Neighborhood Stabilization Program

Communities in Florida, including Pasco County, recently received a Neighborhood Stabilization Program Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These funds will be used to provide emergency assistance to state and local governments so they can purchase foreclosed properties that might be abandoned. These homes can be rehabilitated, resold, or redeveloped. For more information about this program in Florida communities-
http://www.hud.gov/local/index.cfm?state=fl

The Tampa Bay Community Development Corporation is a HUD-approved non-profit organization whose mission is to promote homeownership opportunities to low and moderate income households in the Tampa Bay, Florida area.
For more information visit:
http://www.tampabaycdc.org

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (or "Swiftmud") has extended the once-a-week watering restrictions through February 27, 2009. Even though we have seen better rainfall in the area over the past year, it has not been enough to offset the two-year drought.

For Pasco County residents, you can view the watering schedule here. If you have any questions, check with the Pasco County Utilities Services department. If you live outside of Pasco County or want more information about the watering restrictions, check out www.watermatters.org.

The economy is affecting not only banking and Wall Street executives, but also the average citizen. TBO.com reported yesterday that "the call volume [to the Department of Children and Families' ACCESS Florida line] has risen to 120,000 a day, 40,000 more than a year ago. The number of Floridians using the program is up more than 20 percent statewide and more than 60 percent in some areas."

Do you think you could benefit from food stamps or Medicaid? You can apply online using the ACCESS Florida application.

The flu season is fast approaching. Do you need to get a flu shot? Do you need to find out where to get a flu shot? Do you want to know what the flu outlook is for the 2008-2009 flu season?

Find all this information and much more on the CDC's flu webpage.

Here's to a healthy next few months!

The book closing date of Monday, October 6, 2008 for new Florida voter applicants and party changes is fast approaching for the General Election of Tuesday, November 4, 2008. You can access the forms you need at the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections website or pick up a voter registration form at any Pasco County library.

Election season is often a stressful time, and this year is definitely not an exception. The highly-contested presidential campaign and numerous state and local battles leave many of us with headaches, wondering whom to vote for.

Fortunately, there are a couple of websites that can help you make these important decisions. Project Vote Smart is a largely volunteer, nonprofit organization whose mission is to cut through the mudslinging found in so many political campaigns to uncover the true issues and policies of the candidates.

FactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, and is a non-partisan, nonprofit "consumer advocate" for voters, monitoring the factual accuracy of what is claimed by politicians and political players in advertisements, debates, speeches, press releases, and interviews.

Check these sites out and become an informed voter, for the good of the country's future.

From the ACCESS Florida webpage:

The ACCESS Florida Applications will not be available on Thursday, August 28th from 8:00 p.m. until Midnight EST because we will be performing maintenance.

If you are working on an ACCESS application at 8:00 p.m., you will be able to log back into the application after the maintenance is complete - you must have the ACCESS Online Number and password created at the beginning of the process to finish your application.

If you are pre-screening to see if you might be eligible for benefits at 8:00 p.m., you may need to start over after the maintenance is complete.

If you are reporting a change at 8:00 p.m., you may need to start over after the maintenance is complete.

If you are using the Automated Response System to get information regarding the status of a recently completed application at 8:00 p.m., you may need to start over after the maintenance is complete.

If you are using the Platinum Community Partner link to get information regarding the status of a recently completed application at 8:00 p.m., you may need to start over after the maintenance is complete.