PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — An affordable housing bill dubbed the "Live Local Act" was unanimously approved by Florida Senators on Wednesday.
Portions of the bill include:
• Tax breaks for developers
• Easing density and height restrictions
• Converting empty buildings into affordable housing
• Ensuring costs don't surpass 30% of your income.
• And perhaps the most controversial portion of the bill, barring local governments from passing or maintaining any form of rent control.
At Burlington Post Apartments in St. Pete, Archie's Grandson is breathing a sigh of relief to have an apartment within her budget.
"When you're out there looking, you have nothing that you can afford because they're asking you to show three times the rent, but our salaries here, what people are making, just doesn't support it," she said. " I am happy in that for the amount of money that I have coming in; there's no place else I can figure I can go live in and have as decent of a place that I have."
The affordable housing apartment complex launched about five years ago, focusing on people 55 and older—a demographic needing more options.
"When I was working, I struggled to make rent because I had a job that paid $12 an hour. And you know, we had limited increases," she said.
Affordable housing developments must have at least 20% of their units priced at 30% or less of the renter's income.
A report published by St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership last month found that between 2019 and 2021, the average rent in St. Pete rose by more than 30%. In addition, residential purchases by investors grew by 78%.
The study found to pay no more than 30% in rent; a renter would need to make at least $79,000 annually or $38 an hour working full time. However, 77% of the city's current renters earn less than that.
St. Pete leaders report there are currently 2,162 affordable housing units; that's individual apartments. The city's 10-year plan aims to add at least 2,400 more.
The lack of affordable options and the growing struggle to pay rent in St. Pete is a primary concern for Karla Correa. She's an organizer with the St. Pete Tenant's Union. While she advocates for reform to increase affordable housing, she said Florida's proposed bill isn't the answer to the crisis.
"We know that this is a direct response to the working class and tenant organizing that happened last year and the year before surrounding rent control," she said.
Correa says the answer is rent control. Here's how Trulia describes rent control:
Technically, the term “rent control” means a tenant’s rent is almost completely frozen indefinitely. This is pretty uncommon. When people say “rent control,” they often mean “rent stabilization,” which establishes a small, set percentage by which landlords can increase rent each year.
"The amount that rent has gone up has been a real burden on working-class people, along with, you know, everything going up food, everything," said Correa.
Correa doesn't feel this bill will slow the momentum she and other advocates have worked for over the years.
"As working-class people, we have a lot of power when we come together. And it's a matter of getting organized," she said. "Right now, (DeSantis) holds the power, but we don't have to let him hold the power. So me, as an individual, I have no power. But when we come together, that's when we have power. And that's why we're going to continue to build these organizations continue to strengthen our unions because that is our power is our collective powers when we come together."
Across the country, there are only two states with rent control: Oregon and California. Washington, D.C., also has rent control.
Maine, Maryland, New Jersey and New York have no statewide law but have allowed counties and cities to enact rent control.
The majority of states, including Florida, pre-empt rent control. That means the government doesn't have the right to restrict rental prices.
Twelve states have no rent control or pre-emption on the books.
