Gubernatorial candidate spends a day on the job at South Apopka's Arbor Bend Development

Gwen Graham commits to expanding affordable housing on a workday with Habitat for Humanity

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham spent her 56th Workday with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Orlando constructing new homes in an area hit hard by Florida’s affordable housing crisis.

“There is no better way to dive deep into an issue than rolling your sleeves up and getting to work,” Graham said. “It was a privilege to work with Habitat to construct new affordable housing in Central Florida and to meet with the organization’s leadership to discuss the housing challenges our state faces.”

On the Workday, Graham and campaign volunteers helped construct a home in Arbor Bend, a new 34-home affordable housing community. Graham worked up a sweat caulking baseboards, painting and installing windows.

“If more of the politicians in Tallahassee spent a day working to construct affordable housing, they’d see just how much more we could accomplish working together on progressive solutions to help Florida families. They’d quit stealing from the trust fund and invest in Florida.”

A new report by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune found Florida will spend less on affordable housing programs this year than in 1996, and that money swept from the trust funds through last year would have helped subsidize an additional 166,746 housing units.

“The affordable housing trust funds belong to the people of Florida who fund it with their tax dollars,” Graham said. “As governor, I will respect every dollar the state spends and use them to support families, not special interests. I will veto any raids of the Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund and work with the legislature to invest in affordable housing for Florida families.”

Members of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Orlando leadership and staff joined Graham for lunch on the Workday to discuss the challenges the community faces and bold solutions to create more affordable housing.

“It’s not every day that you have a candidate for governor ask to help on a construction project,” said Catherine Steck McManus, the organization’s president, and CEO.

“We’re not just building houses — we’re building homes. A Florida family who may be living in substandard housing today will soon call this community home. The stability they’ll receive from a new home will help them gain greater work opportunities, help their children in school, and help their entire family succeed. Gwen is seeing those benefits firsthand today — and we hope she’ll use the lessons learned with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Orlando to help families across our state.”