>>ORLANDO HAS APPROVED AN ELECTRIC MOBILITY ROADMAP.

HOW WILL IT IMPACT THE CITY BEAUTIFUL?

FROM RENTAL PRICES TO INSURANCE RATES, REAL ESTATE IS A HOT TOPIC IN ALL OF FLORIDA.

AND HOW WILL MANATEES FARE NOW THAT A CONTROVERSIAL PROGRAM IS COMING TO AN END?

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>I'M DARALENE JONES OF WFTV CHANNEL 9 SITTING IN FOR STEVE MORT.

WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT, WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT YOU.

WE DO THIS EACH WEEK BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN-DEPTH REPORTING AND DISCUSSION ON THESE IMPORTANT TOPICS.

THIS WEEK WE HAVE AMY GREEN OF WMFE AND ERIK SANDOVAL, MY FRIEND FROM WKMG.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS WEEK.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS DISCUSSION.

>>THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>>FIRST UP, THE CITY OF ORLANDO HAS APPROVED A NEW ELECTRIC MOBILITY ROADMAP WITH THE GOAL OF IMPROVING TRANSIT IN THE CITY, MAKING IT CLEANER, GREENER, AND MORE ACCESSIBLE.

NEWSNIGHT'S KRYSTEL KNOWLES HAS THIS REPORT.

>>LAST YEAR, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE READINESS POLICY AND TAKING EFFECT THIS JANUARY.

>>ORLANDO IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MOST EV READY CITIES IN THE COUNTRY WHEN YOU LOOK AT CHARGERS PER CAPITA.

WE HAVE ABOUT 350 PUBLICLY-AVAILABLE EV CHARGING STATIONS AROUND THE CITY OF ORLANDO AND ABOUT 500-PLUS ACROSS ORANGE COUNTY.

>>ACCORDING TO THE CITY OF ORLANDO DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE CHRIS CASTRO SAYS MOVING TOWARDS ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND SUPPLYING EV CHARGING STATIONS IS A WIN-WIN FOR CITY BEAUTIFUL.

>>WE SEE THIS AS A REALLY IMPORTANT STRATEGY TO NOT ONLY HELP MITIGATE THE CLIMATE CHANGE CRISIS THAT WE'RE IN AND REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS, BUT ALSO IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH, ALSO DRIVE HAVE A NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMY, AND SUPPORT ESSENTIALLY OUR RESIDENTS IN MOVING TOWARDS A MORE AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION OPTION.

>>RIGHT NOW, THE CITY ESTIMATES IN ORANGE COUNTY, THERE ARE ABOUT 11,000 ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON THE ROAD BY 2025.

THEY ESTIMATE ABOUT 30,000.

>>THE CITY OF ORLANDO HAS A VERY AMBITIOUS GOAL OF REDUCING GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS BY THE YEAR 2040 BY 90%.

>>AND CITY VEHICLES WILL BE UPGRADED GRADUALLY TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND ALLEVIATE AIR POLLUTION HEALTH CONCERNS.

>>YOUR GOLF CART THAT YOU SEE AROUND DOWNTOWN THAT'S SOLAR POWERED, TO YOUR MOTOR POOL VEHICLE WHEN WE SEND A CITY EMPLOYEE INTO THE FIELD, THEY'RE NOW IN AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, ALL THE WAY UP TO OUR FIRE TRUCKS AND OUR SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING TRUCKS.

WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT 100% OF OUR VEHICLES, ABOUT 3,000 VEHICLES, ARE POWERED BY ALTERNATIVE FUELS LIKE COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS OR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

>>ADOPTING EVS COULD SAVE FLORIDA DRIVERS ABOUT $84 BILLION BY 2050.

AND WITH GAS PRICES GOING UP, CASTRO SAYS ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE MORE AFFORDABLE IN THE LONG RUN.

>>IN FLORIDA, THEY SHOWED THAT OWNING AN EV IS FIVE TO SIX TIMES CHEAPER TO FUEL YOUR EV THAN IT IS TO GO TO THE GAS PUMP, RIGHT?

IF YOU'RE DRIVEN BY ECONOMICS AND SAVINGS, EV IS THE BETTER VEHICLE.

>>FOR EVERY $1 BILLION SPENT ON CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, AN ESTIMATE MORE THAN 10,000 JOBS WILL BE CREATED.

REPORTING IN ORLANDO, KRYSTEL KNOWLES.

