Affordable Homeownership Foundation Inc

11/13/2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 13, 2024

Florida’s Insurance Commissioner Encourages Policyholders to Contact OIR if Policies are Cancelled or Nonrenewed
TALLAHASSSEE, Fla.—Florida Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworsky is encouraging policyholders to reach out directly to the Office of Insurance Regulation if consumers impacted by recent storms receive a notice of nonrenewal or notice of cancellation that may have taken or will take effect between Sept. 26 until Dec. 10. Emergency orders are in place that prohibit the cancellation or nonrenewal of a policy in an affected county until Dec. 10. OIR recently amended emergency orders to extend grace periods for policies and further protect Floridians affected by the storms. OIR stands ready to enforce these orders if necessary.

Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworsky said, “We will not allow consumers to be treated unfairly during the recovery process of recent storms. Our office is closely monitoring claims handling practices and stands ready to take administrative action if necessary. If you receive a cancellation or nonrenewal notice, please reach out to our office so that we can assist you.”

In response to Hurricane Helene and Milton, OIR issued EO 400385-24 and EO 400473-24 to protect policyholders. No insurer or other regulated entity may cancel, non-renew or issue a notice of cancellation or nonrenewal of a policy or contract, except at the written request of a policyholder, during Sept. 26 through Dec. 10. For more information about policyholder protections for these storms, click here.

OIR's market regulation units continuously monitor the conduct of insurers in the marketplace, enforcing Florida law through remediation and administrative action utilizing market conduct investigations and examinations. If an issue is found, OIR has the authority to take action either through an informal inquiry, investigation or examination. Based on the findings of an examination or investigation, OIR's market regulation units may take administrative action, impose administrative penalties, require restitution to consumers, and require corrective action in order to protect insurance consumers from unlawful or harmful business practices.

Floridians seeking assistance regarding cancellation or nonrenewal of policies should email copies of pertinent documents to OIR at [email protected].

About the OIR

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has primary responsibility for regulation, compliance, and enforcement of statutes related to the business of insurance and the monitoring of industry markets. For more information about OIR, please visit our website or follow us on X .

10/28/2024

Are you constantly having to move? Do you want to get out of the endless circle of having to find a new place to live? Our Responsible Renter Course helps you understand your lease, your rights as a tenant, and why you need to keep your credit in good standing and how to budget your money. In this course we will let your know about your rights as a tenant, we will go over Fair Housing Laws, and finding the best rental property to fit your needs. You receive a certificate at the end of our course that you can take to Landlords and Property Managers as proof that you have taken this course successfully and are considered ready and responsible to rent an apartment or home.
Thursday, November 7 · 9am - 12pm
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/responsible-renter-course-tickets

10/18/2024

08/13/2024

https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-loving-memory-of-yvette-velazquez?utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet_ai&utm_content=amp1v4&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

For those individuals we serve, it with with sadness that I announce the passing of Yvette Velezquez our Administrative Assistant/Intake Specialist. She passed away quite suddenly on Thursday August 8th and the heavens have gained another angel. Those who knew Yvette will remember her kind and gentle soul and how she tried to help everyone that she could. She would always come in singing "Good Morning" then her next words were "Make it a Great Day!"
To tell you she has left a hole in our lives is an understatement. She will be missed. The family has started a Go Fund Me Page, the link is above her photo as they try to deal with the tragic loss of their mother, grandmother and friend. They will be taking her ashes to Puerto Rico and have a service there but her work family and friends will be holding a celebration of her life sometime this month. Date to be announced soon. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this most difficult time. Lois Healy CEO

08/02/2024

Please read and Share and sign on!

I just added my organization to an letter urging Congress to enact the Reforming Disaster Recovery Act! You can too at:

07/31/2024

Good afternoon
​
Affordable Homeownership Foundation is posting this RPF for two new SRO Homes for individuals with disabilities, Seniors and Veterans.
Bids are due back on August 30th in a Sealed bid package with a digital copy on a Jump drive no later than 5PM Friday August 30th.
There will be an optional Pre-bid conference on Tuesday August 6th at 9;30 Am at 5264 Clayton Ct., Ste 1, Fort Myers, FL 33907 should you have any questions please contact Lois Healy at 239-689-4944
The Bid Package includes:
RFP
Procurement standards
Attachment B HUD Document Package.
We look forward to working with you!
Please go to our website at: www.ahf.today to find this RFP Package!

