Commissioners with the city of Lake Worth Beach, Florida, have declared a state of emergency over the housing crisis in their area — a method that could pave the way for rent control.
The recent decision came after hours of listening to terrified renters, who packed the room of a city meeting with the hopes of demanding protections as they faced unprecedented rent hikes. One man said he only narrowly escaped making the choice between eating and keeping a roof over his head, while a single mother said she wasn’t sure how she could continue keeping a roof over her four children’s heads.
The housing emergency declaration allows city leaders to explore what legal routes they can take to possibly put rent control in place, and any other options to address the crisis that is forcing some residents on the streets as rents skyrocket out of control, explained City Commissioner Christopher McVoy.
