Florida RealEstateRama

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations (FL-25), released the following statement after the White House announced the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council was awarded the rural Promise Zone designation

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, joined by Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier and Citizens Property Insurance Corporation President and CEO Barry Gilway, kicked off the start of the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season with a media event hosted at Florida International University’s “Wall of Wind.” Following a panel discussion with reporters that outlined the ways in which Florida leaders have prepared for the next big storm and encourage Floridians to personally prepare, FIU scientists performed an interactive high-speed wind demonstration.

Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida’s Hearts of Gold concert presented by Reed Nissan raised over $300,000, topping even last year’s record-breaking event. Hundreds of Central Florida’s elite business and philanthropic leaders gathered at Hard Rock Live to eat, drink, and celebrate the transformative power of music in support of the homeless men, women, and children in our community.

Of the 500,000 new residents who moved to the Miami, Broward, Palm Beach metro area over the last five years, about 65 percent (335,000) came from other countries, according to new U.S. Census data. South Florida boasts the highest-in-the-nation share of foreign home sales ($6.1 billion in total sales volume in 2015) and unprecedented international allure (South Florida is the most searched U.S. destination by international consumers on Realtor.com).

Last night, Congressman Curt Clawson (FL-19) introduced a floor amendment to the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act that would redirect $50 million from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve account into the Army Corps Construction account, which finances the nation’s water infrastructure projects in South Florida.

In support of goals and objectives in the County's "A Way Home" Plan to End Homelessness, the Broward County Homeless Initiative Partnership has been awarded grants of more than $8 million by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the 2015 HUD Homeless Continuum of Care (CoC) Program Competition

U.S. Representatives Patrick E. Murphy (FL-18) and Bruce Poliquin (ME-02) introduced the Senior Accessible Housing Act to provide seniors with a tax credit for the cost of modifying their homes to make them more accessible so they can "age in place." Home improvements such as constructing entrance and exit ramps, installing handrails, and adding non-slip flooring allow seniors to be more mobile and live independently in their own homes instead of costly assisted living facilities

On April 28, 2016, the 5th Annual Florida Fair Housing Summit called housing professionals to advance housing rights and opportunities. The Summit is the premier annual educational event for fair housing advocates and housing providers in the state of Florida. A total of 242 community members, advocates, local government administrators, housing providers, property managers, attorneys, real estate agents, and mortgage lenders came together to experience a conference that educated, engaged, and motivated.

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations, released the following statement after introducing the draft fiscal year 2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill. The legislation will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) today visited the Eureka Garden federal housing complex in Jacksonville, Florida, which has been plagued for months by mismanagement leading to dangerous and inhumane living conditions. Upon arrival, Rubio was greeted by representatives from Global Ministries Foundation (GMF), which owns and manages the property, which is under contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as Section 8 housing.

The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors is helping its more than 6,500 members extend their paperless capabilities, signing a long-term agreement with Florida Realtors® to provide its Ultimate Edition of Form Simplicity – one of the real estate industry’s most popular and advanced paperless transaction solutions – as a member benefit beginning in July. The announcement was made today during the National Association of REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo being held this week in Washington, D.C.

Lake County Solid Waste is encouraging county residents to dispose of toxic materials in a safe and environmentally sensitive way at two upcoming household hazardous waste collection events in Lady Lake and Groveland.

This morning, at the request of Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro met with Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Diaz-Balart’s senior staff to discuss the homeless grant award. HUD’s homeless assistance program has become increasingly competitive as HUD directs more funding to grantees that allocate resources to projects known to deliver better outcomes like permanent housing and rapid re-housing.

U.S. Rep. Dennis A. Ross (R-FL-15), Senior Deputy Majority Whip, released the following statement today after presenting U.S. Army Sergeant Anthony Cala with a U.S. flag and certificate to thank him for his service and congratulate him and his family on their new home gifted by Building Homes for Heroes

On Thursday, April 28th, the Congressional Homelessness Caucus, Co-Chaired by Representatives Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), hosted a briefing on the state of homelessness in the America. The Caucus was joined by representatives of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, which earlier this month released its annual report, the State of Homelessness in America

The MIAMI Association of REALTORS® (MIAMI) was recently recognized with its fourth International Business Leadership Award from the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. MIAMI won the 2016 Innovative Practices Award, which recognizes the outstanding company making substantial and impactful changes in thinking, products or processes impacting international operations

U.S. Rep. Dennis A. Ross (R-FL-15), Senior Deputy Majority Whip, spoke on the House Floor this week before voting with his colleagues today to unanimously pass his legislation, H.R. 2901, the Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act, a bipartisan bill that encourages the development of a robust private flood insurance market that can offer homeowners more options in terms of pricing and coverage.

Rubio: “We were fortunate yesterday to get the Committee to approve, at the Senate level, the Central Everglades Planning Project and obviously we’re hopeful of getting that passed in the full Senate, over in the House and ultimately into law… So there are a lot of moving pieces that all have to fit together and there’s not a single project that takes care of all of it. It has to all happen and one project will build upon another so it’s a complicated issue and it’s gonna take more time. We feel good about the progress, but there’s more work to do.”

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act introduced by U.S. Representatives Dennis Ross (FL-15) and Patrick E. Murphy (FL-18) with a vote of 419-0. This bipartisan bill will allow competition in the flood insurance marketplace to meet homeowners needs and drive down costs. The bill will now be sent to the Senate for consideration

The Lake County Water Safety Team received the National Water Safety Congress Award of Merit, given on March 8 at the International Boating & Water Safety Summit in San Diego, California. Team member William S. Griswold, of Mount Dora, presented the award during the April 14 Lake County Water Safety Advisory Committee’s quarterly meeting.