A Senator has refiled a bill aimed at expanding access to affordable housing to help accommodate Florida’s growing population.
Pensacola Republican Sen. Don Gaetz filed the measure (SB 48), cosponsored by Tamarac Democratic Sen. Rosalind Osgood, which aims to implement several provisions to reduce costs for renters while easing regulations for homeowners wanting to build accessory dwellings on their existing properties.
Gaetz filed a similar measure (SB 184) during the 2025 Legislative Session. However, despite bipartisan support during the bill’s passage through the Committee, it ultimately stalled.
The bill would establish what qualifies as a reusable tenant screening report, which includes employment verification, eviction history and credit information. Landlords would be able to accept these reports, requiring applicants to confirm there has been no change since their last report.
If a reusable screening report is used, the landlord would then be restricted from charging application or screening fees. However, landlords are not required to accept these reports, and the bill notes that it does not supersede any existing laws governing criminal history checks.
Local governments would also be required to adopt ordinances by Dec. 1, 2026, allowing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU), which are self-contained living spaces, to be placed on a homeowner’s property.
These ordinances would come with several restrictions. Local governments would be restricted from prohibiting an ADU owner from renting out the property, except in cases where the lease is less than one month.
Local governments would be further restricted from requiring the property owner to occupy the primary dwelling and prohibited from imposing excessive parking requirements or mandating replacement parking if garages are converted into ADUs.
The bill would also amend permit application requirements by removing the need for an affidavit attesting that the ADU would be rented at an affordable rate to a low-income individual. However, an ADU that is providing affordable housing would count toward local government housing goals.
Property owners with an ADU would also not lose or be denied a homestead exemption for the portions of their property that they maintain as a permanent residence. If a unit is rented, however, it would be required to be separately assessed and taxed.
Local governments could offer affordable housing incentives in the form of density bonuses to landowners who donate property for affordable housing, including housing for military families. Donated land would also be deed-restricted for affordable housing use.
The bill would further require the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) to evaluate the use of mezzanine finance, or second-position short-term debt, to support affordable home ownership and assess the potential of tiny homes to meet Florida’s housing needs.
OPPAGA would work alongside and consult with the Florida Housing Finance Corporation and the Shimberg Center at the University of Florida and submit findings and recommendations to the Legislature by Dec. 31, 2027.
If passed, the bill would take effect July 1, 2026.