Nearly 1.7 million homes sit empty in Florida, more than anywhere else in the country

A LOCAL GYM OWNER AND CHEER COACH CONNECTED TO MULTIPLE SCHO DOLISTRICTS. WE’RE DIGGING INTO THE ALLEGATIONS THAT SPAN NEARLY A DECADE. MICHELLE: PLUS, WE’RE GETTING OUR FIRST LOOK AT THE MOMENT CELEBRATIONS TURNED INTO SCRMSEA AT A WINTER PARK WEDDING. WE’LL SHOW YOU THE SITUATION THAT UNFOLDED BEFORE POLICE SHOT AND KILLED AN UNCLOFHEE BRIDE. >> AND A JUDGE RULES KEY EVIDENCE WILL NOT BE USED IN THE TRIAL OF A MAN CHARGED WITH MURDERING HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN. FIND OUT WHY. MICHELLE: A CHEERLEADING COACH IN CLERMONT HABES EN ACCUSED OF MOLESTATION BY MULTIPLE TEEN GIRLS. JIM: WESH TWO’S MARLEI MARTINEZ FOUND OUT, THIS CHEER COACH ALSO WORKED AT SEVERAL SCHOOLS ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA OVER THE COURSE OF NEARLY TWO DECADE REPORTER: CLERMONT POLICE SAY 3 YOUNG WOMEN HAVE ACCEDUS VIGILAND D’HAITI OF MOLESTATI.ON A 14-YEAR-OLD AND OTW 15-YEAR-OLD GIRLS. WINTER GARDEN POLICE ARRESTED HIM AT HIS HOME ON SUNDAY, HE BONDED OUT A FEW HOURS LATER. POLICE SAY D’HAITI IS THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF RUSH ALL SRSTA CHEERLEADING GYM, AND THAT’S WHERE ALL OF THE INCIDENTS ALLEGEDLY HAPPENED. POLICE WERE FIRST CONTACD TE JANUARY. COURT RECORDS SHOW THE VICTIMS ACCUSE D’HAITI OF INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING AND WRITING MESSAGES TO THEM ON SNAPCHAT AND FACEBOOK, LIKE, I LOVE YOU I MISS YOU INCLUDING WHILE HE WAS ON HIS HONEOOYM D’HAITI ALSO WORKED AT MULTIPLE SCHOOLS ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA OVER THE COURSE OFBO AUT TWO DECADES ACCORDING TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS. MOST RECENTLY, D’HAITI WORKED AT CYPRESS CREEK HIGH AS A COMPUTER TECH TEACHER AND CHEER COACH. HE ALSO WORKED AT DR. PHILLIPS HIGH AND EAST RIDGE GHHI IN LAKE COUNTY. >> EMPTY SCHOOL BROLL. ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOLS PLACED D’HAITI ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE IN JANUARY. A SPOKESPERSON SAYS HE HASN’T BEEN BACON CK AMPUS SINCE THE DISTRICT LAUNCHED AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION. POLICE SAY D’HAITI HASN’T BEEN BACK AT HIS GYM SINCE JANUY. WHEN THE US ALL STAR FEDERATION SUSPENDED HIM AFTER LEARNING OF THESE ALLEGATIONS. POLICE SAY THE GROUP SENT A LETTER TO FAMILIES WHO ATTENDED THIS GYM ANASD K OTHER POTENTIAL VICTIMS TO COME FORWD.AR >> THE SAFETOFY THE CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE CITIZENS IS PARAMOUNT. TALK TO YOUR KIDS. AND IF THERE’S ANYTHING THAT MAY NOT SEEM RIGHT, ESPECIALLY WHIT THIS GYM, THIS CASE, PLEASE COME FORWARD. WE WANT TO TALK TO YOU. EVEN IF IT’S SOMETHING THAT SEEMS SMALL, MAY NOT BE IMPORTANT, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IT COULD UNFOLD LATER. JIM: WE REACHED OUT TO VIGILAND D’HAITI OVER THE PHONE, BUT HAVE T NOHEARD BACK. MICHELLE: THE CITY OF WIERNT PARK HAS RELEASED THE BODY CAMERA VIDEOS FROM THE TWO POLICE OFFICERS INVOLVED IN ETH RESPONSE THAT ENDED WITHHE T DEADLY SHOOTING OF A WEDNGDI GUEST. IT REVEALS THE GUEST KNOCKED BOTH OFFICERS TO THE GROUND AND FTLE ONE OF THEM UNCONSCIOUS. WESH TWO’S AMANDA DUKES HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THIS STORY FROM THE BEGINNING AND HAS MORE ON THIS NEW INFORMATION. REPORTER: FROM THE BEGINNING ETH FAMILY OF DANIEL KNIGHT HAS SAID HE WAS NOT VIOLENT THE NIGHT OF THE WEDDING AND THE POLICE NEVER SHOULD HAVE SHOT HIM. BUT THE BODY CAMERA VIDEOS DO SHOW KNIGHT KNOCKING BOTH OFFICERS DOWN AND THEN CONTINUING TO STRIKE ONEF OTHEM IN THE HEAD WHEN HE’S ON THE GROUND. SOME OF THE VIDEO YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE MAY BE DISTURNGBI ON FEBRUARY 19, WINTER PARK POLICE GOT A 911 CALL FROM THE CITY’S NEW EVENT CENTER. >> I HAVE A DGRUET Y. REPORT:ER TWO OFFICERS RESPONDED AND WERE DIRECTED TO 39-YEAR-OLD