The city of St. Petersburg will again be home to the 2026 Florida Housing Solutions Summit, which will take place April 22 at the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art.
The summit will include discussions with policymakers, economists, developers, business leaders and community stakeholders about Florida’s most pressing housing challenges.
The event is hosted by the Florida Policy Project, a nonprofit founded and run by former Sen. Jeff Brandes to research best practices on some of the state’s toughest challenges.
This year’s event will focus on data-driven, solutions-oriented ideas on housing affordability issues, supply constraints, demographic changes, insurance pressures and sustainable growth strategies.
The event will include discussions with national housing economists, market analysts, state leaders and industry experts.
Emmy award-winning former Bay News 9 anchor Al Reuchel will serve as emcee for the event.
The event will feature a series of panels addressing, among other topics, how shifting demographics are impacting housing; insights from Florida housing data; legislative action; reforms and potential unintended consequences; policy impacts on homebuilding; how Florida compares to the rest of the nation on housing; increasing housing supply; innovative housing solutions; and networking opportunities.
Speakers include, among others, Lesley Deutch, a real estate consultant with John Burns Research; housing author Kevin Erdmann; Ilana Blumsack, a housing policy expert with Americans for Prosperity; housing experts Melody Wright and Jon Brooks; Derick Tabertshofer, a legislative leader on starter homes; Doug Wheeler of Americans for Prosperity; Sens. Don Gaetz, Nick DiCeglie and Stan McClain, Rep. Danny Nix; Jamie Cavanaugh of Texans for Reasonable Solutions; Andrew Gothard, a YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) supporter; Mike Sutton of Habitat for Humanity; and former St. Pete Mayor Rick Baker.
Brandes will provide opening and closing remarks.
The 2026 event is sponsored by Florida Trend, AFP Florida, John Burns Research & Consulting, Lisa Miller & Associates, and ULI Tampa Bay.
Last year’s event featured similar topics and also took place in St. Pete, where Brandes lives.
Registration for the event is now open, with individual tickets prices at $150, or $50 for students.
The Florida Policy Project, while also focused on other areas of importance to Floridians, has been particularly focused on housing affordability issues in recent months. In October, the group partnered with researchers from Florida State University to create a new housing supply model to help officials address housing shortages across the state.
Last year’s housing summit identified a number of challenges and possible solutions, including confronting misconceptions that the term “affordable housing” is only for low-income people and how that impacts addressing affordability among the many residents who face gaps between housing costs and income, because often even people earning an average income find “affordable” housing to be quite unaffordable.
Solutions at past summits, including in 2025, often look at things like more flexible zoning and creative housing solutions such as accessory dwelling units and smaller homes.