>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, AS ELECTIONS DRAW CLOSER, THE COURTS WEIGH IN ON FLORIDA'S CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING MAP.

WHAT MIGHT FURTHER ABORTION RESTRICTIONS MEAN FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA'S UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES?

PLUS, MORE ON SURGING INVESTOR DEMAND FOR HOUSES, AND ITS IMPACT ON HOME OWNERSHIP IN OUR REGION.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M STEVE MORT AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT, WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA, AND HOW THEY AFFECT ALL OF US.

JOINING US THIS WEEK, OUR WRITER AND INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST, RENATA SAGO, COMING BACK TO THE SHOW.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, RENATA.

>>THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>AND DESIREE STENNETT, SHE COVERS RACE AND INEQUALITY ISSUES FOR THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, DESIREE.

>>HAPPY TO BE HERE.

>>THANK YOU BOTH.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>>OKAY, FIRST TONIGHT, ANOTHER COURT RULING THIS WEEK IN WHAT'S LIKELY TO BE A PROTRACTED LEGAL BATTLE OVER REDISTRICTING IN FLORIDA.

AS OF NOW A CONGRESSIONAL MAP BACKED BY GOVERNOR DESANTIS AND APPROVED IN A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS BLOCKED, A JUDGE IN LEON COUNTY RULING IT VIOLATES THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION'S FAIR DISTRICTS AMENDMENT.

THIS IS THE MAP DRAWN BY GOVERNOR DESANTIS' STAFF, PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE IN A SPECIAL SESSION, AND NOW BLOCKED BY A DESANTIS APPOINTED JUDGE.

WHILE THE STATE APPEALS THE JUDGE'S RULING, A MAP DRAWN UP BY AN EXPERT FOR THE PLAINTIFFS IS NOW IN PLACE INSTEAD.

IT TAKES THE DESANTIS BACKED MAP, BUT PLACES INTO IT ONE OF THE EARLIER VERSIONS OF DISTRICT FIVE PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE, BUT THEN VETOED BY THE GOVERNOR.

IT'S A LONG EAST-WEST DISTRICT CONNECTING JACKSONVILLE AND TALLAHASSEE THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD CALLED A RACIAL GERRYMANDER, AND THAT LARGELY RESEMBLES THE DISTRICT DRAWN UP BY THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT IN 2016.

PLAINTIFFS IN THE CASE SAY BY REDRAWING DISTRICT FIVE LIKE THIS, THE DESANTIS BACKED MAP REDUCES THE CHANCES OF ELECTING A BLACK REPRESENTATIVE IN THE DISTRICT.

WELL, I ASKED UCF POLITICAL SCIENTIST AUBREY JEWETT ABOUT THIS.

HE SAYS THE STATE JUDGE IN LEON COUNTY HAS FOUND THAT GOVERNOR'S MAP IS CLEARLY IN VIOLATION OF THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION.

>>FOR THE PLAINTIFFS, FOR DEMOCRATS, AND GOOD GOVERNMENT GROUPS WHO BELIEVE THAT THE DESANTIS MAP IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST THEY CAN HOPE FOR RIGHT NOW IN THE SHORT TERM.

THEY ACTUALLY FOUND A JUDGE WHO WAS WILLING ON SHORT NOTICE TO DECLARE THE MAP UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND TO AT LEAST TO SOME DEGREE, FIX THE MAP IN NORTH FLORIDA TO RECREATE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN ACCESS DISTRICT.

AND THAT WAS THEIR MAIN OBJECTIVE.

BUT I WILL ADD THAT THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE MAP, THAT IT IS OVERTLY PARTISAN NOT JUST IN NORTH FLORIDA, BUT ACROSS THE STATE.

AND ALSO THAT THERE IS A SECOND MINORITY ACCESS DISTRICT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA THAT'S ALSO BEEN CHANGED QUITE DRAMATICALLY.

THOSE AREN'T CHANGED UNDER THE EXISTING NEW MAP THAT THE COURT HAS REQUESTED.

>>ALL RIGHT, RENATA.

WE HEARD AUBREY JEWETT THERE REFER TO THIS AND HOW IT'S PLAYING OUT IN STATE COURT.

IT'S ALSO PLAYING OUT IN FEDERAL COURT AS WELL, RIGHT?

>>YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO A CASE WAS FILED IN MARCH.

THIS WAS AROUND THE TIME OF THE SPECIAL SESSION.

