Florida Realtors® Legislative Issues
vate Property Rights F *OUFSOFU IBT NBEF JU FBTJFS GPS of frequent hurricanes NFPXOFST UP SFOU UIFJS QSPQFSUZ and severe storms, natural BOEJOH IPVTJOH PQUJPOT GPS JOEJWJEVBMT catastrophes in other parts P MJWF JO PS USBWFM UP 'MPSJEB .BOZ MPDBM of the country or world, FSONFOUT IBWF FOBDUFE OFX PSEJOBODFT rising reinsurance rates and JHOFE UP EJTDPVSBHF QSPQFSUZ PXOFST N FYFSDJTJOH UIFJS SJHIU UP SFOU UIFJS the increasing litigation QFSUZ 4UBUF BOE MPDBM 3FBMUPS costs insurance companies PDJBUJPOT XIJMF SFTQFDUJOH DPNNVOJUZ are being forced to pay. ODFSOT BSF XFMM QPTJUJPOFE UP NPOJUPS • Florida Relators® supports F BOE MPDBM SFHVMBUPSZ BDUJWJUZ BOE UP UBLF sensible legislation that PO UP QSPUFDU QSJWBUF QSPQFSUZ SJHIUT seeks to reduce occurrences of unnecessary litigation #FJOH BCMF UP SFOU ZPVS IPNF JT B while ensuring homeowners GVOEBNFOUBM SJHIU PG QSPQFSUZ PXOFST are treated by 4IPSU UFSN SFOUBM 453fairly PSEJOBODFT insurance companies. JODMVEJOH MPDBM MJDFOTJOH SFRVJSFNFOUT BOE HVFTU SFTUSJDUJPOT DBO JOGSJOHF VQPO UIJT GVOEBNFOUBM QSPQFSUZ SJHIU JO Water Quality and TJHOJGJDBOU XBZT Environmental Funding 'MPSJEB 3FBMUPST XJMM DPOUJOVF UP BEWPDBUF GPS TPMVUJPOT UIBU QSFWFOU MPDBM Water is the lifeblood of HPWFSONFOUT GSPN SFTUSJDUJOH UIJT all Florida residents and QSBDUJDF
visitors to our state. It forms the foundation of our and must be siness communities Rent Tax FDUJWF +BOVBSZ 'MPSJEB T TBMFT UBY protected. Florida Realtors® F DIBSHFE PO CVTJOFTT SFOU XJMM CF will continue to advocate for BUJOH B GJOBODJBM CVSEFO GPS BOZ CVTJOFTT Florida’s natural resources U MFBTFT TQBDF $POUJOVJOH UP MPXFS UIF and a pristine environment. JOFTT SFOU UBY XJMM QSPWJEF 'MPSJEB We will also encourage all JOFTTFT XJUI UIF DBQJUBM UP FYQBOE IJSF SF FNQMPZFFT JNQSPWF CFOFGJUT BOE SBJTF stakeholders, including BSJFT the state of Florida, to do their part to help solve 'MPSJEB 3FBMUPST JT HSBUFGVM GPS UIF environmental problems. TVQQPSU PG UIF BOE
'MPSJEB -FHJTMBUVSFT XIJDI IBWF MPXFSFE • Florida Realtors® continues UIF TUBUF TBMFT UBY SBUF PO DPNNFSDJBM its support of state funding TQBDF UP to help preserve the 5IFTF UISFF DPOTFDVUJWF ZFBST PG SBUF DVUT Everglades. IBWF TBWFE 'MPSJEB CVTJOFTTFT NJMMJPO • Florida Realtors® supports legislation that addresses 'MPSJEB 3FBMUPST XJMM DPOUJOVF UP the escalating problem of BEWPDBUF GPS GVSUIFS SFEVDUJPOT UP UIJT rising sea levels in Florida’s UBY HJWJOH CVTJOFTTFT GJOBODJBM SFTPVSDFT coastal communities. UP HSPX UIFJS DPNQBOJFT BOE FOSJDI UIFJS DPNNVOJUJFT • Florida Realtors®
encourages the Florida
Legislature to rely on scientific and¥ 0GGJDF engineering 'MPSJEB 3FBMUPST expertise to highlight PG 1VCMJD 1PMJDZ vulnerable areas, prioritize 4 .POSPF 4U critical work projects and 5BMMBIBTTFF '- create a long-term plan that 5FM can address these important 'BY environmental issues. GMPSJEBSFBMUPST PSH MFHJTMBUJWFDFOUFS 7JDF 1SFTJEFOU PG 1VCMJD 1PMJDZ Affordable Housing %BOJFMMF 4DPHHJOT
TheEBOJFMMFT!GMPSJEBSFBMUPST PSH State and Local Government Housing Trust -FHJTMBUJWF $PVOTFM Funds were created in the 5SFZ (PMENBO early 1990s to help Floridians USFZH!GMPSJEBSFBMUPST PSH in good times and bad. They 1VCMJD 1PMJDZ 3FQSFTFOUBUJWF are "OESFX 3VUMFEHF funded by a portion of the BOESFXS!GMPSJEBSFBMUPST PSH documentary stamp taxes charged on every real estate 1VCMJD 1PMJDZ 3FQSFTFOUBUJWF transaction. For thousands "OEZ (PO[BMF[ of families, these funds BOEZH!GMPSJEBSFBMUPST PSH are the only way to realize 1VCMJD 1PMJDZ $PNNVOJDBUJPOT %JSFDUPS the 5PN #VUMFS American dream of homeownership. They also UIPNBTC!GMPSJEBSFBMUPST PSH provide housing rehabilitation %JSFDUPS PG 0QFSBUJPOT and4V[BOOF )VHIFT rental assistance to Florida’s homeless, veterans, seniors, and TV[BOOFI!GMPSJEBSFBMUPST PSH persons with disabilities.
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• Florida continues to experience an affordable 3FHJPOBM %JSFDUPST PG "EWPDBDZ housing crisis that is BOE 1VCMJD 1PMJDZ limiting the ability of 1PMJUJDBM %JSFDUPS people and families to (FOFTTB $BTBOPWB move into, and around HFOFTTBD!GMPSJEBSFBMUPST PSH the state. •1PMJUJDBM "DUJWJUJFT $PPSEJOBUPS The current pandemic "NZ (MPWFS has exacerbated this BNZH!GMPSJEBSFBMUPST PSH crisis, making solutions
to the problem more #SFOU "OEFSTPO /PSUIXFTU 'MPSJEB important than ever. CSFOUB!GMPSJEBSFBMUPST PSH •,FWJO #FTTFSFS Although lawmakers 5BNQB BSFB have a difficult task of LFWJOC!GMPSJEBSFBMUPST PSH closing a significant /BUIBO (SFFOF /PSUIFBTU 'MPSJEB budget gap during the OBUIBOH!GMPSJEBSFBMUPST PSH 2021 Legislative Session, it is imperative that they -JOETBZ .BTPO $FOUSBM 'MPSJEB allocate as much funding MJOETBZN!GMPSJEBSFBMUPST PSH as possible for affordable housing projects. • Florida Realtors® will continue to advocate for full funding from the trust funds to be allocated for affordable housing projects.
