Florida considers repeal of tenant bill of rights ordinances at local level
TAMPA, Fla. - Cynthia Laurent remembers the feeling of knowing she was secure in her apartment rental.
"It's the foundation of any other success that you will have in your life," she said.
Florida Rising's Housing Justice Campaigner said fewer will have the same chance if the state passes and Governor Ron DeSantis signs legislation that repeals tenant bills of rights. This was passed by the cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg as well as Hillsborough and Pinellas counties and dozens of other places in Florida.
Protections would be gone for areas like certain rent increases, 60-day notices for terminations and accepted federal housing vouchers.
"It was letting landlords know you can't abuse folks, you can't profit in times of crisis," said Laurent.
But those in favor of the bill that preempts all local tenancy ordinances said this would provide a uniform standard for every renter and landlord.
"The goal is consistency," said State Rep. Tiffany Esposito (R-Fort Myers). "Whether you are in a city, county or unincorporated area, you know that the landlord/tenant relationship is consistent, and that it protects both the landlord and the tenant."
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The bill also makes specific stipulations, including that month-to-month lease termination be set at 30 days notice, as opposed to current state law, which calls for 15.
Some local ordinances had required 60 days.
"We have heard about the affordable housing crisis, and if we want to do that, we do that through a free market approach," said Esposito.
But Democrats said this will especially help landlords who have properties in several counties, given they'd only have to follow one set of codes.
"They try to say it is good for landlords. But the truth is it is not good for mom-and-pop landlords," said State Rep. Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa). "This really is a handout to developers."
The bill has passed out of several committees on party line votes. We could see a vote in the full senate on Friday.