EL PORTAL, FLA. (WSVN) - Months after Miami-Dade County’s mayor declared a housing affordability crisis, community leaders are coming together to discuss skyrocketing rent.
Mayor Daniela Levine Cava hosted municipal mayors from across the county in her latest effort to tackle the housing crisis plaguing South Florida.
“Today, we are gathering, obviously, on the one that is top of mind for so many,” said Levine Cava. “We must work together to make housing affordable.”
“One of the major exacerbating factors in this crisis is inflation,” said Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. “This is not a Miami issue. This is a national urban America issue, and I think we have to be conscientious of that.”
Housing across the country has been setting records in recent months, but Florida especially, has been feeling the heat.
“We even have situations of people living in metal tool sheds,” said Homestead Mayor Steven Losner.
The Sunshine State was recently named one of the most unaffordable states to live in. The situation here even received the national spotlight.
“People say nine point something percent in Florida, it’s actually much higher, because on the things that people pay on the daily basis, on food, on gas, on energy prices, on all the things that we use constantly and that are really essential for working people, the rate is substantially higher, sometimes in the 30 or 35%,” said Florida Representative Sen. Marco Rubio. “Obviously, there’s more demand in Florida in terms of housing. We know that that’s a problem yesterday. You know, we announced this bill that we’re doing to help. It’s called the ‘Help Act,’ and it’s to help firefighters, first responders and teachers to be able to afford to buy a home in the community that they serve.”
Home ownership here in South Florida is seemingly less and less attainable while renters are dealing with rent hikes of 30, 40, sometimes 50%. Local leaders said there is no quick fix.
“It’s all cosmetic,” said Hialeah Mayor Steve Bovo.
The City of Hialeah, like Miami-Dade County and its municipalities, have rental assistance programs, but it is a temporary fix.
“It’s exhausted in a year, and then you’re right back where you started,” said Bovo.
The problem of surging demand is a lack of supply. Local leaders are pledging to do what they can.
“It’s really on us to cut the red tape and get things to market quicker,” said Levine Cava.
The county has written a tenant bill of rights for renters in Miami-Dade County. They also require landlords to give certain notice when raising rent.
To apply for rental assistance, click here.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.