DANIEL KNIGHT WHO WAS REPORTEDLY BATTERING GUESTS AT HIS NIECES WEDDING. AS OFFICERS APPROACHED, POLICE SAY KNIGHT’S SISTERS WERE TRYING TO CALM HIM. >> IT IS OK, HE IS OUR BROTH.ER MIKE: REPORTER: JIM: THE OFFICERS SEPARATE KNIGHT FROM A WOMAN THEY SAY HE PULLED IN FRONT OF HIMSELF. THEY TRY TO GET HIM TO STEP AWAY AND TALK. BUT KNIGHT DOESN’T COMPLY. AS YOU’RE ABOUT TO SEE, KNIGHT PUNCHES OFFICER 1 IN THE HEAD KNOCKING HIM TO THE GROUND UNCONSCIOUS. >> TALK TO ME. REPORTER: WITH OFFICER 1 DOWN, OFFICER 2 DEPLOYS HIS TASER AT KNIGHT BUT IT HAS NO AFFECT DAN KNIGHT THEN PUNCHES OFFICER 2 IN THE HEAD KNOCKING HIM TO THE GROUND AND POLICE SAY KNIGHT CONTINUES TO STRIKE THAT OFFICER IN THE HEAD AFTER THE OFFICER IS WNDO THAT’S ALL CAPTURED IN THIS CLIP WHICH ENDS WITH THE FATAL SHOTS. >> STEP BACK, STEP BACK. STEP BACK. [INDISCERNIBLE] REPORT:ER IT’S DIFFICULT TO WATCH. WINTER PARK POLICE SAY THE TWO OFFICERS INVOLVED HAVE A COMBINED 47 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. THEY SAY FDLE ASKED THEM TO WAIT AND RELEASE THE VIDEOS UNTIL ALL 100 WITNESSES HAD BEEN INTERVIEWED. MEANTIME, THE ATTORNEYS WHO REPRESENT KNIGHT’S FAMILY SENT ME THIS STATEMENT, SAYING, TODAY POLICE – MORE THAN A MONTH AFTER HIS UNNECESSARY DEH AT- FINALLY RELEASED VIDEO OF THE INCIDE.NT THE ONLY THING THE VIDEO ESTABLISHES IS THAT DANIEL KNIGHTID D NOT DESERVE TO DIE; HIS FAMILY CONTINUES TO MOURN HIS DEATH AND WE WILL FIGHT FOR JUSTICE ON THEIR BEHALF. THE FDLE INVESTIGATION IS STILL ON-GOING AND IT’S NOT KNOW IF THE OFFICER WHO SHOT KNIGHT MAY FACE ANY CHARG.ES AMANDA DUKES REPORTING. JIM: TODAY A JUD RGEULED KEY EVIDENCE WILL NOT BE USED IN THE JURY TRIAL FORNT AHONY TODT, THE MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN IN THEIR HOMEN I CELEBRATION IN 2020. THE TRIAL IS SET TO START NEXT WEEK. AUTHITORIES SAY TODT CONFESSED TO THE CRIMES, BUT THE CONFESSION WILL NO LONGER BE USED IN THE TRIAL BECAUSE DETECTIVES DIDN’T FULLY INFORM HIM OF HIS MIRANDA RIGHTS BEFORE THEIR FIRST INTEIEW.RV IN TWO SEPARATE MOTION HEARINGS, A JUDGE DECIDED TO EXCLUDE THE CONFESSION AND THE REFERENCETOS TODT’S MENTAL HEALTH, A REQUEST MADE BY THE STE. >> BASED UPON THE CASE LAW, THE STATE’S POSITION IS THAT ANY EVIDENCE ABOUT THE DEFENDANT’S MENTAL HEALTH STATUS, DIMINISHED CAPACITY, OR ANY EVIDENCOFE BAKER ACTS WOULD BE IRRELEVANT AND WOULD MISLEAD THE JURY IN THIS PARTICUR LACASE. JIM: AFTER AUTHORITIES SAY TODT CONFESSED TO THE CRIME HES, PLEADED NOT GUILTY AND LERAT SUGGESTED HIS WIFE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS. HIS TRIAL BEGINS MONDAY. IN MARION COUNTY, TWO TEENS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR THE MURDER OF A 23-YEAR-OLD IN OCALA A 14-YEAR-OLD, WHO WE ARE NOT IDENTIFYING. AND 18-YEAR-OLD LEANE DRCOX, THE ACCUSED SHOOTER. HE TURD NEHIMSELF IN TUESDAY TO OCALA POLICE. JACORIE MCCULLOUGH WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN FRONT OF THE 7 DAYS FOOD STORE ON NORTHWEST FIRST AVENUE ON FRIDAY. INVESTIGATORS SAY COX, THE 14-YEAR-OLD, AND A THIRD PERSON APPEARED TO ROB MCCULLOUGH. THEY ARE STILL WORKING TO TRACK DOWN THAT THIRD RSPEON THE HEAT IS ON TODAY ALL ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA AND STORMY WEATHER IS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR. MICHELLE: CHIEF METEOROLOGTIS TONY MAINOLFI IS TRACKING A LINE OF ANGRY WEATHER AND TEMPS IN THE 90’S. TO:NY OUT AHEAD OF THIS LONG LI ONEF STORMS, WE ARE GOING TO PUNCH INTO THEER UPP 80’S AND 90’S, WATCHING THIS TO SEE HOW IT MAY OR MAY NOT HOLD TOGETHER. THERE ARE A BUNCH OF MODELS THAT WEAKEN THIS, AND ONE OR TWO BRING IT RHTIG ACROSS. HERE’S FUTURECAST. BY AUTBO 5:00, THIS LINE IS HOLDING TOGETHER AND WEAKENING ON APPROACH TO THE I-4 CORRIRDO WITH MORE RAIN FRIDAY, THEN LIFTING BACK TOWARDS THE SOUTH AND EAST AS WE GO TO THE DAY FRIDAY. LET ME GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT VANTAGE