FEATURE
Of The Persuasion
REALTORS® take their beliefs about real estate issues such as
affordable housing and vacation rental to 2018 Florida Legislative Session
AFFORDABLE HOUSING >
Increase funding for the housing trust funds
and allow the housing trust funds to help
families become homeowners through
public-private partnerships that give back
to the community
The state and local government housing
trust funds were created in the early
1990s to help Floridians in good times
and bad. They are supported entirely by a
portion of the doc stamp taxes charged on
every real estate transaction.
For thousands of families, these funds
are the only way to realize the American
dream of homeownership. They also
provide housing rehabilitation and rental
assistance to Florida’s homeless, veterans,
seniors and persons with disabilities.
Last year, the Legislature allocated
$270 million for affordable housing projects,
the highest funding level in a decade.
REALTORS® applaud lawmakers for
their financial support. But there is still a
lot more work to be done. The need for
affordable housing is particularly great
when you factor in the devastation caused
by Hurricane Irma and the influx of Puerto
Ricans to Florida following Hurricane
Maria.
PERSUASIVE POINTS
• State economists estimate that
Cliff Long, Thomas Nguyen, Theodora Uniken Venema,
Eric Rollings, Cindy Egeli, Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith,
Susan Oberry, Crystal Oberry, and Becki Douglas met
in Rep. Smith’s office during the 2018 Great American
REALTOR® Days.
When Orlando REALTORS®
made their annual trek to
Tallahassee back in January
for Great American REALTOR®
Days, they were backed by
one of the state’s largest lobbies.
Florida REALTORS® had
already been long at work on
its 2018 Florida Legislative
Session priorities, which
focus on the following real
estate related issues:
16 Orlando REALTOR® March / April 2018