>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS VOWS TO FIGHT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER PRESIDENT BIDEN'S COVID-19 VACCINE MANDATE.

AND WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST OF A THREE-PART SERIES OF NEWSNIGHT CONVERSATIONS, LOOKING AT ISSUES THAT MATTER TO CENTRAL FLORIDA'S COMMUNITIES.

THIS WEEK, A DISCUSSION TACKLING OUR REGION'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M NANCY ALVAREZ AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT ALL OF US.

WE DO THIS EVERY WEEK BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

JOINING US THIS WEEK, MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE DARALENE JONES FROM WFTV CHANNEL 9 AND BRENDAN BYRNE IN THE STUDIO FROM 90.7 WMFE AND THE ARE WE THERE YET PODCAST.

THE PODCAST WITH THE BEST TITLE IN MY OPINION, I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, FIRST TONIGHT THE REACTION HERE IN FLORIDA TO PRESIDENT BIDEN'S SWEEPING STRATEGY TO TACKLE THE COVID PANDEMIC.

THE MEASURES ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK INCLUDE VACCINE MANDATES FOR FEDERAL WORKERS AND CONTRACTORS AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS AT FACILITIES THAT RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS.

EMPLOYEES OF PRIVATE COMPANIES WITH MORE THAN 100 STAFF MEMBERS WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED TO GET VACCINATED OR GET TESTED WEEKLY.

>>MY MESSAGE TO UNVACCINATED AMERICANS IS THIS.

WHAT MORE IS THERE TO WAIT FOR?

WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED TO SEE?

WE'VE MADE VACCINATIONS FREE, SAFE AND CONVENIENT.

THE VACCINE HAS FDA APPROVAL.

OVER 200 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE GOTTEN AT LEAST ONE SHOT.

WE'VE BEEN PATIENT BUT OUR PATIENCE IS WEARING THIN AND YOUR REFUSAL HAS COST ALL OF US.

PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING.

>>ALL RIGHT, WELL, THIS WEEK GOVERNOR DESANTIS HELD A RALLY WHERE HE PUSHED BACK AGAINST BOTH FEDERAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT VACCINE MANDATES, SUCH AS THE REQUIREMENT IN ORANGE COUNTY FOR PUBLIC WORKERS, LIKE FIRST RESPONDERS TO GET THE SHOT OR FACE TERMINATION.

>>YOU GO BACK SIX MONTHS, EVERYONE ADMITTED IT WOULD BE WRONG TO FIRE SOMEONE OVER THIS.

NOBODY WAS SAYING THAT THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE COERCED.

EVERYONE AGREED FROM FAUCI ON DOWN THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE PROVIDED BUT IT SHOULD ULTIMATELY BE SOMEONE'S INDIVIDUAL CHOICE TO MAKE IN CONSULTATION WITH THEIR PHYSICIAN.

NOW WE'RE IN A SITUATION, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOT... THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COULD BE LOSING THEIR JOBS.

NOT BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T PERFORMED WELL, IN FACT, MANY OF THEM PERFORMED HEROICALLY, BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE OF A VERY INTRUSIVE AND I THINK ILLEGAL POLICY THAT'S BEING IMPOSED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE STATE AND IS NOW ATTEMPTED TO BE IMPOSED ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

>>ALL RIGHT, WE JUST HEARD THE GOVERNOR THERE SAYING ABOUT SOME OF THESE JOB PERFORMANCE BEING HEROIC, AND WE KNOW THAT WE'VE ALL COVERED FIREFIGHTERS BEING VERY VOCAL ABOUT THIS ISSUE LOCALLY.

DARALENE LET'S START WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANDATES HERE IN FLORIDA THAT THE GOVERNOR IS TARGETING.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS CITIES AND COUNTIES LIKE ORANGE COUNTY THAT REQUIRE VACCINES FOR THESE PUBLIC WORKERS WILL BE FINED $5,000 PER EMPLOYEE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LEGAL JUSTIFICATION HERE AND HOW MAYOR DEMINGS HAS REACTED SO FAR.

>>NANCY, IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS HADN'T EVEN HEARD THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BECAUSE AT THE SAME TIME THE GOVERNOR WAS MAKING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE JUST HEARD FROM HIM IN THAT BITE, THE MAYOR OF ORANGE COUNTY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE COVID-19 STATUS HERE IN ORANGE COUNTY.

