It took some time to adjust, and even still, I wake up in the middle of the night because I do not remember where I am, Marley said. If I am honest, I am preparing for the worst to happen always. I m so used to being unsettled because everything in my life has been out of my control.
Marley, although a resident of Lakeland, was one of several people to speak at the April 12 Winter Haven City Commission meeting. The Polk Ecumenical Action Council for Empowerment, commonly known as PEACE, gathered speakers to call for more affordable housing in the city and a commitment from commissioners to allocate more funds toward the long-term issue.
LAKELAND The coldest temperatures of 2021 are driving more homeless to shelters this week. We ve actually already seen an increase in guests, said Erin Martinez, director of development for Talbot House Ministries. Anytime the weather dips, we have an increase in guests.
Joseph Washington, director of the men s rescue center at Lighthouse Ministries, said the organization anticipated increased numbers throughout the week but especially Tuesday night because of the steep temperature drop. It had two extra guests Monday night.
The rest of the week in Lakeland is expected to be cold with temperatures not warming up to the 70s again until Friday. But Tuesday and Wednesday were projected to be the coldest, both with lows of 36 degrees.
The second phase of the affordable housing project Twin Lakes Estates has officially started welcoming its first residents.
The 132 available units at 501 Hartsell Ave. are being rented out to applicants based on income guidelines to ensure individuals and families making lower incomes secure the units. The project is the second of three phases for a larger project, spurred by the affordable housing crisis in Lakeland. We have a huge housing shortage in Lakeland, Polk County, the state of Florida and the whole nation, Ben Stevenson, executive director of the Lakeland Housing Authority, said. For every 10 families that need an affordable housing unit, there s only three units available.
LAKELAND If you take your coffee outside Friday morning, prepare to bundle up for the coldest Lakeland Christmas in 20 years.
It ll be a little chilly and probably a little rainy on Christmas Eve. But on Christmas Day, you ll definitely need to grab the jacket stuffed in the back of your closet.
On Christmas Eve, the projected high is 79 degrees with a 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms. The temperature will drop to the mid-40s Thursday night. The forecasted low for Friday morning is 41, with a projected high of 57. Between the high temperature on Thursday and the high temperature on Friday, we re looking at about a 20 degree drop during that 24-hour period, said Dustin Norman, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, Tampa Bay Area. It s going to go from . a warm Christmas Eve to a very cold Christmas.