The Florida Legislature is meeting in special session to consider Governor DeSantis’ proposed constitutional amendment and linked legislation to provide significant property tax relief to Florida homeowners. The proposal has many provisions, but the main ones would increase the homestead exemption to $150,000, beginning January 1, 2027, and then increase it to $250,000, beginning January 1, 2028. This exemption will apply to all property taxes. In addition, the cap on the annual increase in the assessment of non-homestead properties would be reduced from 10% to 5%, but this change would not apply to school property tax levies. Any property taxes remaining after the changes would be restricted to being used solely for core services such as public safety, education, infrastructure, debt, and retirement benefits.

For millions of Floridians, the defining economic question of the mid-2020s isn't about growth or GDP — it's about whether they can still afford to stay.

Florida property tax levies have been rising rapidly—increasing by nearly 40 percent in just the last three years and more than doubling in the last ten years—with property taxes now totaling $59.2 billion (FY2025–26). With the Legislature’s increased focus on affordability, especially housing affordability, property taxes are expected to be a top issue during the 2026 legislative session.

Florida's property tax system is at a critical juncture, with total levies surging by 108% over the last decade, far exceeding the combined rate of population growth and inflation. This rapid increase, generating $55 billion in 2024 for local governments, has intensified the financial strain on homeowners and raised fundamental questions about the nature of property ownership, which currently resembles a form of "perpetual rent" to the government. This report from Florida TaxWatch analyzes the current landscape and explores five distinct options for reform, ranging from the complete elimination of property taxes for homeowners to more immediate statutory changes aimed at increasing transparency and accountability.

Florida continues to face a severe affordability gap in housing. In 2022, 35% of households were cost-burdened, and by 2024 the state was short more than 323,000 affordable units for households at 0–30% of Area Median Income (AMI). The Legislature’s 2023 Live Local Act—amended in 2024 and 2025—was designed to accelerate supply by combining incentives (notably property-tax exemptions) with strong preemption and streamlined approvals for qualifying projects. The law requires that at least 40% of units in eligible projects remain affordable for 30 years, and it allows multifamily development in commercial, industrial, or mixed-use zones without rezoning, subject to administrative review.