Delray Beach Library transforms space into coworking space - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

This article is interesting for a couple of reasons. Click title for link.  Last night at the City Commission meeting, the Commission recognized National Library Week and many lauded our own library for the services it provides, and deservedly so.  Delray Beach seems to be taking it to a whole different level - it is structured as a non-profit and is not owned and run by the city.  This seems to give it a little more freedom to experiment as described in the article.

I know that as a small business person whose office is many times a comfortable chair, a laptop, headphones and a wi-fi connection, the sort of space described in the article appeals to me.  There are times when I need to focus on getting something done - like writing a report or studying some code language - I pack up my portable office and head to a corner of our Lake Worth library and isolate myself for a couple of hours.  It's amazing how productive you can be if you remove the distractions from your surroundings.  Sometimes the home office environment can offer too many obstacles to focusing on what needs to be done.

It sounds like they are on to something there.

Now China is involved...will they use their veto at the U.N?

Click here for more of Suzanne's adventures.

Methods to Amend Foreclosures in Florida By Sarah Parr

Editor's note: Sarah Parr is a Central Florida-based writer who blogs about foreclosure issues.  She can be reached by e-mail at sarah@floridaforeclosedlawyer.com

Lawmakers, real estate professionals and consumer advocates in Florida are currently drafting plans to change Florida’s status as one of the only states in the country that still sees increases in foreclosure activity. The Florida legislature is currently discussing a few ideas to amend the foreclosure process, creating debate among many people with different solutions. The ideas are varied and have multiple angles.

Expedite the process

The “Fair Foreclosure Act,” also known as House Bill 87, aims to accelerate Florida’s lengthy judicial-foreclosure process. Proponents argue that the bill protects borrowers by requiring banks and lenders to comprehensively prove they own a mortgage before they can file any foreclosure action. If enacted, the bill would also allow third-party lien holders, such as condo or homeowner associations, to push foreclosures through a faster process rather than through the standard court arrangement. The legislation allows borrowers 20 days to provide defense against the foreclosure action. After a final judgment in foreclosure is reached, the bill would give banks and lenders one year instead of the present five years to go after borrowers for losses from a foreclosure.

House Bill 87 has produced the most discussion of the proposed measures, as Winter Park foreclosure attorneys might tell you. Opponents claim the legislature seems more preoccupied with processing foreclosures quickly and less concerned about protecting homeowner rights. They also claim that 20 days is not enough time for homeowners to seek out attorneys for protection from foreclosure and provide sturdy defenses. Conversely, supporters assert the Florida foreclosure process is too prolonged, causing misery for everyone involved. Supporters say speeding up the process would also be favorable for Florida real estate’s future success, as homes in foreclosure limbo can be eyesores that bring surrounding property values down.

Senate Bill 1666 proposes allowing retired justices or judges to consent to temporary duty to help hear some of the backlogged foreclosure cases in Florida. The legislation would also allow second publication of the notice of sale of a home to be published online in lieu of publication in any other form of media. This changes the requirement that a second notice of pending foreclosure must occur in a print media advertisement, a move some say is unfair to low-income homeowners and seniors who could only find out about an impending foreclosure sale through a newspaper notice.

Provide more protection for consumers

House Bill 1777 proposes creating a homeowner bill of rights, like a similar measure recently enacted in California, in the event of late mortgage payments. California’s law is meant to protect homeowners from predatory lenders and further regulate the mortgage industry. California has already seen a large decrease in the amount of foreclosure filings in January since it went into effect on January 1, according to CNN.

Aid current homeowners in distress

Four bills, proposed and sponsored by Senator Darren Soto (D-Orlando), seek to aid homeowners struggling with foreclosure or mortgage issues. Senate Bills 1226 and 371 would require that lenders can only file a deficiency judgment one year after a final foreclosure judgment, and would only have two years to collect any outstanding debt. Presently, debt collectors can chase after borrowers for up to two decades. Senate Bill 1236, also known as the “Mortgage Principal Reduction Act,” would require the Florida Housing Finance Corporation to gain access to $100 million of the federal government’s Hardest-Hit Program in order to begin a mortgage principal reduction program for Floridians with properties in foreclosure. Soto’s final proposed bill, the “Short Sale Debt Relief Act,” would make deficiency judgments unenforceable on a short sale if the original debt was 20 percent or greater than fair market value.

Based on all of the proposals presented, Florida will probably see changes in its foreclosure handlings soon. Advocates will still fight for more recovery in the housing market.

Flashback to 2011 when then City Manager Stanton and Vice-Mayor Suzanne Mulvehill were in full retreat mode regarding getting rid of PBSO:

From the 2013 Lake Worth Street Painting Festival...a time-lapse video by Lake Worth resident Jon Faust

Boynton officials hope new complex a sign of things to come - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

This is the trend people...just pointing that out.  Since 2007, the city of Lake Worth lost 2/3 of its taxable property value.  Click title for link.  From the article:

The neighboring residential units in Renaissance Commons are all condos, but with the addition of Compson Place, city officials believe that it could increase property values in a city that has seen them drop 40 percent from 2007 to 2011.
"The higher the value of the project, the higher the tax," said Michael Rumpf, director of planning and zoning for Boynton Beach. "Moreover, the developments bring people who spend part of their incomes on goods and services in the city, contributing to the demand for new shops and restaurants, this in turn may create new jobs."
In Boynton, there are currently seven rental projects in the pipeline with a total of 1,203 units and Realtors say that the city is on the right track encouraging these type of developments.

Other than the CRA sourced La Joya Villages project on the Commission's agenda tonight, Lake Worth has nothing like this project "in the pipeline."  Our pipeline is empty to the joy of a few.

Lozman wins again; says he will seek millions from Riviera... | www.palmbeachpost.com

Another step forward for Fane Lozman.  Mr. Lozman was a guest on my radio show High Noon in Lake Worth a few weeks ago.  Click title for link.

Greenfield and Soledad cite 'irreconcilable concerns' between cities | Salinas News - KSBW Home

Click title for link for more on Susan Stanton wanting "her own" police chief and "strained relations" with another community.  Note that Ms. Stanton did not return phone calls and it seems as though she is trying her best to distance the public from the decision-making process.  Something like leopards not changing their spots?

Susan Stanton appointed as Greenfield city manager | Monterey News - KSBW Home

This is not recent news and many Lake Worth people already know about her new appointment.  Click title for link to news video and Lake Worth is mentioned.

But, let's see what is happening now in Greenfield.  These clippings are from the KRKC FaceBook page:

And check out these articles about their policing situation.  The following is from one published just last week:

Soledad seeks to end police deal with Greenfield  This is the key quote from the article:

But Tuesday, Soledad City Manager Adela Gonzales sent a letter to recently hired Greenfield City Manager Susan Stanton seeking to end the agreement, saying the cities' relationship has become too strained — and blaming Stanton for it.
"Prior to your arrival as city manager, the city of Soledad worked cooperatively with the city of Greenfield's city administration for the mutual benefit of providing police chief services with hopes of studying and, one day, forming a new legal entity for law enforcement in our two cities," Gonzales wrote in the letter.
"However, since you assumed your position as city manager for the city of Greenfield, you have expressed your ongoing opposition to the proposed JPA model and stated your preference to hire your own chief of police."

Does any of this sound familiar?  Just Google "Soledad Greenfield Police" for additional articles.  Here is another.

For those of you not following Lynn Anderson on Twitter...

This is her most recent tweet:

This is the article referenced within the tweet.  If you'd like, you can follow me on Twitter by clicking here or the Twitter badge found down the right side of the blog.  I am currently re-engaging my account.

This is a partial screen-grab from her blog this morning.  Notice her enouraging people to visit the Obambi.com blog.  I most definitely DO NOT encourage going there.  Someone else has already shared some of the headlines that you will find there in the first comment below.  It is WAY -out-of-bounds, but apparently not according to Ms. Anderson's standards.

Special City Commission Meeting: Swearing-in of Newly Elected Officials | City of West Palm Beach

This is when West Palm Beach City Commission Shanon Materio, newly elected, will be sworn in.  The time is 2:45 at West Palm Beach City Hall.  Click title for link to the city's website.

Michael Kinsley

"A gaffe is when a politician tells the truth - some obvious truth he isn't supposed to say."

As in this article about state legislation being revised which regulates outdoor advertising - billboards to be exact.

We had our own Easter parade this morning...

Bill and I decided to take an early morning ride to the beach and, having brought my wallet along, I suggested that we go to Mulligan's.  Here are some pictures of our time there:

 The beach was sparsely inhabited today.  In the picture above, you can see an area designated showing the location of a sea turtle nest.

Here is the breakfast menu at Mulligan's - the other side has drinks and extras.  There is very little on the menu under $9.95.

 I had the Casino sandwich - scrambled eggs, ham and your choice of cheese on what the menu said was toasted ciabatta bread.  It wasn't toasted.  It came with home fries which were not the usual greasy diner kind.  Nice.  It was a big portion that really could have fed two people easily.  I didn't finish the second half of the sandwich.  It listed for $9.95.

 It was pretty busy there while we were there - at about 9:30 to 10 a.m.  This Happy Easter flyer appeared with the bill.  Our server didn't tell us about any Easter specials before we ordered.

 Here is our bill.  Bill chose just to have coffee and water.  A party of four could easily spend over $60 plus tip for breakfast.

These signs appear along the bikeway/drop-off lane.  Part of the unintended consequences of poor site planning.

 This is me along with my trusty steed.  It's a vintage 1985 Miyata 110 with the largest frame they had at the time.  I also have a Marin Sausalito, circa 2005, that is more of a hybrid/commuter bike.  The bike I rode to the beach today experienced a bit of a resurrection this year - good term to use on Easter (all about SEO.)  It had been hanging unused in my garage for sometime, collecting oddles of dust and such.  Well, I decided to take it down and take it to Relentless Bicycles on Lucerne and they fixed it up for about $100.  Now I use it more than the other one.  It's faster and fits "just right."  Here is a page from the 1985 Miyata catalogue that I discovered on the Internet showing this particular model.

 And speaking of bikes, our lovely Lake Worth resident and friend AnnaMaria Windisch-Hunt had her bike stolen last night.  It was stored in her van and someone broke in.  It is a pretty distinctive bike (below) and she describes it as a " Schwinn Jaguar Silver and Blue 10 spd. still has xmas lights on front tires, silver foil on back and rotating LED lights attached on back for safety."  She has notified PBSO so please be on the look-out too.  Many people know that AnnaMaria is the chief organizer of our Thursday night twilight bike rides.

"...on the Avenue, Lake Avenue..."

A Florida transportation groups says it's time for the state to consider charging for the miles people drive. - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

And create a credit for bike miles per year...click title for link to article.