County Mayors To Hold Roundtable On Skyrocketing Rents – CBS Miami
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Due to skyrocketing rents, there is no argument that rental assistance is needed – like yesterday.
Many people have been forced out of their homes after landlords raised rents beyond what they could afford. They then had difficulty finding a new place to live. Keisha Guyton of Miami was one of them.
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“I couldn’t see anything under $2,500″, said Guyton. “Three thousand dollars, sometimes. I even called someone who said $4,300 and these aren’t any luxury places, you know.”
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava recognizes something has to be done. On Wednesday, she’s convening a roundtable of mayors from across the county to discuss the rental crisis.
At the beginning of May, Cava Levine signed a “Tenants Bill of Rights.” It’s an ordinance that was approved unanimously by the commissions.
It creates an Office of Housing Advocacy which offers protection to renters from massive rent hikes and evictions. It also provides landlords who can’t afford renovations and repairs with assistance.
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“We have federal dollars under the emergency rental assistance program ERAP,” said the mayor. “We’ve saved 17,000 plus people from being evicted thus far. Those funds are still available.”
The South Florida housing market is one of the most expensive in the entire country. Research by Zillow found rent prices in Miami and Fort Lauderdale fall in the top 10 most expensive in the country.
Median monthly rents according to Zillow Rental Index: April 2022.
- San Jose $3,199
- San Francisco $3,157
- New York $3,004
- San Diego $2,946
- Los Angeles $2,864
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale $2,846
- Boston $2,762
The roundtable of mayors will discuss other building blocks that identify and increase more affordable housing units.
A housing summit is scheduled for the end of June to identify other housing solutions.
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The housing crisis is leaving many desperate for help. That’s why CBS News Miami wants to share your stories to show the crisis you’re in or how you navigated the system. We will highlight these issues and work to get answers and solutions. Send us an email at [email protected].
