For Immediate Release
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Contact: Sarah Bascom, sarah@bascomllc.com, 850.294.6636
Kelsey Swithers, kelsey@bascomllc.com, 941.400.8183
Sadowski Coalition & Statewide Affordable Housing Advocates Urge Legislature to Use Housing Funds for Housing
Florida “Home Matters Report 2015” Released: Data Supports Need for Full Appropriation of Housing Trust Funds for Housing
Tallahassee, Fla. – The Sadowski Coalition, comprised of 30 diverse statewide organizations, including industry and business groups; advocates for the elderly, veterans, homeless and special needs; and faith-based organizations, gathered at a press conference today to urge the Florida Legislature to use all housing trust fund monies for housing in Fiscal Year 2015-16. The Sadowski Coalition urged the Legislature to use housing trust funds solely for Florida’s housing programs, highlighting the extreme need for affordable housing and the excellent programs we have to address that need.
The Florida Housing Coalition, a Florida statewide nonprofit provider of training and technical assistance, released the 2015 Home Matters Report for Florida at the press conference. “Home Matters” is a national initiative to educate the public and policymakers about the connection between housing, health, education and the economy. The full report is available at the following link: http://bit.ly/1vD4ejV.
“As this year’s Home Matters report shows, Florida ranks third in the nation for the highest homeless population; and the number of very low income Floridians who are paying more than half their income on housing has increased from 900,000 to 920,000,” said Jaimie Ross, president of the Florida Housing Coalition. “Florida can and should use all its housing trust fund dollars to help Floridians in need of affordable housing. In addition to addressing the housing need, the appropriation of the estimated $266.87 million in the state and local housing trust funds in Fiscal Year 2015-16 for housing will create approximately 25,000 jobs and a return on investment of over $3.1 billion in positive economic impact for the State of Florida.”
“In the ‘bare minimum’ budget presented in the United Way’s recent ALICE – Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed – report, the housing budget for a family of four is a nominal $809 a month,” said Ted Granger, president of United Way of Florida, who is a member of the Sadowski Coalition. “With Florida families who are struggling paycheck to paycheck and some even facing the threat of homelessness, the Legislature needs to fully fund programs that provide vital housing support to Floridians who are struggling with limited household budgets.”
“The SHIP program has helped my family in a big way and, thanks to the program, my children and I are now living in a decent home,” said Theo Anderson, a Leon County SHIP recipient and former school bus driver, who had been living with his children in a dilapidated and unsafe home. “I don’t like to think about what life might have been like if my children and I had not received the assistance that we needed. I know there are many families, like mine, that are in need of a helping hand and I hope that the program receives the funding they need so that others can receive assistance when they need it too.”
“From the perspective of those who build affordable housing, it’s quite simple – housing equals jobs,” said Jerry Linder, president of the Florida Home Builders Association, who is a member of the Sadowski Coalition. “And, not only is affordable housing intrinsically linked to job creation and economic development, but the State of Florida is expected to add about a million households in the next ten years and these folks are going to need somewhere to live. Therefore, we cannot afford to continue to short affordable housing. We need to use all of the housing trust fund monies for housing, especially right now, as we are on the steady rise of an economic recovery.”
“Florida’s housing market and available housing stock are key factors in determining our state’s economic future, spurring economic drivers, such as home construction, and creating jobs,” said Katie Kelly, director of infrastructure and governance policy for the Florida Chamber of Commerce, who is a member of the Sadowski Coalition.
“One thing is clear: homelessness is a housing issue,” said Susan Pourciau, executive director for the Big Bend Homeless Coalition. “The State of Florida will see decreases in homelessness only if housing funds are made available to local communities. We must improve housing for people who may become homeless due to substandard housing, and we must build the stock of affordable housing for the thousands of homeless hardworking families with very low incomes.”
“Florida Realtors has been a top advocate for affordable housing since the inception of the Sadowski Trust Funds in 1992,” said Jayme O’Rourke, public policy representative for Florida Realtors, who is a member of the Sadowski Coalition. “Through the SHIP program, low to moderate income families are able to achieve the dream of homeownership with down-payment assistance. These programs also fund critical home repairs and rental assistance for Florida’s homeless, veterans, seniors and people with disabilities. This directly impacts not just our state’s vulnerable citizens, but strengthens our neighborhoods and state as a whole. As a proud member of the Sadowski Coalition, Florida Realtors will continue to urge the Legislature to fully fund Florida’s outstanding affordable housing programs.”
The Sadowski Coalition is a diverse collection of 30 statewide organizations, including industry groups, such as the Florida Realtors and Florida Home Builders Association; business groups, including AIF and the Florida Chamber of Commerce; low income advocates, including the Florida Coalition for the Homeless, and Florida Legal Services; advocates for the elderly and veterans, including Florida AARP and Florida Veterans Foundation; and faith based groups, including Florida Catholic Conference, Florida Impact, and Habitat for Humanity.
For more information on the Sadowski Coalition, please visit www.SadowskiCoalition.com or follow @SadowskiFL.
Pictured: Sadowski partners gathered to unveil the 2015 Home Matters Report, Ted Granger, United Way of Florida, Theo Anderson, Leon County SHIP Recipient, Jerry Linder, Florida Home Builders Association, Katie Kelly, Florida Chamber of Commerce, Susan Pourciau, Big Bend Homeless Coalition, Jayme O’Rourke, Florida Realtors, Jaimie Ross, Florida Housing Coalition, Mark Hendrickson, Florida ALHFA. Last two photos show Jaimie Ross fielding questions from the press.