(1) Property used to provide affordable housing to eligible persons as defined by s. 159.603 and natural persons or families meeting the extremely-low-income, very-low-income, low-income, or moderate-income limits specified in s. 420.0004, which is owned entirely by a nonprofit entity that is a corporation not for profit, qualified as charitable under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and in compliance with Rev. Proc. 96-32, 1996-1 C.B. 717, is considered property owned by an exempt entity and used for a charitable purpose, and those portions of the affordable housing property that provide housing to natural persons or families classified as extremely low income, very low income, low income, or moderate income under s. 420.0004 are exempt from ad valorem taxation to the extent authorized under s. 196.196. All property identified in this section must comply with the criteria provided under s. 196.195 for determining exempt status and applied by property appraisers on an annual basis. The Legislature intends that any property owned by a limited liability company which is disregarded as an entity for federal income tax purposes pursuant to Treasury Regulation 301.7701-3(b)(1)(ii) be treated as owned by its sole member.

(2)(a) Notwithstanding ss. 196.195 and 196.196, property in a multifamily project that meets the requirements of this paragraph is considered property used for a charitable purpose and shall receive a 50 percent discount from the amount of ad valorem tax otherwise owed beginning with the January 1 assessment after the 15th completed year of the term of the recorded agreement on those portions of the affordable housing property that provide housing to natural persons or families meeting the extremely-low-income, very-low-income, or low-income limits specified in s. 420.0004. The multifamily project must:

1. Contain more than 70 units that are used to provide affordable housing to natural persons or families meeting the extremely-low-income, very-low-income, or low-income limits specified in s. 420.0004; and

2. Be subject to an agreement with the Florida Housing Finance Corporation recorded in the official records of the county in which the property is located to provide affordable housing to natural persons or families meeting the extremely-low-income, very-low-income, or low-income limits specified in s. 420.0004.

This discount terminates if the property no longer serves extremely-low-income, very-low-income, or low-income persons pursuant to the recorded agreement.

(b) To receive the discount under paragraph (a), a qualified applicant must submit an application to the county property appraiser by March 1.

(c) The property appraiser shall apply the discount by reducing the taxable value on those portions of the affordable housing property that provide housing to natural persons or families meeting the extremely-low-income, very-low-income, or low-income limits specified in s. 420.0004 before certifying the tax roll to the tax collector.

1. The property appraiser shall first ascertain all other applicable exemptions, including exemptions provided pursuant to local option, and deduct all other exemptions from the assessed value.

2. Fifty percent of the remaining value shall be subtracted to yield the discounted taxable value.

3. The resulting taxable value shall be included in the certification for use by taxing authorities in setting millage.

4. The property appraiser shall place the discounted amount on the tax roll when it is extended.

History.—s. 15, ch. 99-378; s. 9, ch. 2000-353; s. 29, ch. 2006-69; s. 18, ch. 2009-96; s. 4, ch. 2011-15; s. 11, ch. 2013-72; s. 3, ch. 2013-83; s. 6, ch. 2017-36.