ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The St. Petersburg City Council passed an amendment to a city ordinance, strengthening protections for renters Thursday evening. It specifically protects renters against "source of income discrimination," which includes the use of housing vouchers.
However, the move may go to waste as state lawmakers take up bills that could override it. The twin bills are SB1586 and HB1417, named "Residential Tenancies." They act to strip local leaders of their authority in tenant/renter relationships, handing that power to the state.
Senate Bill 1586 reads: "Residential Tenancies; Preempting the regulation of residential tenancies and the landlord-tenant relationship to the state; specifying that the act supersedes certain local regulations; revising how much notice is required to terminate certain tenancies, etc."
Right now, the city of St. Petersburg has its own tenants' bill of rights, as do many other municipalities, dictating rules and regulations between renters and landlords. SB1586 and HB1417 have the potential to supersede that local authority.
City councilmember John Muhammad, a former community organizer, has been a leader on tenant issues in St. Pete. He is concerned the state would be out of touch with community housing issues.
"The benefits of us making policy as local elected officials is because we're in touch with the people directly and have a better pulse for what's needed and wanted in our municipality," Muhammad said.
The St. Petersburg tenants union was in Tallahassee a week ago, fighting against this legislation, including organizer William Kilgore.
"Taking away the ability of our local government, we're a part of that and people are a part of that," Kilgore said. "When we come in and participate, we're a part of that. So that's an attack not just on them, but on us too."
Kilgore is also concerned about access he'd have to state legislators, to inform them on community issues.
"The higher up you go, the less access you have," Kilgore explained. "It's about accessibility and knowing the specific needs of their constituents. These guys up in Tallahassee, they either don't know, they don't care or they're just straight up corrupt and they just want private sector takeover of everything."
While the bills work their way through the Florida Legislature, the tenant/renter regulatory power remains in the hands of local leaders, who will use it fully while it's still theirs to use.
"Being able to move it forward is important, and then whatever happens in Tallahassee, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Muhammad said.
As the end of this legislative session approaches (May 5th), it's not guaranteed these bills will be heard or voted on. If that's the case, they would need to be revived in the next session.