>>THIS ELECTRIC MOBILITY ROADMAP THE CITY OF ORLANDO JUST APPROVED, IT'S REALLY A STEP-BY-STEP AS TO HOW THEY WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH TRANSPORTATION IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

BUT WHERE DOES THE CITY FALL ON THE SPECTRUM OF ENERGY CONVERSION?

>>WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT THEY WERE IN THE MIDDLE, IF NOT MIDDLE TWO ON THE CUSP OF LEADERS.

A LOT OF OTHER BIGGER CITIES IN THE NATION HAVE ACTUALLY GONE AHEAD AND GONE ON WITH EV INITIATIVES LIKE THIS.

I'VE DONE STORIES ON THE CITY OF ORLANDO, AND I THINK KRYSTEL MADE MENTION OF THIS IN HER PIECE, THE FLEET VEHICLES FOR THE CITY OF ORLANDO, THEIR GOAL IS TO HAVE ALL OF THEM EITHER NATURAL GAS OR ELECTRIC BY THE YEAR 2035.

THE STORY I DID, WE WERE ON TOP OF THE FLEET MANAGEMENT BUILDING.

THERE ARE PANELS OF SOLAR PANELS UP THERE.

>>THEY PRODUCE ALL THE ELECTRICITY FOR ALL OF THESE CITY OWNED ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

THEY'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO A UTILITY.

THEY'RE PRODUCING THE POWER THEMSELVES.

IN THAT CASE, THEY'RE DEFINITELY A LEADER.

>>DEFINITELY GOING TO BE THE WAY TO GO.

AMY, EQUITY AND AFFORDABILITY ARE ALWAYS A CONCERN, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.

HOW WILL THIS IMPACT THOSE AREAS?

>>WELL, ABSOLUTELY.

IN SPEAKING WITH ORLANDO SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR CHRIS CASTRO, HE TELLS ME THAT IN COMMUNICATING WITH SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES, THEY INDICATED A STRONG INTEREST IN E-BIKES, AND E-BIKES ARE THE SAME AS THE OLD FASHIONED KIND, EXCEPT FOR THEY INCLUDE LIKE AN ELECTRIC PROPULSION SYSTEM THAT CAUSES THEM TO GO FASTER.

THAT'S ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO START.

>>TESLA, ERIK, IS A BIG COMPETITOR.

HOW DOES THIS FACTOR INTO EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING?

>>WELL, TESLA USED TO BE THE COMPETITOR AND EVERYBODY ELSE WAS TRYING TO CATCH UP.

THEY STILL ARE TRYING TO CATCH UP.

I THINK VW JUST ANNOUNCED A NEW MODEL.

WE HAVE PICKUP TRUCKS NOW THAT ARE ELECTRIC POWERED.

MORE AND MORE MODELS ARE BEING MADE AVAILABLE TO THE MIDDLE CLASS.

JUST THIS WEEK THE BIG NEWS, OF COURSE, CALIFORNIA ANNOUNCING THAT THEY WANTED TO PHASE OUT ALL GAS POWERED CARS ON THEIR ROADWAYS BY THE YEAR 2035.

>>THEY WANT TO MAKE ALL NEW CAR PURCHASES EITHER EV OR NATURAL GAS.

THAT'S A BIG OBSTACLE OR BIG TARGET RIGHT THERE.

>>YEAH, IT CERTAINLY MEANS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE MORE ACCESS TO CHARGING STATIONS.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

>>I HAD A FRIEND WHO TOLD ME HER SON WAS DRIVING HIS ELECTRIC VEHICLE FROM LIKE MEMPHIS TO ATLANTA, AND HE RAN OUT OF CHARGE.

HE COULDN'T FIND A CHARGING STATION FOR 200 MILES.

THEY HAD TO TOW THE CAR, AND IT WAS A WHOLE ORDEAL.

CERTAINLY MUNICIPALITIES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT AS WELL.

AMY, WHAT ARE ENVIRONMENTALISTS SAYING ABOUT THIS?

CERTAINLY THEY HAVE TO BE HAPPY THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION.

>>YEAH, I THINK THEY WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS A GREAT STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT JUST YESTERDAY, I WAS WORKING ON A STORY AND TALKED WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVE ANNA ESKAMANI AND SOME LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES WHO POINT OUT THAT WHILE IT'S GREAT THE CITY OF ORLANDO HAS SET THIS GOAL FOR 100% CLEAN ENERGY BY MID-CENTURY, THEY POINT OUT THAT IN TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM COAL, THE PLAN IS TO TRANSITION TOWARD NATURAL GAS, AND THEN EVENTUALLY CLEANER ENERGIES LIKE SOLAR.

