JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As rental rates continue to skyrocket, advocate groups around Jacksonville are banding together to make sure everyone has a reasonable place to live.
A mix of renters and home owners gathered in Springfield Sunday afternoon for a rental housing crisis forum.
"It went from 700 to 900 in two years," said Jacksonville Renter Jacquelyn Harris. "He doesn't keep up the property. He does no maintenance."
Harris has experienced the misadventures of renting first hand, and she's ready to see a change in the system.
She attended a housing crisis forum, where a UNF professor told the group more than half of Jacksonville's renters are "cost burdened," meaning they pay more than 30% of their income to rent.
"I just ask people to have open minds, because even if it may not be happening to you, it could be happening to your loved one, your cousin, your children," said Harris.
One of that professor's researchers says he's been living what he's researching first hand.
"If I were to stay in my apartment, year over year there would've been a 125 dollar increase in rent," said Jacksonville Renter A.J. Likosar. "It's so unreasonable for so many people."
A speaker from the activist group Florida Rising told the forum about the idea for a tenant bill of rights.
He said the group is pushing Jacksonville city leaders to pass it, requiring the following:
1) Dedicated office of the tenant advocate
2) Create a publicly searchable landlord registry
3) Non-discriminatory rental application process
4) Notice of changes to lease
5) Fee transparency
6) Right to counsel and language access
7) Right to repair
The forum also brought up the idea of a tenant union - a group that could give voices to Jacksonville's tenants and make sure that bill of rights is followed.
"When we have that protection and transparency across all parties, it brings sustainability and long term growth," said Jacksonville Renter Steven Johnson.
State leaders are talking about these same issues in Tallahassee right now.
Just last week, the legislature passed the Live Local Act, funneling more than 700 million dollars to building new workforce housing.
That act, which received by-partisan support, also creates tax breaks for landlords who rent their property below market value.