Miami Senate Race Hinges on Housing Bill
Incumbent Alexis Calatayud faces a tough challenge from Richard Lamondin, whose campaign centers on the Live Local Act and local zoning control.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
A tight contest for the Florida Senate seat in District 38 has turned the Live Local Act into the central financial and political battleground for voters in the Miami area. The measure, signed into law in 2023, allows for the construction of apartment buildings in residential neighborhoods and has become the primary point of division between the two major candidates. With half of the state's 40 Senate seats up for election on Tuesday, this specific race is projected to be decided by a narrow margin.
The district includes Coral Gables, Key Biscayne, South Miami, Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, and Cutler Bay. Incumbent Republican Alexis Calatayud, 33, won her first term in 2022 with more than 54 percent of the vote. She is challenged by Richard Lamondin, 39, a father and the CEO of ecofi, a sustainability firm focused on reducing energy and water usage in buildings. A third candidate, Jeffrey Solomon, a chiropractor running as a no-party candidate, is also on the ballot.
Calatayud championed the Live Local Act as a way to bridge the gap in housing availability. When the bill became law, she stated it would provide market-driven solutions to improve options for homeownership and affordable rental units. However, critics argue the legislation has introduced overdevelopment with insufficient regulatory checks. Lamondin has made the bill's impact on local control a key part of his campaign message. He told CommunityWire that many residents are upset because the act has reduced their say in what gets built in their neighborhoods.
The legislation has evolved since its initial passage. This July, a version known as Live Local 4.0 took effect. This update, identified as CS/CS/HB 1389, permits residential development on school, religious, and business properties. It also restricts the ability of local governments to dictate building dimensions. Supporters view these changes as necessary to increase the supply of reasonably priced housing in a city facing a well-known affordability crisis. Opponents contend the rules give too much power to developers, allowing them to bypass local zoning standards and disregard public opinion.
The practical effects of the bill are already visible in the district. Two proposals for high-rise apartments have been submitted for the Coconut Grove area. One of these plans calls for a 25-story building. During a community meeting in August, Calatayud addressed resident complaints about these projects. She noted that one site is county-owned land and emphasized that the project is a partnership between the county and a private developer, rather than a purely private venture. She stated that residents' voices remain a critical part of the decision-making process.
Lamondin argues that local governments need greater authority over development in their jurisdictions. He insists that construction projects should require public approval by the local community. In an interview, he described his approach as a practical mindset that transcends partisan boundaries while focusing on the bottom line for people. Solomon, the past president of the Florida Chiropractic Association, told the Miami Herald that he opposes the Live Local Act as currently written. He also proposed a Florida Taxpayer Transparency and Performance Accountability Act, which would create a dashboard for taxpayers to track government agency performance.
Calatayud has highlighted other legislative achievements during her term. On the Legally Spanglish podcast, she discussed her work to secure funding for HIV-positive Floridians who lost medication when federal subsidies for the Affordable Care Act were reduced. She said she worked with both parties to get 12,000 residents back on medication in less than three weeks and to commit to full funding for the next year. She described this as a life-or-death issue and the most meaningful part of her freshman year.
District 38 has been politically competitive since 2012, with both Democrats and Republicans holding the seat at various points. The last Democrat to represent the district was Jason Pizzo, who won in 2018. Pollsters currently give Lamondin a slight edge, though the race remains too close to call. A victory for Calatayud would reinforce Republican dominance in the state, while an upset by Lamondin could signal a shift in state representation for the Democratic party.
