Tampa City Council votes against declaring a housing state of emergency

Tampa City Council voted Thursday against moving forward with declaring a housing state of emergency. Joseph Citro, Guido Maniscalco, Charlie Miranda and Luis Viera voted against directing the city's legal staff to draft an ordinance declaring the emergency. Orlando Gudes and Lynn Hurtak voted for it; Bill Carlson was absent. Without a housing state of emergency, a referendum on rent control can't proceed to the ballot in November. Florida Statute 166.043 prohibits rent control unless an emergency…Original Article