>>AND OF COURSE, NATURAL GAS IS ANOTHER FOSSIL FUEL.

I THINK THEY WOULD SAY THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS TRANSITION GO FASTER AND NOT INCLUDE A FOSSIL FUEL LIKE NATURAL GAS.

>>ERIK, WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION IN CENTRAL FLORIDA WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT SUNRAIL AND BRIGHTLINE.

BOTH HAVE BEEN BIG IN THE NEWS, A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT FROM BRIGHTLINE EVEN RECENTLY.

HOW DO THEY FACTOR IN THE LIGHT RAIL AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH TRANSPORTATION IN THE FUTURE?

>>WELL, THIS WAS BIG NEWS APPARENTLY FROM REPRESENTATIVE DARREN SOTO WHO REPRESENTS CENTRAL FLORIDA IN WASHINGTON, DC.

BRIGHTLINE SAYS THEY WANT TO EXPAND THEIR TRACKS TO THE I-DRIVE AREA EVENTUALLY TO DISNEY AND EVENTUALLY ALL THE WAY TO TAMPA.

NOW, THAT'S GOOD NEWS FOR SUNRAIL APPARENTLY BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO LEASE THAT TRACK AND ACTUALLY FERRY PEOPLE FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE TOURIST DISTRICT I- DRIVE AND MAYBE TOWARDS DISNEY.

WE'LL SEE.

BUT THIS IS ALL A WORK IN PROGRESS RIGHT NOW.

>>ALL THE BIG WIGS ARE MEETING IN DC TO HAMMER OUT ALL THE DETAILS.

AND APPARENTLY THEY WANT TO USE SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING THAT WAS APPROVED EARLIER THIS YEAR.

WE ARE WAITING.

>>AND MAYBE A WAY FOR SUNRAIL TO MAKE SOME REVENUE AS THE MUNICIPALITY [CROSSTALK] IN THE FUTURE.

YOU CAN GET A LOOK AT THE CITY'S ELECTRIC MOBILITY MAP BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

NEXT TONIGHT, MORE ON FLORIDA'S HOUSING MARKET.

AS STATE LEGISLATORS PREPARE TO RETURN TO TALLAHASSEE TO TACKLE CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING, THERE ARE NOW CALLS FOR A SPECIAL SESSION TO SHORE UP THE PROPERTY INSURANCE MARKET AS WELL.

HURRICANE SEASON IS ON THE HORIZON.

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS ARE NOW UNABLE TO RENEW POLICIES, AS THOSE RATES RISE AND INSURERS PULL OUT OF VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.

IT ALL COMES AS THE COST OF HOUSING, BOTH TO RENT AND TO OWN, CONTINUES TO INCREASE.

NEWSNIGHT'S STEVE MORT SPOKE WITH BRAD O'CONNOR FROM FLORIDA REALTORS AND STARTED BY ASKING HIM ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE INCREASE IN RENT PRICES AND THE SURGE IN HOME PRICES.

>>WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVING INTO THE STATE, AND WE ALSO HAVE POPULATION GROWTH IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF NEW HOUSEHOLDS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, BECAUSE THE LARGEST RIDGE OF MILLENNIALS ARE NOW JUST TURNING 30.

THE OLDEST ONES ARE 40.

THEY'RE ALL IN THEIR PRIME HOUSEHOLD FORMATION YEARS.

WE'RE EXPECTING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE HOUSING MARKET.

WITH INTEREST RATES RISING AND PRICES AS HIGH AS THEY ARE, IT'S HARD TO GET A MORTGAGE.

IT'S HARD TO COMPETE FOR THAT STARTER HOME.

THAT'S ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE WE HAVE THE WEAKEST LEVEL OF INVENTORY.

ON THE OTHER HAND, RENTS ARE RISING REALLY FAST NOW.

THAT WASN'T THE CASE IN 2020, BUT IT IS THE CASE NOW.

THAT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO DAMPEN...

WHILE THE RISING INTEREST RATES ARE MAYBE DAMPENING DEMAND FOR MILLENNIALS A LITTLE BIT, THE RISING RENTAL PRICES ARE PUSHING THEM BACK TOWARDS THE HOUSING MARKET.

THEY'RE HAVING A COUNTERVAILING EFFECT.