SINCE THEN, THOUGH WE KNOW THAT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY HAS RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND SAID VERY PUBLICLY IN A MEETING THIS WEEK THAT HE BELIEVES ORANGE COUNTY IS ON SOLID LEGAL STANDING TO REQUIRE THE VACCINE FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES.

AND THEY PLAN TO STICK WITH WHAT THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE, WHICH IS ENFORCE A MANDATE.

>>ON THE FEDERAL MANDATE, THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS CAN QUOTE HAVE AT IT.

THOSE ARE HIS WORDS, IN THEIR THREATS TO SUE OVER HIS VACCINE POLICY.

HOW IS GOVERNOR DESANTIS PLANNING TO PUSH BACK ON THAT?

>>WELL, THE GOVERNOR IS NOT ONLY THREATENING LEGAL ACTION BUT IS NOW ABOUT TO GET THE LEGISLATURE INVOLVED.

IT'S UNCLEAR WHAT THAT ALL MEANS BUT I'M ENVISIONING SOME LEGISLATION THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS.

IT'LL BE INTERESTING HOW THAT PLAYS OUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD TOWARD THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT'LL BE STARTING IN A FEW MONTHS.

>>YEAH, IT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING AND TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE IMPACT ON PEOPLE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THERE ARE A LOT OF FEDERAL WORKERS IN OUR AREA, INCLUDING AT NASA, WHICH YOU COVER SO CLOSELY, WILL THEY BE PART OF PRESIDENT BIDENS MANDATE?

>>ABSOLUTELY AND THAT'S WHAT NASA ADMINISTRATOR, BILL NELSON CAME OUT AND SENT A MEMO TO STAFF SAYING THAT THEY WOULD IMPLEMENT THIS MANDATE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

THERE'S SOME URGENCY IN THIS FOR NASA BECAUSE 20 PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM COVID THAT HAVE WORKED IN THE NASA WORKFORCE, AT LEAST.

NANCY, AS YOU KNOW, COVERING SPACE THERE'S ABOUT 10,000, BOTH CIVIL SERVANTS AND FEDERAL WORKERS THAT WORK AT NASA HERE LOCALLY AND ABOUT 60,000 NATIONWIDE.

THIS HAS A BIG IMPACT ON THAT WORKFORCE.

>>YEAH, SWEEPING IMPACT ALL OVER OUR AREA.

THE PRESIDENT ONCE AGAIN DEFENDED SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHO ARE BATTLING THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION IN COURT, OVER MASK REQUIREMENTS.

WHERE DOES THE LEGAL FIGHT STAND AT THIS POINT DARALENE?

DO YOU AGREE WITH ME?

I HAVE BET EVERYONE THE SCHOOL YEAR IS GOING TO BE OVER AND WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE ARGUING ABOUT MASKS.

>>WE WILL INDEED.

HEY, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS WATCH ONE OF YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS AND YOU'LL SEE HOW DIVISIVE THIS ISSUE IS.

OR YOU ARE IN CAR LINE AND YOU CAN SEE HOW DIVISIVE IT IS.

PARENTS ALMOST SOMETIMES LOOKING ANGRY THAT THEY HAVE TO PUT THESE MASKS ON THEIR CHILDREN.

LOOK, A STATE TRIAL JUDGE HAS CLEARED FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE MANDATES THAT GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS SAID THEY SIMPLY COULD NOT PUT IN PLACE.

THE LEGAL FIGHT AND ALL OF THAT CONTINUES BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SO FAR AT LEAST HAVE THE STATE TRIAL JUDGES ON THEIR SIDE, AS THEY ALL WAIT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE APPEALS COURT REGARDING THIS.

IT'S ALSO INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION LAST WEEK OPENED A FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATION TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT FLORIDA'S MASK MANDATE IS IN FACT LEGAL.

BECAUSE IT COULD BE IMPACTING CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, FEARING THAT THEY CAN'T GO TO SCHOOLS POTENTIALLY WITH UNMASKED CHILDREN BECAUSE OF THE IMPLICATIONS THAT IT COULD HAVE ON THEM AND THEIR HEALTH.

>>IT JUST SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING CHANGES EVERY DAY ON THIS ISSUE.

WE REALLY WANT TO REMIND OUR VIEWERS THAT WE ARE TAPING THIS SHOW ON THURSDAY MORNING.

