Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Live Local Act Exemption Help in Palm Beach Gardens
Our job is to get qualifying multifamily properties approved for the Live Local Act property tax exemption, then keep that approval in place. We check eligibility, file the FHFC certification request, prepare the county DR-504AFH, verify tenant income and handle yearly recertification for owners in Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter and West Palm Beach.
- Free eligibility check
- Every form explained
- Unit-by-unit review
- Phone and video meetings
How a Filing Runs, Start to Finish
Everything here is decided from documents, so our meetings happen by phone, over video or in person at our office. No one needs to walk the property.
- 1
Free eligibility check by phone
You tell us the unit count, current rents and roughly how many tenants fall at each income level. We tell you whether the property looks eligible and estimate what the exemption could save.
- 2
Document review
We go through your rent roll, leases and tenant income certifications. Any gaps get flagged in a list you can hand straight to your property manager.
- 3
Certification request to FHFC
Next we assemble the package that goes to Florida Housing. It documents that each qualifying unit sits within the income and rent limits. The county will not grant the exemption until FHFC has certified the property.
- 4
County DR-504AFH filing
Once certification is in hand, we prepare the DR-504AFH application for the property appraiser. We include the unit schedule and the supporting documents.
- 5
Recertification each year
The exemption is not permanent. Every year we update tenant incomes and rents, then repeat both filings.
What We File and Manage
The Live Local Act exemption is a chain of separate steps. Each one has its own form, its own agency and its own deadline. We handle live local act exemption applications, FHFC certification filing, county DR-504AFH filing, annual recertification, resident income verification and ongoing compliance support. Before we prepare anything, we tell you what each step asks for and why the agency wants it.
Exemption Applications
We check whether your multifamily property qualifies for the Live Local Act tax exemption, then prepare and file each piece so the exemption actually lands on your tax bill.
FHFC Certification Filing
We assemble the unit, rent and income records the Florida Housing Finance Corporation reviews, then file the certification request your exemption depends on.
County DR-504AFH Filing
We prepare and file form DR-504AFH with the county property appraiser, matched line by line to your FHFC certification and rent roll.
Annual Recertification
We rebuild your qualifying unit list, recheck rents and incomes, and refile so your Live Local exemption carries into the next tax year.
Resident Income Verification
We check each set-aside unit's tenant income file against the county's income and rent limits so your Live Local exemption rests on documents that hold up.
Ongoing Compliance Support
Year-round tracking of rent limits, qualifying units and tenant files so your Live Local Act exemption holds up between filings.
What Moves Our Fee
The hours a property's file takes are what set our fee. Current, organized tenant files go quickly, while income records that have to be rebuilt add real time. A few questions on the first call usually show which case yours is.
After a short review of your property, we describe the scope of work by phone and then confirm it in writing before we begin. The savings estimate itself is free.
- Number of qualifying units
- Each claimed unit needs its rent and tenant income checked against the limits. A 72-unit property and a 300-unit property are very different jobs.
- Income tiers in play
- A unit rented to a tenant earning up to 80 percent of area median income earns a different exemption than one rented at up to 120 percent. Properties with both tiers need a schedule that sorts each group and reconciles the totals, which takes more care.
- Condition of the tenant files
- Missing pay stubs, outdated certifications or unsigned forms have to be collected before anything is filed. Organized files keep the work short.
- First filing or recertification
- The first year means setting up the documentation from scratch. Later years mostly involve updating income, rents and turnover.
- Timing against the deadlines
- If you contact us well ahead of the filing dates, the work runs on a normal schedule. If you call close to a deadline, more of it has to happen at once.
About Our Practice
We focus on one narrow piece of Florida property tax law: the affordable housing exemption created by the Live Local Act. Because that is all we do, we can show you how the statute, the FHFC certification and the county application fit together, and where filings usually go wrong.
Our approach is simple. Before we ask you to sign anything, you should understand what the exemption requires, what it is worth to your property and what you have to keep doing to hold on to it. We keep our language plain, and we put our numbers in writing.
How We Work With Owners
Most denied or reduced exemptions trace back to one of two things: a missing document or a misread rule. We try to remove both by walking you through the reasoning behind every entry on each form.
An eligibility answer before any paperwork
First we look at your unit count, rent roll and tenant income levels. Then we tell you plainly whether the property qualifies. If it falls short, we name the requirement it misses so you can decide what to do next.
Forms explained line by line
The DR-504AFH and the FHFC certification request use terms like area median income, set-aside units and assessed value. We go through what each field means and where its number comes from. You will know what you are signing.
Units checked one at a time
The exemption is figured on the qualifying units, not the building as a whole. We match every claimed unit to its rent, its income tier and the tenant file behind it. That way the 75 percent and 100 percent units are counted correctly.
A calendar built around the deadlines
Certification has to be requested from FHFC before the county filing can go in. Missing either date can cost you a full tax year. We map out the dates with you at the start, so each document is ready before it is due.
You review the file before it goes in
Nothing gets submitted until you have seen the finished package and had your questions answered.
Owners We Work With Across North Palm Beach County
We are based in Palm Beach Gardens and work with multifamily owners and managers throughout the area. That includes Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, North Palm Beach, Lake Park, Tequesta and Juno Beach. We also serve Mangonia Park, The Acreage and Jupiter Farms.
- Palm Beach Gardens
- Jupiter
- West Palm Beach
- The Acreage
- Riviera Beach
- North Palm Beach
- Jupiter Farms
- Lake Park
- Tequesta
- Juno Beach
- Mangonia Park
Since the work runs on paperwork and conversation, where your building sits makes no difference. A phone call or video meeting covers it just as well as a visit to our office.
Common Questions About the Live Local Act Exemption
- What is the Live Local Act property tax exemption?
- It is a Florida property tax exemption for multifamily properties that set aside more than 70 units for tenants at specified income levels. Rents on those units must stay within the statutory limits. The exemption applies to the assessed value of the qualifying units, not the entire property. We check the current rules against your rent roll before telling you whether you qualify.
- How much of the tax can the exemption remove?
- Under the statute, units rented to tenants earning up to 120 percent of area median income can receive a 75 percent exemption. Units for tenants at or below 80 percent can receive 100 percent. Your actual savings depend on how many units fall in each tier and on the assessed value. Our free savings estimate works through those numbers for your property.
- What are the filing deadlines?
- Certification has to be requested from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation first. After that, the DR-504AFH goes to the county property appraiser. The statute sets the certification request around the start of the year and the county application by early spring. We confirm the exact dates for your tax year when we start. Missing a deadline usually means waiting until the next year.
- Do I have to apply again every year?
- Yes. Both the FHFC certification and the county application are annual. Tenant incomes and rents change, units turn over, and the agencies want current figures. Our annual recertification service keeps that cycle on schedule.
- What income documentation do tenants need to provide?
- Typically each qualifying tenant needs an income certification backed by source documents such as pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns. These have to be current for the filing period. Our resident income verification service reviews these files and points out anything that would not hold up if the agency checks it.
- Can I tell whether my property qualifies before paying for anything?
- Yes. The eligibility check is free. Give us your unit count, current rents and a rough breakdown of tenant incomes on a call. We will tell you whether the property appears to meet the requirements and, if it doesn't, which one it misses.
- Do you need to visit the property?
- No. The exemption is decided on paper. You or your manager share the rent roll and tenant files, and we talk them through with you over the phone, on a video call or across the table at our office.
Find Out What the Exemption Is Worth to Your Property
Give us a few numbers from your rent roll. We will tell you whether the property qualifies and what the exemption could save, without obligation.