Live Local Act Exemption Help for Sunrise Property Owners
We help apartment owners and developers claim and keep the Live Local Act property tax exemption. That covers FHFC certification, the county DR-504AFH filing, tenant income verification and each year's recertification. We work with owners in Sunrise, Plantation, Tamarac and across Broward, at our office or by phone and video.
- Free eligibility check
- Free savings estimate
- Office, phone or video
- Fix first, refile if needed
What We File and Track for You
The exemption is not one form. It is a chain: an FHFC certification, a county filing, tenant income records that back it up, and a renewal every year. We handle Live Local Act exemption applications, FHFC certification filing, county DR-504AFH filing, annual recertification, resident income verification and ongoing compliance support. You can hire us for one link in the chain or the whole thing.
Exemption Applications
We check whether your multifamily property qualifies, then prepare the state certification package and county exemption filing in the right order.
FHFC Certification Filing
We prepare and file the Florida Housing Finance Corporation certification your property needs so the county can act on a Live Local Act exemption.
County DR-504AFH Filing
We prepare and check the county DR-504AFH return for your Live Local property so the exemption request matches your FHFC certification and rent roll.
Annual Recertification
We renew your Live Local Act exemption each year by updating last year's file, getting a new FHFC certification and filing the county DR-504AFH on time.
Resident Income Verification
We check each tenant's income against current limits and put the proof in the file, so your Live Local units count when the county and FHFC look.
Ongoing Compliance Support
Steady help keeping a Live Local Act exemption in good standing between filings, from rent checks to deadline tracking and audit prep.
Where We Work
We are based in Sunrise and work with owners throughout Broward County, including Plantation, Lauderhill, Tamarac, North Lauderdale, Lauderdale Lakes, Davie, Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach. Most of the work happens by phone, video or at our office, so the property's address matters less than the county it files in.
- Sunrise
- Plantation
- Lauderhill
- Tamarac
- North Lauderdale
- Lauderdale Lakes
- Roosevelt Gardens
- Fort Lauderdale
- Coral Springs
- Pompano Beach
- Davie
If your property is outside these towns, call anyway. We can tell you quickly whether we are a good fit.
What Moves the Cost of Exemption Work
Our fee depends on how much work your property actually needs. A clean, well-kept rent roll on one building is a different job from a portfolio with gaps in tenant files. Here is what we look at.
After the free eligibility check, we give you a written estimate of our fee and scope. No dollar amounts are set until we have seen what your property needs.
- Number of units and properties
- More units mean more income certifications to review and more rows to reconcile. Several properties each need their own filings.
- State of your tenant records
- Current, signed income certifications move fast. Missing or outdated files take time to rebuild with your management team.
- First filing or renewal
- A first-year application involves setting up the FHFC certification and the county filing from scratch. A renewal usually builds on work already done.
- Prior denials or open questions
- If the county or FHFC has already flagged a problem, we have to sort out that history first. Sometimes that is a short letter, sometimes it is more.
- How close the deadline is
- Florida exemption filings run on a firm annual deadline. Starting early gives everyone room. Starting in late February compresses the work.
How We Work With Owners
Most owners come to us with something already started. A filing that stalled, a certificate that lapsed, a rent roll that does not match the units claimed. We start from there.
We fix what you have first
If a prior application was denied or came back with questions, we look at whether a correction or a missing document will settle it. Often it will. When the record is too tangled and a clean new application is the faster path, we tell you that and explain why.
You see the numbers before you commit
The free savings estimate shows roughly what the exemption could be worth on your property, based on the units that qualify. If the savings do not justify the paperwork, we say so plainly.
Every document gets checked against the others
The FHFC certificate, the DR-504AFH, the rent roll and the tenant income files have to agree. We match unit counts, rent levels and income figures line by line ahead of every submission, so the property appraiser has fewer reasons to push back.
No surprises on scope
At the start, we write down what we will file, what we need from you and when. If something new turns up, like a unit mix change or a missing tenant file, we talk with you first if the scope needs to change.
Easy to reach, easy to meet
We meet at our office or by phone and video. Your property manager can join the call, which saves a lot of back and forth on tenant records.
How a Typical Engagement Runs
The steps below fit most first-time filings. Renewals skip some of them.
- 1
Free eligibility check by phone
We ask about unit count, rents, tenant income levels and any past filings. You find out whether the property looks like it qualifies and roughly what it could save.
- 2
Document review
You or your property manager send the rent roll, leases and income certifications. We flag gaps and tell you what to fix and what is fine as it stands.
- 3
Certification and county filing
We prepare the FHFC certification request and, once it is issued, the DR-504AFH for the Broward County Property Appraiser. You review and sign. We track both until they are accepted.
- 4
Answer follow-up questions
If the appraiser or FHFC asks for more, we respond with the documents they need. We keep you copied so nothing happens behind your back.
- 5
Set up the next year
When we close out, we put the renewal timeline on paper and note which tenant files will need fresh income checks.
About Live Local Act Consultant Sunrise
We are a small Sunrise firm that does one thing: help multifamily owners claim and keep the Live Local Act property tax exemption. The law is still fairly new, the forms changed after it passed, and many owners and managers are filing it for the first time.
We keep the work plain. We tell you what qualifies, what does not, and what it will take. If your existing paperwork can be corrected instead of redone, that is where we start.
- Clients
- Clients include Coral Rock Development Group and Terra Group
Common Questions From Owners
Something not covered here? (954) 833-4602
How do I know if my property qualifies?
It depends on the number of units, how many are set aside for residents at certain income levels, and the rents charged on those units. The free eligibility check covers those points in one call. If the property is close but not quite there, we explain what would need to change.
What is the difference between the FHFC certification and the DR-504AFH?
The FHFC certification is the state's confirmation that the property meets the program's requirements. The DR-504AFH is the exemption application you file with the county property appraiser. You generally need the certification in hand to support the county filing, and both have to line up.
Do I have to apply every year?
Yes. The exemption is renewed annually, and the tenant income and rent information has to stay current. Our annual recertification work handles that renewal so the exemption does not lapse.
My application was denied. Do I have to start over?
Not always. Many denials come from a missing document or a mismatch between the rent roll and the units claimed. We look at the denial first and see if it can be corrected. If a fresh filing is the cleaner route, we explain why before you commit to it.
How much could the exemption save me?
That depends on your assessed value, millage and how many units qualify at each income level. Our free savings estimate gives you a realistic figure for your property, so you can decide with real numbers in front of you.
What do you need from my property manager?
Usually the current rent roll, lease terms for the qualifying units and each resident's income certification. We send a simple list so your manager knows exactly what to pull.
Do we have to meet in person?
No. Most owners work with us by phone and video. You are welcome at our office in Sunrise if you prefer to sit down and go through files together.
Find Out Where Your Property Stands
One phone call tells you whether the exemption fits your property and what it could be worth. No forms, no obligation.