THINGS MAY CHANGE AS THEY OFTEN DO BY AIR TIME.

REMEMBER, YOU CAN JOIN THIS CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE ARE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, DID YOU SEE IT?

WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORIC INSPIRATION4 MISSION.

THE FIRST ALL CIVILIAN FLIGHT INTO ORBIT FROM OUR SPACE COAST.

>>INSPIRATION4 IS BEING BANK ROLLED BY BILLIONAIRE, JARED ISAACMAN WHO CHARTED A FLIGHT ON BOARD OF SPACEX CREW DRAGON CAPSULE.

THE FOUR PERSON MISSION IS RAISING MONEY FOR ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL.

AMONG THE CREW, HAYLEY ARCENEAUX, A BONE CANCER SURVIVOR AND A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT AT ST. JUDE.

>>WHEN THE HATCH CLOSES AND THE FOUR OF US ARE IN THE CAPSULE BY OURSELVES, I THINK I'M JUST GOING TO BE FEELING A BUNCH OF GRATITUDE THAT I'M SITTING IN THAT SEAT.

THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON I GOT PICKED FOR THIS AND THAT I'M GETTING TO REPRESENT ALL THESE KIDS, OTHER SURVIVORS, KIDS GOING THROUGH THE TRENCHES, GOING THROUGH TREATMENT.

THEN THE KIDS THAT AREN'T WITH US.

I'M REPRESENTING ALL THESE KIDS AND IT'S A HUGE HONOR.

>>WHAT AN INSPIRATION SHE IS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS ALL CIVILIAN CREW AND HOW THEY WERE SELECTED.

>>MM-HMM (AFFIRMATIVE).

>>HOW CAN I BE SELECTED?

THIS IS WHY I WANT TO KNOW.

WHEN CAN I GO?

>>WE NEED THE JOURNALIST IN SPACE PROGRAMMED TO START BACK UP AGAIN- >>YES WE DO.

>>NANCY.

HAYLEY WAS SELECTED BY ST. JUDE, JARED ISAACMAN IS RAISING MONEY FOR ST. JUDE ON THIS ONE, BUT THE OTHER TWO SIAN PROCTOR AND CHRIS SEMBROSKI WERE SELECTED VIA COMPETITION.

SIAN WAS SELECTED VIA A SHARK TANK COMPETITION AND CHRIS WAS SELECTED VIA A RAFFLE.

I THINK THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS MISSION IS THAT IT'S LIKE IT'S UNLIKE ANY OTHER THING WE'VE SEEN HERE FROM FLORIDA IN THIS COUNTRY OR AROUND THE WORLD.

IT'S JUST AN INCREDIBLE MISSION WITH SOME REALLY INSPIRATIONAL CREW.

DR. PROCTOR.

SHE IS THE FOURTH BLACK WOMAN TO BE IN SPACE AND SHE IS THE FIRST TO PILOT A SPACECRAFT, WHICH IS JUST AN INCREDIBLE MILESTONE FOR EQUALITY AND SPACE EXPLORATION >>AND JUST SO MANY REASONS FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATION, RIGHT TO BE WATCHING THIS CREW AND LOOK UP TO THAT.

SPACEX IS PAYING, AS WE KNOW FOR NASA INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER FOR THIS MISSION.

WHAT IS IT GETTING FROM THE AGENCY AND WHAT IS NASA'S ROLE HERE?

IT'S A LOT AT STAKE.

>>YEAH, BUT REALLY NASA'S BEEN HANDS OFF ON THIS MISSION BECAUSE IT IS A PRIVATE MISSION, BUT NASA REALLY HELPED SPACEX DEVELOP THIS CAPSULE.

THIS IS THE SAME CAPSULE THAT WE WATCHED NASA ASTRONAUTS LAUNCH IN STARTING LAST MAY.

THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS.

NASA SAID, "WE'RE GOING TO HELP YOU BUILD THIS CAPSULE.

WE'RE GOING TO BUY SOME SEATS FOR OUR ASTRONAUTS BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH THIS THING."

THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

THEY'RE SELLING IT TO PRIVATE CIVILIANS AND PRIVATE FOLKS WHO ARE ABLE TO CHARTER FOR THESE REALLY COOL MISSIONS.

