Navigation Ruling bars Orange County from enforcing rent-cap ballot measure
In the wake of a directive from a Florida appeals court, an Orange County circuit judge has barred county elections officials from certifying votes on a controversial rent-control measure and directed county officials not to enforce its provisions.
Ninth Judicial Circuit Judge Jeffrey Ashton issued the order on Friday, granting a request by the Florida Apartment Association and Florida Realtors for a temporary injunction. Initially, Ashton denied their request, saying that allowing the vote would be in the interest of Orange County residents even though he found the ballot measure at odds with established state law.
The rent-cap measure would limit annual rent increases to 9.8% on multifamily rental units to help mitigate what Orange County officials say is a housing affordability crisis.