IF THE PRICE OF A SUBSTITUTE GOOD, WHICH IN THIS CASE WE COULD...NOT TO GO ECON 101 ON EVERYONE, BUT IF THE PRICE OF A SUBSTITUTE RISES, THEN DEMAND FOR A GOOD WILL GO UP, AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH BUYING HOUSING VERSUS RENTAL HOUSING.

>>WHAT ABOUT PROPERTY INSURANCE AND THE ISSUES IN THE MARKET THERE?

LEGISLATORS IN TALLAHASSEE WERE CRITICIZED AFTER THE LAST REGULAR SESSION FOR FAILING TO TAKE ON THIS ISSUE.

DO YOU THINK THE CRUNCH IN THE PROPERTY INSURANCE MARKET IS HAVING AN EFFECT ON THE OVERALL HOUSING MARKET.

>>IT'S THERE AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO SOLVE.

FLORIDA REALTORS I KNOW IS HARD AT WORK WORKING WITH OUR LEGISLATORS AROUND THE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND OUR MEMBERS AND GETTING FEEDBACK FROM THEM ON HOW TO TACKLE IT.

IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN FLORIDA WHERE WE DO HAVE A STRONG NEED FOR PROPERTY INSURANCE DOWN HERE BECAUSE OF THE HURRICANE SEASON.

BUT THE HOUSING MARKET IS SO OUT OF WHACK RIGHT NOW FROM WHAT IT NORMALLY IS.

IT'S REALLY HARD TO BE A BUYER IN THE MARKET FOR A MILLION REASONS RIGHT NOW.

>>IT REALLY IS A MESS.

ERIK, THERE IS A LOT TO UNPACK HERE.

LET'S START WITH PROPERTY INSURANCE.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

>>WELL, NEWS 6 LOUIS BOLDEN ACTUALLY, OUR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, HAS DONE A LOT OF DIGGING ON THIS.

WHAT HE'S FOUND IS IT BASICALLY BOILS DOWN TO LITIGATION OF ALL THINGS, COURT CASES.

I PULLED SOME NUMBERS HERE.

IN 2021 IN FLORIDA, THERE WERE 117,000 INSURANCE PROPERTY CLAIMS THAT WENT TO COURT IN FLORIDA.

117,000.

IN THE OTHER 49 STATES, THERE WERE 900.

>>WOW!

>>FLORIDA IS A UNICORN, YOU COULD SAY, IN THIS SCENARIO.

AND THAT IS ONE REASON WE'RE SEEING LARGE INCREASES IN PROPERTY INSURANCE SPIKES.

>>LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CITIZENS.

IT REALLY IS A LAST RESORT FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO GET INSURANCE.

WHAT IMPACT DOES THIS ALL HAVE ON THAT?

>>RIGHT.

IT'S CAUSING A STRAIN FOR CITIZENS.

PRIVATE INSURERS ARE RAISING RATES AND DROPPING POLICIES.

THAT'S CAUSING CITIZENS TO ADD POLICIES.

THEY'RE ASKING FOR AN 11% INCREASE, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST THAT THEY CAN.

CERTAINLY A STRAIN THERE.

>>THE GOVERNOR HAS CALLED FOR A SPECIAL SESSION, BUT THIS IS NOT ON THE AGENDA, BUT A NUMBER OF LAWMAKERS ARE PUSHING TO GET SOME DISCUSSION GENERATED ABOUT THIS.

THEY'RE HEARING FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE JUST REELING BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE.

DO WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL SEE THIS COME UP IN THE SPECIAL SESSION?

>>I WOULD SAY YES.

FLORIDA STATE SENATOR JEFF BRANDES HAS ACTUALLY BEEN VERY VOCAL ON THIS.

HE ACTUALLY WENT TO THE PRESS, SAID, "THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE."

HE'S CALLING FOR A SPECIAL SESSION.

WHEN ASKED ABOUT IT, GOVERNOR DESANTIS SAID HE AGREES.

BRANDES ACTUALLY WANTS IT DONE BEFORE HURRICANE SEASON STARTS, SO THAT'S JUNE 1ST.

HE DOESN'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO CALL THAT SPECIAL SESSION.

>>VERY SHORT WINDOW.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS RENTAL MARKET, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD STORIES FROM FRIENDS WITH OLDER CHILDREN WHO'VE RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE.

THEY'RE HAVING TO COME BACK HOME BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THE RENT.

THE PRICES ARE THROUGH THE ROOF.

IS THIS FORCING PEOPLE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT LIKE WHAT TO DO?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK WE SAW THAT WITH STEVE'S INTERVIEW JUST A SECOND AGO.

