Collier Tenants Union head questions effectiveness of Biden administration’s ‘renter’s bill of rights’

People are getting priced out of paradise as rental prices have been soaring out of control for a while now. Now, the Biden administration is stepping in. The White House announced a plan for the “Renter’s bill of rights” in hopes of easing the squeeze on the wallets of people struggling to keep a roof over their heads.

WINK News spoke with the head of the Collier County Tenants Union, who says this may not be the fix renters are looking for.

In Los Angeles, there has been a nearly 70% increase in rent. Southwest Florida, particularly Collier County, has seen the same trend.

It’s something the Biden administration wants to take a look at.

“We cannot continue to live in and function where 75% of our income is going to rent so I am glad that he’s finally hearing the voices of the nation basically that is crying out saying we need help,” said Elizabeth Radi, head of the Collier County Tenants Union.

In Collier County, workers are already being priced out of the market. Radi says if leaders sit on their hands, our workforce will walk.

“If you build a house without the necessary materials, it’s going to collapse our workforce is that necessary material to keep this city going, and if we don’t have it, it will collapse,” Radi said.

Some suggestions include investigating unfair rental practices and providing tenants with fair notices.

Radi’s concern is while the federal government is the one that wants to outline the rules, the buck stops at the local level.

“A lot of local officials, hopefully including ours, say, OK, let’s meet in the middle, let’s find some compromise to this and see what we can get done within the parameters of what we’re going to allow instead of just ignoring everything that that’s what my hope is that they will come to some, to some form of meeting in the middle with this.”

Radi said she’s appreciative the president is doing something but knows any real change will likely come down to state and local officials.