Orange County Commissioners Pass Rental Notices Ordinance, Still Working on Rent Stabilization
Update: Ordinance 2022-27, the Orange County Rental Notices Ordinance, was filed with the State and became effective on August 1, 2022.
On Tuesday, July 26, 2022, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners (“BCC”) voted unanimously to approve a new Rental Notices Ordinance aimed at protecting residential tenants. The new ordinance requires Orange County residential landlords to provide a 60-day written notice to tenants for any rent increases greater than 5%. The ordinance also provides certain protections for tenants and landlords who do not have a written lease agreement in place.
The new tenant-protection ordinance will be effective within 10 days of being filed with the Florida Department of State. Because it is unclear the exact date that the County will file the ordinance with the state, landlords in Orange County should plan to start issuing 60-day written notices for any rent increases greater than 5% starting now.
Orange County commissioners have not yet settled on language for a planned Rent Stabilization Ordinance, and a vote on the proposed rent control measure has yet to be scheduled. The proposed measure is expected to cap some rents in the county, but the reach and specifics of the measure are still being debated. A potential exception for new apartments, the effective date of the ordinance, the specific proposed limit on rent increases and the county’s oversight role are all still being discussed.
Any rent control measure would need to be approved by voters. The commissioners face an August 23rd deadline in order to get the proposed Rent Stabilization Ordinance on the November ballot. When asked about the rent control proposal, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said, “We're listening to both sides of the equation — the tenants and the landlords — and we will come up with something that will be balanced.” The County is expected to present a draft of the planned Rent Stabilization Ordinance in the coming weeks.
We will continue to follow this developing situation. If you have questions about how the proposed Orange County rent control measure may impact you or your business, reach out to one of the experienced real estate attorneys at Lowndes law firm.
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