By Fred Seely
Editor
The real estate and construction industries found this year’s Legislature to be agreeable with their needs. Better yet, the industries didn’t get any unwanted items.
There was little on the table for the real estate industry. A bill that removes unnecessary barriers to condo bulk-buyers passed, and it is expected that it will help spark sales.
Another measure with some real estate implications - a change in property taxes - made it through but Gov. Charlie Crist identified it as a politically-based bill and says he’ll veto it.
In addition to the condo bill, there were other major victories with bills that:
• Prohibit mandatory residential fire sprinklers from being added to the Florida Building Code.
• Prevent job killing regulations associated with agency rulemaking efforts.
• Validate permit extensions and DRI exemptions.
• Fund Phase II of the Department of Health study of performance-based septic treatment systems.
“With the passage of these great bills, lawmakers have put the brakes on Florida’s decline,” said David Hart, Vice President of Legislative and Governmental Affairs for the Florida Home Builders Association. “They recognize that Florida’s building industry is vital to our state’s economy, and took positive actions to create a more hospitable environment for private sector job growth.”
Despite the successes, the FHBA leadership was disappointed that lawmakers could not move legislation lifting the cap on the Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund across the finish line. The affordable housing measure had majority support in both the House and Senate; however, an unfriendly amendment was added to the bill that ultimately caused the bill to die.
The so-called “Condo Bulk-Buyers” bill was aimed at investors wishing to make bulk condominium purchases of more than seven units. They will no longer have to accept the legal and financial liabilities of the original developer.
The proponents said that investors have been sitting on the sideline - choosing not to buy condos in bulk - during a time when Florida desperately needed their help to reduce inventory and return stability to the market. The passage of the bill removes the condo bulk-buyer barriers and will help ensure a stronger economic recovery.
Another victory was stopping an effort to force installation of mandatory residential fire sprinklers in one- and two-family dwellings to be added to the Florida Building Code.
Without the passage of this bill, the Florida Building Commission would have been forced to include mandatory residential fire sprinklers in the 2010 Florida Building Code because of a directive from the International Code Congress. Florida is one of more than 20 states that filed legislation to block this mandate.
“We thank Florida lawmakers for the strong support they showed the building industry during the 2010 Legislative Session, and now shift our focus to ensuring each measure is signed into law by Governor Charlie Crist,” said Hart.