>>SPACEX IS ALREADY FLYING CARGO AND OCCASIONALLY ASTRONAUTS, AS YOU MENTIONED IN THE ORBIT, BUT CAN WE EXPECT MORE MISSIONS LIKE INSPIRATION4 GOING FORWARD?

IS NASA ENCOURAGING THAT?

BIG BUSINESS.

>>ABSOLUTELY AND THAT'S... LIKE I SAID, THAT'S WHAT NASA WANTS.

>>YEP.

>>SPACEX IS GOING TO LAUNCH ANOTHER CREW OF PRIVATE CIVILIANS THAT CHARTER THIS FLIGHT THIS TIME TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

>>OH MY GOSH.

>>MAYBE LATER THIS YEAR, MAYBE EARLY NEXT YEAR.

THEN THERE'S ANOTHER CREW LAUNCH THIS FALL.

LOT OF COOL STUFF HAPPENING ON FLORIDA SPACE COAST.

>>AMAZING, IT'S SO GREAT FOR BREVARD COUNTY.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

>>SO EXCITING TO WATCH AND WE KNOW YOU'LL BE COVERING IT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

ARE WE THERE YET IS THE PODCAST AND YOU CAN FIND MORE ON OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

NEXT TONIGHT WE BEGIN OUR THREE-PART NEWSNIGHT CONVERSATIONS SERIES.

SPEAKING UP CHALLENGES AND CHANGES.

THE CENTRAL FLORIDA FOUNDATION THROUGH ITS TABLE TALK CONVERSATIONS INITIATIVE IS DISCOVERING THE ISSUES THAT CENTRAL FLORIDIANS FIND TO BE MOST IMPORTANT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

MY COLLEAGUE, STEVE MORT RECENTLY HOSTED A DISCUSSION ON ONE OF THE SUBJECTS THAT IS UPPERMOST IN MANY PEOPLE'S MINDS.

>>THANK YOU, NANCY.

COUPLE THOSE TABLE TALK CONVERSATIONS WITH THE RESULTS OF THE 2020 CENSUS AND WE COME UP WITH THREE ISSUES THAT ARE CONSISTENTLY AT THE FOREFRONT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, AND DIVERSITY AND RACIAL EQUITY.

WELL, I SPOKE WITH ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR, JERRY DEMINGS RECENTLY ABOUT ALL THOSE ISSUES AND HOW THEY AFFECT THE COMMUNITIES IN HIS COUNTY.

FOR PART ONE OF OUR SERIES, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

I ASKED MAYOR DEMINGS HOW HE'S ADDRESSING HOUSING.

WITH FIGURES SHOWING THE ORLANDO AREA HAS ONE OF THE MOST ACUTE SHORTAGES OF AFFORDABLE UNITS IN THE COUNTRY.

>>WE WERE FORWARD THINKING WE WERE USING VISIONARY LEADERSHIP HERE WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY.

PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.

I ANTICIPATED THE NEED FOR IMPROVING THE AVAILABLE HOUSING STOCK THAT WAS MORE AFFORDABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAD PUT TOGETHER A HOUSING FOR ALL TASK FORCE OF THOUGHT LEADERS FROM VARIOUS VOCATIONS HERE WITHIN ORANGE COUNTY TO DEVELOP A PLAN.

WE HAVE A WONDERFUL BLUEPRINT HOUSING FOR ALL PLAN OF ACTION IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE AVAILABLE HOUSING STOCK.

IN FACT, ORANGE COUNTY, ONE OF THE FEW COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND ONE OF THE FEW IN THE NATION THAT HAS NOW DEVELOPED A HOUSING TRUST FUND.

THAT TRUST FUND WAS DEVELOPED WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE BORDER COUNTY COMMISSION TO USE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS OF OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUES WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS, TO HELP MOVE THE NEEDLE AND INCREASE THE AVAILABLE HOUSING STOCK.

WE ARE VERY FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THAT BY CREATING AT LEAST 30,000 NEW HOUSING UNITS DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, THAT WILL BE WORKFORCE HOUSING.

>>SO MANY ASPECTS OF THIS ISSUE TO TOUCH UPON.

JOINING US TO DO SO NOW, BRIAN BUTLER OF JCB CONSTRUCTION, REVEREND MARY LEE DOWNEY OF THE HOPE PARTNERSHIP, CATHERINE MCMANUS FROM HABITAT FOR HOUSING IN ORANGE AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES AND PATRICE SCOTT WHO WORKS WITH THE PARRAMORE ASSET STABILIZATION FUND.

REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS JOINING US TODAY FOR THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.

CATHERINE, LET ME START WITH YOU AND THE RECENT NEWS THAT THE SUPREME COURT ENDED THE CDC'S EVICTION MORATORIUM.

WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE OUR COMMUNITIES AS THE ECONOMY CLAWS BACK FROM THE JOBS THAT WERE LOST IN THE PANDEMIC?

>>IT LEAVES OUR COMMUNITY IN QUITE A LURCH.

AS OF SEPTEMBER 1ST, THERE WERE 2,500 PENDING EVICTIONS IN ORANGE COUNTY AND ALMOST A THOUSAND IN OSCEOLA COUNTY.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY ONE PEN STROKE AWAY FROM BEING REMOVED FROM THEIR HOME.

WE ALREADY HAVE A HOUSING SHORTFALL.

WHERE ARE THESE 2,500 FAMILIES GOING TO GO?

THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

>>SUCH A DIFFICULT TIME.

MARY, LET ME COME TO YOU.

THE CENTRAL FLORIDA FOUNDATION FINDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS THE TOP ISSUE IN COMMUNITIES IN OUR REGION THAT PEOPLE ARE MOST UNHAPPY WITH.

THE HOUSING SITUATION IN KISSIMMEE IS OFTEN USED AS A VERY VISIBLE EXAMPLE OF THE CRISIS FACING MANY AREAS.

MOTELS ALONG 192, FOR EXAMPLE.

WHAT ARE THE DYNAMICS THERE IN OSCEOLA COUNTY WITH ITS LARGE NUMBER OF HOSPITALITY WORKERS?

>>I THINK OUR MAJOR DYNAMIC IS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE UNITS THAT CATHERINE WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT.

RIGHT NOW THERE'S A DEFICIT IN OUR COMMUNITY PRE-PANDEMIC AND WE ARE ONLY GOING TO SEE THAT TO INCREASE AS THESE EVICTIONS COME FORWARD.

COUPLE THAT WITH OUR POPULATION GROWTH IN THIS PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.

AS WE SEE DIFFERENT PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO COME IN AND AS PEOPLE ARE BEING EVICTED, THE NEW POPULATION GROWTH TAKING THOSE UNITS.

IT DOUBLES UP ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AND WE HAVE A CRISIS.

>>PATRICE, THE ORLANDO SENTINEL HAS DONE SOME REPORTING ON THE DISPARITIES FACED BY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND EVICTIONS.

TAKE A LISTEN TO THIS FROM DESIREE STENNETT FROM THE SENTINEL.

>>WE LOOKED AT CENSUS DATA FOR THE ZIP CODES.

FOR EVERY ZIP CODE IN ORANGE, OSCEOLA AND SEMINOLE COUNTIES AND WE PULLED THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA.

SO WE COULD UNDERSTAND RACIALLY WHO MAKES UP THE POPULATION FOR EACH OF THE ZIP CODES.

THEN WE LAYERED THAT WITH EVICTION DATA.

THE RAW NUMBERS FOR THE NUMBER OF EVICTIONS FOR EVERY ZIP CODE IN THOSE SAME THREE COUNTIES.

WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT IN ZIP CODES WITH MAJORITY BLACK POPULATIONS.

THE EVICTION RATE WAS JUST MUCH HIGHER THAN EVEN NEIGHBORING ZIP CODES THAT WERE MAJORITY WHITE.

THE EXAMPLE THAT I USED IN THE STORY WAS THE ONE THAT WE THOUGHT WAS THE STARKEST.

IT WAS DOWNTOWN ORLANDO 32803, WHICH IS LAKE EOLA HEIGHTS COLONIALTOWN.

IT STRETCHES OVER TO LAKE UNDERHILL.

THAT ZIP CODE IS 73% WHITE.

THE EVICTION RATE THERE IS LESS THAN 2%.

LESS THAN TWO AND 100 PEOPLE HAVE FACE EVICTIONS BETWEEN 2019 AND 2020.

LESS THAN FOUR MILES AWAY IS 32805.

THAT INCLUDES PARRAMORE AND STRETCHES WEST.

IN THAT ZIP CODE, IT'S 75% PERCENT BLACK.

