ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Following the passing of House Bill 1417, landlords and renters will have to follow Florida’s Landlord and Tenant Act.

The St. Pete Tenant’s Union says it’s not as thorough as the local Tenant’s Bill of Rights adopted last year.

“We’ve been fighting for tenant protections for a year or two now and trying to fight for rent control,” said El Chesson. 

Chesson is a health care worker and says the local legislation is meant to help working class citizens like themselves.

To protect renters amid continued rent hikes, many Florida cities and counties including St. Pete and Pinellas have adopted a Tenant’s Bill of Rights.

Chesson says rent hikes have impacted the work force which continues to be priced out of the area.

“Many health care workers are making $14 or $15 an hour. A lot of them work a second job,” Chesson added. 

The St. Pete Tenants Union pushed for a local legislation to close some loop holes, including Ssection 8 Voucher discrimination.

Chesson said that mostly impacts minority women and children. 

“There’s a lot of loop holes that allow landlords to discriminate any way they want. Raise the rent as much as they want. So, we’re trying to fight for things like rent control so that everyone has access to affordable housing,“ she added.

Chesson says all of that is in jeopardy with the passing of House Bill 1417. 

The new legislation would strip away the right of local governments to regulate tenant and landlord relationships.

Instead, they would be governed by the state which Chesson says is not specific enough to the needs of this area. 

Amid Florida’s affordable housing crisis, both Pinellas county and St. Pete passed ordinances requiring landlords to provide more notice before raising fees or rents.

“Now it’s up to the state. So, a lot of those protections are going to be undone,” Chesson added.

On Friday, a similar bill (SB 1586) about the state solely controlling tenant landlord relationships will be voted on.