WE HAD COMMON CAUSE FLORIDA, FAIR DISTRICTS NOW, AND THE FLORIDA STATE CONFERENCE OF THE NAACP, AND THEY SAID, "LOOK, WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS A VIOLATION OF THE US CONSTITUTION.

WE NEED JUDGES TO STEP IN AND ASSESS IF THIS IS REALLY FAIR BEFORE WE APPROACH THE MIDTERMS IN NOVEMBER," BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THERE'S A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH OVER WHETHER THE DISTRICTS ITSELF WILL REMAIN BLACK PERFORMING, WHICH MEANS THAT BLACK VOTERS WILL BE TURNING OUT FOR HISTORICALLY BLACK CANDIDATES.

>>YEAH.

AND THAT CLASH OVER WHICH CONSTITUTION YOU GO BY IS PART OF THIS.

FEDERAL AND STATE LAWSUITS ARE PLAYING OUT IN PARALLEL.

REPUBLICANS SAY THEY EXPECT THE US SUPREME COURT TO SETTLE THE MATTER.

LET'S HEAR FROM LAWMAKERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE REDISTRICTING DEBATE NOW, REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE RANDY FINE, AND, FIRST, DEMOCRATIC STATE REP CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITH.

>>THIS IS ALL ABOUT CONSOLIDATING POLITICAL POWER.

THIS MAP WAS DRAWN BY GOVERNOR DESANTIS TO GIVE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY A SUBSTANTIAL ADVANTAGE OVER DEMOCRATS, WHICH IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE FAIR DISTRICTS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

IT WAS DONE TO DIMINISH THE POWER OF BLACK VOTERS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WHICH IS ALSO A VIOLATION OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION.

AND IT WAS ALL TO HELP GOVERNOR DESANTIS CONSOLIDATE POWER AS HE PLANS TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

>>THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID, AND OTHERS HAVE ARGUED, YES, THAT MAY BE WHAT THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION SAYS.

BUT THAT FLORIDA CONSTITUTION IS IN CONFLICT WITH THE 14TH AMENDMENT OF THE US CONSTITUTION.

SO THIS IS UNSETTLED LAW, WHICH BASED ON DECISIONS IN OTHER AREAS, MAKES PEOPLE BELIEVE THE SUPREME COURT IS GOING TO SAY THAT THE RACIAL GERRYMANDERING REQUIREMENT OF THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FOLLOW THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.

THIS WILL BE SETTLED IN THE COURTS.

SOMEONE'S GOING TO BE RIGHT AND SOMEONE'S GOING TO BE WRONG.

WE DO NOT BELIEVE 200 MILE SNAKEY DISTRICTS, THAT ARE SOLELY CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PUTTING ONE RACE TOGETHER, WE THINK THAT'S RACIST.

>>ALL RIGHT, DESIREE.

WELL, THIS DOES SEEM TO HINGE ON WHETHER THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION IS IN VIOLATION OF THE US CONSTITUTION AS RANDY FINE IS ASSERTING THERE BECAUSE OF THE FAIR DISTRICTS AMENDMENT.

JUST OUTLINE THE FAIR DISTRICTS AMENDMENT, IF YOU COULD?

>>OF COURSE.

THE FAIR DISTRICTS AMENDMENT IS SUPPOSED TO DO EXACTLY WHAT THE NAME SUGGESTS, IT'S SUPPOSED TO MAKE VOTING FAIR.

AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO PREVENT LAWMAKERS ON EITHER SIDE FROM USING REDISTRICTING TO REDRAW MAPS TO FAVOR THEMSELVES AND DISENFRANCHISE VOTERS.

AND IT'S ALSO SUPPOSED TO MAKE SURE THAT MINORITY VOTERS ARE NOT CUT OUT OF THE DECISION MAKING WHEN IT COMES TO CHOOSING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THIS STATE.

AND THE ARGUMENT FOR DESANTIS' MAPS ARE THAT IT VIOLATES BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.

IT BENEFITS THE REPUBLICANS AND IT ALSO LIMITS THE VOTING POWER OF BLACK FLORIDIANS.

>>YEAH.

AND FAIR DISTRICTS PASSED IN RECENT YEARS HERE IN FLORIDA.

SO WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE US SUPREME COURT COULD RULE IN FAVOR OF THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION BY DECIDING THAT DISTRICTS LIKE THE FIFTH VIOLATE THE 14TH AMENDMENT?

