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Committee launches 'Live Better' work plan; university‑led survey to define attainable rental targets
Summary
Members approved a plan to conduct a housing needs survey (with a university partnership preferred) to define an attainable‑housing AMI and draft zoning and financial incentives; staff will return with draft incentives after survey results.
The committee on Jan. 16 approved a motion to move forward with a housing‑needs assessment to guide a new Live Better program aimed at producing attainable rental housing for the “missing middle.” The committee favored a university‑led survey and asked staff to return with policy recommendations based on the results.
Chair Fernandez (item sponsor) framed the program as a response to rising local housing costs and the need to create rental housing for residents who earn too much to qualify for deep‑affordable programs but too little to afford market rents. He said the city’s cost of living is “30% higher than the national average” and described the survey as the way to identify an appropriate Area Median Income (AMI) target for attainable units.
Leslie Rosenfeld, the city’s chief education officer (speaking about partnerships), said Miami Beach maintains partnerships with local universities and could engage students and faculty to run a robust, community‑focused survey. Planning staff said survey results would inform targeted zoning incentives, such as waived minimum parking, transfer of site plan approvals to staff, commission warrants for increased FAR/height and reductions in setbacks for eligible educational or residential projects.
Committee members asked that survey questions include ranking of housing features, renter income and current housing costs, and that survey administration be designed to capture both residents and people who work in the city. The committee voted to recommend a university‑led survey (or equivalent academic partnership) by resolution to the City Commission and to keep the item in committee so staff can return with draft incentives after survey completion.
