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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 22 august 2022
Landlords try to stop rent control initiative in Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Bal- the asking-rent-per-unit in
lots haven't even been Orange County has grown
printed yet, but already a from $1,357 in 2020 to
group of landlords, apart- $1,697 in 2021, the highest
ment managers and real increase since 2006, and
estate agents in Florida the county has a shortage
want to stop voters from of as many as 26,500 hous-
deciding on a measure ing units.
that would implement rent "For years, renters have
control for a year in the been asking this commis-
theme park hub that has sion to do something about
been one of the fastest- the upcoming emergency
growing metro areas in the we are in right now," Steph-
U.S. anie Porta, a cofounder
The Florida Apartment As- of the social justice group
sociation and the Florida Florida Rising, said last
Association of Realtors last month during a commission
week sued Orange Coun- meeting. "Corporate land-
ty, Florida, in an attempt to lords, real estate investors
invalidate a ballot initiative and developers are raising
aimed at limiting how much prices and making record
landlords can increase profits while hardworking
rents. If passed by voters in In this Monday, May 19, 2014 photo, swans swim in Lake Eola as the sun sets in Orlando, Fla. Orange County residents
the fall, it would be the first Associated Press are priced out of their com-
such measure in decades munities."
in the Sunshine State. situation worse by discour- the Ordinance is unlawful ordinance doesn't apply The city of Miami Beach
The associations say that aging the construction of and invalid," the associa- to luxury units, single family in the 1960s and 1970s im-
Florida law prohibits rent new apartment buildings tions said in court papers. homes or vacation rentals. posed rent control mea-
control ordinances except and other housing. Earlier this month, Orange Violators of the ordinance sures before the Florida law
in an emergency, and "It is adverse and antago- County's Board of County could face fines of up to limiting them was passed.
the current situation in the nistic to the public interest Commissioners narrowly $1,000 per day for a first The Orange County ordi-
county that is home to Or- and to the interests of the approved the rent con- violation, with fines not ex- nance would be the first
lando doesn't rise to that Plaintiffs and their members trol ordinance, which now ceeding $15,000 per of- such measure in the state
standard. They also say to allow the Rent-Control goes to voters for approv- fense. Landlords would be in decades. Rent control
that the ordinance could Ordinance to be placed al in November. The ordi- able to request an excep- measures have passed in
have the unintended con- on the ballot or enforced nance limits rent increases tion to the limits under cer- California and Oregon, as
sequence of making the by Orange County where in multiunit buildings to tain conditions. well as in metro areas like
the annual increase in the According to the measure St. Paul, Minnesota, and
Glamping Aruba Consumer Price Index. The passed by commissioners, Portland, Oregon.q
Ford to appeal $1.7 billion verdict in

Are you a Nature Lover?
Than Glamping Aruba is the right place to stay. Georgia truck crash

roofs on Ford pickup trucks,
lawyer James Butler Jr. said
Sunday.
Melvin and Voncile Hill
were killed in April 2014 in
the rollover wreck of their
2002 Ford F-250. Their chil-
dren Kim and Adam Hill
were the plaintiffs in the
wrongful death case.
"While our sympathies go
out to the Hill family, we
do not believe the verdict
is supported by the evi-
dence, and we plan to ap-
In this Oct. 26, 2009 photo, the Ford logo is seen on the auto-
maker's headquarters in Dearborn, Mich. peal," Ford said in a state-
Associated Press ment to The Associated
Press on Sunday.
By JEFF MARTIN pany representative said Butler said he was stunned
Associated Press Sunday. by evidence in the case.
WOODSTOCK, Ga. (AP) Jurors in Gwinnett County, "I used to buy Ford trucks,"
— Ford Motor Co. plans to just northeast of Atlanta, Butler said on Sunday. "I
appeal a $1.7 billion ver- returned the verdict late thought nobody would sell
dict against the automaker last week in the yearslong a truck with a roof this weak.
after a pickup truck crash civil case involving what The damn thing is useless in
that claimed the lives of a the plaintiffs' lawyers called a wreck. You might as well
Georgia couple, a com- dangerously defective drive a convertible."q