I ASKED AUBREY JEWETT ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S POSITION.

>>THEY'RE HANGING THEIR HAT ON A CASE OUT OF NORTH CAROLINA A COUPLE YEARS AGO THAT WASN'T DIRECTLY LIKE THE FLORIDA CASE.

IN FACT, IN THAT CASE, THEY WERE PROTECTING MINORITY RIGHTS, ACTUALLY, WHEN THEY MADE THE RULING, NOT HURTING THEM.

AND I MIGHT ADD, THE ONE OTHER THING, ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNOR AND HIS TEAM ARGUE THAT THE 14TH AMENDMENT WOULD FORBID IT, THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT THAT HAS BEEN PASSED BY CONGRESS ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, INCLUDING FAIRLY RECENTLY, IT WAS REUPPED.

THE US SUPREME COURT HAS UPHELD THAT DECISION ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, SO I THINK THE GOVERNOR AND HIS TEAM ARE ON SHAKY LEGAL GROUND.

>>ALL RIGHT.

WELL, AUBREY REFERRED TO THE 2017 NORTH CAROLINA CASE THERE, RENATA, THAT WAS IN FRONT OF THE US SUPREME COURT.

TELL US ABOUT THAT CASE.

>>YEAH.

THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE TWO DISTRICTS, DISTRICT ONE AND DISTRICT 12, AND YOU HAVE A RULING WHERE THE SUPREME COURT SAYS, "LOOK, YOU ALL HAVE DRAWN THIS MAP WITHOUT PROPER CAUSE."

WELL, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

IT MEANS THAT YOU'RE USING RACE BUT IN A WAY THAT IT RE-ENFRANCHISES, OR ENFRANCHISES, A CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE, BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, OVER OTHERS.

ALL OF THESE CASES THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND HOW IT'S INTERPRETED.

RACE CAN BE INTERPRETED IN THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, YOU CAN REDRAW ON THAT, BASED ON RACE, BUT IT'S ONLY WHEN IT'S TO ENSURE THAT A MINORITY VOTING BLOCK IS NOT COMPLETELY DILUTED OR REDUCED.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE, I THINK, TO SEE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT THIS ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE HAVE MAPS DRAWN.

>>YEAH.

IT'S A VERY INTERESTING PROCESS.

WELL, THE PERSON LEADING THE STATE'S DEFENSE OF THE ENACTED CONGRESSIONAL MAP, AS WELL AS OVERSEEING ELECTIONS AND FLORIDA'S NEW ELECTION POLICE FORCE, WILL NOW BE REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE CORD BYRD, THE NEW SECRETARY OF STATE, REPLACING LAUREL LEE, WHO RESIGNED TO RUN FOR CONGRESS.

>>WE KNOW THAT HE'S ONE OF THE MORE CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE.

WE KNOW THAT HE IS A STAUNCH DESANTIS SUPPORTER.

WE KNOW THAT HE AND HIS WIFE ARE STAUNCH TRUMP SUPPORTERS.

AND I THINK WE KNOW THAT HE HAS REALLY PUSHED SOME VERY CONSERVATIVE AND CONTROVERSIAL LEGISLATION OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS THAT MAKES DEMOCRATS WORRY THAT HE WON'T BE AN INDEPENDENT AND FAIR VOICE AS SECRETARY OF STATE OVERSEEING STATE ELECTIONS.

INSTEAD, HE'LL BE A VERY PARTISAN AND CONSERVATIVE VOICE.

>>WELL, DESIREE, AS AUBREY JEWETT MENTIONED THERE, CORD BYRD IS A VERY CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE.

DEMOCRATS HAVE TRIED TO SORT OF DESCRIBE HIM AS A QANON CONSPIRACY THEORIST, BUT THE GOVERNOR DEFENDED HIM THIS WEEK IN SANFORD.

>>YES, THE GOVERNOR DID DEFEND HIM.

THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT IN APPOINTING HIM FOR THIS POSITION, THIS WOULD MAKE SURE THAT FLORIDA'S ELECTIONS ARE RUN PROPERLY.

>>YEAH.

>>AND OF COURSE, WHEN HE SAYS PROPERLY, HE MEANS THAT THIS REPRESENTATIVE SUPPORTS THE RESTRICTIONS THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS SUPPORTED, INCLUDING DISAGREEING WITH REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THE GOVERNOR'S REDISTRICTING MAPS THAT ARE SO CONTROVERSIAL RIGHT NOW.