IF THE POPULATION DEMOGRAPHICS ARE FLIPPED ON THEIR HEAD AND THERE ALMOST ONE IN 10 HAVE FACED EVICTION IN 2019 AND 2020.

THOSE PERCENTAGES ARE A LITTLE LOWER BECAUSE OF THE HELP THAT THE MORATORIUMS DID TO PREVENT EVICTIONS.

YES, IT'S...

WHEN WE CROSS INTO ZIP CODES WITH HIGH BLACK POPULATIONS, WE SEE THE EVICTION RATE SPIKE.

THERE'S ANOTHER GROUP IN NEW AMERICA THAT LOOKED AT EVEN OLDER DATA FROM 2017 AND 2018 AND IN 2019 AS WELL, BUT DID NOT LOOK AT IT DURING THE PANDEMIC.

THEY LOOKED AT IT BY CENSUS TRACK AND WHAT THEY FOUND WAS THAT EVERY SINGLE CENSUS TRACK IN ORANGE COUNTY THAT HAD A POPULATION OF 50% OR MORE BLACK, ALL OF THEM HAD AN EVICTION RATE HIGHER THAN THE COUNTY AVERAGE, WITHOUT EXCEPTION.

>>PRETTY STARK FINDINGS THERE.

PATRICE, HOW DO YOU CHARACTERIZE THE HOUSING SITUATION THERE IN PARRAMORE, WHICH IS A MORE STORIED COMMUNITY THAN MANY SUBURBAN AREAS?

>>THE CITY OF PARRAMORE IS A HISTORIC AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

IT HAS FACED A LOT OF DISCRIMINATION IN THE PAST, AS IT PERTAINS TO THE DISPARITY, A LOT OF IT IS HINGED ON LACK OF EDUCATION TO KNOWING WHAT THEIR TENANT RIGHTS ARE.

AS YOU'LL SEE IN PREDOMINANTLY WHITE POPULATIONS, THEY MAY HAVE ACCESS TO AN ATTORNEY.

THEY MAY BE ABLE TO MEDIATE THEIR ISSUES AS IT PERTAINS TO PAST DUE RENT AND ACTUALLY UTILIZE AND ASSERT THEIR RIGHTS WHEN IT COMES TO EVICTIONS.

YOU'LL SEE IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS READILY AVAILABLE TO THEM.

EVEN LEGAL AID RIGHT NOW IS OVERBURDENED WITH CASES.

SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A PRIVATE ATTORNEY WOULD HAVE A VERY HARD UPHILL BATTLE IN FACING THEIR EVICTIONS.

>>CERTAINLY THAT EVICTION ISSUE WAS ALSO A PROBLEM DURING THE PREVIOUS RECESSION IN 2008 IN COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS PARRAMORE.

BRIAN, LET ME COME TO YOU AND CONTINUE ON THAT ISSUE OF DIVERSITY.

YOU ARE INVOLVED IN CONSTRUCTION SIDE OF THE HOUSING PUZZLE.

WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT FACTORS TO LOOK AT IN A COMMUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO SELECTING PLACES TO BUILD.

>>AVAILABILITY OF LAND CERTAINLY IS THE FIRST FIRST THING.

IF YOU TALK SPECIFICALLY IN BEING INVOLVED IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ASPECT OF HOUSED, WHICH IS CENTRAL FLORIDA FOUNDATION'S HOUSING TRUST PROGRAM.

WE HAVE TO NOW TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE CAN WE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA BE IT IN PARRAMORE INVOLVED WITH THE PARRAMORE ASSET STABILIZATION FUND.

THERE WAS REHAB OF UNITS.

NOW WE'RE ALSO LOOKING IN THE CITY LIMITS IN THE COUNTY.

YOU'VE HEARD FROM MAYOR DEMINGS, ALSO SPEAK TO THAT AND FINDING SELECTIVE LOCATIONS WHERE YOU CAN BUILD THESE WORKFORCE HOUSING.

WE ARE CERTAINLY NOW CONSTRAINED MOST ABOUT THE MATERIAL AND THE COST AND RISING PRICES OF HOMES AS WELL AS JUST THE AVAILABILITY OF LAND TO BUILD IN.

THE INFILL IS WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING TO DO HERE, PARTICULARLY IN THE METROPOLITAN URBAN AREA.

