(This is a letter written by James Thompson to the City Mayor and Commission on April 14th, 2019 on the topic of Renters’ Rights)
Mr. Mayor, Commissioners,
In a quarter century of living in my adopted hometown I have never seen such broad based community consensus on a major governance issue. Everyone who cares about affordable housing has given clear instructions to elected officials. The ACLC Renters Rights program is endorsed or supported without edit or amendment by the Alachua County NAACP, UF Faculty Senate, UF Student Government, Indivisible Gainesville, Pride Community Center, Alachua County Democratic Party, ACEA (K-12 teachers and staff union), Greater Duval Neighborhood Association, Graduate Assistants United, League of Women Voters, National Womens Liberation, North Central Florida Labor Council (AFL-CIO), Suwanee St. Johns Sierra Club, United Faculty of Florida, and many others.
Utilizing new construction, inclusionary zoning, linkage fees, and other development oriented strategies has proven to be a heavy lift in creating minimal to zero affordable housing across the nation. On the other hand, renters rights programs that include landlord licensing, energy efficiency, anti-discrimination rules, and tenant rights education could improve living conditions and affordability for tens of thousands of our neighbors. On Tuesday your subcommittee will hold a pivotal meeting to discuss landlord licensing and energy efficiency. Our community looks forward to good policy that dovetails racial, economic, and environmental justice. Gainesville can’t meet sustainability goals–of the human or environmental kind–without the ACLC provisions. We look forward to a robust program from the subcommittee.
Regards,
James Thompson