Miami-Dade commissioners on Tuesday approved a list of policies known as the "Tenant’s Bill of Rights" that will not lower rents or prevent rent increases, but does add more legal protections for tenants in an effort to "level the playing field."
The vote was unanimous – a show of how serious the affordability crisis is in South Florida. Real estate and development groups usually have major sway at county hall, being one of the driving forces of the South Florida economy.
The vote formalizes the creation of a new Office of Housing Advocacy under the administration of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
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“As home prices and rents continue to rise, our families face an urgent threat to their quality of life,” Levine Cava said.
Tenants will now be able to avoid eviction if they use rent money to pay for repairs landlords have been neglecting. Landlords must also provide the new bill of rights to tenants and details on Florida law banning landlords from shutting off utilities for non-payment of rent. Landlords will also need to notify their tenants if the building changes owners and warn them if the building is unsafe.
Real estate groups opposed the measure, believing it could be used by tenants to cheat out on paying rent. They also opposed an item in the law banning landlords from asking about a tenant’s prior evictions. Landlord groups worry that could jeopardize the safety of other residents.
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Miami-Dade commissioners did not agree and sided with the renters.
Chairman of the Commission Jose “Pepe” Diaz told NBC 6 it was crucial to find a balance: protecting renters from negligent landlords, while not hindering an industry crucial to South Florida.
“We can’t sit here and say we’re going to stop the rent from going up, because that’s what’s dictated by the market but what we could do is help them with certain things,” Diaz said.
