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, clean air and water. The county must stand in the gap created by landlords and lawmakers in Tallahassee.
This is why we are excited that our county has put $500,000 toward one-time legal assistance services for tenants in its current draft budget. This victory is a direct result of our advocacy as members and organizers at Florida Rising , the state’s largest nonpartisan political organization. If commissioners approve this item for the final budget, some tenants may avoid unnecessary eviction because they will have a fair shot in court.
But don’t get us wrong: half a million dollars helps, but it is far from what we need. A recent study assessed that $2.7 million is needed in the first year of this program to fully address the needs of nearly 500 families fighting eviction and homelessness.
Study after study has shown “evictions increase the probability of applying to a homeless shelter by 14 percentage points, [compared to] 3.4 percent among not-evicted households.” And let’s be clear: Homelessness leads to hopelessness, which leads to mental health issues and more.
It is a vicious cycle, nobody should ever go through it, and ultimately, our whole community suffers. To make a real impact, commissioners have to fully fund this program that would prevent homelessness for renters. We urge commissioners to cut the red tape and award the funding directly to Coast to Coast Legal Aid , our partners in the fight to help renters keep and enjoy a decent roof over their heads and bring hope to thousands of families like ours.
Anna Henry is a member of Florida Rising and lives in Broward. She has raised four children while working three jobs and going to school. Annastacia Robinson is a Broward County organizer for Florida Rising focused on affordable housing.
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