Majority of commissioners no-shows at Orange County rent control meeting

Only two out of seven commissioners showed up to discuss possible rent control policies

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County District 5 Commissioner Emily Bonilla held a meeting Wednesday to discuss rent control policies — one that went unattended by five members of the seven-member commission.

Bonilla invited all of the commissioners with the goal of having a lengthy discussion ahead of next Tuesday’s meeting. However, only Commissioner Mayra Uribe showed up.

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“It definitely would have been better to have more commissioners here to weigh in because then, it would’ve saved more time during the (Board of County Commissioners meeting),” said Bonilla.

Bonilla said they were able to use the hour to discuss questions Bonilla and Uribe had regarding the rent cap ordinance. Bonilla said there are still big questions out there, like how much a possible rent price cap should be.

Just last month, Orange County held a special session to discuss possible rental solutions.

Commissioners discussed implementing a notice ordinance, which would require landlords to give 60 days notice if landlords are going to be raising rent.

They also discussed a rent stabilization ordinance, which would put a cap on the amount by which landlords are allowed to raise rent on tenants.

Commissioners in the meeting disagreed with certain rent control policies, saying they wouldn’t help people struggling with higher rent costs.

Earlier this year, a consultant company hired by the county found that rent stabilization measures Bonilla proposed could do more harm than good.

The next workshop on rent stabilization will be Tuesday, July 26.

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