POINT. IT’S GOT THE LONG LINE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS HOLDING TOGETHER THROUGH THE EVENING, AND MOVES TOWARD SOUTHERN BOTTOM LEIN IS, WE MAY HAVE ONE OR TWO STRONG STOSRM, WILL SHOW YOU MORE AT 6:18. MICHELLE: NEW ON WESH 2, A 90-YEAR-OLD MAN HAS DIED AFTER HE WAS HIT BY A CAR IN OCALA THIS MORNI.NG IT HAPPENED ARNDOU 9:45 ON EAST SILVER SPRINGS BOULEVARD, NEAR VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK. THE DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO SWITCH LANES WHEN EUGENELDRICH A STEPPED IN FRONT OF THE CAR. ALDRICH WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WREHE HE LATER DIED. THE DRIVER’S NAME HASN’T BEEN RELEASED AND THE INVESTIGAONTI CONTINUES. IN ORANGE COUNTY, A MAN IS DEAD AFTER A SEMI HIT A MOTORCYCLE IN A FIERY CRASH OVERNIGHT. THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL SSAY IT HAPPENED JUST BEFORE 10:00 LAST NIGHT ON COLONIAL AND MANOR DRIVES. THAT’S EAST OF SEMORAN BOULEVARD AND NORTH OF COLONIAL HIGH. THE SEMI WAS BACKING INTO A PARKING LOT, BLOCKING WESTBOUND LANES ON COLONIAL. THE MOTORCYCLE HIT THE LEFT DESI OF THE TRUCK AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE MOTORCYCLIST DD IEAT THE HOSPITAL. THE SEMI DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED. JIM: IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN A WEEK SINCE FOUR STUDENTS IN SOUTH FLORIDA WERE HIT BY A CAR WHILE WAITING FOR THE SCHOOL S. TWO OF THE STUDENTS DIED, BUT NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED AGAINST THE DRIVER. ATTORNEY TAMA KUDMAN SAYS THAT’’ NOT SURPRISING. SHE’S NOT INVOLVED IN THIS CASE, BUT SHE HAS DEFENDED OTHERS LIKE IT. KUDMAN SAYS IN SOME CASES, IT CAN BE MONTHS BEFORE CHARGES ARE FILED. STATE LAW SAYS ONCE A PERSON IS ARRESTED, LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS LIMITED TIME TO FINISH THE INVESTIGATN.IO >> IF THIS INDIVIDUAL HAD BEEN ARRESTED ON THE SPOT, THE STATE WOULD ONLY HAVE 30 DAYS TO MAKE A FILING DECISION, AND THAT IS NOT ENOUGH TIME. WE ARE KNOW WHAT FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. JIM: THE TWO OTHER TEENS INJURED IN THE CRASH ARE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AFTER FINISHING UP TREATMENT. NEW ON WESH 2, A DAYTONA BEACH MAN FISOUND GUILTY TODAOFY HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN A CASE DATING BKAC TO 2015. INVESTIGATORS SAID NICHOLAS BARBATI DROVE A WOMAN TO A HOTEL HAVE SEX WITH A PERSON WHO TURNED OUT TO BE AN UNDERCOVER FICER.OF BARBATI WAITED IN THE VEHICLE AND WHEN OFFICERS APPROACHED, HE CLAIMED HE WAS THE WOMAN’S UBER DRIVER. BARBATI S WAALSO FOUND GUILTY TODAY OF TWO OTHER FELONIES AND A MISDEMEAR.NO MICHELLE: INSURANCE COMPANIES GOING BROKE, CANCELING POLICIES FOR SOME, RAISING RATES FOR OTHE.RS FLORIDA HOMEOWNERS ARE FACING MULTIPLE ISSUES RIGHNOWT SCRAMBLING TO FIND AEW N COMPANY, OR TRYING TO COME UP WITH THE CASH TO COVER THE HEIK IN PREMIS.UM INSURANCE EXPERTS SAY AS PEOPLE ADAPT TO THE CHANGING INSURANCE SITUATION, PEOPLE SHOULD NOT RUSH INTO A SITUATION WHERE THEY COMPROMISE COVERAGE FOR A LORWE PREMIUM. AND THEY SAY EVEN IF IT COSTS MORE, MAKE SURE YOUR ROOF IS COVERED FOR REPLACEMENT VALUE, NOT WHAT IS CALL AEDCTUAL CASH VALUE, WHICH TAKES AGE OF ETH ROOF INTO ACUNCO >> AFTER YOU HAVE HAD THAT ROOF FOR FIVE OR 10 YEARS, YOU HAVE A $20,000 RAISMAN. HAPPENING NOW, THE VOLUSIA COUNTY EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PORTAL ISAC BK OPEN. THE PROGRAM OFRSFE 12-MONTHS OF CASH TO FAMILIES WHO ARE ELIGIBLE. THAT INCLUDES NINE-MONTHS FOR ANY PAST-DUE RENT AND UTILITY PAYMENTS, AS WELL AS THREE MONTHSF OHELP WITH THOSE BILLS GOG INFORWARD. APPLICANTS HAVE TO QUALIFY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT AND PROVE THEIR INCOME HAS GONE DOWN OR THEY’VE EXPERIENCED FINANCIAL HARDSHIP BECAUSOFE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL 8:00 P.M. ON THE COUNTY’S WEIT

