I’m back and I am angry and thoroughly disappointed in our local and state elected officials. As we all work harder than ever to try and survive this economic disaster we are in, our elected officials seemingly decide that it is time to put their feet up and get lazy. On two fronts, affordable housing in Volusia County, and on SunRail, our central Florida commuter rail project, leadership has been absent, foolish, or simply lazy.
On the affordable housing front, the County Council was mandated by the State of Florida to create an advisory committee on affordable housing to find ways to add to the affordable housing stock in the County, an admirable idea. Except, after assembling a very good advisory committee, seated with people who are hands-on day in and day out professionals who deal with housing as a career, the County Council, and staff, as expressed by County Manager Dineen, blew them off. (more…)