizing the tax credit to be transferred by the recipient; requiring the Department of Revenue to adopt rules; creating s. 420.50931, F.S.; creating the Retail-to-residence Tax Credit Program for a certain purpose; requiring the corporation to determine which projects are eligible for the tax credit; requiring the corporation to establish and adopt certain procedures and to prepare a specified annual plan; requiring such plan to be approved by the Governor; authorizing the corporation to exercise certain powers; requiring the board of directors of the corporation to administer certain procedures and determine allocations on behalf of the corporation; providing requirements for certain procedures; requiring taxpayers to submit an application with certain information to the corporation; authorizing the corporation to request additional information; providing requirements for the approval of an application for a project; creating s. 420.5098, F.S.; creating the Affordable Housing Construction Loan Program for a certain purpose; providing the corporation with certain powers and responsibilities relating to the program; providing requirements for the program; providing rulemaking authority; providing an effective date.

Committee Categories

Rita Harris (D)*,  Robin Bartleman (D),  LaVon Bracy Davis (D),  Daryl Campbell (D),  Fentrice Driskell (D),  Anna Eskamani (D),  Mike Gottlieb (D),  Yvonne Hinson (D),  Johanna López (D),  Felicia Robinson (D),  Mitch Rosenwald (D),  Kelly Skidmore (D),  Leonard Spencer (D), 

Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration (on 05/03/2025)

Official Document