ServicesAnnual Recertification
Annual Live Local Act Recertification in Pompano Beach
The Live Local Act exemption does not renew itself. Each year your property has to qualify again, with a fresh certification and a new county application. We check this year's rents and income records, prepare the filings and explain each requirement in plain terms.
Why Last Year's Approval Is Not Enough
Florida's Live Local Act lets a qualifying multifamily property exempt some or all of its affordable units from property tax, but the savings last for one tax year only. Keeping them means a new application to the county property appraiser by March 1, backed by a current certification from Florida Housing Finance Corporation.
What changed during the year matters. Units turn over, rents go up, residents' incomes change, and the area median income figures used to set the limits are updated. A property that qualified last year can fall short this year without anyone noticing until the filing is due.
Annual recertification is the right call if you already hold the exemption, or if you were approved recently and want the second year to go as smoothly as the first. If you are applying for the first time, start with our Live Local Act Exemption Applications page instead.
What Our Recertification Work Covers
A fresh qualification check
We compare your current rent roll against this year's income and rent limits. We confirm the property still meets the minimum unit count and the share of units set aside as affordable.
Updated FHFC certification request
We prepare the request to Florida Housing Finance Corporation and send it in early enough for the certification to come back before the county deadline. Our FHFC Certification Filing page covers that step in more detail.
The county DR-504AFH
We complete the DR-504AFH for the property appraiser with this year's unit counts and supporting documents, then file it with the FHFC certification attached.
Resident income records
We review the income certifications on file for each affordable unit and flag any that are missing, expired or out of date. If many need updating, our Resident Income Verification service can take that on.
A plain-language summary
You get a short written summary of what we found, what we filed and anything to watch before next year's cycle begins.
Signs Your Renewal Needs Attention Now
- March 1 is getting close
- The county application is due by March 1, and the FHFC certification has to be in hand first. If neither has been started by the end of the year, the timeline gets tight.
- Rents went up this year
- Increases on affordable units can push a unit past its limit. One or two over-limit units can change how many units qualify, and that changes the exemption.
- High turnover among residents
- Every new resident in an affordable unit needs an income certification. Busy leasing seasons are when files go missing.
- Management changed hands
- A new management company may not know which units were counted last year or where the records live. We rebuild the picture before anything is filed.
- Last year's filing was rushed
- If the first application came together at the last minute, this year is a good time to set up records properly so future renewals stay calm.
How a Recertification Runs With Us
- 1
A free eligibility check by phone
We talk through your property, last year's approval and what has changed since. You learn quickly whether the property still looks likely to qualify.
- 2
Document review
You share the rent roll, lease details and income certifications. We work from our office and by phone or video, so there is no need for a site visit.
- 3
Fixing gaps before filing
We list anything missing or out of line and walk you through how to correct it. Nothing is filed until the numbers support it.
- 4
FHFC request, then the county filing
We send the certification request to Florida Housing Finance Corporation and follow its progress. Once the certification arrives, we file the DR-504AFH with the property appraiser.
- 5
Confirmation and next year's notes
We share copies of everything filed and a short list of dates for the coming year.
What Shapes the Cost of a Renewal
We quote recertification work by phone after we understand your property. The fee depends mostly on how much work the records need, not on the size of your tax savings. You will know the price before we begin, and the free savings estimate shows what is at stake.
- Number of units
- More affordable units mean more income certifications and more rent checks to review.
- Condition of the records
- Organized, current files take far less time than missing or scattered ones.
- Changes since last year
- A new owner, new management or a large rent update adds review work.
- How close the deadline is
- Starting in the fall leaves room. Starting in late February means compressed work on both filings.
Questions About Annual Recertification
- If we were approved last year, are we automatically approved this year?
- No. The exemption covers one tax year at a time. You need a new FHFC certification and a new DR-504AFH filed with the county by March 1 each year. Missing the deadline can cost you the exemption for that year.
- When should we start the renewal?
- We suggest starting in the fall. That leaves time to correct record gaps and lets the FHFC certification come back well ahead of the county deadline.
- What happens if some units no longer qualify?
- Only qualifying units count toward the exemption, and the property must still meet the overall set-aside requirement. We tell you plainly where things stand and which changes, if any, could bring units back within the limits.
- Is renewal work something you handle often?
- It is a steady part of our week. The filings we have prepared so far cover about 100 Florida properties, and many of those come back to us for their yearly renewal. Each property still gets its own review, because no two rent rolls look alike.
- Do we need to meet in person?
- Not at all. We handle recertification from our office and by phone or video. Owners in Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale and nearby cities simply share their documents and we take it from there.
Keep This Year's Exemption on Track
Tell us about your property and last year's filing. We will let you know where the renewal stands and what it needs before March 1.