ServicesExemption Applications
Live Local Act Exemption Applications in Boca Raton
We put together your Live Local Act property tax exemption application from start to finish. We check which units qualify, file with Florida Housing and the county, and send you a copy of every page that goes out in your name.
What this exemption does for your building
Under the Live Local Act, a qualifying rental property can take a break on property taxes for the units leased to residents who earn under set income limits. For many multifamily buildings, that cuts the tax bill by a real amount every year. The catch is the paperwork. It runs through two agencies, has firm deadlines, and gets denied over small errors.
This fits owners and managers of rental buildings with more than 70 units set aside as affordable. It also fits if you suspect part of your building is already renting inside the caps on income and rent. We work with clients in Boca Raton and nearby towns like Delray Beach and Deerfield Beach from our office, by phone and by video.
We keep a record of everything. When we pull a rent roll, flag a unit or file a form, you get a copy or a screenshot of it. You never have to guess what was sent in your name.
What we handle on an exemption application
A qualifying check on each unit
We read your rent roll line by line and compare every unit's rent and its resident's income with the current Palm Beach County limits. You get back a list sorted three ways: units that qualify, units that are close, and units that fall outside.
Savings estimate
Before you commit, we estimate what the exemption could save using your current assessed value and the units that qualify. That number tells you if the filing is worth the effort.
The Florida Housing request
The county will not grant the exemption until the Florida Housing Finance Corporation signs off on the property in writing. We prepare that request, file it and keep after it until the letter is issued. Our FHFC Certification Filing page covers this step in more detail.
DR-504AFH with the property appraiser
Once the Florida Housing letter is in hand, we file Form DR-504AFH with the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser by the March 1 deadline, with that letter attached.
A dated folder of every filing
You get every form, attachment and confirmation receipt in one place, with dates. If the county or Florida Housing asks a question later, the answer is already on file.
Signs it is time to file
Your tax bill keeps climbing
Assessed values on multifamily property have risen fast. If taxes are eating into what the building earns, it is worth checking whether some units qualify.
Many residents earn modest incomes
If a good share of your residents work local jobs and pay rents below market, some units may already meet the limits. You could be leaving an exemption on the table.
You have never filed
A lot of owners heard about the Live Local Act but never applied. The exemption is not automatic. No application means no exemption.
A past application was denied
Denials often come from a missing attachment, a late Florida Housing letter, or rents that went over the limit by a few dollars. We look at what was sent and tell you plainly if it can be fixed for next year.
You are buying or building
If you are planning a purchase or a new project, knowing the exemption picture early helps you set rents and run the numbers.
How an application runs with us
- 1
Start with a phone call
Give us the basics: how many units, what they rent for and the general income range of the people living there. We let you know if the property deserves a closer look. The check is free and you owe nothing after it.
- 2
Document review
You send the rent roll, leases and income records. We review them unit by unit and send back a marked-up copy showing what we found.
- 3
Florida Housing and county filing
We file the Florida Housing request first, then the DR-504AFH with the property appraiser. Each time something goes out, you get a receipt or screenshot.
- 4
Follow-up until it is granted
We answer any questions from Florida Housing or the county and let you know when the exemption shows on your record. Because it has to be renewed each year, we also set up the file for Annual Recertification.
What changes the fee
What we charge depends on how much work your file takes. After the free eligibility check we go over it by phone, and the fee comes to you in writing before we begin. These factors move it the most.
- How many units
- Reviewing a 72-unit building takes less time than a 300-unit complex, since each qualifying unit gets its own income and rent check.
- Condition of your records
- Up-to-date rent rolls and income files keep the fee lower. Records that are missing or scattered across several systems take longer to assemble. Our Resident Income Verification service can close those gaps.
- How close the deadline is
- Beginning in the fall gives us space. When a file begins only a few weeks ahead of March 1, rush work is needed to have the Florida Housing letter in time.
- Earlier denials or unresolved questions
- When an earlier filing was turned down or the county still has questions about the property, resolving that takes extra time.
Questions about exemption applications
Something not covered here? (561) 786-4331
What could the exemption save us?
That rests on your assessed value, the local millage and the number of qualifying units. Units leased at lower income levels earn a bigger exemption than those at higher levels. Our free savings estimate uses your own numbers, so you get an actual figure rather than a guess.
When is the filing due?
The property appraiser must receive the DR-504AFH by March 1 for that tax year, and the Florida Housing letter has to arrive before that, so we prefer to begin months in advance. Missing March 1 usually means a full year's wait.
Is a new application needed each year?
It is. The Florida Housing step and the county filing both happen every year. Residents and rents shift, so each year's file must match who lives in the units today. Annual Recertification is how we cover that.
Will you guarantee approval?
An honest consultant can't. Florida Housing and the county decide. Our part is to file a complete and correct application, let you see each page before it goes out and respond quickly to anything they ask.
Will we have to meet face to face?
Usually not. Most clients work with us over phone and video. If you prefer going through the papers together in person, our office is open to you.
What papers should I gather?
An up-to-date rent roll, the lease terms for every unit and income records for residents of the units you expect to qualify. Last year's tax bill helps with the savings estimate. If the income records are thin, we can help collect them.
Find out what your building could save
Tell us the unit count and current rents, and we will tell you if an exemption is worth filing. The check costs nothing.