St. Pete extends rental assistance program, some residents fear it’s not enough
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - St. Petersburg residents having a difficult time making rent each month may qualify for assistance from the city, which just received more money to help with the rental crisis.
St. Petersburg ranks third in the nation for having the most severe rental rate hike. The rates rose so much that the city ran out of rental assistance money, but the county stepped up and gave another $14 million.
"This means St. Pete residents can continue to apply for rental assistance," explained Rob Gerdes, assistant city administrator.
A family of four who is behind on rent and makes $59,000 a year or less may qualify for assistance. Single people making $41,000 or less can also qualify.
St. Petersburg resident William Kilgore says he was forced out after his rental rate was jacked up.
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He’s part of a group that’s pushed for rent control in the city, but that is not an option with state law. He says more needs to be done.
"These are just handouts for the landlords, they don’t prevent them from increasing rent," Kilgore told FOX 13.
There’s also a question over whether this helps the city’s workforce because they might make too much money to qualify.
A single person making $41,000 and under can qualify, but in Tampa a similar program allows someone making $72,000 and under to qualify.
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The city says it’ll look -- but it’s not their focus. Gerdes says adding more places to live is a priority.
"The longer-term approach is what and in the longer-term approach what we need to do to grow smart an effectively, is to get more units in to the marketplace and increase supply," Gerdes stated.
LINK: Learn more about rental assistance and apply here.