>>YEAH, OBVIOUSLY CONSTRUCTION IN ALREADY BUILT UP AREAS IS OFTEN TRICKY.

CATHERINE, RETURNING TO YOU, THE DYNAMICS OBVIOUSLY DIFFER BETWEEN OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STANDS OUT FROM THE CENTRAL FLORIDA FOUNDATION STUDY IS THE CONSISTENCY IN HOW PEOPLE VIEW ISSUES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

WHETHER IT'S DOWNTOWN ORLANDO, PINE HILLS, WINTER PARK OR SEMINOLE COUNTY, HOUSING IS THE BIGGEST SOURCE OF ANXIETY FOR RESIDENTS.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON FACTORS AT PLAY HERE?

>>WELL, RIGHT NOW, ONE OF THE COMMON FACTORS IS THE COST OF A HOME.

I THINK AS OF LAST WEEK, THE AVERAGE COST OF A HOME IN CENTRAL FLORIDA WAS $327,000.

OUR WAGES CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE COST OF HOUSING.

I LIKE TO SAY, WE HAVE HOUSING PRICES THAT MIRROR ATLANTA BUT WAGES THAT MIRROR BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI.

THAT IS ONE OF THE ISSUES WE HAD PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.

THEN YOU LAYER COVID ON TOP OF THAT AND SO MANY PEOPLE WERE FURLOUGHED OR LOST THEIR JOBS.

JOBLESS BENEFITS JUST ENDED THIS WEEKEND DURING LABOR DAY.

AGAIN, WE'VE NOT EVEN STARTED TO SEE SOME OF THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.

>>YEAH, LET'S CONTINUE ON THAT SUBJECT OF WAGES.

MARY, HOW MUCH OF THIS ISSUE IN YOUR COMMUNITY IS DOWN TO LOW WAGES AND HOW MUCH IS DOWN TO A LACK OF HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE?

CAN WE SIMPLY BUILD OUR WAY OUT OF THIS CRISIS IN OUR COMMUNITIES LIKE KISSIMMEE OR DO WE NEED TO LOOK MORE DEEPLY AT HOW OUR ECONOMY FUNCTIONS DO YOU THINK?

>>YES, WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO LOOK DEEPER INTO HOW OUR LOW WAGES ARE CONTRIBUTING TO OUR OVERARCHING NEED FOR WHAT WE LIKE TO CALL FINANCIALLY ATTAINABLE HOUSING.

BECAUSE EVEN THOSE WHERE WE CAN BUILD OURSELF INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH THE WAY THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORKS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO THEIR WAGES ARE SO LOW THAT THEY WOULD NEVER EVEN QUALIFY OR BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN IN THOSE HOUSING UNITS AS WELL.

WE REALLY HAVE THIS BOTTLENECK OF PEOPLE WHO ARE AT THE LOWEST OF OUR POVERTY LIMITS, WHO ARE WORKING IN OUR HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM INDUSTRY AND THERE IS LITERALLY NO HOUSING FOR THEM.

ALL OF THEIR HOUSING IS GOING INTO PAYING FOR HOTELS AND MOTELS, MORE THAN 50% OF THEIR INCOME.

WE HAVE TO THINK BROADER, WE CANNOT, AS YOU HAVE SAID, BUILD OURSELVES OUT OF THIS.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULD NOT DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO BUILD AS MANY UNITS AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

>>THERE'S A MYRIAD APARTMENT DEVELOPMENTS PLANNED OR UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON THE FRINGES OF PARRAMORE PATRICE.

HAS THE BUILDING THAT IS TAKING PLACE THERE HELPED IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY YET.

IS THERE A WAY TO MEASURE THAT DO YOU THINK?

>>WE HAVEN'T QUITE SEEN HOW THE NEW HOUSING STRUCTURE HAS ASSISTED THE RESIDENTS OF PARRAMORE.

THERE IS A GROWING NEED, ESPECIALLY AMONG OUR ELDER POPULATION FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT'S ON THE LOWER END OF THE AREA, MEDIAN INCOME.

SECOND, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS THERE ARE NO LAWS RESTRICTING THE RENT INCREASES.

THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE A RESTRICTIVE MEASURE AS TO HOW HIGH THE RENT CAN BE IN CERTAIN AREAS WITH A LOWER INCOME POPULATION.

