March 2019 Archives
EDITORIALS
RECORD EDITORIAL: SHIP dollars a nexus of opportunity, impact
March 24, 2019 | The St. Augustine Record
This year legislative session seems like a tale of two realities.
On one hand, we have lawmakers filing ridiculous bills regulating drinking straws, suntan lotion and zucchini gardens — and Gov. Ron DeSantis seeing the big picture and keeping eyes on the prize.
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Takeaways from Tallahassee
March 23, 2019 | Florida Politics
The Florida Senate wants to fully fund the Sadowski Trust — the state and local affordable housing pool — and that’s reflected in the $90.3 billion spending plan the chamber published this week.
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Gov. DeSantis’ budget proposal refreshing
March 12, 2019 | Citrus County Chronicle
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled his proposed budget and it has some pleasant surprises for environmental advocates.
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Editorial: Make housing for seniors a priority
March 12, 2019 | Gainesville Sun
There will be more people like 84-year-old Robert Noebel out on the streets of Gainesville, unless community leaders remain vigilant about affordable housing and homelessness.
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OUR VIEW: Priorities for 2019 session
March 3, 2019 | The Daytona Beach News-Journal
More than ever, Floridians are interested in thoughtful solutions to real problems. And so far, Gov. Ron DeSantis has kept the ideological rhetoric to a minimum, focusing instead on this state’s needs, including education, water supply, financial discipline and the threats of sea level rise. He has plans, and he’s pushing to see them put into action.
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OP-EDS & LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Florida Lawmakers: Help Governor address low-income housing needs in Lee, Hendry counties
March 25, 2019 | News-Press
Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties would like to thank Governor DeSantis for demonstrating his commitment to making homeownership affordable for hard-working, low-income families. In the Governor’s proposed budget, he calls for fully allocating the Sadowski Housing Trust Fund for its intended purpose: affordable housing. This has not happened since the recession, and we are grateful to have a leader taking bold, decisive action on the issue of affordable housing.
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Why we must stop raiding the Sadowski state housing trust fund
March 6, 2019 | Orlando Business Journal
Orange County lost nearly $13 million in local affordable housing funds last year when the Florida Legislature swept those funds into general revenue. It is impossible to know where that money was used. We just know it was not used for housing.
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NEWS ARTICLES
Democrats want changes to House budget, criticizing trust fund sweeps
March 27, 2019 | Florida Politics
Other cuts also prompted complaints from the minority party. The $89.9 billion spending plan the House has readied for floor consideration isn’t making everyone happy.
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Unlocking state funds for affordable housing is the right move, CEOs said
March 22, 2019 | Miami Herald
CEOs were asked: Gov. DeSantis has proposed unlocking more state funds for affordable housing. What do you think is the best way to encourage more affordable housing construction in South Florida?
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The Influencer Series
March 22, 2019 | Miami Herald
Now in its second year, the Miami Herald, el Nuevo Herald and the Bradenton Herald are launching a discussion about the important issues facing the state of Florida. We’ve assembled a panel of 50 influential Floridians from a variety of industries and perspectives who will offer their views through the end of the year.
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Kissimmee area now worst in America for affordable housing, report finds
March 21, 2019 | Osceola News-Gazette
Kissimmee’s affordable housing crisis is getting worse, a new study finds.
Kissimmee, along with Orlando and Sanford, has the greatest lack of affordable housing in the United States, beating out bigger metro areas like Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
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Orlando area now worst in nation for shortage of extremely low-income housing
March 14, 2019 | Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando metro area is now worst in the nation when it comes to finding a place to live for households at the lowest income levels — typically under about $24,600 a year — a new report finds.
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