TAMPA, Fla. — You can't afford to buy, and you can't afford to rent. That's the reality right now for so many people living in the Tampa Bay area.
The issue's not going to go away overnight, but some Tampa renters say city council leaders need to take action now.
"They're scared, they really are. They are scared. Even in my lifetime, I've never seen this," said Robin Lockett, the regional director for Florida Rising.
While Lockett recognizes that overcoming a housing crisis in Florida's third-largest city will take a big effort, she believes change can start today by educating landlords and tenants.
"What I tell landlords is just because you can, doesn't mean you should," she said.
Lockett and other community organizers gathered outside city hall Thursday afternoon hoping to get the city council's attention. Many of them want the council to declare a state of emergency, which could open up options for rental freezes or caps.
Tampa Councilman Luis Viera is pushing for a tenant bill of rights that would prohibit property owners from discrimination based on source of income like disability benefits or housing vouchers.
"Given the fact we're in such a brutal housing crisis, this is just step one in the things we should be looking at," Viera said.
Immediate changes are only part of the puzzle. Other city leaders are looking at long-term planning, including zoning and housing codes. Much of these discussions will be part of Tampa's comprehensive plan which is required every five years.
A new plan is due in 2022.
"So our job with the plan is to take all those pieces, look at the map of the city, and then work with all the stakeholders, community members and builders and figure out to accommodate that growth that makes neighborhoods better," said Stephen Benson, the Tampa planning director.