Help Claiming the Live Local Act Tax Exemption in Boca Raton
Owners of apartment buildings and other multifamily rentals hire us to win the Live Local Act property tax break and keep it year after year. That means FHFC certification, the DR-504AFH filing with the county, checks on resident income and the yearly recertification. We meet clients from Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Deerfield Beach in our office or over phone and video.
- Savings estimate by phone
- Copies of every filing
- Office, phone or video
- Straight eligibility answers
What we handle for property owners
Claiming the exemption takes a series of filings, and each one leans on the step before it. We can run a Live Local Act exemption application from the first check to the final filing, or take on a single part such as FHFC certification filing, the county DR-504AFH filing or resident income verification. Once the first year is done, annual recertification and ongoing compliance support keep the savings coming.
Exemption Applications
We check which units qualify, then file the FHFC paperwork and county DR-504AFH so your building can get the Live Local property tax exemption.
FHFC Certification Filing
We prepare and file your Florida Housing certification request and send you copies of every page and confirmation screen along the way.
County DR-504AFH Filing
We prepare the DR-504AFH return, attach your FHFC certification and unit records, and file it with the county property appraiser on time.
Annual Recertification
We redo the yearly FHFC certification and county DR-504AFH filing for your property and send you scanned copies of everything we checked and filed.
Resident Income Verification
We check each tenant's income against the county limits and build unit-by-unit files your Live Local exemption can stand on.
Ongoing Compliance Support
We watch your affordable units, rent limits and deadlines all year so your Live Local exemption is ready to renew, with every step on record.
Where we work
Our office is in Boca Raton, and we work with property owners across south Palm Beach County and north Broward County. That includes Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Highland Beach, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Coconut Creek, Parkland and Coral Springs. Because the line between the two counties runs right through this area, we file with both county property appraisers.
- Boca Raton
- Deerfield Beach
- Delray Beach
- Highland Beach
- Pompano Beach
- Coconut Creek
- Parkland
- Lighthouse Point
- Watergate
- Coral Springs
- Boynton Beach
If your property sits outside these towns, give us a call anyway. Nearly everything we do runs over the phone and on video, so the drive rarely matters.
About our company
We are a Boca Raton consulting firm that does one thing: help rental property owners claim and keep the Live Local Act property tax exemption. We do not sell anything else. That focus lets us know the forms, the deadlines and the places where applications tend to get denied.
Our way of working is simple. We show you what we found in your records, we show you what we filed, and we keep a copy of both in your file. You never have to wonder what was filed or when. If something needs a fix, you hear about it from us first, in plain words.
How a job runs, start to finish
Nearly all of it runs over the phone, on video and through shared files. Coming to our office is optional.
- 1
A first call about savings
Describe the building to us: how many units, what they rent for and who lives there. We say whether it seems to qualify and give a rough idea of the tax savings. The call costs nothing.
- 2
Going through your records
You send the rent roll, the leases and the resident income files. We test every set-aside unit and go over a written list with you showing what passes, what needs fixing and what is missing.
- 3
Sending in the filings
First we prepare and send the FHFC certification request, then the DR-504AFH goes to the county property appraiser. A copy of each filing and each confirmation reaches you as it happens.
- 4
Holding on to the exemption
Each year the exemption must be renewed. We watch the dates, refresh the income checks and take care of recertification so the savings continue.
What moves the cost of exemption work
No two properties take the same amount of work. A clean rent roll with current income files moves fast. A building with years of loose paperwork takes longer. Here is what makes the difference.
Your free savings estimate call gives you a rough idea of what the exemption could be worth. After we see your rent roll, you get a written estimate for our work, with each item listed.
- Number of units
- More set-aside units means more income files to check and more rents to test against the caps.
- State of your records
- If resident income certifications are current and complete, we review them. If they are missing or out of date, we have to rebuild them first, and that takes time.
- First year or renewal
- A first-year application means setting up the whole file. Annual recertification on a property we already know is lighter work.
- Parcels and counties
- A single parcel in Palm Beach County is simpler than several parcels or properties split between Palm Beach and Broward, where each county appraiser has its own process.
- How close the deadline is
- Starting early leaves room to fix problems. Work done in the last few weeks before a filing date gets squeezed, and some fixes may not fit.
How we work on your exemption
Tax filings go wrong in quiet ways. A missing income file or a rent set a few dollars too high can cost a unit its exemption, so we show you what we found and what we did at every step.
You get a copy of everything
Every filing goes to you as a dated copy. When we file through a state or county portal, you get a screenshot of the confirmation page. If an assessor or auditor asks later, you already have the record.
An honest answer on eligibility
Some properties qualify and some do not. If yours falls short on unit count, income limits or rent levels, we tell you on the first call and explain why. We would rather lose the job than file something that will not hold up.
We check unit by unit
We go through your rent roll line by line. Each set-aside unit gets checked against its income limit and its rent cap. Any unit that does not pass gets flagged with a note, so you can fix it or leave it out.
Written scope before we start
You see in writing what we will file, what we need from you and what it costs before any work begins. No add-ons halfway through.
One calendar for the whole year
Certification, county filing and recertification all have their own timing. We keep the dates and tell you what is coming well before it is due.
What owners want to know
- Does my property qualify for the Live Local Act exemption?
- It hinges on your unit count, how many units are reserved for income-qualified residents and what those units rent for. The law has hard minimums, and rents have to stay under the caps. The quickest way to know is a free phone eligibility check. If the building falls short, we tell you.
- What might the exemption be worth?
- Three numbers drive it: your assessed value, the local millage rate and the count of qualifying units in each income tier. Units rented to lower-income residents earn a bigger break than units in the higher tier. You get a ballpark figure on the free savings estimate call, and we refine it once we see the rent roll.
- What separates FHFC certification from the DR-504AFH?
- With FHFC certification, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation confirms the property meets the program rules. The DR-504AFH is the form you file with the county property appraiser to actually claim the exemption. The county form relies on the certification, so the order counts. We handle both and send you a copy of each.
- Does the exemption carry over on its own?
- No. Each tax year needs a fresh certification and a fresh county application, and resident income files have to stay current. Miss a year and you lose that year's savings. Our annual recertification service handles the yearly round and keeps track of the deadlines.
- What do you need from my residents?
- For every set-aside unit, the file has to show the resident's income is within that unit's limit. Usually that means the income certifications and supporting papers your manager already collects. We review them, flag what is missing and help close the gaps, collecting only the personal details the filing requires.
- Is it too late if a deadline already went by?
- Call us and tell us which deadline passed and what happened. The options depend on the county and the details, and sometimes the best move is to get set up properly for next year. We will give you a realistic answer rather than a hopeful one.
- Do I have to come to your office?
- No. Most owners work with us by phone and video and send their documents directly. If you prefer to meet in person, you are welcome at our Boca Raton office.
Learn what the exemption could be worth to you
Describe your building on a quick call. We will tell you, free of charge, whether it seems to qualify and about how much it could save.