AND THOUGH MOST OF HIS CONNECTION TO THE QANON THEORY IS ACTUALLY THROUGH HIS WIFE, WHO HAS BEEN A STAUNCH TRUMP SUPPORTER, AND HAS PROMOTED THE SORT OF BIG LIE THAT TRUMP WON THE 2020 ELECTION.

>>CERTAINLY A DESANTIS SUPPORTER, VERY, VERY MUCH SO.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

>>IN THE LEGISLATURE.

RENATA, WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR CONTACTS, I'M KIND OF KEEN TO GET A FEEL ABOUT WHETHER PEOPLE FEEL THE STAKES OF REDISTRICTING.

WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR CONTACTS IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR, ARE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT REDISTRICTING?

DO PEOPLE FEEL THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE?

>>THIS IS A REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION.

>>YEAH.

>>BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REDISTRICTING, A WORD, A THEORY, A CONCEPT, A PRACTICE.

>>YEAH.

>>THAT'S TAKING PLACE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I SPEAK TO THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF REDISTRICTING.

THEY'RE LIVING THE EFFECTS OF REDISTRICTING, WHETHER THIS IS ON THE HOUSING LEVEL, MEDICAL ACCESS.

>>WHETHER IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR OR NOT, RIGHT?

>>CORRECT.

CORRECT.

AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER THEY ARE VOICING IT OR NOT.

>>YEAH.

WHETHER IT'S A CONCEPT THAT THEY'RE NECESSARILY AWARE OF, THEY'RE CERTAINLY EXPERIENCING THE IMPACT.

WELL, YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE PLAINTIFF'S COMPLAINT FILED IN THE SECOND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN LEON COUNTY ON OUR WEBSITE.

YOU'LL ALSO FIND A LINK TO THE CLERK OF THE COURT SITE, WHICH HOSTS ALL THE DOCUMENTS IN THE CASE.

IT'S ALL AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

>>OKAY, NEXT TONIGHT, WE WANTED TO DELVE DEEPER INTO OUR STORY WE DID RECENTLY HERE ON NEWSNIGHT, THE LARGE NUMBER OF INVESTOR PURCHASES OF HOMES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR OUR HOUSING MARKETS.

>>AS CENTRAL FLORIDA'S RED HOT HOUSING MARKET CONTINUES TO PUSH HOUSE PRICES AND RENTS HIGHER, THE NUMBER OF INVESTORS PLOWING MONEY INTO OUR REGION IS GROWING.

A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WE TOLD YOU ABOUT A WFTV CHANNEL NINE INVESTIGATION SHOWING 20% OF HOMES SOLD ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA LAST YEAR WENT TO INVESTORS.

WELL, CORPORATE INVESTORS ARE NOW INCREASINGLY TURNING TO PREDOMINANTLY BLACK AND HISPANIC NEIGHBORHOODS.

THE ORLANDO SENTINEL STUDIED DATA IN THIS ZIP CODE, 32805, WEST OF DOWNTOWN ORLANDO, FINDING 43% OF HOMES SOLD LAST YEAR WENT TO INVESTORS.

THE YEAR BEFORE THAT IT WAS ONLY 25%.

IT SPARKED CONCERNS THE TREND WILL PRICE OUT LONG TIME RESIDENTS AND REDUCE HOME OWNERSHIP RATES AT A TIME OF SKYROCKETING RENTS.

WELL, DESIREE AND HER COLLEAGUE TREVOR FRASER WROTE THAT PIECE IN THE SENTINEL.

YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO IT ON OUR WEBSITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, DESIREE, WHAT IS DRIVING THIS INVESTOR PURCHASE TREND IN THOSE DISTRICTS LIKE 32805?

>>SO INVESTORS HAVE LONG LOOKED AT BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS TO BUY INVESTMENT PROPERTIES BECAUSE PROPERTIES IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE FOR SO LONG BEEN UNDERVALUED THAT THEY CAN GET THEM AT A BARGAIN.

>>YEAH.

>>AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE STILL EXPERIENCING A HOUSING PRICE BOOM, SO FOR WHETHER OR NOT INVESTORS ARE INTERESTED IN SAY, FLIPPING HOUSES AND JUST BUYING THEM FOR CHEAP, FIXING THEM UP, AND RESELLING THEM, OR BUYING THEM AND HOLDING ONTO THEM AND MAKING MONEY THROUGH RENTS, THE ZIP CODE OF 32805 IS DESIRABLE EITHER WAY, BECAUSE WHILE PROPERTY VALUES ARE JUST SHOOTING UP, INCLUDING IN 32805, THAT'S STILL ONE OF THE LEAST EXPENSIVE PLACES IN THE CITY TO BUY RIGHT NOW.

>>AND 32805 SITS TO THE WEST OF DOWNTOWN, CORRECT?

>>CORRECT.

THIS IS AN AREA THAT INCLUDES PARRAMORE, STARTS AT THE EDGE OF DOWNTOWN.

>>YEAH.

>>INCLUDING PARRAMORE, AND THEN SPREADS WEST TO INCLUDE WEST LAKES, AND EVEN FURTHER THAN THAT.

>>AND WHAT DID YOU HEAR FROM RESIDENTS OF 32805 AND OTHERS ABOUT SORT OF THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS INVESTOR TREND?

>>SO, IT'S A COMPLICATED THING.

>>YEAH.

>>IT'S NOT THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WANT INVESTORS TO JUST DISAPPEAR COMPLETELY.

THEY UNDERSTAND THE REALITIES, THAT INVESTORS WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF THE HOME BUYING EXPERIENCE.

BUT WHAT THEY WANT IS RESPONSIBLE INVESTORS.

THEY WANT INVESTORS WHO, IF THEY DECIDE TO COME INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES, THEY KEEP THEM AFFORDABLE.

SO WHEN AN INVESTOR COMES IN, FOR EXAMPLE, AND BUYS A HOME THAT HAS BEEN SITTING IN DISREPAIR FOR MANY YEARS, NEIGHBORS APPRECIATE THAT SOMEONE IS HERE TO FIX THAT HOME NOW BECAUSE THE STATE IT'S IN MAY NOT MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO SOMEONE WHO'S JUST BUYING A HOME THAT THEY PLAN TO LIVE IN.

BUT IF THAT INVESTOR THEN TAKES WHAT IS AN AFFORDABLE HOME, FIXES IT UP, AND MAKES IT UNAFFORDABLE TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD FOR GENERATIONS, THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE START TO HAVE A PROBLEM.

>>SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT THESE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN IGNORED, BUT THAT THE AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY HAS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY.

>>CORRECT.

LIKE YOU SAID, LAST YEAR IT WAS ABOUT NEARLY HALF OF HOMES WERE SOLD TO INVESTORS.

BEFORE THAT IT WAS ABOUT 25%.

SO THAT WAS STILL A SIGNIFICANT INVESTOR FOOTPRINT IN PARRAMORE AND THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND PEOPLE, HOMEOWNERS, THEY'RE HAPPY TO SEE THINGS THAT INCREASE THEIR PROPERTY VALUES, OF COURSE.

BUT WHEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THEIR NEIGHBORS, PEOPLE THAT THEY KNOW WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD A LONG TIME, CAN NO LONGER LIVE THERE, WHEN RENTS GET TOO HIGH TO AFFORD, THAT'S WHEN THEY REALLY START TO QUESTION THE MOTIVES AND THE INTENTIONS OF INVESTORS WHO LOOK AT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AS DESIRABLE.

>>RENATA, YOU TRAVEL A LOT FOR YOUR WORK.

I MEAN, IS THIS SORT OF SOMETHING THAT IS PLAYING OUT BEYOND FLORIDA?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

>>YEAH.

>>I MEAN, WE CAN LOOK TO A FEW PLACES, CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, FOR EXAMPLE.

ATLANTA, LAS VEGAS, PHOENIX.

THESE ARE AREAS WHERE I HAVE READ WE HAD REAL ESTATE INVESTORS MAKING UP PROBABLY A LITTLE UNDER 30% OF BUYERS.

AND SO WHAT IT DOES IS IT CREATES A SET OF REALLY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES FOR FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS WHO REALLY ENVISION HAVING A SPACE OF THEIR OWN, BUT CANNOT BECAUSE THEY'RE PRICED OUT BY INVESTORS WHO WANT TO CREATE RENTAL PROPERTIES, WHICH CAN BE MORE LUCRATIVE.

>>YEAH.

>>FOR THEM.

>>WELL, RENATA MENTIONED THAT HOME OWNERSHIP ISSUE, WHICH YOUR PIECE GOES INTO.

HOW HAS HOME OWNERSHIP BEEN SORT OF TRENDING IN NEIGHBORHOODS SUCH AS 32805 AND NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE IT?

>>SO HOME OWNERSHIP RATES IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE LOWER THAN STATE AVERAGES.

>>YEAH.

>>BUT THAT'S BECAUSE HOME OWNERSHIP AMONG BLACK FLORIDIANS, AND HONESTLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IS LOWER GENERALLY THAN FOR WHITE FLORIDIANS.

AND WE'RE TALKING A HUGE GAP, LIKE A 30 POINT PERCENTAGES.

>>AND YOU DID A WHOLE SERIES ABOUT THAT PREVIOUSLY.

>>YES, YES, YES.

>>PHENOMENAL.

>>AND I THINK A PART OF THE FEAR HERE IS NOT ONLY ARE THERE ALREADY BARRIERS TO HOME OWNERSHIP IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH IS WHY WE SEE LOWER HOME OWNERSHIP RATES, WHICH TO BE CLEAR, WHILE PARRAMORE SEES SOME OF THE LOWEST HOME OWNERSHIP RATES, WEST LAKES, WHICH IS JUST NEARBY WHICH INCLUDES ROCK LAKE AND CLEAR LAKE, THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY'RE SLIGHTLY HIGHER, BUT STILL ONLY BETWEEN 30 AND 40% OF RESIDENTS OWN THEIR HOMES.

PEOPLE ARE WORRIED THAT IF INVESTORS CHOOSE TO BUY PROPERTIES AND THEN SIT ON THEM LIKE RENATA WAS TALKING ABOUT IN ORDER TO RENT THEM OUT, THAT EVEN MORE WILL LIMIT THE HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR BLACK RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO BUY IN BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS.

>>YEAH.

DESIREE'S PIECE, RENATA, GETS INTO THIS ISSUE ABOUT GENTRIFICATION IN HISTORICALLY BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS.

I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN A CONCERN FOR A WHILE, HASN'T IT, HERE IN ORLANDO?

PARTICULARLY WITH THAT SORT OF DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE CREATIVE VILLAGE AND UCF DOWNTOWN AND ALL OF THAT.

HAVE WE SEEN THAT HAPPENING IN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE PARRAMORE JUST NEXT DOOR?

>>YEAH.

I COULD THINK BACK FIVE YEARS AGO TO HAVING SERIOUS REPORTING CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO WERE AT THE TABLE, AND I REMEMBER SOMEONE SAYING, "IF YOU'RE JUST NOW GETTING TO THE TABLE, IT'S TOO LATE."

>>TOO LATE.

>>THAT WAS FIVE YEARS AGO.

THE MOMENT WE SEE THE DEVELOPMENT OF STADIUMS, THE TEARING DOWN OF SENIOR FACILITIES, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'S A MOMENT WHEN A COMMUNITY IS CHANGING.

NOW WHO WILL BE IN THAT COMMUNITY, WHO WILL THE COMMUNITY SERVE?

THAT'S A DIFFERENT QUESTION.

AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE STILL REALLY OPTIMISTIC ANSWERS TO THAT.

>>YEAH.

THERE'S ALWAYS OPTIMISTIC ANSWERS AS WELL AS PESSIMISTIC ONES, I GUESS.

BUT CERTAINLY A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN IT EITHER WAY.

AND YOU CAN JOIN THIS CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

MAYBE YOU'RE A RESIDENT OF A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S SEEN A RISE IN INVESTOR PURCHASES AND YOU'D LIKE TO TELL US HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT IT.

WE'RE @WUCFTV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND ALSO ON INSTAGRAM AS WELL.

>>OKAY, FINALLY TONIGHT, WHAT IMPACT WOULD A POTENTIAL US SUPREME COURT DECISION TO OVERTURN ROE V. WADE HAVE ON MINORITY AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA?

SOME HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS SAY MAKING IT HARDER TO ACCESS THE PROCEDURE WILL LEAD TO MORE UNSAFE ABORTIONS FOR THOSE WITHOUT THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO TRAVEL.

AND ORLANDO PEDIATRICIAN DR. CANDICE JONES TOLD ME THIS WEEK, SHE ALSO WORRIES ABOUT THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES FOR BOTH THE MOTHER AND BABY OVER TIME OF BRINGING AN UNWANTED PREGNANCY TO TERM.

>>THERE IS A CLASSIC STUDY THAT IS TALKED ABOUT CALLED THE TURN AWAY STUDY.

AND IT LOOKED AT THOSE CONSEQUENCES OF MOMS WHO WERE ABLE TO HAVE AN ABORTION THAT THEY CHOSE, AND ONES THAT WERE TURNED AWAY OR DENIED FOR ABORTION FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

AND THAT WAS STUDIED OVER QUITE A BIT OF TIME IN THOSE MOTHERS.

AND WHAT WAS FOUND IS THAT THERE ARE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS, IT IS AN EQUITY ISSUE.

>>FOR EXAMPLE, THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS COULD BE THE STUDY SAW THAT MOTHERS WHO CARRY UNWANTED PREGNANCIES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER TO BE IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE LIVING IN POVERTY.

THE OTHER ECONOMIC OUTCOMES COULD BE HAVING POOR CREDIT, EVICTIONS, ALL TYPES OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS.

THIS DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS WOMEN OF COLOR, AND WITHOUT ABORTION ACCESS, THEY SUFFER MORE.

ON THE OTHER HAND, WOMEN WITH MONEY AND PRIVILEGE, THEY CAN GET THE ABORTION READILY SOMEWHERE ELSE SO IT REALLY DOESN'T IMPACT THEM.

>>AND AS FAR AS THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER AND THE CHILD, WE KNOW THERE ARE MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR THESE MOTHERS HAVING TO CARRY A PREGNANCY THAT THEY DON'T WANT AND HAVING TO TAKE CARE OF A CHILD THAT THEY DON'T WANT.

THEY FEEL POWERLESS AND THAT CAN CAUSE A LOT OF ISSUES AROUND ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AND GOD FOR THAT CHILD WHO IS UNWANTED.

THEY DEFINITELY HAVE TO DEAL WITH LESS BONDING, WHICH WE KNOW IS HUGE FOR THE GROWTH AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND OVERALL WELLBEING OF A CHILD, ESPECIALLY IN THOSE FIRST THREE YEARS OF LIFE.

>>ALL RIGHT, DESIREE, YOU'VE WRITTEN ABOUT THIS ONE AS WELL.

YOU'VE BEEN WRITING A LOT RECENTLY.

WHAT DID YOU FIND ABOUT THE PROPORTION OF PATIENTS SEEKING ABORTIONS IN FLORIDA WHO ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN?

>>SO ALTHOUGH BLACK PEOPLE ONLY MAKE UP ABOUT 16% OF THE POPULATION IN FLORIDA, WHEN IT COMES TO ABORTION, BLACK WOMEN MAKE UP ABOUT 35% OF THE ABORTIONS.

SO THIS IS DEFINITELY A HEALTHCARE CHOICE THAT BLACK WOMEN OFTEN TURN TO DISPROPORTIONATELY SO IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>>YEAH.

I MEAN, BACKING UP A LITTLE BIT, RENATA.

I MEAN THE MATERNAL DEATH RATE FOR BLACK WOMEN IS SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN IT IS FOR WHITE WOMEN, I THINK ABOUT FOUR TIMES AS HIGH, WORSE IN SOME STATES.

WHITE ACTIVISTS THINK THAT SORT OF A POTENTIAL DECISION TO OVERTURN ROE MIGHT EXACERBATE THAT SITUATION.

>>YEAH, JUST LOOKING AT SOME DATA FROM 2020 IN FLORIDA, IT'S A LITTLE OVER 13%, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT.

WHAT WE COULD SAY IS THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT TOUCHES WOMEN WHO ARE IMPOVERISHED, WOMEN WHO HAVE MONEY, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE TREATMENT, THE LEVEL OF CARE THAT WOMEN GET.

IT DEFINITELY MERITS EXAMINATION WHEN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN IN THE SYSTEM, THEY SAY THAT.

>>AND DR. JONES TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMIC SIDE OF IT THAT YOU REFERENCED THERE.

DESIREE, I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

HAS THIS ISSUE TAKEN A MORE URGENT TURN, DO YOU THINK, FOR ABORTION RIGHTS ACTIVISTS IN FLORIDA GIVEN THE 15 WEEK LAW THAT WE JUST SAW PASS IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SECTION?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK ACTIVISTS WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ARE CONCERNED BY BOTH OF THOSE THINGS, BOTH THE DRAFT OPINION FROM THE SUPREME COURT AND THIS NEW 15 WEEK BAN, BECAUSE I THINK THEY VIEW THEM BOTH IN THE SAME TONE, THAT EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE A 15 WEEK BAN ONCE IT BECOMES THE LAW HERE.

>>YEAH.

>>THE CONCERN IS THAT IF THE SUPREME COURT IS DECIDING TO THROW OUT ROE V. WADE, WHO'S TO SAY THAT 15 WEEKS IS WHERE WE STOP HERE?

WE'VE SEEN OTHER STATES BAN ABORTION AFTER SIX WEEKS.

>>SIX WEEK IN TEXAS, YEAH.

>>YES, TEXAS MOST RECENTLY.

AND WE'VE SEEN OTHER STATES CONSIDER EVEN MORE STRICT ABORTION ACCESS LAWS THAN THAT.

SO I THINK THAT BASED ON THE ACTIVISTS THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO, THEY DON'T FIND COMFORT IN THE FACT THAT THE STATE STOPPED AT 15 WEEKS.

THEY THINK THIS IS ALL HEADED IN THE SAME DIRECTION, THAT EVENTUALLY ABORTION COULD BECOME ILLEGAL HERE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>>AND THAT HAS ITS IMPLICATIONS BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO MAKE DECISIONS WITH THEIR OWN BODY UNDER THE LAW, WE'VE SEEN, AND THERE'S EVIDENCE, THAT PEOPLE TURN TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS ON THEIR OWN, WHETHER THAT'S IN GOOD HEALTH OR NOT.

>>YEAH.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PEDIATRICIANS AND PEOPLE IN THAT PROFESSION ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT PEOPLE WILL SORT OF RESORT TO LESS SAFE METHODS OF GETTING AN ABORTION THAN THEY WOULD'VE GOT MORE SAFELY IN PREVIOUS TIMES.

I WANT GET INTO WHAT JUSTICE ALITO WROTE THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT IN YOUR PIECE, DESIREE, IN HIS DRAFT OPINION ABOUT THE SORT OF DEMOGRAPHICS, THE DEMOGRAPHIC IMPACTS OF ABORTION ON THE BLACK POPULATION.

CERTAINLY A LOT OF PEOPLE PICKED UP ON THIS.

I MEAN, WHAT DID ALITO SAY?

AND WHAT'S BEEN THE RESPONSE FROM PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE TALKED TO FOR THAT?

>>RIGHT.

SO ON THE SURFACE, WHAT ALITO SAID SOUNDS LIKE HE IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE WELFARE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

>>YEAH.

>>HE SORT OF QUESTIONED THE INTENTIONS OF THOSE WHO SUPPORT ABORTION ACCESS.

AND HE VIEWED IT AS SOMETHING THAT COULD REDUCE THE BLACK POPULATION.

AND HE DIDN'T OUTRIGHTLY SAY THAT THAT IS WHAT ABORTION SUPPORTERS ARE DOING.

BUT HE DID SAY THAT THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF WIDE ABORTION ACCESS COULD BE THAT THE BLACK POPULATION IS DIMINISHED.

AND IN REALITY, WHAT ACTIVISTS SAY IS THAT IT'S THIS RULING THAT COULD COST BLACK LIVES.

BECAUSE AS WE TALKED ABOUT A MOMENT AGO, BLACK WOMEN ARE FAR MORE LIKELY TO DIE DURING CHILDBIRTH THAN WHITE WOMEN ARE.

SO IT STANDS, JUST BASED ON THE MATH, THAT IF WE FORCE MORE BLACK WOMEN TO HAVE BABIES THAT THEY DID NOT PLAN FOR AND DON'T WANT, AND WE CONSIDER THE LIMITATIONS OF OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, THAT MEANS THAT MORE BLACK WOMEN WILL DIE DURING PREGNANCY BECAUSE OF PREGNANCIES THAT THEY DON'T WANT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>>WELL, A REALLY EMOTIONAL ISSUE, CERTAINLY, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

>>AND YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE TURN AWAY STUDY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO THAT DR. CANDICE JONES REFERENCED IN OUR INTERVIEW.

YOU CAN FIND THAT ON OUR WEBSITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

>>WELL, THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK, I'M AFRAID.

MY THANKS TO RENATA SAGO.

>>THANK YOU.

>>INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST AND WRITER, AND DESIREE STENNETT FROM THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK.