Politics
Frost Secures Nearly $12 Million For Key Local Projects in Central Florida
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10) announced that he has successfully secured nearly $12 million in federal dollars to fund all 15 of his Community Funding Projects requests and deliver millions to support critical projects to improve housing, transportation, and infrastructure across Central Florida.
The funding, which was signed into law by President Biden earlier this month, will soon start being distributed across Central Florida.
Last Spring, Congressman Frost worked closely with local community partners and stakeholders to submit funding proposals for 15 comprehensive projects to support a wide range of efforts from affordable housing to infrastructure and transportation. Some of the landmark projects that will now receive federal dollars thanks to Congressman Frost’s efforts include:
- $4,116,279 million to convert a vacant property in Eatonville into an affordable multi-family housing rental apartment building;
- $1,709,752 to the City of Orlando to rehabilitate a local community center used for Community Violence Intervention programs to stop gun violence before it happens, and to make major improvements to stormwater management to prevent flooding;
- $1,641,000 to Orange County to construct a multicultural senior center where folks can congregate and be connected to services in partnership with the Office on Aging, and support transportation and energy efficiency projects;
- $750,000 to support the construction of quality, affordable small houses for low-income people in Bithlo;
“I came to Congress with a mission to deliver on affordable housing, transportation and infrastructure issues, and to make our communities a better place where everyone can live and thrive, and I am now proud to say that our team is making these goals a reality” said Congressman Maxwell Frost. “Central Florida is now set to receive nearly $12 million in federal dollars that will help transform our communities and help grow our local economy. While this $12 million is going to make a world of difference for so many working people and families in the Orlando area – this is only the beginning. My team is ready to secure and bring home even more money to help change Central Florida for the better.
Thanks to Congressman Frost, Central Florida will now receive $11,922,031 to fund the following 15 projects:
- $4,116,279 for the Town of Eatonville to create a multi-family affordable housing apartment building;
- $1,000,000 for construction at the Multicultural Senior Center;
- $750,000 for community center rehabilitation for the Community Violence Intervention Project as part of the City of Orlando;
- $500,000 for North Independence Lane Expansion for the City of Maitland;
- $370,000 to provide low-income seniors with high efficiency air conditioning replacement, service, or system upgrades so they can stay in their homes longer;
- $271,000 for Transportation Mobility Hubs for Orange County Government;
- $500,000 for a housing rehabilitation and affordability preservation program in the City of Winter Park;
- $750,000 for the Small House Project at Transformation Village in Bithlo;
- $850,000 for bus bay reconstruction at LYNX Central Station Bus Terminal;
- $500,000 for solar technology for bus shelters and shelter refacing for LYNX;
- $200,000 to purchase and install a thermal energy storage system so Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida can store more food;
- $400,000 for roof replacements for Meadow Lake Apartments for the Orlando Housing Authority;
- $500,000 for community center education space for Shalom Orlando;
- $255,000 for acquisition and rehabilitation of a vacant two-unit complex to create into affordable housing;
- $959,752 for stormwater management improvements for Haralson Estates.
Congressman Frost will soon embark on a Community Project Funding tour across Central Florida to revisit the sites and projects that will soon receive federal funding.
Florida
DeSantis’ New Florida Congressional Map Could Spark Lawsuits, Legislative Showdown, and Statewide Protests
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — Governor Ron DeSantis unveiled a proposed congressional redistricting map that could significantly reshape Florida’s representation in the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The proposal, released Monday, outlines districts that could favor Republicans in 24 seats, compared to four Democratic-leaning districts. Currently, Florida’s congressional delegation includes 20 Republicans and seven Democrats, with one vacant seat.
REDISTRICTING PROPOSAL & POLITICAL IMPACT
The governor said the new map reflects Florida’s population changes and fulfills his commitment to mid-decade redistricting. Lawmakers have been called into a special legislative session to consider the proposal.
The map appears to eliminate four Democratic-held seats, including a Tampa-area district represented by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, an Osceola County district held by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto—the first Puerto Rican elected to Congress from Florida—and a Palm Beach-Broward district that could displace U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz.
The proposal also affects a majority-Black voting district spanning Palm Beach and Broward counties, previously represented by former U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, raising concerns about the future of minority representation.
Supporters, including Evan Power, say the map could better align districts with voter distribution. Critics, including Nikki Fried, have called the proposal unconstitutional gerrymandering. Florida law prohibits partisan gerrymandering, setting up potential legal challenges.
Rep. Tray McCurdy, D-Orlando and Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville sit on the Florida Seal in protest as debate stops on Senate Bill 2-C: Establishing the Congressional Districts of the State in the House of Representatives Thursday, April 21, 2022 at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. Rep. Daisy Morales, D-Orlando, joins the protest, holding a sign. The session was halted on the protest. (AP Photo/Phil Sears)
LOOKING BACK: 2022 PROTESTS OVER REDISTRICTING
The current debate mirrors tensions from 2022, when Democratic lawmakers staged a sit-in protest on the Florida House floor in opposition to a previous congressional map backed by DeSantis.
Lawmakers including Yvonne Hinson, Angie Nixon, Travaris McCurdy, Felicia Robinson, and Daisy Morales participated in the protest, temporarily halting legislative proceedings.
Morales, a member of the Congressional Redistricting Subcommittee and the only Hispanic lawmaker involved in the sit-in, strongly criticized the map at the time.
“Our democracy is being attacked. The governor eliminating two Black congressional seats is a power grab and it’s wrong,” Morales said in a written statement. “Stripping seats from Black representation is the same as saying the Black voice—the Black vote—doesn’t matter.”
She also warned about potential impacts on Hispanic representation:
“With this map passing, I’m deeply concerned it could target the only Puerto Rican representing Florida in Congress, Darren Soto, to benefit partisan interests. We don’t want to disenfranchise the 1.2 million Puerto Ricans in Florida.”
WHAT COMES NEXT IN 2026
As lawmakers prepare to debate the new proposal, Democrats are expected to push back through legal challenges, legislative opposition, and public advocacy.
The outcome of Florida’s redistricting battle could play a pivotal role in shaping control of the U.S. House and influence the national political landscape heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
Politics
Gov. Ron DeSantis Orders Flags at Half-Staff for Slain Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy M. Metayer Bowen
