Florida churches are facing a historic opportunity: underused land can become safe, beautiful, and dignified homes for neighbors who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness.
But which law makes that process easier?
The short answer: YIGBY 2.0 is the stronger pathway for qualifying properties because it allows housing to be built by right. This means local governments are required to approve qualifying projects administratively when the statutory conditions are met—without a rezoning battle or discretionary public hearing.
However, YIGBY 2.0 does not apply to every church property. Three related pathways may be relevant:
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YIGBY 1.0, enacted in 2025 through SB 1730, is an optional local tool for affordable housing on religious-institution land.
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YIGBY 2.0, enacted through the 2026 HB 1389 expansion known as Live Local 4.0, creates a mandatory, by-right pathway for larger, established religious properties.
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The broader Live Local Act, originally enacted in 2023 through SB 102, provides statewide zoning benefits for qualifying affordable multifamily and mixed-use rental housing, especially on commercial, industrial, and mixed-use land.
Together, these laws create more opportunities to use church land for affordable housing while preserving different options for large, small, new, and adjacent parcels.
YIGBY in Florida: Two Different Pathways
YIGBY means “Yes in God’s Backyard.” It reflects a growing movement of congregations choosing to use their land to serve vulnerable neighbors rather than leaving valuable property vacant or underused.
For churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious institutions, the YIGBY movement in Florida offers a practical way to connect faith, land stewardship, and housing solutions.
YIGBY 1.0: The Optional Local-Option Tool
Florida’s first YIGBY provision was enacted in 2025 through SB 1730. It was codified in sections 125.01055(6) and 166.04151(6), Florida Statutes, and became effective July 1, 2025.
Under YIGBY 1.0, a local government is permitted—but not required—to approve multifamily or mixed-use affordable housing on:
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Land owned by a religious institution that contains a house of public worship; or
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A contiguous parcel connected to that land.
The approval may be granted regardless of the property’s underlying zoning.
The baseline affordability requirement is at least 10% of the units. A city or county may require deeper affordability if it chooses to do so.
This makes YIGBY 1.0 a flexible option for local collaboration. It can support projects that do not fit the larger Live Local 4.0 model, including some smaller-scale developments and different housing types. It may also be useful when a church wants to convey the affordable-housing property or when a local government wishes to exchange deeper affordability for fewer affordable units.
The key limitation is that YIGBY 1.0 is discretionary. A local government may approve a qualifying project, but it is not required to do so. The church and its development partners must still work collaboratively with the city or county.
YIGBY 2.0: The Mandatory By-Right Pathway
The major change came in 2026, when Florida enacted HB 1389, commonly called Live Local 4.0. Effective July 1, 2026, the law expanded the Live Local land-use mandate to qualifying religious-institution land.
YIGBY 2.0 applies when a property meets specific criteria:
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The property is owned by a religious institution.
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The property is larger than three acres.
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It contained a house of public worship for at least 10 years before the application.
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The house of worship will continue operating after construction.
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The project is multifamily or mixed-use residential.
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At least 40% of the units will be affordable rental housing for households earning up to 120% of Area Median Income (AMI).
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The affordability commitment will remain in place for at least 30 years.
When these requirements are satisfied, the local government is required to approve the project administratively. In practical terms, that means building by right—without a rezoning battle and without a discretionary public hearing before the governing body.
In exchange for the long-term affordability commitment, qualifying projects may receive important development advantages, including increased density, greater height, higher floor-area ratios, reduced parking requirements, and protection from local regulations that would otherwise limit the project.
The Broader Live Local Act
Live Local Act 1.0: The 2023 Foundation
Florida’s original Live Local Act was enacted in 2023 through SB 102. Its central purpose was to encourage the development of affordable rental housing by limiting local barriers to qualifying projects.
Generally, the law requires cities and counties to allow qualifying multifamily or mixed-use residential rental development on land zoned for commercial, industrial, or mixed-use purposes.
The core requirements include:
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At least 40% of residential units must be affordable to households earning up to 120% AMI.
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The affordability commitment must last at least 30 years.
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The project must generally provide multifamily or mixed-use rental housing.
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Qualifying projects receive important protections related to density, floor-area ratio, height, and parking.
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Approval is intended to be administrative when statutory and applicable development requirements are met.
Before Live Local 4.0, this framework often did not reach church property because many congregations owned land zoned institutional, residential, or in another category outside the statute’s commercial, industrial, and mixed-use framework.
That gap helped create the need for YIGBY.
Live Local 4.0: The 2026 Expansion
HB 1389 expands the Live Local framework in several important ways.
