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Sherman Oaks, CA · Austin, TX · Miami, FL

Partnership Careers Locations

FLORIDA markets Miami-Dade Tampa Broward Palm Beach Orlando
How Miami-Dade Regulates Development

The framework, in JDJ’s words

Each market on this site runs its own code, department names, and review process. Here’s Miami-Dade’s.

STATE PROGRAM

Live Local Act (Fla. Stat. §125.01055)

LOCAL AUTHORITY

Miami-Dade Zoning Dept.

KEY THRESHOLD

40% affordable/workforce set-aside

Miami-Dade Service Offerings

What JDJ handles in Miami-Dade

The top Live Local county in the state, alongside 90+ active condo projects — here’s where JDJ fits.

01. Entitlements & Land Use

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Live Local Act Administrative Approval

Zoning preemption applications for qualifying projects.

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Zoning Preemption Eligibility Screening

40% set-aside qualification review.

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Mixed-Use Entitlement Navigation

Brickell, Edgewater, Wynwood corridor projects.

02. Permit Expediting

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Condo Plan Review Coordination

Submittal management across departments.

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Corrections Response Management

Resubmittal coordination.

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03. Due Diligence & Feasibility

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Miami-Dade County Clerk Deed Research

Restriction research on recorded deeds.

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Density/Height Bonus Modeling

Live Local zoning benefit calculations.

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Pre-Development Feasibility

Site screening before you buy.

Local Relevance

What actually shapes a project here

The issues, timelines, and project types that come up most often when we work in Miami-Dade.

COMMON LAND USE ISSUES

The Live Local Act is actively being litigated — Bal Harbour and other municipalities have challenged its preemption authority, so eligibility screening now includes a real legal-risk conversation, not just a zoning check.

Commercial and industrial parcels that qualify for Live Local often sit adjacent to neighborhoods with strong local opposition, which can slow administrative approval even when the law technically allows it.

TIMLINES & HURDLES

Live Local projects bypass rezoning and public hearings, which can meaningfully shorten timelines — but only once eligibility and the 40% set-aside math are confirmed upfront.

Standard condo plan review in Miami-Dade still runs on a multi-month track regardless of Live Local status.

NOTABLE PROJECT TYPES
Mixed-use multifamily on commercial/industrial-zoned land is the signature Live Local project type. Brickell, Edgewater, and Wynwood remain the most active condo corridors in the county.

Local Terminology

Miami-Dade’s terms, decoded

The vocabulary you’ll hear from city or county staff, in plain English.

Live Local Act

State law preempting local zoning for 40%-affordable multifamily projects.

AMI

Area Median Income — basis for affordable unit pricing
thresholds.

Administrative Approval

Local approval without rezoning, hearings, or a council
vote.

MVA

Not applicable in FL — Dallas-specific term; Miami-Dade uses AMI-based thresholds instead.

From the Blog

Miami-Dade reading, written for your project

A few pieces our team is referencing right now for clients in this market.

Live Local Act

Is Your Site Live Local Eligible?

A quick screening checklist for the 40% set-aside threshold.

Litigation

The Legal Risk Behind Live Local

What the Bal Harbour and Hollywood lawsuits mean for your project.

Market

Brickell's Condo Pipeline in 2026

A look at what's actually under construction right now.

FAQ

Questions we hear most in Miami-Dade

Q. What is the Live Local Act?
A Florida law letting developers build multifamily housing on commercial or industrial land without rezoning, as long as 40% of units are affordable or workforce housing.

Q. Is Live Local Act zoning preemption being challenged in court?

Yes — Hollywood and Bal Harbour have both sued over its preemption authority. We flag this risk honestly before recommending the pathway.

Q. Do I need a public hearing for a Live Local project?

No — qualifying projects receive administrative approval, which is the law’s central benefit over traditional rezoning.