All people, regardless of income level, have a right to decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing. Mr. Robert Shellman, Founder of AHF AHF serves low and moderate-income homebuyers, homeowners, and tenants. Our mission is to help people achieve stable lives in healthy, safe and affordable homes...

07/29/2024

Please share with these Food Pantries with those in need

06/27/2024

Please endorse Tenant Bill of Rights to increase rights for renters

06/18/2024

We will be doing a lot more Homeownership Counseling! Please read below:

HUD No. 24-147 HUD Public Affairs (202) 708-0685 FOR RELEASE Monday June 17, 2024 HUD Awards $10 Million in Grants to Combat the Homeownership Gap Through Housing Counseling Funding announced today will provide culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate services for pre- and post-purchase h...

02/26/2024

We all need to fight for attainable, affordable housing
Home Coalition working to ensure that people in Southwest Florida have access to housing and transportation that costs less than 45% of their income
Dan O’Berski Fort Myers News-Press

In high school economics we learned about supply and demand. Supply is the amount of a specific good or service that's available in the market. Demand is the amount of the good or service that customers want to buy.

Dan O’Berski
Today this applies to our housing situation. Currently, we don’t have enough homes priced where most people can afford them, so we have a problem. Some call it a crisis. Why do we keep seeing housing developers building luxury homes instead of homes that families can afford?

It’s complicated.

First, rising construction costs translate into rising rent and mortgage costs. According to Fannie Mae, the average cost of constructing a building stands at $192 per square foot for apartment buildings. The costs of land, lumber, windows and walls are not the only problem right now. We also have the cost of sky-high insurance and interest rates. Profit margins are thin. Crunch the numbers and you will see how difficult it is to keep a project affordable.

Adding to this challenge are the complicated building policies and regulations including zoning and permitting that change from one city or county to the next. Navigating these rules requires a balance between compliance and efficiency. How do we get enough density to get efficiency in development and provide a sense of place that people want to call home and still be attainable? The complexity of these regulations often results in project delays and increased costs.

There are government tax incentives and subsidies that are put in place to try to make building homes more affordable, but they are also complicated, can take years to get, and the reporting requirements are often a burden. Streamlining these processes and ensuring transparency would undoubtedly encourage more developers to engage in affordable housing initiatives, ultimately benefiting communities in need.

Perhaps one of the most significant roadblocks we face is sustainable returns for businesses. When you ask people to build a product of equal quality and receive a lower return, you are exposing the company to higher levels of risk with equal market returns.

It is crucial to acknowledge how difficult it is for housing developers to balance their desire to provide affordable housing solutions without going out of business. By fostering a collaborative dialogue between developers, policymakers and communities, we can work towards innovative solutions that address these challenges head-on, ensuring a brighter future where affordable housing is a reality for all.

Let's start this collaboration by asking local city councils and county commissioners to make building homes that families can afford easier. Ask them to get rid of some of the red tape and increase the amount of homes we can build on our land. When people talk about how expensive it is to live in Southwest Florida, explain that there are people who are working on eliminating the problem, but we need help.

I ask that you join us in the fight for our families, our city, our county, our state and our nation. Let’s fight for better incentive zoning for those that invest in attainable and affordable housing. For those that have the resources, join me in investing capital and take muted returns for monumental community transformation. Join me is sharing ideas about strategic and creative outcomes that may be beyond the borders of our current thoughts and processes and pour into creative outcomes.

Learn more about our Home Coalition at collaboratory.org/join-a-coalition/

The Home Coalition is a regional network of cross-sector partners working to ensure that 80 percent of people in Southwest Florida have access to housing and transportation that costs less than 45% of their income by 2040. By joining forces with stakeholders from various sectors, the Home Coalition is committed to shaping a future where housing and transportation are not barriers to economic wellbeing but pillars of a thriving community in Southwest Florida. Together, we can build a foundation for economic prosperity and a sustainable future for generations to come.

Dan O’Berski, is Partner/Managing Broker, Trinity Commercial Group, LLC and a FutureMaker