First, it extends eligibility to qualifying religious-institution land under the YIGBY 2.0 criteria described above. It also expands eligibility to certain land owned by counties, municipalities, and school districts.
Second, Live Local 4.0 strengthens the state’s protection of permitted height. Local governments may not use setbacks or stepbacks to constructively restrict a project’s permitted height. This is intended to prevent local design requirements from effectively undermining the density and height benefits provided by the law.
For qualifying religious land, the result is a stronger statewide pathway: a large and established congregation can potentially preserve its house of worship while adding long-term affordable rental housing to the same property.
Comparing the Options
| Feature | YIGBY 1.0 | YIGBY 2.0 | Live Local Act Generally |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal authority | SB 1730, effective July 1, 2025 | HB 1389 / Live Local 4.0, effective July 1, 2026 | SB 102, enacted in 2023, as expanded by later legislation |
| Approval standard | Local governments may approve | Local governments must approve when criteria are met | Generally mandatory for qualifying projects |
| Approval type | Discretionary, collaborative, local opt-in | Administrative, by right | Administrative when statutory criteria are satisfied |
| Eligible land | Religious-institution land containing a house of worship, or a contiguous parcel | Religious-institution land larger than three acres with a qualifying house of worship | Primarily commercial, industrial, and mixed-use land, plus expanded public and qualifying religious land |
| Worship requirement | Land must contain a house of public worship | Worship must have operated for at least 10 years before application and continue afterward | Not generally applicable to standard commercial or industrial sites |
| Affordable-housing requirement | At least 10% of units; local governments may require more | At least 40% affordable rentals for households earning up to 120% AMI for at least 30 years | Generally 40% affordable rentals for households earning up to 120% AMI for at least 30 years |
| Housing types | Flexible; may include single-family or multifamily housing, rental or ownership | Multifamily or mixed-use residential rental housing | Primarily multifamily or mixed-use residential rental housing |
| Minimum acreage | None specified | More than three acres | Depends on the site and applicable Live Local requirements |
| Best fit | Smaller sites, newer congregations, contiguous parcels, or projects needing flexibility | Larger, established congregations prepared to provide deep, long-term affordability | Affordable-housing projects on qualifying commercial, industrial, mixed-use, public, or religious land |
Important Gaps YIGBY 1.0 Still Fills
YIGBY 2.0 is stronger for qualifying properties, but it does not replace YIGBY 1.0.
The optional pathway still matters for:
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Parcels that are three acres or smaller.
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Houses of worship that have operated for fewer than 10 years.
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A contiguous parcel adjacent to the house of worship.
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Single-family homes, townhomes, or other housing forms outside the mandatory multifamily or mixed-use model.
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Churches that want to convey the affordable-housing property.
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Projects where a local government wants to require deeper affordability in exchange for fewer affordable units.
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Congregations seeking a more tailored partnership with their city or county.
Because Live Local 4.0 now mandates approval for some religious properties, certain local governments may be less inclined to adopt a broader optional YIGBY 1.0 policy. Even so, YIGBY 1.0 continues to fill real gaps and can provide flexibility where YIGBY 2.0 does not apply.
Which One Should Your Church Use?
A large, established congregation with more than three acres and at least 10 years of worship history should first explore the YIGBY 2.0 by-right pathway. If the church is prepared to preserve its worship space and provide at least 40% affordable rentals for 30 years, the mandatory Live Local 4.0 framework may offer the clearest route to development.
Smaller congregations, newer churches, and churches working with contiguous parcels may still rely on YIGBY 1.0. It can also be a better fit for single-family housing, ownership housing, or projects where the church and local government want to negotiate a different affordability structure.
The broader Live Local Act may be appropriate when the property is commercially, industrially, or mixed-use zoned, or when the land is owned by a qualifying public entity.
Every property is different. Congregations should confirm eligibility, ownership structure, zoning, affordability requirements, and development strategy with qualified legal and development counsel.
This article is for educational purposes only and is not legal advice.
Turning Church Property Into Community Belonging
Laws create opportunity, but partnerships turn opportunity into homes.
At Together South Florida, we help churches reimagine underutilized property as beautiful, safe, and dignified communities. Our approach brings together congregations, developers, government agencies, businesses, philanthropists, and neighbors to pursue sustainable solutions to homelessness.
A church does not have to solve the housing crisis alone. Through wise compassion and collaboration, faith communities can help move the conversation from NIMBY—“not in my backyard”—to YIGBY: “yes in God’s backyard.”
If your congregation is considering church land for affordable housing, please reach out to Rachel today at +1 (954) 676-1699. Together South Florida can help your church explore a thoughtful path toward faith-based affordable housing, community engagement, and lasting hope.
We are better together!
