TAMPA — Residents concerned about skyrocketing rent pushed the Tampa City Council to take action.

The council voted 6-1 Thursday to work on a rent stability ordinance that will appear on the November ballot.

The ordinance would offer tenants a 5% rent cap for one year and expand the tenant's bill of rights.

The group Florida Rising says it will provide much needed relief and meaningful accountability for landlords.

The ordinance wasn't on the agenda, but council member Orlando Gudes pushed for it after hearing about the hardships residents have been facing.

"We've just got to make some changes,” Gudes said. “We're not talking about bankrupting people or people can't be able to rent the homes to be able to get their value back, but just be able to have everybody have an opportunity to have a place to live.

"We're in a housing crisis," Gudes said. "I'm tired everyday of going to seeing moms and pops in parks, sleeping in cars, cleaning kids at McDonald's. People who just can't function right now and people are homeless."

Tampa City Council members during Thursday's meeting. (Josh Rojas/Spectrum Bay News 9)

Bill Carlson was the only council member to vote against the rent stability ordinance. He says he did that because state law preempts cities from rent control and that Tampa would lose a lawsuit filed in Tallahassee. 

Other council members acknowledged a lawsuit is likely but say it's worth having the voters "shake the tree" in Tallahassee. 

"My motion sets in play to put it on the ballot for the voters," Gudes said. "Let the voters decide. They're the ones who are complaining. They're the ones who are homeless."

Gudes also addressed the fact that a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him was dismissed this week by a judge. He said he was ecstatic the suit was dropped and "humble to the courts" but referred further comment to his attorney.