Florida has become the national proving ground for build-to-rent,  but the next phase of growth will be shaped by more than demand. It will be shaped by policy, capital, and the evolving debate over who owns and operates the future of rental housing.
 

Population growth, a persistent housing shortage, and affordability pressures have made BTR one of the most important housing conversations in the country. But as institutional investors expand their presence in single-family rentals and purpose-built communities, policymakers are taking a closer look at the role large-scale ownership plays in the housing market.
 

New federal proposals aimed at institutional housing investors have raised questions across the BTR sector: Could future regulations impact how communities are financed, owned, and operated? Will institutional capital continue fueling growth at the same pace? And how can developers build durable platforms in a market where housing affordability is becoming a larger political and economic issue?
 

At the state level, Florida remains one of the most attractive BTR markets in the country. The 2026 updates to Florida’s Live Local Act have expanded incentives for qualifying rental housing projects, raising AMI rent limits across key markets including South Florida, Palm Beach, and Orlando. These changes are reshaping deal economics by creating new opportunities for mixed-income BTR communities, unlocking additional density, and improving the feasibility of projects that previously struggled to pencil.
 

But the capital environment is forcing a reset. Construction financing remains selective, exit timelines are extending, and investors are underwriting every deal with greater scrutiny around insurance costs, operating expenses, concentration risk, and long-term demand. The developers succeeding in this environment are those creating flexible capital stacks, building institutional-quality operations, and finding new ways to align returns with evolving housing expectations.
 

Can BTR scale as a purely institutional investment strategy, or will the next generation of communities need to serve a broader housing mission?
 

From AI-powered operations and smarter lease-up strategies to new ownership structures and public policy shifts, this event brings together the developers, investors, operators, and policymakers defining what comes next for Florida BTR.

Actionable Insights & Event Takeaways:

Policy & The Future of BTR Ownership

• How proposed federal housing legislation targeting institutional investors could impact BTR ownership models, investment strategies, and long-term portfolio plans

• What developers and investors need to understand about the changing regulatory environment around single-family rentals and purpose-built communities

• Whether new housing policy creates a threat to institutional BTR growth  or an opportunity for operators who can adapt
   

Live Local & The New Economics of Rental Development

• How Florida’s Live Local Act is changing the BTR development equation through zoning flexibility, density bonuses, and tax incentives

• What the updated AMI thresholds mean for mixed-income BTR projects and future underwriting assumptions

• How developers are using policy incentives to unlock sites and compete in a higher-cost development environment
   

Institutional Capital: Still the Growth Engine?

• What institutional equity partners are underwriting in Florida BTR today and how return expectations have changed

• How potential regulatory shifts are affecting investment strategies, portfolio construction, and acquisition appetite

• What separates the BTR platforms still attracting capital from projects struggling to reach the finish line
   

From Fee Builder to BTR Platform

• How construction firms and developers are moving from fee-based models into ownership and operating partnerships

• What it takes to build institutional-quality BTR platforms in a changing capital environment

• How emerging developers can structure partnerships without overleveraging their balance sheets
   

Where Florida BTR Growth Is Moving Next

• Which Florida growth corridors are positioned for the next wave of BTR development

• How developers are balancing land costs, entitlement risk, insurance exposure, and long-term demand

• Why secondary and tertiary markets are becoming increasingly competitive alternatives to coastal Florida
   

The Next Generation of BTR Operations

• How AI and proptech are improving leasing, maintenance, pricing, and resident retention

• What operators are doing to protect NOI in a market with increasing competition and operating costs

• How technology is becoming a differentiator as BTR matures from a growth asset class into an operating business

For questions regarding content and speaking, please email our Event Producer, Elizabeth Herrgott, at elizabeth.herrgott@bisnow.com. Want to get involved? Contact Jordan.Hinsch@bisnow.com to get information on sponsorship, pricing and availability at this event. To request disability-related accommodations, please contact ariel.fromm@bisnow.com no later than seven business days prior to the event.

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