JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A member of the Jacksonville City Council has filed a resolution encouraging Mayor Donna Deegan to establish a landlord registry program for the city.
Councilman Jimmy Peluso will introduce the resolution on Tuesday and said a public landlord registry would assist the city in monitoring the rental housing inventory and regulating inspections to ensure that landlords provide safe housing units.
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Peluso said a public landlord registry would ultimately improve accountability and communication to more easily locate landlords in times of emergency, and provide tenants with insight as to the condition of their rental properties, including any past violations or complaints.
Peluso cited a recent study by the JAX Rental Housing Project, a research project of the Northeast Florida Center for Community Initiatives at UNF.
MORE: Jax Rental Housing Project Study
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The study found that Duval County was the eviction filing capital of the state.
Renters in Jacksonville have seen price hikes close to 30% since 2020, which has created dire situations for families and individuals who can’t keep up with rising rents.
“Housing, human shelter, something that everyone needs, is now becoming an asset class investment,” said David Jaffee, a UNF Professor of Sociology who put the study together.
Peluso said that in 2022, the Critical Quality of Life Issues Special Committee recommended the creation of a landlord registry, which would mirror similar registries in Broward County, Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs, and Palm Coast.
Peluso said more than 40% of Duval County residents rent their housing.
