A new government office is being created in Miami-Dade County to offer extra support for tenants.
The Office of Tenant Advocate will focus on informing tenants of their rights and connecting them to the resources they need, according to a spokesperson for the Miami-Dade Mayor’s Office.
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NBC 6 Responds learned the county was hiring for positions to fill this office in February.
According to Mayor’s office, tenants will be connected with resources to help them remain housed, propose policy and share best practices to expand housing options that residents can afford, and work with landlords on incentives and policies to expand housing options.
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Concerns and challenges - such as building code violations, nuisance issues, concerns about relocation when their apartment building is sold to a new owner are issues tenants - can be reported to this office.
“It’s very hard, it is very stressful,” Tayana Gibbs, a renter who is currently in a dispute with her landlord, said.
Gibbs added this office cannot come soon enough.
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“We need some type of help from the county, a bill of rights, an advocates office somewhere where people can go to find help with a situation like this,” Gibbs said.
The Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners is also considering a resolution to create a Tenant Bill of Rights.
If passed, this document would outline a renter’s rights within the county.
The Tenant Bill of Rights would require landlords give tenants this document no later than 10 days after a lease is signed or renewed. It would also require landlords notify renters within 14 days of receiving notice that a building may be unsafe.
The passing of this resolution would also require month-to-month renters receive a 60 day notice if a sale will impact their housing.
