DAYTONA BEACH | More than 1,000 people joined in solidarity to help F.A.I.T.H. address issues of flooding and affordable housing in Volusia County.

F.A.I.T.H., which stands for Fighting Against Injustice Towards Harmony, is a nonprofit, grass roots organization comprised of 30 religious congregations in Volusia County.

At the March 27 meeting, Virginia Bennett was first to offer testimony of her harrowing experience attempting to drive home through Hurricane Ian. After being rescued, she arrived safely only to find a foot of water invading every inch of the foundation.

Although F.A.I.T.H. members were frustrated by the lack of county council members at their Action Assembly, they celebrated the incoming $3 million dollars Daytona Beach would receive for a flood mitigation study. The win comes after a 5-year battle with the county.

To illustrate the true-life hardship of finding affordable housing, Arlisa Pertiller took the 1,000-plus crowd on a journey through her living situation. She and her five children endured rentals with leaky roofs, erratic electricity, bats and more.

F.A.I.T.H. won a commitment from Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry to start an affordable housing trust fund and charge $5 per sq. ft. of linkage fees on new development. That $5 fee would provide $7 million a year, providing a revenue source for construction of low-cost housing.

Staff Report, April 07, 2023