Above: A look at today’s top headlinesThere are more empty homes in Florida than anywhere else, according to a new LendingTree study of home vacancies across the United States. Overall, the study found more than 16 million houses sit empty across the country.Florida’s rank among proportion of home vacancies from the study is also high. The Sunshine State has the sixth largest percentage of vacant units in the U.S. Its 17.13% vacancy rate sits behind only five other states, spread across the North, South, Midwest and Alaska. The U.S. has a total of about 140.44 million homes, with roughly 124 million occupied. Here are the top 10 states by vacancy rate, according to LendingTree analysis of U.S. Census data:Vermont (22.86%)Maine (22.68%)Alaska (20.51%)West Virginia (18.12%)Alabama(17.69%)Florida (17.13%)New Hampshire (16.74%)Mississippi (16.26%)Louisiana (16.21%)Wyoming (15.88%)Nationally, the vacancy rate is 11.66%, with 16,385,739 total homes missing residents, based on the LendingTree numbers pulled from data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.Data in the LendingTree study comes from analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey with one-year experimental estimates.Of the more than 16 million homes left empty of residents in the U.S., the largest number of empty homes is in Florida. With almost 1.7 million houses in the Sunshine State sitting empty, here are the top five states for home vacancies across the country:1,680,844 in Florida1,248,161 in California1,216,084 in Texas955,437 in New York631,361 in MichiganRelated: Property insurance prices skyrocket in Florida as cabinet meets to address crisisThe high number of vacant homes in the U.S. comes as home prices continue to rise, alongside rental price increases that have continued for more than a year. Market data analyzed by real estate company Zumper showed rent growth in 2022 is “outpacing” the climb of 2021 just three months into the year.Home sale prices are following a similar trend, with the purchase of a home growing more expensive, seemingly without pause. “Affordability is a core concern when it comes to rapid rent growth, impacting working families and local businesses,” Florida Taxwatch said.Florida’s median home value is $261,500 according to LendingTree, higher than all but one of the preceding top five state home vacancy rankings. The study by LendingTree said the the vacancy rates don’t explain why homes are getting more expensive. Instead, we can look to the increasingly low inventory of homes available and on sale for an answer. Recent reports by Zillow, another real estate company, show available housing inventory in places like Tampa, and more largely across the U.S., is down almost 50%, with Tampa’s down 30%.At the same time, the city is the third most popular place to move in the country, according to a study by Redfin. The only city more popular as a mover’s destination was Miami. While the price of housing continues to go up no matter if you’re renting or selling, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, inflation remains a problem on all economic fronts, including building materials for homes.

