ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — On Thursday, St. Pete City council scrapped its decision to declare a housing emergency, ending the probabilities for rent control measures to seem on the November ballot.
This, after demonstrators camped in tents exterior of metropolis corridor on Wednesday night time to make an announcement about rent will increase main to homelessness. Rent costs have gone up by greater than 25 % in the metropolis over the final yr.
Renters took their considerations in entrance of St. Pete metropolis council members in a packed assembly that lasted for greater than 5 hours with no less than 69 audio system throughout public feedback, in accordance to the metropolis. Many begging metropolis leaders to use their energy to do one thing to cease landlords from pricing out tenants.
But the vote got here down to considerations concerning authorized challenges.
Before the assembly metropolis attorneys informed council members they would want to first undertake an ordinance, which requires two public hearings and wouldn’t make it on time to be on the November ballot.
So as a substitute, council member Deborah Figgs-Sanders motioned to refer the agenda merchandise to the Youth and Family Services committee for a continued dialogue and have a draft ordinance be written for 2023, however that movement failed with a vote of 5 to 3.
RECOMMENDED: