Whitney Fox targets big corporations, offers plan for help in affordable housing blueprint

Democrat Whitney Fox, who is challenging Republican Anna Paulina Luna to represent Florida’s 13th Congressional District, has released an affordable housing plan less than one week before Election Day.

Fox expects the plan would provide both “immediate relief and long-term solutions.” It would limit large corporations’ and private equity’s ability to buy single-family homes, which her plan says “has driven up housing and rental prices.” The plan would also offer first-time homeowners down payment assistance and provide access to low-interest loans. 

“As a Tampa Bay native, I’ve seen firsthand how the lack of affordable housing is driving families, seniors, and working people out of their homes,” Fox said. “Everyone deserves a safe, affordable place to live, and I’ll fight to deliver that for our community. While Anna Paulina Luna has repeatedly voted to cut affordable housing programs and eliminate disaster recovery support, my plan will remove barriers, incentivize construction, and make affordable housing a reality for more Pinellas families.”

Pinellas County School Board member Eileen Long, St. Petersburg City Council member Brandi Gabbard and U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Democrat from Colorado, noted Fox’s commitment to affordable housing in their endorsements for her. And Fox has spoken about affordable housing consistently throughout her campaign.

Fox’s affordable housing plan would encourage the building of accessory dwelling units — things like in-law suites — by streamlining local permitting and advocating for federal incentives, which the plan says would increase units available for rent. Under Fox’s plan, developers who commit to building and maintaining affordable units would see increased tax incentives.

Fox’s plan would also expand rental assistance and change zoning laws, according to the plan prospectus.

Fox’s race against Luna is considered Florida’s most competitive in 2024 and is likely Democrats’ only chance in the Sunshine State to flip a seat in the House, which Republicans only narrowly control. Luna is a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, while Fox has run as a moderate Democrat.

Cook Political Report classifies the district as R+6, meaning Republicans have approximately a 6-percentage-point advantage. But while that lands the district in the “likely Republican” column, an Oct. 20 poll of registered district voters showed Luna and Fox in a dead tie, at 45.9% support for each candidate.

Luna has outraised Fox overall in the race, with about $1 million more brought in throughout this election cycle than Fox, who entered the race later. But Fox has bridged the gap in recent months, coming to within about $5,000 of the incumbent in cash on hand, as of the end of the third quarter of 2024. 

______

Naomi Risch reporting.