THERE'S A BIG PUSH FOR PEOPLE TO BUY, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST CAN'T AFFORD IT.

THEY SAY, "I DON'T HAVE THE DOWN PAYMENT."

BUT WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE STORIES ON PROGRAMS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THAT ACTUALLY PAY THEIR DOWN PAYMENT.

THEY FIND REALLY GOOD INTEREST RATES, EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE GOOD CREDIT.

THE FED, OF COURSE, IS GOING TO RAISE INTEREST RATES AGAIN.

>>THAT'S ONE TOOL THEY HAVE IN THEIR ARSENAL TO STAVE OFF INFLATION, AND INFLATION JUST HIT 8.5% THIS WEEK.

YEAH, I THINK PEOPLE ARE THINKING THAT HOME OWNERSHIP MIGHT BE A BETTER OPTION AT THIS POINT.

>>YEAH, BECAUSE WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE PROS AND CONS AND HOW MUCH YOUR MORTGAGE MAY BE VERSUS YOUR RENT, YOU'RE THINKING... >>AND YOUR MORTGAGE WILL STAY STEADY.

>>EXACTLY.

SAME.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON, ERIK, I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER ISSUE THAT YOU'VE BEEN COVERING, AND THAT IS HOMEOWNERS AND THAT'S WITH SOLAR, SOLAR ENERGY, SOLAR POWER.

YOU'VE BEEN TALKING TO CONSUMERS ABOUT NET METERING, THAT BILL THAT PASSED.

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT THAT?

>>NET METERING, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, IS SOLAR CUSTOMERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO SELL THEIR EXCESS POWER BACK TO THEIR UTILITY COMPANIES, AND THAT IS WHY THEIR POWER BILLS ARE USUALLY VERY LOW.

I MEAN, I SPOKE WITH PEOPLE WHOSE POWER BILLS ARE $5 A MONTH BECAUSE THEY SELL ALL OF THEIR ELECTRICITY BACK.

BUT UNDER THIS LEGISLATION THAT WAS APPROVED BY BOTH HOUSES, WAITING FOR THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE, THEY'RE GRANDFATHERED IN.

>>BUT OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS, THE RATE AT WHICH THEY'RE ABLE TO SELL THAT POWER BACK IS GOING TO DIMINISH, SO THEIR POWER BILLS ARE GOING TO START TO GROW.

OF COURSE, THEY GOT A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM SOLAR CUSTOMERS, BUT IT STILL PASSED.

>>AMY, WHAT ARE ENVIRONMENTALIST GROUPS SAYING ABOUT THIS?

>>YEAH.

WELL, CLEAN ENERGY ADVOCATES ARE HOPING TO CONVINCE GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS TO VETO THIS MEASURE.

THEY SAY THAT THE MEASURE WOULD REPRESENT A BIG BLOW TO THE TEENY TINY SOLAR INDUSTRY IN THE STATE, BUT AN INDUSTRY THAT IS GROWING VERY FAST.

THEY POINT OUT THAT THIS MEASURE IS COMING AT A TIME WHEN THE STATE REALLY DOESN'T HAVE A STATEWIDE PLAN FOR MOVING TO CLEANER ENERGY.

THE STATE VERY OBVIOUSLY IS VERY VULNERABLE TO THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, WHICH ARE ACCELERATED BY FOSSIL FUELS.

>>HOW WILL SOMETHING LIKE THIS BILL IMPACT HOUSING AND PEOPLE LOOKING AT THAT?

>>YOU MEAN THE ENVIRONMENTAL OR THE SOLAR BILL?

>>THE SOLAR BILL.

>>IT DEPENDS ON IF YOU BUY A HOUSE WITH SOLAR PANELS, THEN YOU'RE NOT GRANDFATHERED IN UNDER THAT LEGISLATION.

YOUR ELECTRIC BILL WON'T BE AS HIGH AS IT WOULD BE WITHOUT THE PANELS, BUT IT'S STILL WILL BE A LITTLE HIGHER.

>>IS THERE RESISTANCE FROM THE ENERGY COMPANIES WITH NET METERING?

>>THE UTILITIES ARE PUSHING THE MEASURE.

THEY SAY THAT THE MEASURE WOULD CORRECT AN INEQUITY IN ELECTRIC COSTS FOR SOLAR AND NON-SOLAR CUSTOMERS.

THEY SAY THAT SOLAR CUSTOMERS PAY LESS FOR ELECTRICITY THAN NON-SOLAR CUSTOMERS WHO ARE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS.

