Yearly Archives: 2017

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25) today announced that Miami-Dade County would receive $4.092 million in Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Last year, Miami-Dade County lost over $5 million in funding for essential homeless programs in the county. 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.

The sprawling 44 acre North Boulevard Homes community built in December 1940, was the Tampa Housing Authority’s oldest and largest public housing community and an answer to the prayers of many Tampa residents seeking an affordable place to live. Comprised of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 bedroom units, this community became home to more than 3,100 residents. In March of 1966, the need for more affordable housing was crucial and another 65 units was added to accommodate the growing need, bringing the total number of units to 832.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), the Ranking Democrat on the House Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MCVA) Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement after passage in the full Appropriations Committee of the subcommittee’s Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) appropriations bill:

Colombia is the most-active foreign country searching Miami real estate, according to new data from the MIAMI Association of REALTORS® (MIAMI). Colombia registered the most South Florida property searches among all countries on MIAMI’s portal, www.MiamiRealtors.com, in March 2017

The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension in Lake County is offering the following educational classes this month: Saturday in the Gardens: Water Wise Landscapes from 10-11 a.m. on Saturday, June 17 at the Lake County Extension Center, 1951 Woodlea Road, Tavares.

ith Hurricane Season in full swing, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) took to the House floor to highlight the importance of being prepared in case disaster strikes. He introduced legislation today, the Strengthening Homes and Eliminating Liabilities Through Encouraging Readiness (SHELTER) Act, to provide tax credits for families and businesses who invest in hurricane readiness. Please see below for his remarks.

The MIAMI Association of REALTORS® Commercial Alliance (RCA MIAMI) analyzed the impact of self-driving cars, the rise of e-commerce, the growth of industrial real estate and the largest proposed mall in the United States at its fifth annual RCA MIAMI Midyear Update held recently in Coral Gables

More than 70 MIAMI Association of REALTORS® (MIAMI) members and peers will help feed dinner to 500 homeless residents on Tuesday, June 13 at the Chapman Partnership’s Downtown Miami Homeless Assistance Center

As the Trump Administration reviews its policy towards Cuba, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) urged U.S. State and Treasury Department Secretaries Rex Tillerson and Steven Mnuchin to prioritize seeking compensation for Americans whose property was stolen by the Cuban government.

Opening the doors to homeownership is a top priority for Florida Realtors® . Across the state and throughout the U.S., Realtors continue to promote housing opportunities and the removal of barriers to homeownership in recognition of June as National Homeownership Month.

U.S. Rep. Dennis A. Ross (R-FL-15), Senior Deputy Majority Whip, today spoke at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) ribbon cutting ceremony for its new Aircraft Operations Center (AOC) facility at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport.

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), members of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, today urged U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney to protect seniors from potential eviction under reverse mortgage rules. The senators urged the Administration to keep existing safeguards in place to protect seniors from losing their homes and requested verification of the Administration’s plan to do so

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater today announced the recent arrest of Leon “Chuy” Jimenez, owner of Chuy Construction Inc. (Chuy Construction) after a fraud investigation revealed that Jimenez allegedly operated a shell construction company for the sole purposes of selling the company’s workers’ compensation certificate. A shell company conducts no significant business operations and is used as vehicle to conduct fraudulent financial scams, such a workers’ compensation fraud

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14), vice ranking member of the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee, which has oversight over the U.S. Department of Energy, EPA and clean energy policy, released the following statement regarding President Trump's announcement that he is quitting the landmark Paris Climate Accord

The Justice Department today announced a settlement with the city of Jacksonville, Florida, to resolve allegations that the city violated the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act when it refused to all ow the development of permanent supportive housing for individuals with disabilities in its Springfield neighborhood.

Maria Wells, 2017 president of Florida Realtors® and broker-owner with Lifestyle Realty Group in Stuart, issued the following statement regarding Governor Rick Scott’s signing of HB 7109 today

Lake County Solid Waste is encouraging Lake County residents to dispose of toxic materials in a safe and environmentally sensitive way at two household hazardous waste collection events. The county’s mobile unit will be on site from 9 a.m. – noon on the following dates and locations

CFO and State Fire Marshal Jeff Atwater today announced that arson investigators have arrested Victor Herrera, owner of the Tharpe Street business complex, on charges of arson and insurance fraud after an extensive investigation uncovered that he intentionally set his property on fire in order to collect insurance money. The business complex, located at 1109 Tharpe Street in Tallahassee, includes Debo's Stereo Installations and Super Clean Auto Detailing & Mobile Services