Orange County leaders are hoping to give renters some relief by getting a measure on November’s ballot that would prevent landlords from increasing rent prices by more than five percent from year to year. Florida law doesn’t allow for rental caps, generally, unless there’s a “grave emergency,” and then the cap is only allowed for one year. 

Vickie Baptiste’s daughter and son Shylah and Shiloh snagged so many Easter eggs during an Easter egg hunt recently, they had enough of the candy hidden inside the eggs to share it with her. Orlando Union Rescue Mission held the Easter egg hunt for them and several other kids who are now living at the shelter.

Representatives with Orange County Public Schools say they’ve seen a significant increase, anywhere from 12 percent to 35 percent, of students now living in shelters, motels and shared housing. Additionally, they’ve seen the amount of students living out of cars or in public places increase by about 75% in the last year.

Baptiste and her kids spent several months living out of their SUV. Baptiste says they had to leave an apartment that was infested with rats. And after a while, the money she was making as a nurse wasn’t enough to pay for weekly and nightly motel stays.

“At such a short notice you end up falling into a rat race, paying for a hotel, paying for it this week, I’ll pay it for another week, pay it for another week, and then, the next thing you know, you’re stuck,” said Baptiste. “So that’s just really what happened, and it got to the point where it was biker’s week and hotels were one-hundred dollars, two-hundred dollars a night.”

The rescue mission connected Baptiste with Family Promise, which is in the process of finding her an apartment she can afford.  Baptiste says without the help, it would be very difficult to pay for rent.

“It won’t be too much, it’s still going to be a lot, but it won’t be as much as regular hotels, and they’re working with you and they’re not worried about evictions, past-due balances,” said Baptiste. 

While Baptiste is thankful for the temporary housing, she’s anxiously waiting to have her own home. “God’s been a blessing me and I’m so ready to move in, decorate their room, Batman and Barbie, and at this point, I don’t care if I have to sleep on the bathroom floor, I’m grateful,” said Baptiste. 

Coming out on the other side of her ordeal, she’s actually thankful for what she’s gone through. She’s been able to get her nursing degree, has a stable job and she hopes to one day open her own shelter for people who need help. “I’ve learned a lot, and I’m just grateful for this step and they’re still young, it just goes up from here, it definitely does,” said Baptiste.  I’m fearless now, there’s nothing holding me back.”

Landlords have spoken out on the issue, arguing this measure will end up hurting tenants, and other critics argue it will drive housing investments elsewhere, making the housing shortage worse.

Orange County Commissioners are expected to revisit the rent-cap proposal at a meeting on June 7.