DO YOU THINK WE MIGHT HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS?
It is becoming very alarming how few rental properties there are, and how high priced they are. Landlords are becoming very unreliable, houses are going into foreclosure in high amounts. I know my landlord defaulted on 10 in the last two months. I know of at least 3-4 more that friends live in houses facing foreclosure. Now banks own a ton of properties. Then banks sell them to people, and those people tend to turn them into vacation rentals. Florida Keys have a housing CRISIS on their hands. What is going to happen when more Key West residents move out for lack of housing? Or way to expensive housing? People can barely live down here unless they have many roommates. I’m a mother, so I really can’t have roommates. Who can really afford to live here without roomates? People who own their house, military workers, those in low income housing where the state pays their bills and rent, people on vacation, and people who really don’t need to work. Key west needs people to work, not moving out because they can’t afford the first, last, and security totaling $ 6,000 -$ 10,000 just to move in and rent a place. At least most tourist destinations have worker housing that is truly affordable. Without workers, you have no tourist destination … Also speaking of tourist destinations, I’m sure I’m not the only one to notice, the economy is not the same as it was in 2005-2007. The money is slowing down quite a bit. Tourists are spending a lot more for rooms in hotels, and vacation houses like Truman Annex and such. They’re staying and relaxing in their hotels more, spending less money on Duval St. and other fun activities. People are starting to take their vacations to other cheaper places. I hear it all the time. Last year’s Fantasy Fest had to be the worst ever. Just like Bike Week and this year’s St. Patrick’s Day. Key west is not getting what it used to in tourism. So if our wages are not as good as they used to be, and rent is getting higher, what is next? Exactly, people are leaving… What is Key West going to do?? Huge Crisis. I have put this on Facebook and have had a huge amount of responses.
Do you think Monica hit a chord? Well, she sure did. Have a look at the flood of Facebook responses (get comfy):
Alan Smith So true.
Kaitlynn Felth This is all so true. Myself and other conchs who have lived in Key West their whole life are leaving. So much has changed with the town.
Monica Woodbury When. My house is foreclosed on. My landlord forclosed on 10 propertys. Waiting to see if bank is going to give me $ 4000. to move out in 30 days.
Ananda James This is one the main reasons we did not stay when my husband got out of the military, we would have loved to have stayed….But every rental we looked at wanted an arm, a leg, and five elbows just to move in. Something has to change down there or the place is going to become a complete ghost town that everyone forgets about!
Barry Compoe Sorry to hear that. It’s happening all over around us to.
Kenneth Jessen So true. I moved my mother down here in August. We live in Peary Ct. What happens when 177 families get displaced when the owners plans get approved. We are planing on moving to Sarasota in 2015. Love Key West but feel like we are getting pushed out…
Sue Swank I have to 100% agree with you on this. I can’t wait for Cuba to open up one day so Key West will be nothing more than pee break. THEN MAYBE KEY WEST WILL WAKE UP.
Benton Coffey Well put. Agree 100%.
Maureen Welsh very true, sadly
William Larose ITS A FACT the people that are comming to Key West nowadays are more family oriented the weekenders and daytrippers can’t afford to come anymore between fuel, hotel, and meals its cheaper to fly to Vegas, be treated like a King than to drive to Key West to be treated like an intruder. It’s sad to say but we have brought this on ourselves. We were spoiled for alot of years and Key West had a great reputation but now we need to fight for our share of the tourism dollar and unfortunatly we can’t compete with the rest of the world with what we have to offer and the price we have to get for it and it’s not just the landlords it’s our whole system that needs some critical adjustment as my good friend Billy Wm McDonough used to say: customer service, customer service, customer service
Benton Coffey I lived and loved Key West but the cost off living took (especially the cost of rent) a toll on me.
Janie M Miller I agree 100% hunny! Key West has no true affordable housing for local workers! Economy has slowed immensely & rents go higher! It needs to be addressed! It’s about the ” Need “- not just the ” Greed “- Key West! Ugh
Janie M Miller Well said – William- so true! I lived in Vegas & NYC! Cost much less to vaca in those areas & trendy, new, treat tourists well! Key West hasn’t updated – kept up & charging a fortune for hotel rooms & flights, etc! The quality tourists are going elsewhere & KW is stuck with low class- cheap Miami tourists who don’t tip well & just hit KW on weekends! Not the glory KW days of the past! Ugh
Victoria Kywst I agree to all the above.
