Live Local Act Apartments in Wellington FL: Rents, Location and the Debate

Affordable Apartments Are Coming to Wellington Under the Live Local Act

For the first time, apartments are coming to Wellington under Florida's Live Local Act, a 2023 state law that lets affordable housing go up on commercial land without approval from local leaders. Two projects are planned on Van Gogh Road and Velazquez Boulevard near Southern Boulevard and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, with rents expected from about $1,249 to $2,310 a month. Supporters call it overdue housing for the people who work here. Critics say Tallahassee is taking decisions away from towns. Here's what's planned, how the law works and the open question now in front of the Village Council.

The projects at a glance

Names: The Residences at Country Grove and the Residences at Country Landing
Where: Van Gogh Road and Velazquez Blvd. in Entrada Acres, near Southern Blvd. and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, on land Wellington annexed in 2024
Developer: NuRock, which manages rental communities around Florida
Units: 106 units reported, with 63 two-bedroom and 43 three-bedroom apartments
Rents: About $1,249 to $2,310 a month, utilities included
Status: Awaiting site plan approval. The council postponed a decision on waiving fees on Sept. 22, 2026

How the Live Local Act works

The Live Local Act, passed in 2023 and amended since, requires cities and counties to allow multifamily and mixed-use housing on land zoned commercial or industrial, as long as the project meets the law's affordability rules. Local governments can't block an eligible project with a zoning vote. The law also funds housing programs and offers tax incentives for affordable rentals.

"Essentially, it was the state's efforts to try and assist with the increase in delivery of additional affordable workforce housing around the state," Wellington Planning, Zoning & Building Director Tim Stillings told the council, according to the Town-Crier.

Why it's happening in Wellington now

Until recently, Wellington didn't have vacant commercial land that qualified, so no Live Local proposals came in. That changed after the Village annexed about 258 acres in 2024, including Entrada Acres, and changed some of that land from residential to commercial use.

"The state legislature kind of put this in our lap and said, 'Here's what you have to do if a developer comes forward with an eligible project,'" Stillings said. "It wasn't really a decision that we made, other than when we annexed it, we did change the land use."

Each project is estimated to cost about $51.4 million, funded partly through Palm Beach County's workforce and affordable housing bond program, Housing Finance Agency bonds and low-income housing tax credits. A third site on Rembrandt Road is also being considered for 212 apartments.

The decision in front of the council: fees

The council can't stop the projects, but it can decide whether to waive certain impact fees and building permit fees. Mayor Michael Napoleone wanted the first project to come before the council so it could set a precedent. "This is the first Live Local [project] that we're being presented with," he said. "I'd like at least the first one to come to us to have a discussion on how we want to treat this one, and potentially future ones, so we have a baseline." On September 22, 2026, the council postponed that decision, the Town-Crier reported.

The case for the projects

Housing people can afford. The law's goal is more affordable workforce housing, and supporters say rents in the projected range could help people who work in the area live closer to their jobs.
A statewide problem. "I think Florida is not immune to the issue of affordability," AARP Florida's Zayne Smith said of the state's housing push, pointing to seniors on fixed incomes.
Mostly outside funding. The projects are funded mainly through county bonds, state housing finance and federal tax credits, not Village tax dollars.
Waiving fees could help. Supporters of fee waivers say they lower costs for projects that cap rents.

The case for concern

Local control. Critics across Florida argue the law preempts "home rule," the idea that communities should make their own land-use decisions. "I'm very against losing our home rule," one St. Johns County commissioner said of a 2026 expansion of the law. Several Florida cities have sued over the Live Local Act, though it remains in effect.
More to come. With a third site already proposed, some residents wonder how many more apartments could follow on commercial land in the area.
Roads and services. The Southern Boulevard and Seminole Pratt Whitney corridor is already growing fast, and new homes add traffic and demand for schools and services.
Fee waivers have a cost. Impact fees help pay for the roads, parks and infrastructure new residents use, so waiving them shifts that cost elsewhere.

What happens next

NuRock is still waiting on site plan approvals and county financing. The council is expected to revisit the fee question at a future meeting, and how it handles this first request will likely set the tone for future Live Local projects in Wellington. For a related debate closer to the mall, see the plan for 620 apartments at the old Nordstrom.

What do you think?

Is the Live Local Act a needed fix for Florida's housing crunch, or too much state control over Wellington's future? And should the Village waive fees for these first projects? For more on local decisions shaping your budget, see why Wellington didn't cut the tax rate this year.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Live Local Act?

A 2023 Florida law that requires cities and counties to allow qualifying affordable multifamily and mixed-use housing on commercial or industrial land, even without local approval.

Where are the Live Local apartments in Wellington?

On Van Gogh Road and Velazquez Blvd. in Entrada Acres, near Southern Blvd. and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, on land Wellington annexed in 2024.

How much will rent be at the Wellington Live Local apartments?

The Town-Crier reported expected rents of about $1,249 to $2,310 a month with utilities included.

Can Wellington stop Live Local Act projects?

No. Eligible projects don't need council approval, but the Village can decide whether to waive certain impact and permit fees. The council postponed that decision on Sept. 22, 2026.