THE UTILITIES SAY THE MEASURE WOULD EQUALIZE THAT.

>>AND FPL, FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT, WAS A BIG FORCE BEHIND THIS LEGISLATION.

>>REALLY IT'S ALMOST LIKE DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IT.

AT THE END, PEOPLE BOUGHT INTO SOLAR ENERGY AT THE END OF THE DAY, BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A MONEY SAVER.

AND NOW THERE'S A POTENTIAL FOR INCREASES THAT ESSENTIALLY WHAT THIS BOILS DOWN TO EXACTLY.

>>EXACTLY.

EXACTLY.

>>WELL, TO BE DETERMINED, AS ALWAYS.

WE, OF COURSE, WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE REAL ESTATE MARKET HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AND OTHER ISSUES WE DISCUSS RIGHT HERE ON NEWSNIGHT THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

FINALLY, LET'S TALK ABOUT ONE OF FLORIDA'S MOST BELOVED AND LONG STRUGGLING CREATURES, THE MANATEE.

AFTER SUPPLEMENTING THE DIETS OF STARVING MANATEES WITH OVER 200,000 POUNDS OF LETTUCE THIS WINTER, A CONTROVERSIAL AND UNPRECEDENTED FEEDING PROGRAM IS COMING TO AN END.

BUT EXPERTS SAY IT MAY RESUME AGAIN NEXT WINTER DUE TO CHRONIC MALNUTRITION AMONG THE MANATEE POPULATION.

AMY, FEEDING WILD ANIMALS HAS ALWAYS BEEN FROWNED UPON.

NO ONE REALLY ADVOCATES THAT YOU DO THIS, ALTHOUGH WE SEE PEOPLE DOING IT ALL THE TIME.

THERE ARE ALWAYS SIGNS UP AND DOWN SAYING, "DON'T DO THIS."

WHY DID THE PROGRAM BECOME NECESSARY AS THESE RESULTS HAVE STARTED TO COME IN?

>>RIGHT.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

NO ONE IS SUGGESTING THAT PEOPLE GO OUT INTO THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON AND FEED MANATEES.

IT CONTINUES TO BE ILLEGAL FOR INDIVIDUALS TO FEED MANATEES.

USUALLY THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS FOR A WILD ANIMAL TO ASSOCIATE PEOPLE WITH FOOD.

AND ESPECIALLY WITH MANATEES, THEY'VE BEEN SO HARMED BY BOAT STRIKES.

BUT THE WILDLIFE AGENCIES, THEY CHARACTERIZE THIS AS A DESPERATE MEASURE FOR DESPERATE TIMES.

A RECORD 1,100 MANATEES DIED LAST YEAR IN FLORIDA AND MANY OF THE DEATHS WERE RELATED TO STARVATION IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON.

>>OBVIOUSLY THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION HERE IS, WHY THE POPULATION IS STRUGGLING?

WHAT LIGHT CAN YOU SHED ON THAT?

>>WELL, THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON HAS BEEN KIND OF THE EPICENTER FOR THIS PROBLEM, BECAUSE FOR MANY YEARS, THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON HAS JUST REALLY SUFFERED FROM WIDESPREAD WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS AND SEA GRASS LOSSES.

THE WILDLIFE AGENCIES HAVE RESORTED TO PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL LETTUCE FOR STARVING MANATEES IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON, BUT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S NO REAL WAY TO MEASURE WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THE PROGRAM HAS HAD ON THE POPULATION AS FAR AS PREVENTING MORE DEATHS.

THEY ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE MANATEES REALLY NEED A LOT MORE THAN LETTUCE.

A COMPREHENSIVE RESTORATION EFFORT IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON WOULD BE A MONUMENTAL EFFORT AND IT WOULD COST BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

>>MY NEXT QUESTION YOU'LL HAVE FUN WITH BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE HAS SET ASIDE TO $27 MILLION.

CERTAINLY THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH AND COMBAT THIS PROBLEM THAT WE'RE HAVING.

>>YEAH.

I THINK THE ADVOCACY GROUPS, I THINK THEY WOULD SAY THAT THEY'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE MONEY.

LAST YEAR, THE MANATEES GOT $8 MILLION AND THAT'S GREAT.

BUT AGAIN, RESTORING THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON WOULD BE A VERY LARGE EFFORT WHEN CHALLENGED FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THAT.

