Under Live Local, communities must engage to shape projects or risk being left out entirely

A growing number of development proposals across South Florida are being shaped not by local planning boards or community meetings, but by a powerful state law that is rapidly changing how growth happens at the neighborhood level.

The Live Local Act, passed by the Legislature to address the state’s housing shortage, allows developers to bypass local zoning rules if they include a limited number of “affordable housing” units in their projects. While intended to increase housing supply, the law has had a significant secondary effect: it removes much of the traditional public review process. The Legislature’s latest changes to Live Local further expand developers’ ability to move projects forward without input from elected officials.

Under Live Local, projects can receive administrative approval without public hearings, advisory board input, or votes from local elected officials, effectively overriding community zoning decisions and eliminating what many residents consider meaningful engagement.

And developers are taking notice. Across Fort Lauderdale, several major proposals are moving forward under Live Local, particularly in areas where prior projects faced strong neighborhood opposition. In many cases, developers who once sought community input are now opting to bypass that process entirely.

The redevelopment of the Galleria Mall site offers a clear example.

Over the years, multiple developers attempted to reimagine the property, but each proposal faced sustained and uncompromising opposition from surrounding neighborhoods, ultimately leading to at least three failed efforts. This time, however, the new property owner took a different approach by utilizing Live Local to circumvent the traditional local approval process.

The result is a significantly larger-scale project than any previously proposed, one that complies with state law but moved forward without the same level of community input or negotiation.

Additionally, in Hollywood, a developer is suing the city over a proposed 17-story beachfront tower, claiming the Live Local Act allows it to override local height restrictions — raising concerns that residents could be sidelined from decisions shaping their own neighborhoods.

Local observers say the lesson is clear. Live Local has fundamentally shifted the balance of power. Developers now have a viable path to move projects forward without local buy-in, particularly when faced with blanket opposition. As state lawmakers continue to explore expanding the law, its use is only expected to increase.

Projects tied to Related Group, proposals along 17th Street, and additional developments, including interest along the barrier island suggest this is not an isolated trend, but the beginning of a broader shift in how development occurs across the city.

At the same time, the law allows increased density with relatively few requirements for infrastructure upgrades, raising concerns about traffic, utilities, and overall community impact, issues that were traditionally addressed during the local review process.

But perhaps the most significant impact is strategic.

Where opposition groups once relied on rejecting projects outright, that approach is becoming less effective and, in some cases, counterproductive.

When developers encounter uncompromising resistance, Live Local offers an alternative: move forward without negotiation. That reality is reshaping the development conversation.

Instead of stopping projects, all-or-nothing opposition may now result in larger developments with fewer community benefits and no opportunity for local input. In contrast, early engagement and collaboration with developers can still influence outcomes from project scale and design to infrastructure improvements and community amenities.

In this new environment, the path forward is increasingly clear: communities and elected officials that engage have leverage, while those that refuse risk being sidelined entirely.

As Florida continues to grow, Live Local is no longer just a housing policy. It is a defining force in how, where, and under what terms development takes place.