We just wanted to make sure you heard that we had another 7-0 vote in favor of the Renters’ Rights ordinance at the City Commission this week, despite continued encouragement from the Realtors Association to “slow down” (i.e., do nothing).
Thanks to your advocacy and some stellar work by our Commissioners (particularly Adrian Hayes- Santos and Reina Saco), we have just passed what is probably one of the strongest, most comprehensive sets of protections for renters that you are likely to find. Our victories at the City on this issue include:
- A reduction in the cost of landlord licenses (which we advocated for), but an expansion of the licensing to many more rental properties throughout the city that did not previously have to be licensed. In exchange for those licenses, properties will now be inspected and held to a new, enhanced property maintenance code as well as basic energy and water efficiency standards which will keep renters safe and help them save money on their utility bills. Previously, both renters and landlords received nothing in exchange for the landlord licensing fee.
- Stronger anti-discrimination protections in housing, specifically around citizenship status and source of income.
- Improved communication requirements for landlords so that tenants know more about both their rights as a tenant and the condition of the property that they’re renting.
- A City-sponsored mediation program to help address the rampant rental deposit theft taking place in this community.
All of these changes will of course take some time to roll out, but we are very excited and optimistic about what this will mean for working people in this community. Our fight is not over, not by a long shot, and we will continue to push for these same changes countywide.
We will be following up with an information session for the public in the coming weeks as well as discussions about where we go from here. We welcome your input in the meantime. For now though, THANK YOU again to everyone who supported this epic win through your letters to the editor, social media shares, and calls and emails to our City Commission!
Solidarity,
The ACLC Safe & Healthy Housing campaign