Mike Hastings Blog

Today’s market update for active listings in the Gainesville Alachua County MLS for Alachua County:

Single Family Homes for sale- 1717

Condos, Townhomes, or Flats- 1040

Duplexes, Triplexes, Quads or larger- 62

Residential vacant land- 812

From a GRU news flash:

Free trees help replenish the tree canopy and encourage the planting of native species

Every year GRU gives each residential electric customer the opportunity to receive free trees and shrubs to help replenish Gainesville’s beautiful tree canopy. Throughout the year, GRU removes some trees that pose a threat to lines as part of a vegetation management program to maintain safe and reliable electric service. The TREE-mendous giveaway helps replace the removed trees with native species that are compatible with the electric system when properly placed. List of Available Species

GRU forester Joe Wolf said, “This is a great way for customers to enhance our community with native trees and shrubs. Since the inception of this program, GRU has provided about 40,000 plants to our customers.”

The annual TREE-mendous Appreciation Day event will be held on Saturday, May 3, at GRU’s Millhopper Training Facility, located on the corner of NW 43 Street and NW 53 Avenue across from Hunter’s Crossing Shopping Center. Plants are distributed to customers on a first-come first-served basis beginning at 7:30 a.m., and the event continues until all plants are given away. Parking is available nearby at Trinity United Church where customers may enter from NW 53 Avenue and follow the driveway past the church to the rear parking lot. GPD officers will be on hand to direct traffic.

Participants must be GRU residential electric customers. Apartments and businesses are not eligible. Each customer can pick up two three-gallon trees or shrubs, absolutely free. It should be noted that customers cannot pick up plants for multiple properties, or for any property other than their own residence. A photo ID and a recent GRU residential electric bill must be presented.

Elderly or handicapped customers’ needs will be accommodated for parking, selection and taking plants to their vehicles. There will be staff on hand to answer tree-planting questions and a booth will also be available with information about outdoor conservation where free tree stakes and ties will be given away while supplies last.

GRU is a TREE LINE USA® utility. The Tree Line USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation™ in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and recognizes public and private utilities that demonstrate practices which protect and enhance America’s urban forests.

The list of trees and shrubs include:

Tree Species

Japanese magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana)
Eastern Red Bud (Cerus canadensis)
American Snowbell (Styrax americanus)
Palms (several varieties)
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia)

Shrub Species

Eastern Leatherwood (Dirca palustris)
Florida Flame azalea (Rhododendron austrinum)
Florida Anise (Illicium floridanum)
Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus)
Walter's viburnum (Viburnum obovatum)
Christmas berry (Lycium carolinianum)
Deer berry (Vaccinium stamineum)
Sweetspire (Itea virginica 'Henry')
Elliott's blueberry (Vaccinium elliotti)