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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

As the 2017 Florida Legislature begins, Realtors^® from across the state are ready to advocate for legislative priorities that will protect homeowners, promote business and community growth, safeguard Florida’s natural resources, ensure fair and transparent real estate transactions and provide Floridians with more affordable housing options.

U.S. Rep. Dennis A. Ross (FL-15), Senior Deputy Majority Whip, made the following statement in response to President Trump’s executive order on border security

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Pam Bondi today filed a court action to stop a group of non-lawyers operating an illegitimate foreclosure defense and loan modification...

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners has an immediate opening for citizens to serve on the county’s Value Adjustment Board (VAB), an independent board which hears property owners’ appeals regarding property tax issues. To serve on this board, applicants must own homestead property in Lake County, and cannot work for a taxing authority nor as a tax agent before any Value Adjustment Board.

Rainbow Housing Assistance Corporation (Rainbow), a nonprofit organization that provides service-enriched housing programs for residents of rental housing communities throughout the country, was honored at the recent Novogradac 2016 Tax Credit Housing Developers Conference in Miami Beach, Florida, alongside The Reliant Group during the 2016 Developments of Distinction Awards ceremony for their exceptional achievement in affordable housing development

Local law firms are helping to drive the current office leasing market according to Franklin Street, a full-service commercial real estate company based in Tampa. “With law firms getting busier, we are seeing more expansion activity in the market,” said Chris Butler, a managing director of Franklin Street’s Office and Industrial Services division.

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater today announced that a $15.5 million settlement has been secured as a result of a contract investigation involving U.S. Foods, Inc. The investigation conducted by the Department of Financial Services’ Office of Fiscal Integrity concluded that U.S. Foods falsely inflated its prices for supply food services to the Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) between 2008 and 2014. Through this deceitful billing practice, U.S. Foods wrongly collected millions in state dollars.

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) announced the conclusion of a sting operation that identified unlicensed contractors in the Jacksonville area. Working together with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) and the Florida Department of Financial Services – Division of Workers’ Compensation, DBPR investigators identified eight unlicensed contractors who were allegedly advertising for contracting services, such as electrical, plumbing or roofing, which require a Florida license

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) welcome today’s signing of the “Girls Count Act” into law. The bill, which they introduced earlier this year, will direct current U.S. foreign assistance programming to support the rights of women and girls in developing countries by working to establish birth registries in their countries

The Florida Department of Financial Services’ Division of State Fire Marshal today announced the arrest of 20-year-old Michael Lynn Haynes for setting fire to a duplex-style apartment home on February 21 in Palmetto, Florida. The intended targets of the fire were two women, a man and a two-year-old child. Following his arrest, Haynes admitted his intention to “burn them (the victims) out like roaches.”

On Dec. 3, 2014, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5771, the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014, by a strong bipartisan vote of 378-46. The Senate has not yet acted on the tax extenders, but is expected to do so the week of Dec. 8. Please visit the Mortgage Debt Cancellation Relief page on realtor.org for any developments in the coming week

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - July 28, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi joined the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission and 15 other states in a joint federal-state enforcement sweep targeting scam operations that prey on delinquent homeowners or those facing foreclosure. This sweep highlights recent enforcement actions and resolutions of the federal and state participants against operators of fraudulent mortgage rescue or loan modification schemes that scammed consumers into paying large upfront fees but did little or nothing to help them stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. Florida is announcing four actions as part of this joint effort including lawsuits filed against Hoffman Law Group, Remedy Group, Law & Associates and Thomas E. Law, II, and Mark Bushee

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - July 24, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi and the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, obtained an emergency temporary restraining order and appointment of a receiver in a joint lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida against Florida-based Hoffman Law Group (“HLG”) and related entities. The order prohibits HLG defendants from doing business with consumers and freezes HLG’s bank accounts.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 26, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representative John L. Mica (FL-7)disclosed to the public at a press conference in Sanford, Florida, the decision of the Department of Justice not to pursue a criminal referral on the misappropriation, fraud and abuse of taxpayer funds and resources by the former Executive Director of the Sanford Housing Authority. Mica said, “This is an outrage to public trust. Iam disappointed that Attorney General Holder would not pursue criminal charges or bring to justice those responsible for ripping off taxpayers while in a position of public trust.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 29, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Alan Grayson (FL-09) has introduced twelve bills aimed at continuing certain tax deductions and credits for one year. These provisions, which save Americans money and boost the economy, have already expired or will expire this year.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross (FL-15) introduced H.R. 3298, the Disaster Savings Accounts Act of 2013. This bill will allow individuals to set aside up to $5,000 annually in a tax-free account to use for disaster mitigation expenses.

TAVARES - August 29, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- All offices of the Lake County Board of County Commissioners, Clerk of Courts, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections and Tax Collector will be closed Monday, Sept. 2, for Labor Day. Offices will reopen Tuesday, Sept. 3.

Winter Garden, - August 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Representatives Daniel Webster (R-FL), John Carney (D-DE), Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), and Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV) announced the introduction of H.R. 2929, the “Creating Homeownership Opportunities Act,” bipartisan legislation that would create a pre-tax savings program -- similar to a Health Savings Account -- for the purpose of saving toward a down payment on a first home.

Washington, D.C. - January 02, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) released the following statement in response to the passage of H.R. 4212, Drywall Safety Act of 2012.