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lawsuit has been filed by Condra Property Group, a developer behind a planned mixed-use project in Hollywood Beach, alleging the city illegally denied its Live Local Act application. The complaint is one of several examples of local governments clashing with developers over the state's new workforce housing legislation, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023 and amended last year.

    The law incentivizes developers to set aside a portion of their residential units for workforce housing, offering additional density and height, tax breaks, and other benefits. Condra submitted an application for a 17-story project with 282 condos and apartments, as well as commercial space, which would have included 114 units designated for tenants earning at or below 120% of the area median income.

    The city approved most aspects of the project but rejected it due to concerns over height. However, according to the lawsuit, Condra's proposed height is based on the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, which is eight inches taller and 17 stories high. The city argued that this building is not an allowable benchmark because it is in a governmental use zone.

    Condra spent over $1 million planning and designing the project to meet Live Local Act guidelines. Attorney Keith Poliakoff, representing Condra, stated that the only remedy left was to sue, as the city had hired a law firm to lobby state legislators regarding the height section of the law. A judge's interpretation of the law will set a precedent for how these projects are approved in Hollywood, and Poliakoff emphasized that the city has not explained its defense.