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Wednesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
› Nationally acclaimed chef back in Sarasota County, working at Venice restaurant
The former owner and chef of a since-closed Sarasota County restaurant that was once named one of the best in America has returned to the area, working at another local eatery. Steve Longet recently joined Côté France in downtown Venice as its executive chef. He and his wife Jessica previously owned fellow downtown Venice French restaurant Cafe Longet, which opened in 2016 and was named one of the Top 100 Restaurants in America for 2021 by online restaurant reservation and review service OpenTable.
› A new virtual museum helps visitors learn about Florida's civil rights leaders
The first virtual civil rights museum in Florida launched earlier this month. It features civil rights leaders from the early 1900s all the way into the early 60s. Two Tallahassee natives, Jackie Perkins and Delaitre Hollinger, created the virtual museum. It tells the stories of what the founders call "pioneers" in both education and civil rights. Perkins says the museum includes individuals from all walks of life regardless of race, color or religion.
› Bank aims to woo landlords with new $5 million Section 8 housing loan program
A new loan program has been unveiled at St. Petersburg-based BayFirst National Bank with the intention of getting landlords to build more Section 8 housing. The program provides 80% financing on a 30-year amortization, meaning landlords will have a set amount to pay each month. BayFirst, a $1.08 billion-asset bank with locations in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties, has pledged to get the program started with a $5 million investment.
› Avoid being house poor in South Florida? You’ll need to earn this much money
The typical South Florida household — which could constitute a single renter, a young couple or a budding family buying their first home — must rake in $111,914 a year, otherwise their incomes are almost completely swallowed by housing expenses, or they are paying more than the widely recommended 30% of their income in rent. “That means on average, you’ll have more difficulty paying for things like homeowners insurance, renter’s insurance, automobile and health care insurance,” said Ken H. Johnson, a real estate economist at FAU’s College of Business.
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