Florida landlords try to halt rent control initiative that could impose fines of up to $1,000 a day

A group of landlords and real estate agents in Florida want to prevent voters from deciding on a measure that would implement rent control for a year in the theme park hub that has been one of the fastest.

The Florida Apartment Association and the Florida Association of Real Estate sued Orange County, Florida, in an attempt to invalidate a ballot initiative that would limit how much landlords could increase rents. It is the first such measure in decades in the state.

The current situation in the county that is home toOrlando doesn't rise to that standard because Florida law prohibits rent control in emergencies. The situation could be made worse by discouraging the construction of new apartment buildings and other housing, as well as the consequences of that, according to them.

The associations said in court papers that allowing the Rent-Control Ordinance to be placed on the ballot or enforced by Orange County would be in the public's best interest.

Orange County's Board of County Commissioners narrowly approved rent control, which will go to voters in November. Rent increases in multiunit buildings can't go up more than the consumer price index. Single family homes, vacation rentals, and luxury units aren't covered by the law.

The fines for a first violation are as high as $1,000 per day, with fines not exceeding $15,000 per offense. Under certain conditions, landlords could request an exception to the limits.

Orange County has a shortage of as many as 26,500 housing units and the asking-rent-per-unit has increased from $1,357 in 2020 to $1,697 in 2021.

"For years, renters have been asking this commission to do something about the upcoming emergency we are in right now" Corporate landlords, real estate investors and developers are making record profits while pricing Orange County residents out of their communities.

Rent control measures were put in place by the city of Miami Beach before a Florida law limited them. It would be the first such measure in the state in a long time. Rent control measures have been approved in California and Oregon.

According to the 2020 census, Orange County has more than one million residents.

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