Buster Milbury Couldn’t agree more. We come to KW twice a year for a month each. We have looked at buying a property but the only possible way would be to rent during the times we would not be there. That being said, the times we would want to be there are the high rental periods so it wouldn’t make much sense. I understand it’s a popular vacation destination but looking at a 1 bd 1 bth condo with 600 square ft at 600K and almost that same amount for month condo fees is just ridiculous.
Parks Curtis LOL 2005 year i did fantasy fest poster was worst BUT excluding hurricane wilma / of recent years since it has become a developed ritual ( started with a few people in the 7o ‘s YOUR PROBABLY RIGHT ! I can see how there could be SOME STRATEGIC CHANGES Mayor Craig Cates. Cates may be able to help is is a bright man !
Monica Woodbury I was hoping to hear more responses.
Adam Czyrek Then you should have included a picture of a kitten. This is FB.
But seriously, this is a major problem. When I lose my apartment of 7 years one day I don’t see how I’ll be able to stay here.
But seriously, this is a major problem. When I lose my apartment of 7 years one day I don’t see how I’ll be able to stay here.
Deb Kemper Armitage One of the biggest issues is the flood insurance for non primary residences. It is huge. Also, low wages, who can live on 12.00 bucks an hour? I agree, the employers need to pay attention. They will end up with no one to work if they can’t afford to live here.
Scott Lee welcome to key west…unless your in your own business, you can barely exist here…):
Parks Curtis ACTUALLY ****especially if you are in your own small business.
Russell Brown And what will happen when they close Peary Court for redevelopment where will all those residents move?
Monica Woodbury I need all Key West officials’ facebooks, maybe we need a major meeting with towns residents, we as a community need to bring it to meeting with the city.
Martha Scott I am currently searching for a 2 bedroom place and have had a tough time finding anything that’s in my price range that’s not a dump, it is scary to think I might have to leave one day because I won’t be able to afford to live here.
Deb Kemper Armitage Did you send as an editorial or a voice? They won’t print as a voice, too large
Parks Curtis above i have tagged mayor Craig Cates in watching his moves i believe he really CARES in my 12 years here is mayor i have most been impressed by also I really think commissioner Clayton Lopez really is a kind soul that wants to genuinely help people i left a message on his phone one day and he had solved the problem THE NEXT DAY lol i can’t guarantee that it will be as easy to solve but based on rack records i have seen these men be honorable serving others / Mark Rossi also came and helped my mobile home park with clothes etc after hurricane flood devastation 2005 and I have never forgot that !
Donna Simpson Cephas You should make this a letter to the editor of the Citizen. Very well put, Monica. Agree with all of what you said.
Monica Woodbury Sent it to editor.
Rebecca Evans I agree Monica… Im in the same boat myself. Currently looking to move ASAP and options are very, very limited.
Steven Humphrey Well said, and so very true.
Monica Woodbury Well I hope to hear from every one who liked this post , hearing each other’s opinion , and opening communication, is the best to get it out there.
Scott Lee buy a boat and throw out a coupla anchors…(:
Monica Woodbury Not people with children. I’ve got three children. And I work in key west. Have since 2005.
Riva N Unya I’m leaving lol.
Monica Woodbury Question to everyone, who knows someone in Key West who’s house is under forclosure?
Monica Woodbury Or is moving out of Key West?
Kevin Paul Taylor I know several people that were forced to leave Key West because they couldn’t find affordable housing — which in Key West means being a roommate. Two great businesses lost 2 of their best employees. Key West needs to start offering incentives to property owners to provide affordable housing — best way would be to give those property owner property tax breaks.
Kristin Brihanma more affordable rents AND not expecting people to come up with FLD=$ 6000+ to move in, it’s ridiculous.
Jennifer Biton-Kappa My family left KW in 2007 because our little 950 sq ft apartment raised their rent to 1300 a month. We relocated to Central Fl and now pay 600 a month for a 2000 sq ft house. The pay rate is the same and we never have to stuggle every month figuring out how we are gonna pay the bills. My kids actually have things to do on a daily basis rather than hang out on Duval St.
Todd Sitler Very well said!
Parks Curtis lol so true its funny I really think Kevin Paul Taylor had a brilliant doable thought of innovation to mention to reps.
Monica Woodbury I have emailed everyone today.
Monica Woodbury Blue Paper is Publishing this Friday .
David How When I lived there I was lucky my half of rent was $ 300 bucks a month…but most places outside of Bahama Village are real unreasonable for those who live and work in Key West…Yet, greed and stupidty are everywhere in a America even in paradise. Yet, if you do not mind 17 Haitian neighbors in one apartment next door and drug dealers dealing out in the open on the corner a block from, “The Hemingway House”… you can live quite cheaply.
Monica Woodbury It’s a bit more expensive with kids…
Monica Woodbury Also a big thought, we need realtors to be in on this, they don’t help the situation any by saying yes we Will get you asrtonomical prices for rent. They need to be in on affordable housing for workers.
Carl E. Mott III Two things Monica, you’ll need to proof read your letter and send it to the editor to be published. They’ll wish to speak with you to confirm you wrote it. Secondly speak with Commissioner “Fat” Anthony J. Yaniz, he is all about this plight.
Carl E. Mott III Also I think we’re probably above what we were in 07, but this has been a tough year with 550+ rooms under renovation. The missing rooms also make it harder to find housing. If you can rent an apt in old town for $ 3000 a month it is a lot cheaper than two weeks at $ 350 a day in a B&B. And it’s twice the tariff that the landlord would get as a month by month lease.
Richard Rocko Yates Monica: don’t make me rant about rents….and its not all about just insurance rates jacked up because of fast rising sea levels…Read up on hedge funds, private equity funds (think of a certain Vulture Capitalist who recently ran for the Presidency) and banks, always the banks…If you don’t have the training, go to Motley Fool and take their 13 step program on how to read quarterlies and yearlies…
Richard Rocko Yates I should also point out, Monica, my politics aren’t in line with most people here…For instance, the only Republican down here acknowledging Climate Change is George Nugent. His next election, I got to work for him as a volunteer….
Monica Woodbury LOL Richard Rocko Yates. At least you made me giggle.
Monica Woodbury I grabbed this from Key West Citizen: Housing, hotel plans move forward…See More
Monica Woodbury Would love some help from ppl who could help me with a proposal, and setting up a whopping idea. Please message me to set up time , date, n place.
Lada Ogden You can live for free in a house for closure for six month. Unless its a homeowener financing….
Heather Noel Beltran That is one of the biggest reasons I left. So expensive and jobs pay so little.
Lada Ogden And if u see something wrong w house. Call building inspector!! 67% of housing there against any oc codes!!! F#$k them.
Monica Woodbury Waiting to see if bank will give me $ 4000 to leave before 30 days.
Dale Robertson Certainly can include Islamorada in this crisis.
Barbara Anderson Lada Ogden that statement of 6 months is not a true fact so beware.
Monica Woodbury No it’s not, I talked to a great foreclosure attorney today. He said to try to negotiate for first and last, otherwise bank can get a 15 day notice. It will take them a month to get me out. Better to take money. Because the bank already owns our house.
Barbara Anderson And that is not 6 months…they will give cash for keys they can also get a writ of possession….just be careful, they do own it. Eviction here no more then 30 days.
Barbara Anderson I do many of these.
Barbara Anderson Monica need some help message me.
Lauren Anderson Very well put!! We couldn’t agree more… Hopefully, there will be some kind of representation off of this post!!
Monica Woodbury Question, besides myself who knows someone else having to move due to foreclosure, or it’s just to expensive to live here?
Barbara Anderson know many that have to…
Chrissie Garrison I’ve had to before. It’s a real problem here. I’ve been looking for over 6 month’s.
Robert Butler Yep im a commercial fisherman n its hard to find good rentals n I dont wanna move the realtors are the ones that f’d it all up n get the $ meanwhile we live sub standard due to the inflated keys economy im pissed if u need help to spread the word message me.
Drummer Dave Well said!!! I agree 100%
John Smith I’ll be leaving for the same reason i left before. Im in my 30’s and have roommates like a college kid. I’m outta college!! And pay is down from 6 yrs ago.
Robert Butler I kno dozens of people in same dilemma it sucks im homeless now cause I cant pay 5 grand to move in im a fisherman n only work 10 months used to have money left over but not no more.
Robert Butler Yes we the people need somewhere to live they have affordable housing in bp but I dont qualify im single white no pets n have a job.
Monica Woodbury Big pine is really far, and well I’ve looked up there, sometimes you can find a place up there cheap, but not often.
Robert Butler Just moved frm marathon same prob greedy people.
Andreas Gemellas Yes this does suck.
BrandyPage PhotographyandGraphics I live in big pine. We moved out of key west to here because of the costs. Much better up here then down there… still expensive but livable compared to key west. We are looking into moving within a yr or two due tk the costs.
Chezare Rivas Unfortunately, it will only get worse, complaining about it will do nothing. The only thing to do is take action and leave the tourist destination of a town until your well established financially elsewhere. Then you do what any other family from out of town would do, vacation there. Retire there. Rental properties are nonexistent nowadays on that island. You drive 3 hours north, and there’s a plethora of living choices. And jobs to chose from. Good luck with the publication of the rant, but if you want change, it has to come from within, and not from the island. Money builds money, and if you don’t have the monies, you just stay at “status-quo” and who wants that?!
Joseph Wenger i am looking to visit end of august to go lobstering… amyone want to make some cash and rent me a couch or love seat… i am married. well trained and a clean up after myself guy… wont leave mess but need a place to crash… message me back if interest … feeling your pain on high cost.
Suzan Larimer-Reiker I lived there from 2000-2007, met my husband, had my kids, and hauled ass. Our rent was $ 2,500. We made money,(tips), but didn’t want to raise our kids there. We just visited, and it was sad how “touristy” it was. Glad to be in Cocoa Beach, but I’ll always visit KW every few years.
Monica Woodbury @chezare, your not getting the real developing problem. This town is going under. There are so many houses Bank owned now, Key West has a huge amount of bank owned, for sale… Very little housing, think of the manpower it takes to run this town,::: restaurants, Bars, hotels, land scrapers, cleaners, stores, shops. And houses keep foreclosing. This is bigger than the city. This is Big brother Florida coming to help. This has to do with banks, and remedying a situation. Banks build programs all the time, I forget what bank it is, but they had a lease to own program. This is a much bigger problem then Key West, but Key West is going to die if something is not done. Banks are charging large amounts for houses, so if ppl do get a loan, their mortgage and insurance is going to be astronomical. So yes, this is a bigger problem. If Key West keeps losing homes, it’s not going to have workers. Could Key West by up housing for affordable housing, possiblely yes, Im pretty sure banks would work with Key West, and get places almost flat rate… In other places, banks usually auction houses, to try to get as much money as possible, what they don’t get still goes on the previous owners credit. But either way someone will have to step in.
Key West Dave If anyone needs a place to crash for a few weeks my house is available until the 12th. I’ll Rent it for $ 300 a week, mostly to cover utilities. It’s a three bedroom. Has a couch and bed in it.
Monica Woodbury Would do. But we have kids n nanny.
Monica Woodbury When. My house is foreclosed on. My landlord forclosed on 10 propertys. Waiting to see if bank is going to give me $ 4000. To move out in 30 days.
Ananda James This is one the main reason we did not stay when my husband got out of the military, we would have loved to have stayed….But every rental we looked at wanted an arm, a leg, and five elbows just to move in. Something has to change down there or the place is going to become a complete ghost town that everyone forgets about!
Barry Compoe Sorry to hear that. Its happening all over around us to.
Kenneth Jessen So true. I moved my mother down here in August. We live in peary ct. What happens when 177 families get displaced when the owners plans get approved. .we are planing on moving to Sarasota in 2015..love Key West but feel like we are getting pushed out…
Chaka M. Chandler I understnd. ABout the housing. I always have people asking about places. Good luck too and I will keep I and ear and I out for reasonable places. Good luck!! Also you should bring your concerns to Commisioner Anthony J. Yaniz or who ever is is your Commish. You are not the only onr with this growing problem!!
Barbara Ramey Monica Woodbury I am sharing this with many city leaders emails… well said . I have been in and out of the housing issue since the early 90’s. Yes it is factual the avg worker in toursim makes less and yes renting becoming almost impossible, now The answers do not come easily, I personally do not want to live in employee housing and as a grown women have no intrest in a roommate. I moved to KW not because it was a tourist destination but an island I felt would become my HOME. And it is but at some point $$$$ will have to make me make changes as well…..As I get older make less and little medical things take up my needed bill money I totally get it I have to do something. Affordable rent to match income is not gonna happen with what a owner is paying to pay his/her own bills. Not to side with the landlord but simply the facts. Sure there are a few that own no mortage that maybe could have lower rents…????? But I do not see it getting better. Maybe an incentive to landlords on taxes? I dont know the answers. Maybe a living affordable wage like in San Fran. Calif. But I dont see that happening either. Esp with the large % of folks that work under the table already .Tony “Fat” Yaniz for Commissioner District IV Key West seems the most willing to listen, past Mayor Morgan McPherson cared about this greatly. Maybe a special meeting with them all.. but would “WE” come. i doubt it for I see few ever getting involved. The city spends administatively $$ heavy this is a fact.
Monica Woodbury I agree Barbara Ramey,
David Harris I found it really cheep compared to were I am from California oc area Studios go for 1900. I think florida still very affordable and key west had some very cheep homes and rents I guess it’s all relevant?? Californians did not leave the state in fact more people move there even with extremely high cost houses.
David Harris Good luck – I still hate Key West. It’s boring and dumb.
Anthony J. Yaniz Affordable Workforce Housing is the biggest issue facing our community! We must address it immediately, we’ve built our economy on a house of cards where the “backbone” of our community–the working people– cannot afford to live here. The Easter Seals property on Junior College Road should be earmarked for Affordable Workforce Housing and NOT a 24 hour, “cookies-and-milk” facility for the chronic homeless. We should look at going vertical there–and also at places like Poinciana Housing as well–and build five, or six, stories. No one is saying change the architectural look, or height, of our historic neighborhoods, or the waterfront, of course–but in new town and in North Stock Island…let’s go up and create real affordability! While at it….shouldn’t the residents of South Stock Island be able to vote as to whether they’d like to be incorporated into the City of Key West?
Gina Johnson Exactly. ..
Cathey Marie Houser Cole I was evicted from our apartment in marathon fl by the state on March 2, 2014. We received notice from the landlord on February 28, 2014 at 5pm, that we had 48hrs to vacate the premises. Due to hazardous septic waste materials. I was 38wks pregnant. The landlord did NOTHING to help ANY of the families. We ALL were homeless! The Keynoter paper wrote about the story and put our picture on the front page. The landlord still did NOTHING and said losing that property was a SMALL loss for his company so he DIDN’T care. I lived in a TENT on a AIR MATTRESS for 9 days at Knights key costing us well over 700$ for a campsite with its own water and electricity. Because it was the first week of spring break ALL hotels were OUTRAGEOUS on there prices and NO PLACES to rent without having at least 4 or 5000$ to move in. I have lived in key west for 9yrs and in marathon for 9mnths. It honestly has gotten toooo expensive to live. Luckily my bfs niece who lives in kw had an extra room and allowed us to move in. But unfortunately it was only temporary. So we were back to being homeless. Now we have left the Florida keys and went to ft myers to live with my bfs mom to try to get back on our feet. But were only there these last two weeks and I couldn’t stand living in my bfs moms livingroom on a pull out bed. So now My God mom who lives in Marion, Arkansas has a large house with plenty of space for my family. But its not kw. Its not were I had made my home. I love the keys and made it my home. So I’m a fresh water conch and I had to leave the place I love most. It saddens me to end that I may NEVER be able to live in paradise again.
Rachel McBride I lived in Key West for 5 years, got married and decided it was time for us to leave. I enjoyed my time there, but the only jobs i could get were in food service, even though I had experience in an office. Key West runs on the bubba system, it always has. It took every last dime we had to move. My point is, if you don’t like it down there then move. Even if all the workers left tomorrow new people would come right behind to fill those jobs.
Monica Woodbury There’s not much housing left to live in. Huge numbers of housing have been foreclosed on and bank owned.
Monica Woodbury So now what.
Monica Woodbury I’m interested in hearing what Mark Rossi has to say about this subject.
Monica Woodbury Also people can come down and move here, but the rent is getting almost impossible to pay. It’s gone up every year, every year it seems to go up 100+ a year.
David E. Johnson Normally I don’t comment but I will say that I agree with Tony Yaniz on the building of “affordable housing” and some of the ways it can be done.
Like to know answer to 1 thing. Your landlord who defaulted on the 10 properties. I assume you have been paying rent for awhile. Wonder a) how long it took the banks to foreclose and b) where did all that money go? ( person should probably be in jail)
Banks are not in business of owning properties but you would think there would be a program that banks would be able to put properties like you are in and continue to lease said properties for let us say 2-3 years so that the people that are living there can at least have a chance to do something. Either buy or find a long term rental. I’m not sure but I’m guessing the banks not losing anything because of the losses against their gains in the taxes. I don’t know the answer but your right, it can’t continue this way.
Like to know answer to 1 thing. Your landlord who defaulted on the 10 properties. I assume you have been paying rent for awhile. Wonder a) how long it took the banks to foreclose and b) where did all that money go? ( person should probably be in jail)
Banks are not in business of owning properties but you would think there would be a program that banks would be able to put properties like you are in and continue to lease said properties for let us say 2-3 years so that the people that are living there can at least have a chance to do something. Either buy or find a long term rental. I’m not sure but I’m guessing the banks not losing anything because of the losses against their gains in the taxes. I don’t know the answer but your right, it can’t continue this way.
Rachel McBride Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound harsh! I agree that it sucks down there and something should be done. But, I have no faith in the system in Key West at all! Just as we were deciding to leave we found out (on the sly) that our landlord was going into foreclosure and the property had bed bugs (we had no idea what they were!) and suffered with them for awhile!
Barbara Ramey Is there not some kinda government incentive that could be offered to landlords of long term rentals? Anthony J. Yaniz,Mark Rossi,Jimmy Weekly,Teri Johnston.
Monica Woodbury Also lets not forget all those places that every one stays away from in town. The low income, sec 8 housing, by Bahama village and on first street, were a lot of them basically live for free. Why do they get to live in paradise and live off the government? You jack there rent up to 2000$ a month, the government won’t help them, and watch there buts high tail it out of keys. It doesn’t make sence to reward homeless bums, and non working citizens…
Christian Green I left in 2000…. way to expensive.
Dan Schwab It’s impressive how similar to actual words was the grouping of characters Harry Meanwell managed to pound out on his keyboard with his cro-magnon fists. Congrats on that, Harry! It’s also nice to see that the folks in the mental facility let their patients have access to the internet. Even when they’re not taking their Thorazine.
I wonder how long it took Harry to figure out which side of the computer was the side you read from. Maybe he got an orderly to help him with that.
I wonder how long it took Harry to figure out which side of the computer was the side you read from. Maybe he got an orderly to help him with that.
Monica Woodbury Dan Schwab instead of remarking on someone’s stupidity, what real response do you have on the subject vital housing crisis.
Dan Schwab It’s a problem without a solution. Unless the city is ready to supply lower-income housing for employees, you can’t force landlords to lower their rents. Greed sets in and they figure, “If the guy down the street is charging $$$, then I can as well.”
Supply & demand. It’s a sh**ty situation, but it’s not easily solvable. I haven’t raised the rent on my tenants for 8 years. no immediate plans to either. It’s a bitch to pay rent in KW.
Supply & demand. It’s a sh**ty situation, but it’s not easily solvable. I haven’t raised the rent on my tenants for 8 years. no immediate plans to either. It’s a bitch to pay rent in KW.
Barb Grob Let me help- Dan’s right about Harry’s comments, because a HUGE portion of this was caused by the ARM scam that happened before Obama was ELECTED (wrong or right, at least , un-like in Bush’s case, he actually was elected-get over it) & frankly, Harry- if you don’t live here, your opinion doesn’t really count & threatening Chaka, for his harmless attempt at a joke… Well, I hope you never get to live here. We don’t like that kind of s##t.
Barb Grob Regardless, most home owners are just trying to keep their homes- not rip anybody off. They’re not getting rich off this, They’re trying to recoup losses & survive & frankly, if KW’s transient rental laws were repealed, it would have saved a lot of people from losing their homes, which would mean a lot fewer houses would be sitting derelict, waiting for the bank to finish screwing with the poor slob, that bought into their lies. Therefore, there would be more homes available for all renters- long & short term. This is hugely exacerbated by the appx. 700 hotel rooms offline this season, making visitors more desperate & opening the door for more rental scams. Also, nobody with a lease, can be thrown out by a bank or anyone else. If you didn’t want a lease… well, there you go. I do agree with you, Monica, that the amount of cheap to free, government housing here, is absolute bullshit & worse, that it’s apparently passed from generation to generation & yes, makes the problem even worse. The only possible relief I see, is to get the transient rental license laws repealed or lightened.
Monica Woodbury I agree, but I tend to ignore ppl that are ignorant, and stupidity. They usually have 0 education, and so their comments,are invalid, and ignored… Those ppl are going to exist, you hope they don’t breed and pass their genetic material, but when one falls another pops up. I blame all their window pain and high amounts of made up drug use in their younger years..
Monica Woodbury And definitely agree on the really low income BS.