UNTIL THAT COMES INTO AN EFFECT AND WE'VE PASSED SOME LEGISLATOR TO MITIGATE HOW HIGH THEY CAN CHARGE, NO MATTER HOW MUCH HOUSING WE'RE BUILDING, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.

>>YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

BRIAN, ORLANDO RECENTLY WAS RANKED AS THE 50TH LEAST AFFORDABLE CITY NATIONWIDE WITH UPWARD MARKET PRESSURE ON HOUSING PRICES THAT YOU REFERRED TO BEFORE.

DOES THERE NEED TO BE MORE INCENTIVE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TO BUILD AFFORDABLE UNITS DO YOU THINK?

>>WELL, YOU'VE GOT TO DEFINE WHAT CONSTRUCTION OR DEVELOPMENT.

FROM THE CONSTRUCTION STANDPOINT, A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY CAN ONLY DO THINGS BASED ON WHAT THE COSTS OF THE WORK ARE.

WHETHER IT'S MATERIAL, LABOR, EQUIPMENT, ET CETERA.

FROM THE DESIGN STANDPOINT, WHO GETS THE FUNDING TO RECEIVE THE DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS THAT MIGHT HAVE SOME INCENTIVES OR OTHER THINGS MEASURES THAT CAN THEN BE UTILIZED TO TAKE A PROPERTY THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AT ALL BECAUSE OF SOME ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

WITH THE VARIOUS AGENCIES INVOLVED, WITH THE CITY STATE INVOLVED AND THE BANKING INDUSTRY INVOLVED.

THAT'S WHERE THE CENTRAL FLORIDA FOUNDATION HAS BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND TRYING TO FIND WHERE WE CAN GET GRANTS, WHERE WE CAN GET EQUITY THAT WORKS FOR MAKING THE HOME AFFORDABLE.

THAT IS A MARKETPLACE THAT WE ARE EXPLORING NOW WORKING WITH.

NOW, WHAT OTHER GRANTS WE CAN GET FROM LARGE CORPORATE OR PHILANTHROPIC AREAS TO REDUCE THE COST OF THE HOME.

THE PRICE IS...

THE COST IS THE SAME RELATIVE TO HOW MUCH ONE WOULD PAY FOR IT BUT THE REALITY IS THAT, HOW CAN IT BE FUNDED SUCH THAT IT BECOMES AFFORDABLE.

>>AND AS EVER, SO MUCH OF THIS COMES DOWN TO POLITICS.

CATHERINE, THE LEGISLATURE VOTED THIS PAST SESSION TO DIVERT HALF THE STATE'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, THE SADOWSKI FUND TO OTHER PROJECTS LIKE SEA LEVEL RISE.

THERE'S AN EFFORT BY THE FLORIDA REALTORS ASSOCIATION TO PUSH FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NEXT YEAR, TO RESTORE THAT FUND.

WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THAT... ON THE SADOWSKI FUND?

>>SURE, WELL HABITAT FOR HUMANITY REALLY COUNTS THE FLORIDA REALTORS AS ONE OF OUR MOST VALUED PARTNERS IN THE WORK OF PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP TO THE PEOPLE IN THE ENTIRE OR STATE OF FLORIDA.

OUR OVERALL GOAL AT HABITAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS FUNDING TO PROVIDE HOME OWNERSHIP, RENTAL AND REPAIR PROGRAMS THAT SERVE THE PEOPLE OF FLORIDA.

>>WELL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR THIS IMPORTANT SUBJECT.

IT ALWAYS FEELS LIKE THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH TIME TO GET IN ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH ISSUES LIKE HOUSING BUT YOU'LL FIND MUCH MORE ON THIS DISCUSSION ON OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/CONVERSATIONS.

>>SUCH AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT TO TACKLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

NEXT WEEK, STEVE WILL HAVE PART TWO OF THIS NEWSNIGHT CONVERSATION SERIES FOCUSING ON ANOTHER TOPIC CENTRAL FLORIDIANS ARE SPEAKING UP ABOUT.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.

IF YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS YEAR'S TABLE TALK CONVERSATIONS, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/CONVERSATIONS.

THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO DARALENE JONES OF WFTV CHANNEL 9 AND BRENDAN BYRNE HERE IN THE STUDIO WITH ME OF 90.7 WMFE.

APPRECIATE YOU BOTH.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 RIGHT HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE WEEKEND.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.