Bills Seek to Increase Availability of Affordable Housing

Several bills have been filed this Session to address a shortage of affordable housing and provide more housing options across the state. SB 48, passed unanimously by the Senate on February 4, would require local governments to allow the construction of small detached residential buildings known as accessory dwelling units, or ADUs—sometimes called Granny Flats or Backyard Cottages—on family home lots. "ADUs can increase workforce housing because ADUs cost less to build, they cost less to rent, and are often located in areas where workers need to live and be close to their jobs," said the measure’s sponsor, Senator Don Gaetz (Pensacola). The measure has been sent to the House, where a similar bill, HB 313 by Rep. Danny Nix, Jr. (Port Charlotte), is still working through the committee process.

The Florida Starter Homes Act—SB 948 by Senator Stan McClain (Ocala) and HB 1143 by Rep. Nix—would help increase the supply of housing and lower costs by allowing for smaller homes on smaller lots. Lot and home size ordinances, which were increasingly enacted over the late twentieth century, have been a major restriction on the ability to construct the amount and variety of housing to meet the needs of Americans, especially families. SB 948 is in its second committee of reference, Judiciary. HB 1143 has yet to be heard in committee.

Measure Protects Government Workers by Restricting Gender Identity Employment Practices

SB 1642 would prohibit public employers from requiring employees to refer to co-workers by their preferred pronouns if they do not correspond to the person’s sex at birth. “The government can’t coerce this—you can’t be forced to do something if it violates your conscience,” said bill sponsor, Senator Stan McClain (Ocala). “Employees shouldn’t be forced to choose between their conscience and their job.” The bill covers state and local governments, and contractors, and declares that “it is the policy of this state that a person’s sex is an immutable biological trait and that it is false to ascribe to a person a pronoun that does not correspond to such person’s sex.” A similar law is already in place covering workers in public schools. In addition to providing for civil remedies for anyone disciplined or fired for refusing to go along with others’ pronoun choices, the bill would make it unlawful for public employers to require training on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. 

On February 2, SB 1642 was approved by its first committee, Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability, on a 6-3 vote. The House companion, HB 641 by Rep. Rachel Plakon (Longwood), was also passed by its first committee this week, the House Government Operations Subcommittee, on a vote of 11-4.