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RMI analysis indicates that clean energy portfolios—combining solar, storage, and energy efficiency—are lower cost and lower risk than JEA's proposed gas plant. While JEA's 2023 estimates suggested gas was the cheapest option, updated capital costs (which have risen by 139%) and fuel price projections suggest a gas plant could cost $4.8 billion in NPV. In contrast, CEPs are estimated to cost between $2.1 and $3.4 billion depending on energy efficiency levels. Additionally, the gas plant is projected to cause over $1 billion in negative health effects across Florida, whereas CEPs could generate up to $757 million in local economic benefits and thousands of jobs.

The report finds that rents for the lowest-cost unsubsidized market-rate housing (workforce housing) increased by 20.2% nationally between 2021 and 2025, more than double the 9.2% increase for luxury (discretionary) housing. This trend is most pronounced in the Sunbelt region, where corporate landlords, including private equity firms, target workforce housing as a low-risk, high-cash-flow investment. The document highlights a crisis of evictions and 'self-evictions' driven by these price hikes and argues that government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac facilitate this corporate takeover by providing easy financing with few tenant protections. It recommends policy interventions such as rent control, just cause eviction laws, and the adoption of investment standards for public pension funds.

Florida is expected to experience dangerous early-season heat from May 14-16, 2024, with temperatures exceeding 90°F and heat index values between 100°F and 105°F. Human-caused climate change has made these conditions more than five times more likely, as indicated by a Climate Shift Index (CSI) level of 5 in Central and Southern Florida. Approximately 17 million people are expected to experience at least one day of CSI level 5 heat. The event is characterized by high humidity and overnight lows 5°-10°F above average, increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses and mortality, particularly for those without effective cooling.

The report examines various legislative attempts to curb the growth of corporate landlords in the US, focusing on strategies to deconsolidate the housing market. It analyzes proposed and enacted measures such as ownership caps in North Carolina, excise taxes in California and Ohio, and right of first refusal laws in California and Colorado. While many of these bills failed in committee due to political opposition, the report highlights successful examples like Los Angeles's 'mansion tax' and Colorado's protections for manufactured housing residents as models for future housing justice efforts.

Climate Central's analysis indicates that five historic sites in St. Augustine, Florida—Castillo de San Marcos, Fort Matanzas, Fort Mose, the Lightner Museum, and the Lincolnville District—are all projected to face chronic flood risk by the end of the century. Using the RCP 8.5 emissions scenario, the report finds that several sites already face substantial threats, with some experiencing frequent or chronic risk currently.

The briefing highlights a coastal sediment crisis in the Gulf of Mexico caused by human activity for the navigation industry. It outlines current state-level sediment efforts in Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, Texas, and Mississippi, and identifies the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) districts in Jacksonville, Mobile, and Galveston as regional leaders in RSM. To improve resilience, the author recommends that Congress reform the USACE 'federal standard' of least cost disposal, update Benefit-Cost-Ratio (BCR) calculations, support legislation like the Living Shorelines Act and Coastal Communities Adaptation Act, and shift toward sustained upfront federal investment rather than relying on post-storm funding.

The report analyzes 59 tide gauges along the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts to project the impact of sea level rise on tidal flooding. Using an Intermediate-High scenario from the National Climate Assessment, the analysis finds that at least 40 locations will see a doubling of coastal flooding events by 2030, with the majority experiencing a 10-fold increase by 2045. Additionally, nearly half of the evaluated locations are projected to experience moderate coastal floods by 2045 from tides that currently only cause minor flooding.

The report evaluates several North American indicator projects—including those in Alberta, Oregon, Colorado, Seattle, and Jacksonville—to extract best practices for a provincial sustainable development initiative in Manitoba. It argues that current models often lack causal linkages and institutional security. To address this, the authors propose the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) framework to connect societal pressures, environmental states, and policy responses. The document outlines a three-stage selection process (preparatory, selection-linking-target setting, and institutionalization) and emphasizes the need for quantitative measurability, stakeholder participation, and long-term data series to establish valid trends for decision-making.

The report argues that corporate housing investment, particularly by private equity firms seeking high returns on short timelines, leads to rent increases, maintenance neglect, and instability for tenants. It proposes a toolkit of regulatory measures: landlord registries to uncover beneficial ownership behind shell LLCs, licensing systems to potentially cap the number of properties owned by a single entity, and proactive inspections to ensure habitability before occupancy. The document highlights Minneapolis's use of licensing to force corporate landlord Progress Residential to adopt strict tenant safety and maintenance conditions, and Toronto's use of a registration and grading system for rental properties.

The report argues that state preemption—where state law supersedes local ordinances—is frequently used to block municipal efforts to regulate corporate landlords, particularly private equity firms. It highlights that while 'home-rule' states offer more local autonomy than 'Dillon's rule' states, state governments can still override local housing policies. Using examples from California, Florida, and Illinois, the document demonstrates how preemption limits rent control, eviction protections, and inclusionary zoning, often influenced by corporate lobbying. The authors conclude that housing advocates must focus on state-level legislative changes and coalition building to abrogate these preemptions.