October 2018 Archives
EDITORIALS
Editorial: Passidomo’s priorities a good road map for Legislature
October 17, 2018 | Naples Daily News
Bolstering mental health programs in a state that’s ranked No. 50 in per capita funding. Further protecting vulnerable elders from abuse. Making sure Florida pays competitive teacher salaries. Stopping lawmakers from diverting money from Florida’s affordable housing trust funds in order to balance the budget. Addressing additional ways to protect our water quality, specifically by eliminating septic tanks that might leak into aquifers.
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Editorial: Rodrigues deserves fourth, final House term
October 12, 2018 | Naples Daily News
South Lee County voters would be wise to return Rep. Ray Rodrigues to the Florida House to finish the final two years that he’s allowed to serve before being term-limited as a state representative.
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OP-EDS & LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
An affordable solution: It’s time to work on inclusionary zoning
October 17, 2018 | Tallahassee Democrat
A recent item on the agenda of the City of Tallahassee’s Develop Review Committee triggered my call to city staff. The item was to develop 21.83 acres of a 117.5-acre parcel in the SouthWood development as 49 single family lots.
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COMMENTARY: Killer of mom of 2 convicted, but grandma is still fighting for the kids
October 12, 2018 | Orlando Sentinel
Lawyers tried to persuade a jury that Virgil Hyde had an unfortunate moment of insanity when he fatally shot his longtime partner, the mother of his two children, hitting her 24 times in the head and torso.
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Was your home built before 2002? If so, is it ready for another hurricane?
October 12, 2018 | TC Palm
The Treasure Coast has survived its share of hurricanes the past few years, but thankfully nothing like Hurricane Michael.
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NEWS ARTICLES
Affordable housing in Florida: Déjà vu, all over again
October 26, 2018 | Florida Trend
As the economy has recovered, affordable housing is again an issue in many parts of Florida. As home prices rose in the years before the Great Recession, complaints about a shortage of “workforce housing” became common in many communities throughout Florida. Those complaints are back again, with a vengeance.
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Intersection: Gillum’s Running Mate Chris King Highlights Jobs, Housing, & Transportation
October 16, 2018 | 90.7 WFME
Democrat Andrew Gillum’s running mate Chris King joined Intersection to talk about the gubernatorial campaign. King says he and Gillum want to “build a more fair economy” for Floridians.
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Booker Law Academy stimulates young minds
October 15, 2018 | Florida Bar News
In a tiny Southwest Florida corner of the legal universe, a high-energy voluntary bar association is hoping to transform a magnet school into a galactic incubator, a place where stars are born.
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Home sweet home out of reach in the Wood River Valley
October 13, 2018 | Miami Herald
KETCHUM, IDAHO — Bertha Nunez doesn’t fully grasp what is happening to her home of 16 years.
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Orlando advocates call out affordable housing crisis in Central Florida
October 12, 2018 | Orlando Weekly
Advocates for affordable housing stood in front of the Orlando Housing Authority Friday to call attention to the crisis that Central Florida families face when it comes to finding a place to live.
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Industry leaders: Hospitality hiring just getting tougher
October 12, 2018 | St. Augustine Record
A booming economy and growing tourism industry have left St. Augustine in an enviable position but also with a labor shortage in the hospitality industry.
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Diaz-Balart faces off against former judge in Florida’s 25th Congressional District
October 12, 2018 | WPLG Channel 10 Miami
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The candidates in Florida’s 25th Congressional District present starkly different choices for voters.
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Developers want to convert old jail into apartments
October 12, 2018 | WFTS Tampa Bay
BRADENTON, Fla. — Bradenton developers are looking at a plan to convert the old jail into affordable housing units. It’s estimated the jail could be converted into about eighty units.
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Congestion or convenience? New apartments proposed for major North Naples intersection have some residents worried
October 12, 2018 | Naples Daily News
A new four-story apartment complex planned for North Naples has locals worried about traffic worsening at an already congested intersection.
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Affordable Housing Entrepreneur Dies
October 12, 2018 | Sarasota Magazine
Harvey Vengroff, who became well known in recent years for his efforts to build more affordable housing in Sarasota and Bradenton, died Thursday at age 77.
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Expanding our sense of home can mean a greener future
October 8, 2018 | Tallahassee Democrat
“Home sweet home.” “Home is where the heart is.” “There’s no place like home.” These sayings reflect how deep our emotions surrounding home can be, tying us to a place that holds special meaning in the wider world and to a place we are willing to do more to protect and preserve than what lies beyond.
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Kathleen Passidomo: Candidate for Florida State Senator, District 28
October 8, 2018 | Fort Myers News-Press
The following is an interview conducted via questionnaire by The News-Press with Lee County election candidates for their respective races.
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Florida lawmakers must stop directing affordable housing funds elsewhere, influencers say
October 8, 2018 | Bradenton Herald
Year after year, Florida lawmakers have raided hundreds of millions from trust funds designed to develop more affordable housing. That practice needs to end, according to a group of the state’s leading political and policy voices.
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Florida lawmakers must stop directing affordable housing funds elsewhere, influencers say
October 8, 2018 | Miami Herald
Year after year, Florida lawmakers have raided hundreds of millions from trust funds designed to develop more affordable housing. That practice needs to end, according to a group of the state’s leading political and policy voices.
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Central Florida affordable housing: Here’s one big reason why there isn’t enough
October 4, 2018 | Orlando Sentinel
On the top floor of a popular new apartment complex in Clermont, Jeremy Elliott spreads his arms to soak in the ambiance of his 3-week-old home — wood and tile floors, high ceilings, stainless steel appliances and expansive windows that overlook the countryside.
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Lawmakers take from affordable housing fund
October 3, 2018 | Orlando Sentinel
The lack of affordable housing is one of the biggest problems facing Florida today. Yet state lawmakers have raided the lone dedicated source of money — the Sadowski fund — of nearly $2.2 billion over the past 17 years. We’ll look at how much that has cost local governments and who is being hurt.
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Homeless advocate accepts prestigious federal job
October 2, 2018 | Tallahassee Democrat
One of Tallahassee’s strongest voices for the homeless has accepted a prestigious federal job. Susan Pourciau will be the new policy director for the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.
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