HOUSING

As Tammi Renner was preparing to move from North Carolina to be closer to family in Central Florida, she went online in search of an affordable rental home that fit her budget.

Melbourne’s city council approved a plan to encourage more affordable housing in the city on Wednesday.

Episode 2 of “Solutionaries” tackles the lack of affordable housing across America and highlights the people and organizations who are working to solve the crisis.

Affordable housing is a growing issue in Central Florida.

There’s not a one-size-fits-all solution to the affordable housing crisis Central Florida is facing but there are some groups and individuals working to make housing more attainable.

When you hear the term “affordable housing,” what do you think of?

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday to resume evictions across the country just weeks after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put a moratorium in place after the original ban had ended.

We’ve all heard about it by now: Houses are selling like crazy (and they have been for quite some time), interest rates have been at all-time lows, and it seems like everywhere you turn, you learn of another wild real estate story.

In the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were many people who lost their jobs or fell on hard times and could not pay rent. Some continue to struggle.

When you think about the term “fair housing,” do you think, “rent’s not fair,” as in, it’s unfortunate that we have to pay it, and the expense is often substantial?

Life expectancy declined more in the North West in 2020 than in England overall, a report finds.

Current owners with a tight budget also could benefit with energy-efficient improvements.

Flagler County Realtors are joining forces with state counterparts to oppose a proposal that would gut the sadowski fund.

The protest was part of a national day of action calling on the incoming Biden administration to extend the eviction moratorium initiated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)SARASOTA, Fla. – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s federal moratorium on evictions is set to expire March 31. “It’s literally impossible for that money to reach renters and landlords before the scheduled expiration of the moratorium on March 31,” Yentel said. AdYentel said that even under the federal moratorium, many renters have lost their homes already because of the confusion and lack of public outreach about the moratorium and rental assistance programs. Some tenants who have received federal assistance through rent programs, stimulus checks and unemployment have chosen not to pay, Doggett said.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Five acres of land on the corner of Brentwood Drive and Derbyshire Road in Daytona Beach will soon be home to 100 units of affordable housing. He hopes a lot of that funding will come from a state grant and federal credits and that the site meets the requirements. Smith said he hopes to break ground this fall but he already has his eye on other properties to build even more affordable housing, eventually. Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry said employment opportunities are growing but they aren’t paying a lot. Henry estimated several thousand more affordable housing units will be needed over the next several years.

Florida is taking part in the Emergency Rental Assistance program to help Floridians impacted financially by the coronavirus. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that the state would take part in the program, which was established by the COVID-19 relief legislation that was passed in December. [TRENDING: Manatee found with ‘Trump’ etched into skin | Carnival says 2020 bookings are strong | Here’s how to register for COVID-19 vaccine]The program would provide $1.4 billion in emergency rental assistance to Floridians who qualify, with more than $850 million administered by the state. Today I announced the state of Florida’s participation in the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which will provide $1.4 billion in critical rental assistance funding to Floridians. More info here – https://t.co/Iv1yQuFo3R — Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) January 12, 2021Household qualifications for assistance:.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida’s top financial official is on a treasure hunt to find the owners of millions of dollars worth of unclaimed property. Jimmy Patronis, the state’s chief financial officer, announced Monday that the Orlando area currently has more than $359 million in unclaimed funds. Overall, Florida has $2 billion in unclaimed property. According to his office, one in five Floridians has unclaimed property. Patronis said to keep up with this month’s Holiday Money Hunt, follow the hashtag #FLHolidayMoneyHunt on Twitter.

Ron DeSantis was in Panama City Monday afternoon to announce a program that will provide $15,000 loans to help residents find housing after Hurricane Michael. DeSantis said that come Sept. 1, the state will relaunch the Hurricane Michael loan recovery program to provide residents with $15,000 loans to assist with housing costs. “Expected to launch September 1, the Hurricane Michael Recovery Loan Program will offer below market 30-year fixed rate first mortgages coupled with up to $15,000 in down payment (DPA) and closing cost assistance for qualified homebuyers. DPA loans will be zero percent interest, non-amortizing and forgivable at 20 percent per year over five years. The DPA loan is fully forgivable if an active duty serviceperson is officially reassigned and must sell the home,” it read.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Heart of Florida United Way CEO Jeff Hayword said the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have economic consequences for Central Floridians. On Wednesday, he held a meeting with local leaders to discuss what he calls a housing crisis in the community. From March 17, 2019, to June 17, 2019, there were over 2,300 residential eviction cases filed in Orange County. In the same period of 2020, there have been less than 300 residential eviction cases filed. Tiffany Moore Russell, with the Orange County Clerk of Courts, said July though October is typically when they see a high peak in evictions.

As soon as you realize you might have trouble making your mortgage payments, you’ll want to get in touch with your lender. You do not want to wait until you can’t pay your bills to contact your lender. If foreclosure is something you fear you might face, the following are options you may have available to you. Mortgage forbearanceAccording to USA.gov, federally backed home loans can get six months of mortgage help, and Federal Housing Administration reverse mortgages are eligible, as well. There are many options available to you, but the bottom line is: Contact your lender, and do not wait until it’s too late.

Cleaning solutions: Wash dishes in hot, soapy water and the run them through the dishwasher once a week. Hard toys should be washed in soapy water and then the dishwasher, if it’s safe to do so. Cleaning solutions: For doorknobs, handles on cabinets, sink handles and toilet flushers, spray with all-purpose cleaner and wipe with a clean cloth. Cleaning solutions: Scrub with hot, soapy water and then run them through a dishwasher if they are removable. Cleaning solutions: At the end of every day, rinse the sponge well to get out the traces of soap.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – For the first time since 2007, the Florida House and Senate have agreed to fully fund the state’s affordable housing trust fund, known as the Sadowski fund. However, nearly $3 billion have diverted out of the Sadowski Fund to balance the state budget over since 2008. "That is dedicated dollars for state affordable housing programs that are literally being stolen out of that trust fund to pay for other non-related priorities," he said. "That money will be used to help counties provide more affordable housing for their citizens that are in desperate need." Though both the Florida House and Senate agreed not to sweep the fund, the budget still has to be finalized.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State Rep. Carlos Guillermo-Smith (D-Orlando) says finding solutions to fight Central Florida’s affordable housing crisis is a priority in Tallahassee right now. According to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, affordable housing is defined when a person or family isn’t spending more than 30% of their income on rent or mortgage. "In Central Florida, 12,000 people are on the waiting list for affordable housing. "It is an affordable housing crisis and that's why we have made tackling this at the state level important for us." "The reality is, we have a very limited number of resources to pay for affordable housing and transportation," Smith said.

Osceola County investing in affordable housingPublished: January 22, 2020, 6:42 pmLeaders in Osceola County say they want to make sure affordable housing is available to residents as the region continues to grow.

Housing's fitful rebound Buyers are eager, but tight credit and higher mortgage rates are holding some back, says Ronald Kaplan, CEO of decking company Trex