Seasons Greetings from your MIAMI Leaders and theMIAMI Professionals. We wish you and your family the most wonderful Holiday Season and want to take this opportunity to say; We are so grateful that you are our members!

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis is reminding Floridians to take steps to prevent a fire during the holidays. According to the National Fire Protection Association, an annual average of 200 home structure fires start with a Christmas tree resulting in an average of six deaths, 16 injuries and nearly $15 million in damages. In addition, 58 percent of Christmas tree fires occur in January and February when a tree is often neglected and becomes dry.

Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Martin County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of a home and community based caregiver for defrauding the Medicaid program out of more than $85,000. According to the MFCU investigation, Luther Jerome Robinson, 50, fraudulently submitted billing records and progress notes for services never provided to several Medicaid recipients.

In another initiative to prevent the kind of negligence that led to the deaths of 14 residents of the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson has added important language to the Disaster Recovery Reform Act. The bipartisan legislation, which has been considered and approved by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, “focuses on improving pre-disaster planning and mitigation to reduce the future loss of life and the rising costs of disasters.”

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis released the following statement on the selection of Tyndall Air Force Base as the preferred location for the MQ-9 Reaper Wing, housing 24 remotely piloted aircrafts headquarters, a mission control element, and a launch and recovery element

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, held a subcommittee hearing on the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) supplemental request, with Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development Neal Rackleff serving as a witness.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis and the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) announced today the recent arrest of Renee De La Maza for insurance fraud and grand theft following her attempt to file a damage claim against a new insurance policy after already receiving a $60,000 insurance payout from her former insurance provider for the same damages.

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, issued the following statement after the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released $615,922,000 to the state of Florida as part of the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Program (CDBG-DR).

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, today hosted a roundtable on the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief program

CFO Jimmy Patronis and the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) announced the recent arrest of Richard Joseph Girard, a licensed insurance agent and owner of A-Rated Insurance Group. Girard allegedly submitted a policy application for property insurance for a Key Largo client but provided fictitious supporting documentation that falsified the age of the roof of the property. As a result, Citizens Insurance accepted the application, initiated a policy and Girard received commission on the successful insurance sale

The Emory L. Bennett State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Volusia County has openings for qualified veterans. The 120-bed skilled nursing facility, located at 1920 Mason Avenue in Daytona Beach, has a number of available rooms for both male and female veterans.

Attorney General Pam Bondi's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit today secured a prison sentence for an Orlando woman who exploited homeless men and women to commit Medicaid fraud. Christina Benson, owner of Tranquility Health Care Solutions, bilked Medicaid out of more than $200,000 by billing Medicaid for services not provided and not warranted. Last year, Benson pleaded guilty to one count of Medicaid provider fraud, a first-degree felony.

Hurricane Irma helped drive Orlando’s home sales down by nearly 20 percent in September compared to September of last year, reports the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association. In addition, sales decreased by almost 30 percent when compared to last month.

Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis today announced that the Department of Financial Services is sending insurance specialists to the Florida Keys to assist with the handling of Hurricane Irma claims.

Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office filed a complaint against HOA Problem Solutions, Inc., as well as several related companies, for using deceptive and unfair practices to acquire properties from financially distressed homeowners. These Floridians’ homes faced impending homeowners’ association foreclosure auction because of outstanding HOA dues.

Colombia continues to be the top foreign country searching for South Florida real estate on the MIAMI Association of REALTORS® (MIAMI) website, according to new statistics from the nation’s largest local Realtor group. Colombia registered 10.2 percent of all international searches on MIAMI’s portal, www.MiamiRealtors.com, in July 2017.

The Realtors Commercial Alliance of the MIAMI Association of REALTORS® (RCA MIAMI) will present its 17th annual RCA Conference on Friday, Oct. 13 at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. Five panels and more than 10 speakers will address how real estate professionals can enhance their business by learning the latest trends in all commercial real estate sectors.

Colombia continues to be the top foreign country searching for South Florida real estate on the MIAMI Association of REALTORS® (MIAMI) website, according to new statistics from the nation’s largest local Realtor group. Colombia registered the most South Florida property searches among all countries on MIAMI’s portal, www.MiamiRealtors.com, in June 2017

As the reentry process for the Lower Keys begins, FEMA stresses the importance of following guidance from your local officials. Currently only residents, business owners, disaster workers, and supply vehicles with appropriate identification, or re-entry stickers, will be permitted to enter.