We have experienced first-hand one of the ugliest sides of the housing crisis in Broward County. My name is Anna Henry, and I was homeless for 90 days and nights — even though I was employed. I am Annastacia Robinson, and I know first-hand how challenging it is to find an affordable apartment in Broward.
Anna Henry is a member of Florida Rising. (courtesy, Anna Henry) Our experiences have made us believe that housing in the communities we call home is a human right, not a luxury reserved for the wealthy. Beyond the unreasonably high rent many big landlords charge to line their pockets, many are creating new rules that give them any excuse to evict us.
Then, when we end up in eviction court, only 3% of renters are represented by a lawyer, compared to 81% of landlords on average. Meanwhile, in Tallahassee, due to the lobbying efforts of these same corporate landlords, the right-wing supermajority has prevented local governments from passing deeply popular, common sense policies like rent stabilization or a tenants’ bill of rights. Lawmakers have even enacted so-called “anti-squatter” laws that chip away at evicion protections without the usual requirements of notification and judicial review.
Further, they have criminalized homelessness with a ban on public sleeping, forcing cities and counties to pick up the tab lest they be sued for not complying with the state law. We need Broward County to tackle housing as a life-or-death issue, with the same urgency as health care.