THERE ARE RESTORATION PROJECTS UNDERWAY IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON, BUT ONE CHALLENGE PEOPLE FACE WITH THAT IS THAT THERE'S NO REAL DEDICATED STREAM OF FUNDING FOR THAT.

ONE SOURCE TALKED TO ME ABOUT HOW IT'S A CHALLENGE TO START PLANNING A PROJECT AND SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHETHER THERE'S GOING TO BE FUNDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION.

>>IS THAT ONE OF THE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT, AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS?

>>WELL, THE TWO MAIN ISSUES IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON WHEN IT COMES TO THIS IS WATER QUALITY AND SEA GRASS LOSSES.

WE'RE FACED WITH RESTORING SEA GRASS IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON.

BUT TO DO THAT, YOU ALSO NEED TO RESTORE THE WATER QUALITY OR ELSE THE SEA GRASS WILL JUST CONTINUE TO DIE.

>>THEY GO HAND-IN-HAND.

>>THEY GO HAND-IN-HAND.

>>WE HAVE A LARGE TOURIST POPULATION.

DO YOU THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT?

THOSE OF US WHO LIVE HERE, WE KNOW.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE TOURISTS WHO COME, THEY MAY NOT BE AS EDUCATED, EVEN THOUGH HAVE THE SIGNS UP AND DOWN THAT SAY "DON'T FEED."

>>OR NO WAKE ZONE FOR BOATS, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE MANATEE ARE JUST GETTING HIT BY BOAT PROPELLERS.

THE BOATER EITHER DON'T CARE OR DON'T KNOW.

BUT I MEAN TO YOUR POINT, EDUCATION IS NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO, TO YOUR POINT WITH THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON, A LOT OF THAT IS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IS FERTILIZER GOING INTO THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON THAT'S BEEFING UP THE ALGAE, WHICH IS CLOUDING UP THE SEA GRASS AND NOT MAKING IT ABLE TO GROW.

I JUST THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE CHANGES WITH THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY AND THE FERTILIZER.

THERE'S NOT ONE SIMPLE FIX, I GUESS, IS THE SIMPLE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.

>>WHERE ARE THE FUNDING SOURCES ORIGINATING?

>>WELL, I THINK WE MADE MENTION OF THE LEGISLATURE HERE IN FLORIDA.

FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION HAS JUST BEEN SPEARHEADING THIS FEEDING PROGRAM, AT LEAST THE STATE LEVEL FIGHT TO SAVE THE MANATEE.

SAVE THE MANATEE ORGANIZATION HAS ALSO BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LAWSUIT FILED TO GET MANATEE CLASSIFIED AS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES.

AND IF THEY ARE CLASSIFIED AS THAT...

IT GOES TO WASHINGTON AND POSSIBLY TO FREE UP SOME MORE MONEY TO HELP FORTIFY THEIR POPULATION.

>>WOULD THAT LURE IN SOME FEDERAL FUNDING?

>>HOPEFULLY.

WE'LL SEE.

>>YEAH.

COULD VOTERS THEN HAVE A SAY IN ALL OF THIS?

IS THERE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE PUT ON THE BALLOT THAT COULD ASK VOTERS, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR A DEDICATED SOURCE OF FUNDING EVERY YEAR, OR DOES IT NOT WORK IN THAT WAY?

>>YEAH.

IN BREVARD COUNTY A FEW YEARS AGO, BREVARD RESIDENTS APPROVED A SALES TAX INCREASE TO FUND A RESTORATION EFFORT IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON, AND THAT RESTORATION EFFORT IS ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH.

STILL WORK TO DO THERE.

THINKING ON KIND OF A BIGGER SCALE, ERIK MENTIONED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEASURE THAT WOULD RESTORE THE ENDANGERED STATUS FOR THE MANATEE.

THAT WOULD BE A SITUATION WHERE VOTERS COULD SUPPORT CANDIDATES WHO HAVE EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THAT MEASURE.

>>IT IS IMPORTANT TO VOTE, RIGHT?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

VOTERS, FOR THE MOST PART, HERE IN FLORIDA DO BACK CONSERVATION MEASURES.

EVEN GOVERNOR DESANTIS, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS HE DID WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE WAS LAKE OKEECHOBEE AND TRYING TO CURE THAT SITUATION DOWN IN SOUTH FLORIDA, ALSO THE EVERGLADES.

THIS IS OUR STATE, AND I THINK IT REALLY DOES HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.

>>THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE A LONG WAYS OFF FROM SUSTAINABLE FUNDING.

WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS AS WE THINK ABOUT RESCUE AND CONSERVATION EFFORTS?

>>WELL, THIS IS A CRISIS SITUATION.

THE WILDLIFE AGENCIES HAVE SAT DOWN AND HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO MAXIMIZE RESOURCES WHEN IT COMES TO RESCUE AND RECOVERY, AND THEY'VE ALSO EXPANDED A NETWORK OF REHABILITATION FACILITIES IN FLORIDA AND BEYOND.

THERE ARE FACILITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AT THIS POINT THAT ARE TAKING IN MANATEES.

MOST OF THE MANATEES HAVE GONE TO SEAWORLD RIGHT HERE IN ORLANDO, AND SEAWORLD ANNOUNCED JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO THEY ARE PLANNING TO DOUBLE THEIR REHABILITATION SPACE FOR MANATEES.

>>IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THEM HERE.

I MEAN, I THINK IT'S A GREAT ORGANIZATION, THE RESCUE PROJECT.

>>I WAS GOING TO SAY, IT'S CERTAINLY A POSITIVE FOR SEAWORLD AS WELL.

YOU THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE HAD...

THE TROUBLES THAT THEY'VE HAD OUT THERE.

IT'S CERTAINLY A POSITIVE TO SEE THEM STEP UP IN THIS WAY.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

THEY HAVE A GOOD TEAM THERE, VERY TALENTED TEAM AND VERY CARING, AND THAT'S WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT.

>>I THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN OUT THERE EDUCATION WISE AND RESCUE WISE.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

>>YEAH.

WELL, JUST A REMINDER, IF YOU CAME IN LATE AND MISSED ANY OF THIS PROGRAM OR WOULD LIKE TO CATCH ON ISSUES FROM PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS, VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

ALSO, A QUICK PROGRAMMING NOTE, WE HOPE YOU'LL TUNE IN MONDAY AS WUCF PARTNERS WITH THE HEART OF FLORIDA UNITED WAY TO LOOK BACK AT THE PANDEMIC AND THE EFFECT ITS HAD ON OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.

>>IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE COVID-19 UPENDED OUR WAY OF LIFE AND TOOK THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

AS LIFE GRADUALLY RETURNS TO NORMAL, A LOOK AT THE TOLL THE PANDEMIC HAS TAKEN ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND HOW CENTRAL FLORIDA'S COMMUNITIES ARE MOVING FORWARD.

>>WHAT DID COVID-19 TAKE AWAY?

>>IT TOOK AWAY TOGETHER.

IT TOOK AWAY FAMILY AND SUPPORTS AND FRIENDS.

>>THERE WASN'T A PLAN.

THERE WAS NO BUSINESS PLAN.

IT WAS NO THOUGHT BEFORE THE FACT OF COMING, SEEING THAT THERE WAS A STRONG NEED IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE JUST SLOWLY BEGAN TO FULFILL THAT NEED.

WE WERE STRUGGLING.

WE HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE.

AFTER THIS SITUATION WITH COVID-19, THE NUMBERS INCREASED.

THERE'S A LOT OF SENIORS NEEDING HELP IN THE COMMUNITY.

>>ACCORDING TO THE US CENSUS BUREAU, NEARLY 9.5 MILLION SENIORS IN THIS COUNTRY LACK INTERNET ACCESS.

THE PANDEMIC OPENED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WAYS TO ENSURE SENIORS AREN'T LEFT BEHIND.

>>FOR SOME PEOPLE, THEY DIDN'T REALLY START TO EXAMINE WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND THEY FELT PRESSURE.

SOME PEOPLE WILL BLOW UP A RELATIONSHIP OR A JOB BECAUSE THEY WANT TO FEEL IN CONTROL OF SOMETHING.

THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE NO CONTROL.

MY BOSS WOULDN'T CARE.

THE INTERESTING THING IS THE PEOPLE WHO SAT DOWN WITH THEIR BOSSES AND SAID, "I'M FEELING PRESSURE, AND I NEED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES," A LOT OF BOSSES SAID, "I DON'T WANT YOU TO LEAVE."

>>CHAOS TO RESILIENCY: COVID TWO YEARS LATER, MONDAY AT 10:00 RIGHT HERE ON WUCF.

WE HOPE YOU'LL TUNE IN.

THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR YOU THIS WEEK.

MANY THANKS TO AMY GREEN OF WMFE AND ERIK SANDOVAL OF WKMG CHANNEL 6 HERE IN ORLANDO.

ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

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

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE.