>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, CENTRAL FLORIDA'S ECONOMY STRENGTHENS AS TOURISM NUMBERS PICK UP.

THE BUSINESS OWNERS ARE FACING A NEW SET OF CHALLENGES.

COULD FLORIDA'S STRICT LAWS ON EVICTIONS MEAN A SPIKE IN PEOPLE LOSING THEIR HOMES WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S MORATORIUM EXPIRES?

AND WE'LL LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF GAMBLING IN OUR STATE.

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 YOU.

AND WE DO THIS BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

SO JOINING US THIS WEEK, CAROLINE GLENN, WHO COVERS BUSINESS FOR THE ORLANDO SENTINEL AND MATTHEW PEDDIE OF 90.7 WMFE.

MY COLLEAGUE NANCY ALVAREZ IS OFF THIS WEEK.

WELL, FIRST TONIGHT, THE STRENGTHENING OF CENTRAL FLORIDA'S ECONOMY, AS WE EMERGE FROM THE PANDEMIC.

>>VISIT FLORIDA SAYS TOURISM NUMBERS TICKED HIGHER IN THE FIRST QUARTER, BUT REMAIN 14% BELOW THE SAME QUARTER LAST YEAR.

DOMESTIC TRAVEL IS DOWN 5.3% YEAR ON YEAR WHILE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL REMAINS ALMOST AT A STANDSTILL, DOWN 74.4%.

BUT THE TRAJECTORY IS UPWARD 26.16 MILLION VISITORS CAME TO FLORIDA IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR.

THE ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER HAS NOW CLOSED ITS VACCINATION SITE TO MAKE WAY FOR UNEXPECTED JUMP IN EVENTS AND CONFERENCES.

ORLANDO AIRPORT CEO PREDICTS ROBUST GROWTH AS SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASK RESTRICTIONS EASE AT SOME MAJOR ATTRACTIONS.

PHIL BROWN SAYS HE THINKS BY NOVEMBER, TRAFFIC WILL RETURN TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS.

>>A YEAR AGO IN APRIL, WE HAD THE WORST TRAFFIC THAT WE'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME.

WE'RE AT ABOUT 76% OF WHERE WE WERE COMPARED TO THE 2019.

SO WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS AND WE EXPECT THE SUMMER SEASON TO BE VERY BUSY.

>>WELL AS CENTRAL FLORIDA'S ECONOMY STRENGTHENS, HIRING IS PROVING DIFFICULT FOR SOME BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.

THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE ACTUALLY ROSE SLIGHTLY BETWEEN MARCH AND APRIL IN OUR REGION.

"SO WHY ARE HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES FINDING IT TOUGH TO HIRE STAFF?"

I ASKED THE OWNER OF A BAR IN COLLEGE PARK, THAT WE'VE CHECKED IN WITH THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.

>>WHAT'S BEEN INTERESTING IS THAT WE'RE SEEING A SHIFT IN INDUSTRY IN GENERAL, SO A LOT OF PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THIS AND BEING FURLOUGHED AND MOVED ON TO OTHER INDUSTRIES FROM SERVICE FROM HOSPITALITY.

SO THE APPLICANTS WE'RE GETTING, A LOT OF TIMES ARE VERY GREEN, VERY NEW PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING TO KIND OF DIP THEIR TOES IN.

AND UNFORTUNATELY THE POINT WHERE WE ARE NOW, WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPERIENCE.

IT'S AN INTERESTING SORT OF DYNAMIC, WE GET RESPONSES, BUT IT'S JUST A LOT OF, KIND OF FRESH BLOOD.

>>SO YOU'RE SAYING, YOU'RE SEEING A CHANGE, PEOPLE WHO WERE TRADITIONALLY IN THIS INDUSTRY TO START WITH, HAVE THE EXPERIENCE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, AND NOW LESS LIKELY TO BE APPLYING.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?

>>FOR SURE.

I THINK PEOPLE GOT TIRED OF WAITING FOR A SERVICE JOB, AND ONE THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN HAPPY WITH TO BEGIN WITH, AND HAVING TO BE EITHER FORCED TO LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS OR, OPPORTUNITY WAS PRESENTED TO THEM THROUGHOUT THIS.

PEOPLE ARE MAKING A JUMP, AND IN A LOT OF WAYS I CAN'T BLAME THEM, I MEAN, IT'S NOT AN EASY INDUSTRY, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE MOST FUN AT ALL TIME.

SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE A HUGE SHIFT IN HOSPITALITY IN GENERAL, WHICH I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVEN BEGUN TO SEE EXACTLY HOW IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE INDUSTRY.

>>HOW FEASIBLE IS IT FOR YOU TO TRY TO INCREASE YOUR WAGES?

I MEAN, I'VE NOTICED SOME PLACES SAYING, WE NOW OFFER A 401(K), OR WE NOW OFFER HEALTH INSURANCE.

HOW REALISTIC IS THAT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES?

IS IT SOMETHING YOU'VE CONSIDERED DOING?

>>HEALTH INSURANCE FOR US, OR ANY SORT OF BENEFITS LIKE THAT, IT'S NOT FEASIBLE AT THIS POINT.

AND AS FAR AS WAGES GO, WE TRY TO BE FAIR, AND THANKFULLY EVERYBODY THAT DOES WORK HERE, MAKES A DECENT WAGE AND THEY DO MAKE A LIVING WAGE.

WHEN THINGS DO GET TIGHT, THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENS IS, I'LL FOREGO A PAYCHECK AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S TAKEN CARE OF.

AND I HAVE A FEELING THAT WE'LL PROBABLY SEE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE MOVING FORWARD.

IF IT DOES GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE NEED TO START BEING MORE COMPETITIVE, WE'LL FIND A WAY.

>>ALL RIGHT.

WELL, CAROLINE, DO WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

IS THIS A LABOR SHORTAGE OR IS IT JUST THAT MORE EXPERIENCED HOSPITALITY WORKERS ARE CHOOSING NOT TO RETURN FOR OTHER REASONS DO YOU THINK?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>>IT REALLY DEPENDS WHO YOU ASK.

IF YOU DO ASK CERTAIN EMPLOYERS, CERTAIN BUSINESS INDUSTRY GROUPS, THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE'S A "LABOR SHORTAGE."

BUT IF YOU TALK TO LABOR UNIONS, GROUPS THAT REPRESENT WORKERS, LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, THEY'RE MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON THE WAGE SIDE OF THIS.

I'VE TALKED WITH MULTIPLE SMALL BUSINESS EMPLOYERS AND I'VE TALKED WITH LABOR GROUPS AND WORKERS THEMSELVES, AND THEY RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S NOT JUST ONE ISSUE, IT'S NOT JUST ENHANCED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THERE ARE A LOT OF FACTORS THAT ARE LEADING PEOPLE TO RECONSIDER THEIR JOBS IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY, IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, AS A WHOLE.

SPEAKING OF THE WAGE, THAT'S A HUGE DRIVER OF PUSHING PEOPLE OUT OF THESE INDUSTRIES.

THEY FOR A LONG TIME HAVE BEEN MAKING MUCH LOWER WAGES THAN OTHER JOBS THAT CAN BE FOUND IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

THEY DON'T OFFER BENEFITS FOR THE MOST PART.

THESE CAN ALSO BE JOBS THAT YOU'RE ON YOUR FEET THE WHOLE DAY, YOU'RE IN A HOT KITCHEN, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE RECONSIDERING IF THEY WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT, OR DO THEY WANT TO TRY TO FIND AN OFFICE JOB OR SOMETHING THAT IS LESS TAXING, LESS ARDUOUS, HONESTLY.

BUT THE OTHER HUGE FACTOR HERE TOO IS THE FEMALE ASPECT OF THIS STORY.

SINCE APRIL, 2020, THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY TOLD ME THAT MORE THAN 172,000 FEMALE WORKERS HAVE LEFT THE WORKFORCE ENTIRELY.

AND THE GROUPS I'VE TALKED TO HAVE SAID THAT IS PROBABLY A SIGNIFICANT UNDERESTIMATION OF THE PROBLEM HERE.

THOSE WERE WOMEN WHO WERE FORCED TO LEAVE EITHER BECAUSE CHILDCARE FACILITIES HAD SHUT DOWN OR THEIR KIDS WERE DOING VIRTUAL SCHOOLING AT HOME, NOT ABLE TO GO IN PERSON.

AND A LOT OF THOSE MOMS STILL HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE TOO YOUNG TO BE VACCINATED.

I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT THERE IS A SHORTAGE SOMEWHAT OF TEENAGE OR COLLEGE AGED LABOR.

AND THOSE ARE NOT THE FOLKS WHO ARE NECESSARILY COLLECTING UNEMPLOYMENT, THOSE MIGHT'VE JUST BEEN THE PEOPLE WHO LEFT THEIR JOBS ONCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE IN WITH THEIR FAMILIES OR STAY AT HOME, AND ARE FOREGOING THAT SUMMER JOB.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT IT AS A HOLISTIC ISSUE AND NOT JUST PUT THE BLAME SOLELY ON THE ENHANCED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR KEEPING PEOPLE AT HOME.

>>YEAH.

A LOT OF COMPLEX DYNAMICS GOING ON THERE FOR SURE IN THE LABOR MARKET AT THE MOMENT.

AND TALKING ABOUT THOSE BENEFITS, FLORIDA THIS WEEK SAID IT WAS DITCHING THE FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION PROGRAM, MEANING THE UNEMPLOYED FLORIDIANS WILL GET $300 LESS A WEEK FROM JUNE 27TH.

AND OF COURSE THERE'S BEEN A PUSH BY SOME LAWMAKERS, HASN'T BEEN THERE MATT?

TO TRIM BENEFITS TO SOLVE THIS EMPLOYMENT SITUATION.

WHY ARE THEY ARGUING THAT'S GOING TO HELP.

SENATOR SCOTT HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT HERE.

>>YEAH.

QUITE SIMPLY, THEY'RE SAYING THAT IF YOU TAKE THOSE BENEFITS AWAY, IT'S GOING TO DRIVE PEOPLE BACK INTO THE LABOR POOL.

AND A LOT OF BUSINESSES, AS WE SAID BEFORE, AND AS CAROLINE WAS SAYING, THEY SAY THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING PEOPLE TO FILL THE JOBS.

SO WHEN THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCED IT WAS GOING TO END THE FEDERAL SUBSIDY, THAT INCLUDED A BUNCH OF STATEMENTS ATTRIBUTED TO LEADERS FROM THE RETAIL FEDERATION, FLORIDA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, RESTAURANT AND LODGING ASSOCIATION, ALL ESSENTIALLY SAYING, WE ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND WORKERS, WE THINK THAT IF YOU TAKE THESE ENHANCED BENEFITS AWAY, IT'S GOING TO BASICALLY MAKE THE LABOR POOL BIGGER AND WE CAN GET BACK TO WORK THAT MUCH QUICKER.

KEEP IN MIND THOUGH, 300 BUCKS A WEEK IT'S NOT A HUGE AMOUNT, AND ON TOP OF SOME PRETTY MARGINAL FLORIDA BENEFITS ANYWAYS.

SO IT'S KIND OF DEBATABLE AS TO WHETHER IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO DO WHAT PEOPLE EXPECT IT.

>>YEAH.

IT'S GOING TO BE SOME DIFFICULT TIMES FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, FOR SURE.

CAROLINE, BLOOMBERG OPINION PIECE THIS WEEK SAID THAT GOVERNOR DESANTIS' PANDEMIC STRATEGY HAS CREATED "SOMETHING AKIN TO A GOLD RUSH ATMOSPHERE," IN FLORIDA.

HOW IS OUR ECONOMY DOING HERE?

ARE THINGS LOOKING GOOD BROADLY BEYOND THE LABOR MARKET?

>>I WOULD SAY, BROADLY THINGS ARE LOOKING MUCH BETTER THAN THEY WERE A YEAR AGO.

OF COURSE, SO MANY BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REOPEN, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO BACK TO WORK.

BUT ONE THING ALWAYS EMPHASIZE IS THAT, THE RECOVERY FROM THIS PANDEMIC CAN LOOK VERY DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON YOUR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS.

FOR AFFLUENT PEOPLE, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ON A BETTER FINANCIAL FOOTING BEFORE THE CRISIS STARTED, FOR THE MOST PART THEY MIGHT BE BACK TO THEIR NORMAL LIVES.

THEY MIGHT BE BACK TO THEIR OFFICE JOBS, SEEING FRIENDS AGAIN, TRAVELING, GETTING ON A PLANE.

BUT I ALWAYS WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT FOR THOSE WHO WERE LIVING IN POVERTY BEFORE, OR THOSE WHO WERE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK BEFORE, THIS RECOVERY DOES LOOK VERY DIFFERENT.

>>THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND WORK, WHO MIGHT'VE BEEN PUT ON FURLOUGHS FROM JOBS AND NEVER CALLED BACK, AND THEN THEY WERE REPLACED WITH NEW HIRES INSTEAD OF GETTING THEIR JOBS BACK THEMSELVES.

AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BECOME HOMELESS DURING THIS PANDEMIC, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN EVICTED, PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRAID OF GOING INTO FORECLOSURE, WHO HAVE FALLEN BEHIND ON THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS.

SO EVEN THOUGH AS A WHOLE, I WOULD SAY THAT FLORIDA LOOKS LIKE IT IS ON A GOOD TRAJECTORY OF OVERALL RECOVERY, I JUST ALWAYS LIKE TO REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE SOME FOLKS THAT THIS RECOVERY DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THAT FOR THEM.

>>YEAH.

UNEVEN RECOVERY IS WHAT WE HEAR ABOUT A LOT, PARTICULARLY IN OUR ECONOMY.

MATT, BRIEFLY LET'S JUST LOOK AT THE INTERNATIONAL PART OF THIS PUZZLE IF WE CAN.

TRAVEL FROM ORLANDO'S BIGGEST MARKETS HAS BEEN SEVERELY RESTRICTED UP TO NOW BECAUSE OF COVID.

YOU SPOKE WITH THE OIA DIRECTOR THIS WEEK, WHAT'S THE AIRPORT AND VISIT FLORIDA FOR THAT MATTER, SAYING ABOUT INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL GOING FORWARD?

>>YEAH.

BASICALLY THE MESSAGE WE'RE GETTING, AND THE NUMBERS SEEM TO BACK THIS UP, IS THAT DOMESTIC TRAVEL IS PICKING UP.

MEMORIAL DAY, WE CAN TRAVEL, FOR EXAMPLE.

ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, THEY'RE SAYING THERE'S GOING TO BE ALMOST BACK UP TO WHAT IT WAS IN 2019, BUT THE INTERNATIONAL PICTURE IS GOING TO TAKE A BIT LONGER.

VISIT FLORIDA IS PUTTING IT SIMPLY, THEY'RE PLANNING SOME TRIPS TO COUNTRIES LIKE MEXICO AND THE UNITED KINGDOM TO TRY AND FORGE SOME OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND ENCOURAGE MORE TRAVEL IN THE LONGER TERM.

AND SOME THINGS THAT HAPPEN, KLM FOR EXAMPLE, JUST ANNOUNCED A NEW NONSTOP ROUTE FROM ORLANDO TO AMSTERDAM THAT'LL START IN OCTOBER.

SO THEY ARE ANTICIPATING INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL WILL PICK UP AGAIN.

BUT THERE'RE SOME FACTORS AT PLAY HERE, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH COVID IN THOSE COUNTRIES.

OF COURSE, THE RECOVERY FROM THAT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE ECONOMY, THE RECOVERY FROM THE PANDEMIC ITSELF IS UNEVEN DEPENDING ON WHICH PART OF THE WORLD YOU'RE IN.

SO THAT HAS A BIG ROLE TO PLAY IN WHAT HAPPENS WITH INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FROM HERE ON AS WELL.

>>FOR SURE.

DON'T FORGET TO JOIN THIS DISCUSSION ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL, WE'RE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, WE'LL STAY WITH THE ECONOMY AND DISCUSS EVICTIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC.

CAROLINE AND HER COLLEAGUE DESIREE STENNETT HAVE PUT TOGETHER A SERIES OF STORIES, LOOKING AT THE ISSUE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

I ASKED DESIREE ABOUT THEIR REPORTING, SHOWING THAT EVICTIONS HAVE CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, DESPITE FEDERAL AND STATE MORATORIUMS.

>>IN OUR LAW, WE HAVE A CLAUSE THAT SAYS THAT IN ORDER FOR YOU TO PRESENT ANY FORM OF DEFENSE AT ALL, IF YOUR LANDLORD IS SUING YOU FOR EVICTION, YOU HAVE TO PAY THE FULL AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOUR LANDLORD SAYS THAT YOU OWE INTO A COURT REGISTRY BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN PRESENT A CASE.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT TENANTS WHO ARE BEING SUED FOR EVICTIONS NORMALLY HAVE JUST FIVE DAYS TO SUBMIT POSSIBLY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS INTO A COURT REGISTRY, IF THEY WANT TO SPEAK TO A JUDGE AT ALL.

THE STATE OF FLORIDA'S EVICTION LAWS MEANS THAT, WHEN THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION CALLED COVID-19 A PANDEMIC, MANY OF OUR WORKERS IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN PARTICULAR WERE LAID OFF PRETTY QUICKLY.

AND THAT MEANT THAT ALL OF THESE WORKERS WHO WERE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, WERE QUICKLY MANY OF THEM BY APRIL 1ST, NOT ABLE TO MAKE RENT.

AND THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY WELL BEFORE THE CDC EVICTION MORATORIUM, AND EVEN BEFORE THE STATE MORATORIUM AS WELL.

SO THAT MEANT THAT THOSE FIRST FEW PEOPLE WERE EVICTED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.

WE HAVE A FAMILY FEATURED IN THE FIRST PART OF OUR THREE PART SERIES, THAT WAS THEIR SITUATION, THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO MAKE APRIL RENT, THEIR LANDLORD PUT A NOTICE ON THE DOOR TELLING THEM TO GET OUT, AND WITHIN DAYS THEY WERE HOMELESS.

>>SO THAT WAS BEFORE EVICTION MORATORIUMS WERE IN PLACE.

DID THE MORATORIUMS ON THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL DO ANYTHING TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM?

>>THE FIRST ANSWER IS YES, THEY HELPED.

WE SAW EVICTIONS DROP DRAMATICALLY, BUT WE WERE TOLD BY LEGAL AID ATTORNEYS THAT IF THE LANDLORD IS A SORT OF SQUEAKY WHEEL, IF THEY CONTINUE TO BADGER THE COURT AND SAY THAT A TENANT NEEDS TO BE EVICTED, THAT THAT WILL HAPPEN.

THE FOUR FAMILIES THAT WE INTERVIEWED FOR THE FIRST TWO PARTS OF THE SERIES, THREE OF THEM HAVE BEEN EVICTED.

>>I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE REPORTS THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER ABOUT DISPARITIES IN EVICTIONS, BETWEEN WHITE AND BLACK COMMUNITIES.

OF COURSE, WE'VE TALKED A LOT OVER THE LAST YEAR ABOUT RACIAL DISPARITIES, AND THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE AREAS, ISN'T IT, WHERE MINORITIES OF COLOR SEEM TO HAVE COME OUT WORSE?

>>WE LOOKED AT CENSUS DATA FOR EVERY ZIP CODE IN ORANGE, OSCEOLA AND SEMINOLE COUNTIES.

AND WE PULLED THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND, RACIALLY WHO MAKES UP THE POPULATION FOR EACH OF THESE ZIP CODES.

AND THEN WE LAYERED THAT WITH EVICTION DATA, THE RAW NUMBERS FOR THE NUMBER OF EVICTIONS, FOR EVERY ZIP CODE IN THOSE SAME THREE COUNTIES.

AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT, IN ZIP CODES WITH MAJORITY BLACK POPULATIONS, THE EVICTION RATE WAS JUST MUCH HIGHER.

>>SO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

WHY DO THESE DISPARITIES EXIST?

IS THIS JUST A CASE OF THERE BEING MORE RENTERS IN PREDOMINANTLY BLACK COMMUNITIES?

>>YOU CAN'T IGNORE OUR HISTORY.

I THINK IN THIS COUNTRY, WE HAD REDLINING LAWS THAT SET HOME VALUES BASED ON RACE, AND DECIDED WHO WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO HOME OWNERSHIP AND HOME LOANS AND MORTGAGES BASED ON RACE.

AND WHAT THAT MEANT WAS THAT THERE WAS A GENERATION OF WHITE HOME BUYERS WHO WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY PURCHASE HOME AND PASS THAT WEALTH DOWN THROUGH THEIR LINEAGE AND BLACK POTENTIAL HOME BUYERS WHO WERE IN FINANCIAL POSITION TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE HOMES, BUT WERE DENIED BECAUSE OF THE LAWS BY GOVERNMENT.

ALTHOUGH THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE LAW FOR DECADES NOW, IT STILL HAS A LASTING IMPACT.

AND THAT MEANS THAT BLACK PEOPLE IN BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS ARE JUST MORE VULNERABLE TO EVICTION, BECAUSE THEY ARE RENTING AT MUCH HIGHER RATES.

>>ALL RIGHT.

CAROLINE, WHAT ABOUT THAT?

ARE WE LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL INCREASE AHEAD DO YOU THINK, AND PEOPLE FACING EVICTIONS ONCE THERE WERE NO LONGER THESE MORATORIUM PROTECTIONS IN PLACE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

I WAS JUST TALKING WITH THE TWO HOUSING ATTORNEYS FROM THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF ORANGE COUNTY.

AND THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY BRACING FOR ONCE THE CDC FEDERAL EVICTION MORATORIUM IS LIFTED, AND THAT IS BEING CHALLENGED ONCE AGAIN IN COURT RIGHT NOW, THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF IT, THAT ONCE THAT MORATORIUM IS GONE, THEY DO EXPECT A TSUNAMI, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO PUT IT, A DELUGE OF TSUNAMI.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF SPECULATION ABOUT, ARE THERE A LOT OF LANDLORDS WHO HAVE COMPLETELY WAITED TO FILE WHO ACTUALLY WERE DETERRED, BUT ARE TEEING THEM UP AND GEARING THEM UP?

THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF CASES WHERE A WRIT OF POSSESSION, THE FINAL DOCUMENT THAT THE SHERIFF WOULD DELIVER TO YOU AT YOUR FRONT DOOR SAYING THAT YOU HAVE TO LEAVE, A LOT OF THOSE HAVE BEEN STAYED BY JUDGES ONCE THE TENANT PRESENTED THE CDC MORATORIUM.

SO ONCE THAT IS NO LONGER IN PLACE, THOSE WRITS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ISSUED AND FINALIZED.

THOSE WOULD NOW JUST BE ABLE TO BE SERVED.

WE ARE PREPARING FOR THERE TO BE A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF EVICTIONS ONCE THOSE MORATORIUMS EXPIRE.

AND TO DESIREE'S POINT IN THAT CLIP, WHILE THE MORATORIUMS DID PREVENT THE USUAL NUMBER OF EVICTIONS THAT WE SEE FILED IN A NORMAL MONTH OR A NORMAL YEAR, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SEE HERE THAT IT'S INTERESTING THAT ANY WERE FILED AT ALL, BECAUSE A LOT OF TENANTS AND A LOT OF LABOR GROUPS, THE FIRST STATE MORATORIUM THAT WAS IN PLACE UNDER GOVERNOR DESANTIS, THEY INTERPRETED AS THERE SHOULD BE NO FILING AT ALL, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT WHAT WE SAW.

AND ACCORDING TO MODEST ESTIMATES FROM THE SHIMBERG CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, WHICH HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY WITH THIS PROJECT, JUST FROM MARCH, 2020 TO MID DECEMBER, MORE THAN 57,000 EVICTIONS WERE FILED IN FLORIDA COURT SYSTEMS.

AGAIN, THAT IS EXPECTED TO BE AN UNDERESTIMATION OF THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF INFORMAL EVICTIONS THAT OCCUR, WHERE THE LANDLORD DOES JUST SAY, "YOU HAVE TO LEAVE, " AND THE PERSON DOESN'T FIGHT IT, NOTHING IS EVER FILED IN COURT.

OR THE LANDLORD JUST DECIDES NOT TO GO THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM AT ALL AND GOES REMOVES ALL OF YOUR BELONGINGS FROM YOUR UNIT, LOCKS THE DOOR, YOU NOW CAN'T GET BACK IN.

THAT'S ILLEGAL, BUT A LOT OF LANDLORDS DO IT.

>>ONE THING I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT CAROLINE, IF A TENANT HAS BEEN SERVED WITH AN EVICTION NOTICE, BUT IS CURRENTLY PROTECTED, WHAT IMPACT WOULD THAT HAVE ON THAT TENANT WHEN THEY COME TO LOOK FOR FUTURE HOUSING?

IS THAT KIND OF A RECORD THAT MIGHT INHIBIT THEM DOWN THE WAY IN GETTING HOUSING, IF THEY HAVE THAT EVICTION ORDER ON THEIR RECORD?

>>YES.

EVEN JUST HAVING AN EVICTION CASE FILED AGAINST YOU, WHETHER YOU LOSE THE CASE, WIN THE CASE, IT WINDS UP GETTING DISMISSED, OR YOU WIND UP BEING ABLE TO MEDIATE THE PROBLEM OUTSIDE OF THE COURT, THAT IS NOW A RECORD THAT EXISTS ONLINE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS.

I MEAN, THE CLERK OF COURTS WEBSITES, YOU CAN FILTER BY EVICTIONS AND SEE PEOPLE'S NAMES AND ADDRESSES AND, ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.

AND WHAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM COUNTLESS TENANTS, AND TENANT ADVOCACY GROUPS, AND LEGAL AID ATTORNEYS AND HOUSING ATTORNEYS IS THAT IT CAN BE AN AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFIER FOR A LOT OF LANDLORDS, AND A LOT OF COMPANIES WHO SIMPLY USE THIRD PARTY SCREENING FIRMS TO DO THEIR TENANT SCREENING PRACTICES BEFORE THEY DECIDE TO RENT TO SOMEONE.

I'VE TALKED WITH THE FLORIDA APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, AND THEY INSIST THAT LANDLORDS WHO ARE OPERATING IN GOOD FAITH, WILL LOOK AT THE SPECIFICS OF A CASE AND DECIDE IF IT'S GOING TO BE A DISQUALIFIER, OR IF IT WAS SO LONG AGO, THEY DON'T MIND.

BUT WE HAVE JUST HAD HEARD FROM OTHER FOLKS THAT, THAT SIMPLY ISN'T TRUE, THAT ONCE YOU HAVE THAT EVICTION FILED AGAINST YOU, IT BECOMES THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND FUTURE HOUSING.

AND IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, A LOT OF PEOPLE DO WIND UP ON MERCY DRIVE, IN ORLANDO.

THOSE ARE A LOT OF THE APARTMENTS THAT ARE KNOWN FOR RENTING TO TENANTS WHO HAVE PRIOR EVICTIONS.

AND TO BE FRANK, THEY'RE ARE ALSO A LOT OF THE APARTMENTS THAT HAVE A LOT OF CODE ENFORCEMENT VIOLATIONS, AND SOME PRETTY SQUALID CONDITIONS >>JUST BRIEFLY, IF YOU CAN, WHAT ABOUT THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUND PROGRAM?

IS THAT FULLY UP AND RUNNING NOW IN FLORIDA?

FOR WHEN THAT CDC MORATORIUM EXPIRES IN JUNE, A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL BE LOOKING FOR SOME HELP.

>>THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN A LOT OF MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER THE LAST YEAR THAT HAS COME OUT TO PROP UP THOSE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, AND THOSE EVICTION DIVERSION PROGRAMS.

EVEN MORE MONEY HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE, AND SOME PLACES HAVE ALREADY LAUNCHED THOSE PROGRAMS, THE CITY OF ORLANDO RECENTLY LAUNCHED THEIRS.

SO THERE ARE MORE WAYS FOR TENANTS TO BE ABLE TO HOPEFULLY GET THIS RENTAL ASSISTANCE MONEY, MAKE THEIR LANDLORDS HOLD.

OBVIOUSLY THERE'S AN UNDERSTANDING HERE THAT FOR MOM AND POP LANDLORDS, THIS CAN BE THEIR SOURCE OF INCOME, THEY USE IT TO PAY THEIR OWN BILLS.

BUT WHAT I HAVE HEARD IS THAT SOME LANDLORDS ARE NOT EXACTLY ENCOURAGED TO TAKE PART IN THESE PROGRAMS BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT IT PUTS ON THEM.

I'VE HEARD FROM SOME, INCLUDING WHAT I TALKED WITH, THE FLORIDA APARTMENT ASSOCIATION THAT REPRESENTS LANDLORDS, THAT THEY DID NOT APPROVE OF SOME OF THE STIPULATIONS THAT THEY NEED TO FORGIVE A PORTION OF THE BACK RENT, IF THEY'RE GOING TO RECEIVE SOME RENTAL ASSISTANCE OR THEY NEED TO AGREE NOT TO FILE ANOTHER EVICTION AGAINST THE TENANT THEY RECEIVED RENTAL ASSISTANCE FROM.

AND THE OTHER THING TO POINT OUT IS THAT SOMETIMES THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE COMES TOO LATE.

ONE OF THE WOMEN WHO IS PROFILED IN PART ONE OF OUR SERIES, SHE HAD FILED THE CDC MORATORIUM, BUT HER LANDLORD CHALLENGED IT.

LONG STORY SHORT, HE WON, AND SHE WAS EVICTED.

A FEW DAYS AFTER SHE WAS FORMALLY EVICTED, HAD MOVED OUT, MOVED INTO A FRIEND'S HOUSE, HER FAMILY HAD BEEN SEPARATED SHE GOT AN EMAIL FROM LAKE COUNTY, SAYING THAT SHE HAD BEEN APPROVED FOR $9,000 IN RENTAL ASSISTANCE.

I TALKED WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS AND THAT'S GOING STRAIGHT TO THE LANDLORD WHO EVICTED HER.

>>REALLY TROUBLING STORIES, AND A LOT OF YOUR REPORTING THERE.

AND YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE SENTINEL SERIES, LOCKED OUT ON OUR WEBSITE, ALONG WITH MY INTERVIEW WITH DESIREE STENNETT FROM THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

THERE, YOU WILL ALSO FIND A LINK TO THE PBS NEWSHOUR'S, RACE MATTERS SPECIAL: AMERICA AFTER GEORGE FLOYD.

IT'S ALL AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, FINALLY, TONIGHT, GOVERNOR DESANTIS SIGNED THE STATE'S NEW GAMING COMPACT WITH THE SEMINOLE TRIBE OF FLORIDA THIS WEEK.

IT WOULD ALLOW THE TRIBE TO OPERATE ONLINE AND RETAIL SPORTS BETTING STATEWIDE AS WELL AS PARTNER WITH THIRD PARTY PARI-MUTUELS, THAT ARE NOT ON TRIBAL LAND, TO OFFER SPORTS BETTING THERE TOO, WITH 40% OF THOSE PROFITS GOING BACK TO THE TRIBE.

THE SEMINOLE TRIBE WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO ADD NEW GAMES.

FEDERAL REGULATORS NOW HAVE 45 DAYS TO APPROVE THE PLAN.

THE STATE ADMITTED IN 2017, THAT IT VIOLATED THE PREVIOUS COMPACT, WHICH GAVE THE SEMINOLE TRIBE EXCLUSIVITY OVER BANKED GAMES SUCH AS BLACKJACK.

THE STATE HAD BEEN ALLOWING DESIGNATED PLAYER GAMES AT PARI-MUTUEL, RACETRACKS AND CARD ROOMS.

FLORIDA HOUSE SPEAKER, CHRIS SPROWLS HOPES THE NEW COMPACT WILL AVOID FUTURE LEGAL BATTLES.

>>STATE OF FLORIDA ADMITTED IN COURT THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA BREACHED THE COMPACT AS A RESULT OF DESIGNATED PLAYER GAMES.

I THINK IF YOU HAVE A REGULATOR WHO'S EXTREMELY FOCUSED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE GAMING SPACE, WHETHER THAT'S IN PARI-MUTUELS, WHETHER IT'S THE STATE'S RESPONSIBILITY UNDER THE COMPACT, THAT MAY HAVE NOT HAPPENED.

AND THAT'S THE IDEA HERE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT SORT OF BEHAVIOR DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

>>BUT THE NEW COMPACT COULD FACE SIGNIFICANT HURDLES.

THE US DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR MUST HAVE TO PROVE IT, ONE POTENTIAL ISSUE WAS WHETHER IT VIOLATES THE FEDERAL INDIAN GAMING REGULATORY ACT BY ALLOWING SPORTS BETTING AT PARI-MUTUELS THAT ARE NOT ON TRIBAL LANDS, SO LONG AS THE SERVERS USED FOR THE BETS ARE.

AND IT COULD FACE COURT CHALLENGES FROM OPPONENTS WHO ARGUE IT AMOUNTS TO AN EXPANSION OF GAMBLING, WHICH ACCORDING TO THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION MUST BE APPROVED BY VOTERS.

MATT, WHAT ABOUT THIS IDEA THAT SPORTS BETTING WILL BE COMPLIANT WITH FEDERAL LAW IF THE SERVER'S TAKING THE BET ON SEMINOLE TRIBAL LANDS, EVEN IF THE BETS ARE BEING PLACED ELSEWHERE.

DOES THE STATE EXPECT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO APPROVE THAT?

>>WELL, STEVE, THE STATE AND THE SEMINOLE TRIBE, IN FACT, THEY'RE TAKING A BIT OF A GAMBLE ON THIS.

SO THE LAW'S KIND OF OPAQUE, THERE WAS ACTUALLY SOME LEGISLATION RIGHT NOW, IN FACT THAT IF PASSED WOULD CLARIFY THAT UP ON CAPITOL HILL, ESSENTIALLY SAYING, IF THE WAGER IS PLACED WHEREVER THE SERVER IS LOCATED, THAT'S WHERE IT IS.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE SERVERS ARE ON SEMINOLE LAND, THAT'S WHERE THE BET IS PLACED LEGALLY.

AS YOU MENTIONED, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MUST DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THE COMPACT OWES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE INDIAN GAMING REGULATORY ACT.

AND THERE'S ANOTHER PART OF THE ACT THAT'S PROBABLY WORTH MENTIONING TOO, UNDER IT 60% OF THE REVENUE GENERATED BY GAMBLING ON TRIBAL LAND IS SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE TRIBE.

BUT UNDER THIS COMPACT, THE TRIBE COULD ENTER INTO PARTNERSHIPS WITH PARI-MUTUEL OPERATIONS TO HOST SPORTS BETTING, WITH 60% OF THOSE PROFITS GOING TO THE PARI-MUTUEL.

SO A BIT OF CONFUSION THERE, SOME THINGS TO SORT OUT, AND PROBABLY SOME LEGAL CHALLENGES COMING DOWN THE PIKE AS WELL.

>>CAROLINE, WE HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT, BUT I WANTED TO ASK YOU BRIEFLY WHAT THE STAKES ARE HERE.

PARDON THE PUN, HOW BIG A BUSINESS IS GAMBLING IN OUR STATE, AND WHAT IMPACT COULD IT BRING TO THE STATE COFFERS?

>>I THINK THAT THIS DECISION, IF IT STANDS THROUGH COURT CHALLENGES, AS MATTHEW HAS LAID OUT, COULD BRING POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT REVENUE TO THE STATE AND AS WELL AS SIGNIFICANT REVENUE TO THE SEMINOLE TRIBE.

BUT AGAIN, IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IF THIS WILL STICK EXACTLY.

IN 2018 VOTERS IN FLORIDA APPROVED A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT REQUIRED THAT, IF MORE SPORTS BETTING WAS GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE OUTSIDE TRIBAL LANDS, IT HAD TO GET VOTER APPROVAL.

AND THIS HAS GONE THROUGH LEGISLATURE APPROVAL, JUST BY LAWMAKERS, NOT VOTERS.

SO IT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE THIS GOES EXACTLY.

>>YEAH.

IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED, BUT ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE, AND ONE THAT'S BEEN AN ISSUE AS YOU MENTIONED FOR SOME TIME HERE IN OUR STATE.

WELL, THAT'S ABOUT ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK, MY THANKS TO CAROLINE GLENN OF THE ORLANDO SENTINEL AND MATTHEW PEDDIE FROM 90.7 WMFE.

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

IN THE MEANTIME, FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.