JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A month after Jacksonville City Councilman Jimmy Peluso filed a resolution encouraging Mayor Donna Deegan to establish a landlord registry program for the city, he and another councilman held a meeting Wednesday to discuss the program.
Those involved decided to withdraw the bill so it could be reworked. Councilmembers want to add to the current proposal.
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Councilman Peluso says 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.
For renter Jason Johnson, that kind of registry could have changed everything, especially since he and his young son were evicted from their apartment even after securing emergency rental assistance.
“Going through that process and trying to find out what you know, don’t know...we say that the information is somewhat available, but there’s still a lot that you, as the tenant, would have to know,” Johnson said.
Peluso and Councilman Rahman Johnson held the meeting on Wednesday at 1 p.m., which was open to the public.
Peluso said when it comes to landlords and housing in Jacksonville, he hears a lot from people in the community.
“I hear things about absentee landlords, I hear things about getting kicked out with a moment’s notice,” Peluso said. “And for those that don’t have the tools available to them, to kind of fight back against it, it’s easy to kind of pick on folks.”
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.
As for what a landlord registry in Jacksonville would look like, that is what was up for discussion.
But not everyone is convinced a landlord registry would work. Paul Howard is president of Florida Landlord Network and has noted discussions of landlord registries popping up over the years. He said if people are evicted from their homes, it overwhelmingly happens for just one reason.
“The question I always have for legislation like this is, ‘what problem does it solve?” Howard said. “The suggestion is that landlords are just willy-nilly throwing people out of their houses, and that’s just not true. In fact, landlords don’t ever want to do that. It’s a very expensive process, so if people don’t pay their rent, they’re going to be evicted.”
Furthermore, as it pertains to the condition of the property being rented, Howard said prospective tenants should do their homework.
“There are landlords that just simply don’t do their job, and it’s tragic,” Howard said. “It’s very hard for me to believe that someone moves into an apartment that is in disrepair. You’re going to see the property before you sign the lease. If you move into an apartment like that, there must be a reason you can’t do any better. I don’t know what it would be, but properties don’t become slums overnight.”
Mayor Donna Deegan’s office responded to News4JAX’s request for comment regarding a proposed landlord registry. Its statement read:
A landlord registry has been previously recommended by the Jacksonville City Council’s Special Committee on Critical Quality of Life Issues and the Mayor’s Transition Subcommittee on Affordable Housing. We look forward to a meaningful discussion on how this recommendation could be implemented in a way that is productive for the entire community.
Office of Mayor Donna Deegan