NAIOP Florida Announces 2020 Leadership and Legislative Agenda

Darcie Lunsford 

 FORT LAUDERDALE, FL– NAIOP Florida, the state chapter of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, announces that Butters Realty & Management Executive Vice President Darcie Lunsford will serve as its 2020 Board of Directors president.

During her tenure as South Florida president in 2019, Lunsford helped marshal support for several pieces of legislation on behalf of NAIOP including:

Brian DePotter

• ·         a rollback in the business rent tax from 5.7 percent to 5.5 percent;
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• ·         new permit transparency legislation that requires local governments publicly post permit and inspection fee costs and how that revenue is being applied within government functions;
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• ·         new legislation that prohibits a local government from collecting impact fees before issuance of a building permit except in the case of water and sewer connection; and
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• ·         the passage of several pro-development provisions in a major property development package including
• ---financial relief from governmental requirements that an affordable housing component be included within a new project;
• ---requirements for local jurisdictions to review and respond to development applications within 30 days;
• ---and approval for the prevailing party in a development order challenge to collect attorneys’ fees.

Fitch King 

• With more than 1,000 members, NAIOP Florida consists of five regional chapters throughout the state including South Florida, Central Florida, Tampa Bay, Northeast Florida and Northwest Florida.

In addition to Lunsford, NAIOP Florida 2020 board members include:

·         FirstPointe Advisors Managing Partner Brian DePotter of NAIOP South Florida;

·         Morgar Realty President Fitch King and Driver McAfee Hawthorne Diebenow Partner Trey Wilson of NAIOP Northeast Florida;

·         Central Florida Development President Jeff Lucas and Harrod Properties Partner Graham Mavar of NAIOP Tampa Bay;

·         Catalyst Healthcare Real Estate Vice President Brandon McFarren and SVN Southland Commercial Real Estate Advisor Chris Palmer of NAIOP Northwest Florida;

·         and Prologis Vice President Brendon Dedekind and Colliers International Executive Managing Director Joe Rossi of NAIOP Central Florida.

Jules R. Morgan

NAIOP South Florida Executive Director Jules R. Morgan will serve as executive director of NAIOP Florida.

“In Florida, the commercial real estate sector contributes more than $20 billion to the state economy, generates more than $6.8 billion in wages and salaries and supports more than 161,000 jobs,” Morgan said. 

“These are among the many reasons why NAIOP’s advocacy efforts are so important. Commercial real estate will continue to drive such economic prosperity and growth when we enact strategic reforms that ultimately loosen the chokehold on our industry.” 

For more information about NAIOP Florida and its legislative agenda, please visit https://www.naiop.org/florida.

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Contact:

Lexi Robinson

954-776-1999, ext. 255

lrobinson@piersongrant.com

naiopsfl.org.