Discourse,
‍with Direction.

This brief will summarize the 2024 concurrent U.S. elections. It will discuss the results, history, and potential policy effects of the presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial elections.

In late August, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection proposed the “Great Outdoors Initiative,” which aimed to “expand public access, increase outdoor activities and provide new lodging options.” The proposed plans included building golf courses, pickleball courts, disc golf courses, and hotels in the parks. Multiple golf courses were pitched for Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County and 350-room hotels were proposed for Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine and TopSail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach. As the debate rages in Florida, this document aims to provide policy options for the future of state parks in Florida.

In Barcelona, Spain, the large amount of both legal and illegal short-term rentals throughout the country has driven up housing prices. As the number of illegal short-term rentals has increased exponentially and been blamed for worsening inflation, the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, has announced a ban on all short-term tourist rentals throughout the city. This brief will explore the history and context of this issue, the impact of this issue on society, and policy options going forwards.