Monica Woodbury And questions, who knows someone that’s moving out do to forecloser, or to expensive to live here now? Not including me cause I’m asking the question.
Allen Harrelson I have a house for sale on Geiger key. $275,000 on the water. 3 bed 2 bath. for the right buyer I would allow a mortgage assumption!
Monica Woodbury Also a big thought, we need reality’s to be in on this, they don’t help the situation any by saying yes we Will get you astonomical prices for rent. They need to be in on affordable housing for workers.
Monica Woodbury That’s Awsome Allen Harrelson, wish I could, but don’t have that kind of down payment.
Gregg Mcgrady Gwen Filosa Mandy Bolen Miles Terry Schmida good thread for my citizen friends to read. I suspect her post will not make it in the voice….as its as long as the bible. However, this is what I have been talking about from one perspective. It’s simply gotten worse and will continue. I’ve been looking at vacation rentals for friends who want to come down for a month in February. It’s been such a sad experience to see the many places that friends use to live over the years that are now vacation rentals. Ugh ugh ugh. Ggg
Jim Gaffney There are places like that all over the country. Not that Im disagreing but the next thing is to find a practicle place to move to.
I don’t believe Key West will EVER solve the affordable housing problem. The reason being that the residents who live on the island don’t want affordable housing. Back in the 50’s and 60’s when Chicago was forced into low income housing, mayor Daley had it built across the Dan Ryan expressway from his all white Bridgeport neighborhood. Other low income housing in the city were built in what was already a ghetto. The city tore down houses and built a high rise ghetto. Unfortunately Key West has no large expressway to seperate the “elite” from the low income. I hear lots of BS from city officials about the need, but no solutions, just talk, talk and more talk. The talk will continue because they don’t want low income housing next door to their million+ dollar homes. Maybe it will change when tourists stop coming to Key West to spend their vacation dollars. Why will tourist stop coming to Key West? If a business is not properly staffed, it is doomed to close. When enough businesses close tourists will go somewhere else or stay in the resort/hotel. When Duval St. shops, bars and restaraunts close, cruise ship passengers will go somewhere else. When Cuba opens up, Key West will be hurt even worse. Why go to Key West when there is somewhere new to see? You can bet tourists will be treated better in Cuba than they are currently being treated in Key West, due to the fact that Cuba needs and wants tourist dollars. Start mourning now Key Westers because if something isn’t accomplished soon, it’ll be too late.
This crisis could be mitigated by our elected officials in our local government. Although it is popular to blame government for every ill under the sun from illegal aliens to hang nails this is a situation where “the people” are at odds with private industry (real estate speculators) and government could step in and help. It just takes political will, which is lacking. The government of NYC stepped in and helped it’s citizens stay in their apartments with the help of rent control. I can hear all the free trade purists scream and moan, but desperate times call for desperate measures. The city commissioners need to get tough and help the workers out. Think of it as a wise investment in our tourist economy.
The problem is the cap on housing units. If we want to bring the cost of housing down, we need to find a way to add more units and densify parts of the island.
I lived in KW from 1996-2002, and the housing issue was an old problem over 15 years ago, I even sent an Op-Ed piece to the Citizen about it in 1998 and still nothing has changed, when I worked at Subtropic Dive Center the rents were the main stumbling g block to getting and keeping good instructors. We even tried to get Dr. Lockwood to buy some temporary housing so we could attract some quality instructors, we paid $8/hr and $50/trip for DM’s, paid PADI dive insurance and DAN insurance from day 1 and after a year we gave 1 week of paid vacation and the only stumbling block was that giant chunk of money necessary to establish a home in KW.
Sad that this is how the money folks see the running of the island, what happens when people stop coming?
I was thinking about this and would like some thoughts on the idea of limiting vacation rentals. i believe that if the cities were to only allow so many vacation rentals, it would bring down the housing and rental rates. Not sure how many would be allowed but even if it was a register by a certain date and that was it, it would keep the problem from getting worse. I know Marathon is going through a similar situation as key west just not as extreme. So basically if there are X amount of vacation rentals as of 12/31/14 that will be the number allowed from this point forward and if anyone wants to have a vacation rental they would have to wait for one of the older ones to change status. Better yet would be determine the number wanted less than current, then hold a lottery to determine which properties could continue to be a vacation rental. But I believe that would be too hard to pass. And I think that all current vacation rental owners would be on board because it would limit the chances of future competition. We don’t need more vacationers if we don’t have the people to provide service to them.