It’s not a fix for Miami’s housing crisis but giving dignity to renters is a start | Editorial

The real estate website Realtyhop in February designated Miami as the least affordable place for home ownership in America, surpassing even New York. And here in Miami, sadly, no one was shocked.

The skyrocketing rents and astronomical housing prices have been well-documented for the last few years. And though Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava officially declared a housing affordability crisis last month, anyone who has tried to find new housing here or seen their rent jacked up by hundreds of dollars already knew all about that, first hand.

Now the County Commission has passed a Tenant’s Bill of Rights. It came on the heels of other bits of progress: There was a new ordinance requiring that tenants receive 60 days’ notice of rent hikes of 5% or more. And commissioners passed a law in March that requires owners to provide short-term emergency housing for residents forced to evacuate over structural issues tied to neglected maintenance. If owners don’t, Miami-Dade could send them a bill for the assistance.

Those are good steps. But there must be more before South Florida completely prices out the working- and middle-class. None of that lowers rents. And it doesn’t add money into paychecks. The gap between those two things remains one of the biggest issues we face.

There are possibilities but no silver bullets to address that gap. First is increasing the supply of affordably-priced rentals — and not just the luxury towers that have taken over Miami’s skyline. There is affordable housing in the pipeline but those projects take time to come to fruition. As some jurisdictions like Hialeah and the county are already doing, local governments can offer rental assistance for those most in need. But that’s not a long-term fix.

Local governments also can consider rent control, which comes with lots of controversy and would be bound for a court challenge. State law preempts rent control unless there’s a “housing emergency.” Commissioner Kionne McGhee filed a resolution to require a study to determine whether Miami-Dade faces such predicament. Voters would have to approve any rent-control measures before they go into effect for up to one year.

Government can also get creative by changing zoning laws to allow more density and using tax breaks and other incentives to encourage the preservation of older affordable housing units before they are bought out.

Miami-Dade can also opt to do nothing and ride the real estate wave in hopes that prices will drop eventually. That’s not a desirable solution, and our elected officials, for the most part, appear to get that.

More rights for renters

The Tenant’s Bill of Rights does have some important tools for renters. It makes it harder for landlords to screen rental applications based on past evictions. It makes it easier for tenants to bill landlords for repairs, expanding on a state law that allows tenants to withhold rent if maintenance issues go unaddressed. The measure also protects against retaliation for reporting a rental’s disrepair to the government — something particularly important for residents who live in substandard housing but are afraid to speak up about it. It creates a county office for housing advocacy along with a telephone helpline for residents.

Those are reforms we needed. And the Bill of Rights passed unanimously, a welcome show of unity by our community leaders on this critical issue. Advocacy groups like the Miami Workers’ Center were among those leading the charge for change. South Florida cannot be just for the wealthy.

We know that landlords have burdens, too. Insurance for housing has soared, among other costs that they are now footing. Many landlords were hurt financially during the pandemic, when evictions were halted. Landlords can be mom-and-pop businesses, too.

As Commissioner Jean Monestime, who sponsored the proposal along with commissioner Raquel Regalado, noted, “We are not looking to hurt landlords. We are just trying to provide equity to those who need it most.”

More affordable housing is required. So are higher wages. All of that requires a concerted, long-term effort by our elected leaders, working with the business community. The Tenant’s Bill of Rights shows us that progress is possible. We hope commissioners and housing advocates will build on that momentum as they try to tackle one of the hardest but most important challenges our community is facing.

This story was originally published May 9, 2022 at 6:32 PM.