The Florida Roundup | WLRN

The rent is just too high for a lot of people living in South Florida. In Miami, many renters spend at least half of their paychecks on housing. And consider this: The median household income for people in the city of Miami is $34,000. The average rent is around $1,800 across apartment sizes. That would cost someone making an average income two-thirds of their paycheck before taxes. The City of Miami ordered a study about a year ago to help solve its housing affordability crisis, and that plan was released this week by the Jorge M. Perez Metropolitan Center at FIU. Among its goals, the plan seeks to create a bank focused on affordable housing, change permitting and local zoning codes and push to get thousands of new affordable housing units over the next decade. The South Florida Roundup delved into the issue of affordable housing in Miami. Host Tom Hudson discussed South Florida’s housing affordability with Dr. Ned Murray, associate director of the Jorge M. Perez Metropolitan Center,

Among the news that will likely dominate headlines in 2020 is the upcoming presidential election — and ever the swing state, Florida typically plays a crucial role on Election Day. Voters will first cast their ballots in March during the presidential primary. Several Democratic candidates began rallying in South Florida last year — especially during the first debate held in Miami. President Donald Trump, who recently became a Florida resident, also called on supporters in 2019 in Central Florida and in Broward, the bluest county in the state. The South Florida Roundup looked ahead at 2020 and the stories that could define the year. Host Tom Hudson was joined by a panel of editorial page editors: Nancy Ancrum with the Miami Herald, Rick Christie with the Palm Beach Post, and Rosemary O’Hara with the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Here’s an excerpt of their conversation: TOM HUDSON: Before we get to November, we gotta get through March and the Democratic presidential primary. Florida being

Hurricane Dorian stands out as one of the biggest news stories of 2019. The ominous Category 5 storm threatened South Florida for days. While the region escaped its destruction, the storm stalled over the northern Bahamas, scouring the islands with high winds and storm surge.

Congress has passed two spending bills to fund the federal government. President Donald Trump is expected to sign them, avoiding a shutdown. One provision in those bills is a reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program. With the president's approval, the program will be extended through Sept. 30, 2020. While the insurance program will continue for now, its future is in jeopardy: It's more than $20 billion in debt. Premiums are too low, and there are people who probably should be paying into the pool who aren’t. The South Florida Roundup delved into the issue. Host Jessica Bakeman talked about where NFIP now stands with Tom Frank, who covers the environment for E&E News , and WLRN’s environmental reporter Jenny Staletovich.

Federal and state officials are trying to strike a balance between conservation and public access to South Florida waters. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission agreed Thursday to back tighter fishing limits in Biscayne National Park, where fish populations have dwindled. The commission is also considering a new plan that would restrict access to popular reefs in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Several scientists are researching ways to restore the corals that have been decimated by disease and pollution. On the South Florida Roundup, host Tom Hudson talked about the issue with WLRN’s environmental reporter Jenny Staletovich and WLRN’s Keys reporter Nancy Klingener. Here's an excerpt of their conversation: TOM HUDSON: How is this playing out not just with folks in the Keys but with the hospitality industry? NANCY KLINGENER: They said, right from the get go, our intent is not to keep out the local boaters who understand how to navigate these waters. We just