ST. PETE, Fla. — The City of St. Pete is once again reexamining its Tenant Bill of Rights after hearing complaints from tenants that they have been discriminated against while trying to use housing vouchers or third-party assistance.

What You Need To Know

  •  Changes could be made to St. Pete's source of income ordinance

  •  Right now, in some cases even those with housing vouchers are required to have monthly income of 3X rent 

  •  Change would help those using assistance 

  • Rent control prempted in state of Florida 

Proposed changes include those to the city’s source of income ordinance. If passed, the city would change how income is calculated to allow more people to use housing vouchers in order to get into an apartment.

“Those who are using vouchers don’t need to make three times the rent in order to be able to afford an apartment,” explained Amy Foster, Community & Neighborhood Affairs administrator. “They only need to make three times the rent that they are responsible for.”

In addition, landlords would have to accept move-in costs from third parties like charities and social service agencies.

“I think absolutely this market is very hard for tenants to be able to afford the roof over their head so we’re doing everything can as the City of St. Pete to make sure we’re protecting tenants and we’re trying to balance that with ensuring we’re not so onerous that landlords leave this community as well,” said Foster.

St. Pete resident Karla Correa works in food service at a downtown restaurant and says to keep costs low she doesn’t have a car.

She recently received a $250 rent increase and if she moves she wouldn’t be able to walk to work or the grocery store, which she says opens up a new list of problems.

Correa feels the city isn’t doing enough to help and protect the residents who make the city run.

“We’re the people who are washing dishes, waiting tables, we are the janitors and we are the teachers. We are the people who contribute to the city,” she said. “The landlords are the people taking 50% of our paycheck just to have a decent place to live. But everyone needs a place to live, we don’t want to see more people getting priced out of our city.”

Last month, the city revised an ordinance that makes it so landlords must give a 60-day written notice before raising rent.

Correa and her co-workers feel a stipulation like that doesn’t help much.

“The infrastructure that residents who don’t have a car need isn’t really there but we’re seeing the city continue to cater more and more to tourists than actual residents,” she said.

St. Pete cannot consider any type of rent control because it is preempted in the state of Florida.