Advocates against proposed bill in Florida that could shift tenant-landlord regulations to state level

TAMPA, Fla. - A proposed bill looks to shift tenant-landlord regulations from the local level to the state, preempting tenants bill of rights ordinances in the Tampa Bay area, so tenants’ rights organizers said they’re gearing up to fight back.

Florida Senate bill 1586 proposes to supersede certain local regulations and revise some tenancy requirement. The bill’s impacts ranges from the screening process used by landlords, security deposits and fees rental agreements and more.

And some housing advocates disagree with the proposal.

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"Those are our rights. We need to strengthen our rights because what’s happening is the rents are so high, and we’ve got to find ways to make sure we have housing stability and safe, adequate housing as well," said William Kilgore, an organizer for the St. Petersburg Tenants Union. "What we are having a problem here in St. Pete [is] with income discrimination, and so we’ve come to our city council. We’ve informed them about that. They’ve taken action on that."

 Bill looks to change tenant-landlord regulations

Kilgore calls the bill an attack on local residents and local governments. Pinellas and Hillsborough counties governments along with the cities of St. Petersburg and Tampa passed tenants bill of rights ordinances in the last two years.

Robin Lockett with Florida Rising said local leaders knew where to start.

"Local government knows what's happening in their backyard right. With local government you want your local government to have the pulse of the communities that they serve and to adhere to those concerns from those citizens. So, it is going to impact us," said Lockett, the regional director of Florida Rising. 

READ: Florida lawmakers consider bill aimed at giving incentives for affordable housing investments

The bill impacts landlords too. Lockett said her focus is less on mom-and-pop landlords, pointing to another cause for the housing crisis.

"It was for these corporate landlords, these developers and these large corporate businesses that were coming in into the community and buying up tons and tons of property and to do just what they're doing," said Lockett.

Tenants’ rights organizers pushing back against proposed bill receiving mixed support 

Some said standardizing landlord tenant regulations won’t help, so housing advocates plan to voice their concerns in Tallahassee next week.

"We’ve got to make sure we get that visibility and get them to know that look you’re really undercutting a lot of people who are already struggling, already suffering," said Kilgore.

The bill would push written notices for month-to-month rentals to no less than 30 days and 60 days’ notice for contracts with a certain time frame. FOX13 reached out for comment to the two lawmakers sponsoring the bill, State Senator Jay Trumbull and State Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez, but did not receive a response. 

The bill passed a judiciary committee on March 29, and it’s currently still in committee in the Senate.