February 7, 2025 | by Jake Stofan on Action News Jax
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A newly filed bill would give local governments a novel tool to stop big corporations from buying up single-family homes, which has made homeownership less attainable for Floridians.
Real estate agent Kelsey Ebarb-Rembold argued the rise of corporate buyers has created major problems for first-time home buyers.
She explained families are often outbid by corporations that buy up homes with the intent to rent them out.
“Money is green.
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February 7, 2025 | by Christina Schuler on Florida's Voice
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State Rep. Berny Jacques is raising alarm over the increasing number of corporate entities buying up homes across the state, warning that the trend is making homeownership increasingly unattainable for working Floridians.
“It’s real, to the tune of almost 120,000 homes statewide, and almost 30,000 homes in the Tampa Bay area, where I represent the great people of House District 59,” Jacques said during an interview on Florida’s Voice Radio with Drew Steele.
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February 5, 2025 | by Michelle Vecerina on Florida's Voice
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A new legislative measure was filed Wednesday aimed at protecting Florida families from the growing influence of multinational corporations in the housing market.
Sponsor: HB 401 was introduced by Rep. Berny Jacques, R-Fla. The legislation is titled “Strengthening Homeownership in Florida Act.”
What it does: HB 401 seeks to preserve the “American Dream” of homeownership, which Jacques’ office said “rootless multinational corporations” have turned into a “Wall Street commodity.”
- The bill establishes a clear distinction between traditional single-family homeownership and corporate-backed “hybrid housing” models, which critics argue are replacing communities with investment portfolios.
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January 15, 2025 | by Michael Costeines on The Floridian
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – State House Republican Reps. David Borrero and Berny Jacques recently filed a bill to prohibit the display of flags on government and public school property that portray political, racial, or LGBTQ imagery.
House Bill 75 would ban governmental agencies, local governments, or other units of local governments from flying such flags. The bill also applies to public schools, colleges, and universities.
“A governmental entity may not erect or display a flag that represents a political viewpoint, including, but not limited to, a politically partisan, racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint.
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January 14, 2025 | by Jim Ash on The Florida Bar
A bipartisan proposal by two Southwest Florida lawmakers would double the length of eligible probation for certain misdemeanors – from six months to a year – to better accommodate alcohol and drug treatment.
HB 91 by St. Petersburg Democrat Michelle Rayner, and Seminole Republican Berny Jacques, both attorneys, would amend subsection (1) of section 948.15 Florida Statutes, “Misdemeanor Probation Services.”
The existing law generally restricts the length of probation for misdemeanor offenses to six months.
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