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Category: Housing
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Economy

Citizens Insurance clients may face decision soon

The following editorial was published in The Daily Sun on Oct 17, 2023. OUR POSITION: Trying to cull customers from Citizens Insurance is needed, but not at the expense of homeowners still struggling to recover from hurricanes. It’s well documented and certainly no secret that Citizens Property Insurance Corp., Florida’s state-backed insurer of last resort, has

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Housing

Some seniors are hit hard by our housing crisis

The following editorial was published in The Daily Sun on Sept 18, 2023. OUR POSITION: Retirees who aren’t fortunate to have comfortable retirement income and who live on fixed incomes are as much in need of affordable housing as those in our state’s workforce. Florida is a top landing spot for retirees. More than one out

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Housing

‘Affordable’ housing issue is far from solved

The following editorial was published in The Daily Sun on May 18, 2023. OUR POSITION: Despite a bill passed by the Legislature to boost affordable housing, the challenges to do so remain. There is ample talk when it comes to the housing crunch here in Florida and nationally. However, we worry about whether all that talk about

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Analysis

Housing crunch: How bad is it?

By Mike Sunnucks, APG National Enterprise Editor, Apr 24, 2023. Part I of II Charlotte County Commissioners and North Port city leaders each held workshop discussions in February 2020 about affordable housing. It’s a problem human services advocates and business owners all say is a top concern. Lack of affordable and workforce housing has been

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Housing

The high cost of ignoring Florida’s insurance crisis

By Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Apr 23, 2023. Last fall, I came to the difficult decision to sell my beloved house on Lido Key. Several factors convinced me the time was right: The encroachment of vacation rental “hotel houses” on all sides; the annihilation of landscaping I’d worked years to establish by Hurricane Ian; and the fact

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Florida Legislation

Affordable housing plan gets final approval

By JIM TURNER, NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA, March 25, 2023. TALLAHASSEE — With approval Friday from the Florida House, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo’s $711 million effort to make housing more affordable for working Floridians is headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis. The House voted 103-6 to pass a bill (SB 102) dubbed the “Live Local Act.”

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Housing

Property values or neighborhood values?

The following Letter to the Editor was published in The Daily Sun on March 23, 2023.  My neighbors recently defeated a proposal to increase the number of residents in a house that functions as an assisted living facility. They cited changes in density and property values. In a county where workers and families and the

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Housing

Developing affordable housing in Charlotte County

By CARRIE WALSH, Charlotte County Human Services Director, The Daily Sun, March 11, 2023. The Department of Housing and Urban Development defines affordable housing as a dwelling a family or household can obtain-whether through rent, purchase or other means-that costs 30% or less of the household’s income. Since household incomes vary widely, what is affordable

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Environment

We have to build back smarter and better

The following editorial was published in The Daily Sun on Jan 2, 2023. OUR POSITION: Florida needs to take a hard look at what can be done to minimize destruction from the next Hurricane Ian. Floridians have much to consider after witnessing the destruction wrought by Hurricane Ian. There will be debate about climate change, building

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Housing

‘Deplorable situations’: thousands of homes damaged countywide after Ian

By ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH, The Daily Sun, Dec 18, 2022. MURDOCK — Homeowners denied federal assistance should reapply or appeal, Charlotte County Emergency Manager Patrick Fuller said. This week, Fuller told Charlotte County commissioners 54,559 residents have requested assistance so far through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Residents are still encouraged to apply. He said the

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Housing

Charlotte County: Ian made affordable housing situation worse

By NANCY J. SEMON, STAFF WRITER, The Daily Sun, Dec 11, 2022. PORT CHARLOTTE — Hurricane Ian made the lack of affordable and subsidized housing worse, members of the Charlotte County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) believe. The good news is Charlotte County’s strategic plan for 2021-22 is to add 200 new affordable housing units

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Housing

Homeless count expected to explode

The following editorial was published in The Daily Sun on November 12, 2022. OUR POSITION: We’re yet to get a grip on how bad our homeless situation is now that Hurricane Ian has made a bad situation worse. Even before Hurricane Ian, we had a homeless problem. No one would deny that. And, even before Hurricane Ian,

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Housing

More FEMA housing options in DeSoto, Sarasota and Charlotte counties

Editor: The FEDERAL government, led by Democrats, continues to aid FL recovery. Democrats help ALL struggling Floridians, regardless of party affiliation! Staff Report, The Daily Sun, Oct 26, 2022. (Updated Oct 29th) TALLAHASSEE – The Federal Emergency Management Agency is bringing more housing options to area counties devastated by Hurricane Ian. In response, FEMA is

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Housing

Housing challenges are about to get even worse

The following editorial was published in The Daily Sun on Oct 23, 2022. OUR POSITION: It’s going to be a struggle to replace the housing lost to Hurricane Ian and keep it anywhere near affordable for those displaced by the storm and others wanting to move to Florida. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has allocated

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Economy

Charlie Crist demands Ron DeSantis get to work on Citizens Insurance fix

By A.G. Gancarski, Florida Politics, September 5, 2022. “Before Floridians start losing their homes.” The increasingly fraught issue of homeowners insurance is a hot topic in the Governor’s race. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist contends Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as “unfit to lead” the state’s increasingly wobbly property insurance market, challenging the Governor to reverse price hikes rolled out

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Housing

Housing a great challenge for American workers

The following editorial appeared in The Daily Sun on Labor Day, Sept 5, 2022. OUR POSITION: Labor Day is a time to celebrate the people whose backs this nation was built on, but sometimes we forget their value and neglect to give them the help they need to chase the American dream. Labor Day is

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Housing

Housing challenge continues in region

By Steve Reilly & Barb Richardson, Staff Writers, The Daily Sun,  July 29 & 30, 2022. MURDOCK — Charlotte County hasn’t been spared the housing crunch that most of Florida is facing. Whether rental or home purchasing, local housing costs are pricing out nurses and other medical care workers, carpenters and other trades and other

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Housing

Charlotte County moves to double new home impact fees

By Daniel Sutphin, Staff Writer, The Daily Sun, June 29, 2022. PORT CHARLOTTE — Charlotte County commissioners are moving forward with a decision that could potentially double impact fees for local residents. Public hearings will be held before anything becomes official, but a full increase to each of the six fee categories will double the

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