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| A Florida loan officer seeking a county commission seat says the skills he uses to originate mortgages will help him in politics.Douglas Tucker believes he is uniquely situated to handle two of the major issues facing the central Florida community where he is seeking a seat on the county commission — affordable housing and new housing construction.
Tucker, 33, a loan originator for HomeBanc Mortgage Corp., is one of five people seeking Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s appointment to the Charlotte County Commission. Even if he does not get the gubernatorial appointment, he plans to run for the seat in two years. “I’ve got the (political) bug now,” Tucker told MortgageDaily.com. “I’ve always wanted to get into politics. It’s a great opportunity to serve the citizens. My company is very supportive of it. Our mission is to enrich and fulfill lives, and I can do my job and serve by community by supporting the dream of home ownership.” Bush has not said when he will make the appointment. Tucker’s competitors include a minister and a retired Air Force officer. One of his greatest satisfactions of working in the mortgage industry — helping first-time home buyers — can also be realized as a county commissioner, Tucker said. He wants to involve the county in coming up with affordable housing programs. “By being in the mortgage industry I bring a lot of insight into that,” he said. “I know what types of programs are out there. I know how to help people who are low income find a loan because of my relationships with lenders, builders and developers.” He also prepared to help the county handle what is going to be an explosion of residential growth, he said. The state has purchased about 90,000 acres of what is know as the Babcock Ranch for $310 million. Most of the land, about 74,000 acres, will be preserved. But on the remaining acres plans call for the construction of up to 20,000 homes, millions of square feet of commercial space and a city of up to 45,000 people or more in Charlotte and neighboring Lee counties. Tucker was part of a group that has helped map the scope of the development, including the infrastructure that will be necessary to sustain the development and what type of homes should be built on the land. “It’s a landmark deal … but it represents a big challenge for the county,” he said. “Basically, a city is being built from the ground up. With my experience in the mortgage business I can be an asset to the planning of this major project, particularly the types of homes that will be built and sold.” A native of Illinois, Tucker worked in the hospitality industry before joining HomeBanc, one of the largest independent lenders in the Southeast, in 2002. He and his wife are the parents of two young sons. He is active with Habitat for Humanity and The American Cancer Society. “You learn a lot about customer service in the mortgage industry,” Tucker said. “Those skills translate very well to politics.” |
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Patrick Crowley is a feature journalist and blogger for MortgageDaily.com. He is also a reporter, blogger and columnist for The Cincinnati Enquirer. |
