Florida's Latest News

Don Gaetz revives housing bill to tackle Florida’s affordability crisis

A Senator has refiled a bill aimed at expanding access to affordable housing to help accommodate Florida’s growing population.

Pensacola Republican Sen. Don Gaetz filed the measure (SB 48), cosponsored by Tamarac Democratic Sen. Rosalind Osgood, which aims to implement several provisions to reduce costs for renters while easing regulations for homeowners wanting to build accessory dwellings on their existing properties.

Gaetz filed a similar measure (SB 184) during the 2025 Legislative Session. However, despite bipartisan support during the bill’s passage through the Committee, it ultimately stalled.

The bill would establish what qualifies as a reusable tenant screening report, which includes employment verification, eviction history, and credit information. Landlords would be able to accept these reports, requiring applicants to confirm there has been no change since their last report.

What is driving South Florida's commercial real estate market this year?

The South Florida housing market may be uneasy, but the regional commercial real estate market is growing at its fastest pace in three years.

The pace of sales of commercial buildings in the industry’s four major categories grew over the first three quarters of the year compared to the same time period last year.

Despite persistent concerns about the value of office buildings, commercial sales of regional office buildings totaled almost $2 billion this year, according to data collected by the Miami Association of Realtors.

Almost $10 billion of South Florida commercial real estate traded hands between January and September. That’s the strongest since 2022.

“Commercial sales volume over 3 quarters has steadily increased since 2023 amid a challenging economic environment, indicating investors' positive long-term outlook in the Miami Metro market area,” said the realtors association report.

More than 1M Floridians will exit individual ACA plans. Those who don’t leave will pay more

With the federal government shut down amid an impasse over Affordable Care Act subsidies, Florida policymakers are bracing for more uninsured people under the age of 65 and higher costs for those who keep coverage.

Yet with just over two weeks before open enrollment, questions loom, and answers about the way forward are in short supply.

Alexis Bakofsky, the Deputy Commissioner of Life and Health Insurance for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, painted a grim picture that could see rates increase by 34.1% year over year before subsidies are factored in.

“That’s not a typical rate we’d see for this market,” she said of the hike, which could lower enrollment by “25-30%” according to estimates she had heard.

Shevrin Jones proposes ‘People’s Relief Program’ to aid struggling Floridians

Sen. Shevrin Jones wants to help Floridians facing economic hardship.

He just filed legislation (SB 170) to create the “People’s Relief Program,” a state-funded safety net within the Department of Children and Families for struggling residents.

The initiative, if approved, would provide state-funded grants to assist with essential expenses, including housing, childcare, utilities, health care and property insurance.

“From utility bills to property insurance premiums, families across the state are feeling squeezed by rising costs and working harder than ever just to make ends meet,” Jones said in a statement.