A battle of David versus Goliath has emerged in response to a bill filed in the House and Senate which is supported by the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR).

The bill (SB 1656) proposes amendments to Florida Statute 651 which are intended to reform the law that governs continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), especially provisions intended to give the OIR new tools to deal with CCRC bankruptcies.

Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworsky has gone on record criticizing a major continuing care provider association because some of its members have pressured retirement home residents to oppose provisions of the bill that are supported by Florida Life Care Residents Association (FLiCRA), the association made up of 13,000 residents of retirement communities across Florida.

The Commissioner communicated in writing to LeadingAge Southeast that he found the association was engaging in “unacceptable and unproductive behavior.”

Hank Keith, who is CEO of Westminster Communities of Florida, has also come under fire from Westminster retirement community residents across the state, after he wrote to residents personally several times urging them to launch a letter-writing campaign to urge legislators to oppose the OIR bill.

In his letters to residents Keith claimed that the OIR bill would lead to “significant increases in monthly costs” for residents and would “reduce charitable impact.”

FLiCRA Executive Director Bennett Napier says FLiCRA “supports specific provisions in the bills centered around new and improved definitions, additional financial transparency and protection of resident financial interests.”

“Like other stakeholders, FLiCRA wants to ensure the Florida CCRC marketplace is stable and able to grow to meet consumer demand.” Napier said. “We appreciate that a number of owner/operators of Florida CCRCs chose not to engage their residents in letter writing against the House and Senate bills that are likely to be amended during the committee process.”

Some Westminster residents believe their friends and neighbors may have been misled into signing the form letters that Westminster management provided to them.

One such resident is former Rep. Marjorie Turnbull, who lives at Westminster Oaks in Tallahassee. After receiving communication from Westminster that included a pitch from Keith criticizing the bill, sample letters, and contact information for legislators, Turnbull fired back a response asking Westminster to withdraw the request.

“I was perturbed by the email asking Westminster Oaks residents to contact their legislators regarding a bill that has not been explained to us in detail prior to this request,” Turnbull said. “Without more detailed information and a like statement from FLiCRA, which solicits resident input prior to taking a position, I would suggest that any resident, who sends such a letter to a legislator, may not be acting in his/her own best interest.”

“It would be wise (for Westminster) to retract the request until we receive more information,” she concluded.

It appears Westminster instructed managers at all 12 of its Florida CCRC locations to distribute the Keith communication to residents.

At the Sandhill Cove Senior Living Community in Palm City, local management took it a step further and made a presentation to the community at both the February and March “Cup of Joe” monthly gatherings.

Sandhill Cove resident Pete Morrisey said the presentations came without any advance notice. “At the end of the meetings they said there were form letters they could give to people,” Morrisey said.

Morrisey said he agrees with Turnbull that the tactics of Westminster and some other owner/operators surely led some residents to sign form letters without fully knowing what they were opposing.

The OIR bill is scheduled to be taken up by the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on Monday.

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Some 400 students from about 40 high schools from all over Florida this month competed in the ProStart Culinary Team Competition and the Hospitality & Tourism Management (HTM) competition that was organized by The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) Education Foundation.

While the competition was intense in the 24th annual event, it ended with the distribution in more than $1.6 million in scholarships to the students who received recognition for their efforts. The scholarships were offered from several institutions including the Culinary Institute of America, Culinary Institute of Virginia, Florida International University, Keiser University, Nicholls State University, University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality and Hillsborough Culinary Academies at Erwin Technical College.

“We are incredibly proud of the talent and dedication shown by these students during the 24th annual ProStart and HTM events,” said Laura Rumer, director of the FRLA Educational Foundation. “These competitions highlight their skills and passion for the industry. It’s inspiring to see so many receive scholarships and recognition for their hard work. Congratulations to all the winners, and we look forward to seeing them represent Florida at the national ProStart Invitational in Washington, D.C. this May.”

The overall winners for culinary competitions were Martin County High School from Stuart finishing first. Strawberry Crest High School from Dover came in second with Wekiva High School from Apopka coming in third. South Lake High School from Groveland and Fort Pierce Central High School tied for fourth and there was a tie for fifth between George Jenkins High School from Lakeland and Lyman High School from Longwood.

There were also awards issued for culinary, hospitality management, edible centerpiece, waiters relay competitions.

The overall winners for hospitality included Stoneman Douglas High School from Parkland finishing first, Colonial High School from Orlando in second and Osceola High School from Kissimmee.

Other honors for hospitality also included hotel operations, hospitality project and a knowledge bowl.

“As the state’s top industry, hospitality is at the heart of Florida’s economy, and these high school students are its future,” said Carol Dover, president and CEO of the FRLA. “We are thrilled to support their growth through programs like ProStart and HTM, which provide them with the skills and opportunities needed to succeed in this dynamic field. With the largest ProStart program nationwide and the unique distinction of being the only state to host a statewide HTM contest, we remain committed to nurturing the next generation of industry leaders.”

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While Florida’s land market may be in a state of transition, large-acreage and institutional land transactions are rising to the fore.

Sanders Real Estate brokerage firm conducted its “Lay of the Land 2024 Florida Market Report” and found more than 72,000 acres of agricultural land was sold and transitioned into residential, solar and commercial development in 2024. The analysis found there were some concerning issues in the trend last year.

“This transformation highlights both the state’s economic growth and rising land values, but it also raises concerns about the pressures on agricultural land. Farmers are facing challenges from rising costs and diminishing land availability, further complicated by the decline of industries such as citrus,” the report concluded.

“As Florida’s land market continues to evolve, the need for effective conservation strategies, including investment in conservation easements, has never been more urgent to ensure the preservation of the state’s agricultural heritage.”

The report followed land values in the Sunshine State since 2013 and found the continuing population growth keeps Florida as one of the nation’s top destinations for land purchases as 2025 plays out.

“Despite a slight dip in overall transaction volume, Florida’s land market remains competitive, driven by large-acreage deals and institutional investments,” said Dean Saunders, founder, managing director, and senior advisor of Saunders Real Estate. “While smaller investors pulled back due to rising interest rates and uncertainty, major players have leaned in, consolidating land and focusing on large-scale acquisitions. However, Florida’s economic growth and rising land values have placed additional pressure on agricultural operations, with higher costs and shrinking land availability.”

According to the report, ranch and recreational land continues to be purchased in the state but the market for tracts in the 50-to-500-acre range cooled. However, tracts in excess of 500 acres ramped up more interest from buyers.

Farmland purchases remain solid as well, with the average size of farmland transaction last year was 397.64 acres. The average price per acre was $10,403.56.

The amount of transactions on citrus land doubled in 2024 over 2023. There were 128 citrus land purchases in 2023 with most of those taking place in Polk and Hardee counties with 34 in Polk and 27 in Hardee. “These numbers indicate the growing interest for citrus acreage in these areas, likely driven by shifting land use trends and demand for agricultural properties,” the report stated.

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