Ann Olsen

Ann and her husband Rich moved to the FL Keys in 2005.  They observed the negative quality-of-life impacts that increasing population and heavier traffic created and heard persistent concerns that “affordable housing” was not actually affordable. In 2015, Ann got involved with Save Summerland Native Areas when a developer proposed a high-density housing complex on a nearby property, without actually designating any units as affordable housing.  Thanks to grass-roots coalition-building, that plan was denied by the County for having the wrong location, the wrong zoning, and over-scale for the community. After Hurricane Irma, legislators sought to change the Livable CommuniKeys Plans developed in partnership between the County and residents in 2012.  Troubled by density changes to the plans, Ann and other concerned residents formed Friends of the Lower Keys (FOLKs) to resist overdevelopment and the associated detrimental impacts to the environment.  These measures were defeated, but the overdevelopment, affordable housing, and environmental issues remain. Inspired by Last Stand’s accomplishments over the years, Ann continues her focus on environmental and development issues facing the Keys.