ORLANDO, Fla. —

Above: A look at today’s top headlines

There are more empty homes in Florida than anywhere else, according to a new LendingTree study of home vacancies across the United States. Overall, the study found more than 16 million houses sit empty across the country.

Florida’s rank among proportion of home vacancies from the study is also high. The Sunshine State has the sixth largest percentage of vacant units in the U.S. Its 17.13% vacancy rate sits behind only five other states, spread across the North, South, Midwest and Alaska.

The U.S. has a total of about 140.44 million homes, with roughly 124 million occupied. Here are the top 10 states by vacancy rate, according to LendingTree analysis of U.S. Census data:

Vermont (22.86%)
Maine (22.68%)
Alaska (20.51%)
West Virginia (18.12%)
Alabama(17.69%)
Florida (17.13%)
New Hampshire (16.74%)
Mississippi (16.26%)
Louisiana (16.21%)
Wyoming (15.88%)

Nationally, the vacancy rate is 11.66%, with 16,385,739 total homes missing residents, based on the LendingTree numbers pulled from data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Data in the LendingTree study comes from analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey with one-year experimental estimates.

Of the more than 16 million homes left empty of residents in the U.S., the largest number of empty homes is in Florida. With almost 1.7 million houses in the Sunshine State sitting empty, here are the top five states for home vacancies across the country:

1,680,844 in Florida
1,248,161 in California
1,216,084 in Texas
955,437 in New York
631,361 in Michigan

The high number of vacant homes in the U.S. comes as home prices continue to rise, alongside rental price increases that have continued for more than a year. Market data analyzed by real estate company Zumper showed rent growth in 2022 is “outpacing” the climb of 2021 just three months into the year.

Home sale prices are following a similar trend, with the purchase of a home growing more expensive, seemingly without pause. “Affordability is a core concern when it comes to rapid rent growth, impacting working families and local businesses,” Florida Taxwatch said.

Florida’s median home value is $261,500 according to LendingTree, higher than all but one of the preceding top five state home vacancy rankings. The study by LendingTree said the the vacancy rates don’t explain why homes are getting more expensive.

Instead, we can look to the increasingly low inventory of homes available and on sale for an answer. Recent reports by Zillow, another real estate company, show available housing inventory in places like Tampa, and more largely across the U.S., is down almost 50%, with Tampa’s down 30%.

At the same time, the city is the third most popular place to move in the country, according to a study by Redfin. The only city more popular as a mover’s destination was Miami. While the price of housing continues to go up no matter if you’re renting or selling, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, inflation remains a problem on all economic fronts, including building materials for homes.

Nearly 1.7 million homes sit empty in Florida, more than anywhere else in the country – WESH 2 Orlando

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