Key West officials this week prioritized people over profit and working residents over unworkable rent hikes for tenants at City Marina on Garrison Bight.
The city commission at their June 4 meeting shot down a proposal from the city’s port and marine services department that would have raised the rents for liveaboard residents at the marina by 50 to 70% and forced many of them from their homes.
“These increases would displace most of us,” liveaboard resident Joe Miccia, a cofounder of the Key West Liveaboard Association, told the commissioners. “The idea that these increases are fair or feasible is not rooted in reality.”
Miccio had strongly criticized and refuted a market rate study of marina rents the city had commissioned last year, which recommended the rent increases. The study compared the slip rents at City Marina with those at upscale, vacation-style marinas that do not rent to floating homes, and that offer amenities such as pools, private beaches, bars, restaurants and shuttle services. City Marina offers none of those.
“This city is getting a reputation of not caring for its workforce and becoming a city of haves and have nots,” liveaboard resident Amanda Scott told the commissioners. “We need a more realistic plan. The proposed increases of $14 to $49 more per foot are unreasonable and outrageously shocking.”
Local nurse and business owner Suzy Jo Moore begged the commissioners to “please protect one of the last affordable ways to continue living in Key West,” while another speaker referenced a document from a city port department employee that said affordable housing is the city’s top strategic priority.
“Is it really?” the speaker asked, emphasizing that the proposed increases would eliminate the affordability of the liveaboard slips and displace dozens of local workers and retirees.
Commissioners spent nearly two hours listening to nearly two dozen such residents who live on boats docked at the city-owned marina near the corner of Palm Avenue and North Roosevelt Boulevard.
The liveboard residents at the docks that are designated for floating homes and houseboats pay about $17 per foot, according to the length of their vessel, in monthly slip rent, plus an upfront, nonrefundable fee of $5,000 to $16,000 to reserve the slip for a long-term lease. The same fee must be paid again if an additional person, such as a roommate, spouse, parent or adult child is added to the lease. Their rent also increases yearly, often about 3%, according to the federal Consumer Price Index (CPI).
In the end, officials voted down the proposed slip rent increases for the houseboat residents and agreed to maintain the status quo, which is an annual rent adjustment according to CPI.
The commissioners also voted to grandfather in an additional 28 long-term liveaboard residents whose boats are docked at a different pier from the ones designated for houseboats and floating homes. Those 28 residents at the other docks will be protected from proposed rent increases, and will continue paying their usual monthly slip rent of $32 per boat foot. But the rent control only applies to those current 28 residents. Once they leave, the slips they vacate will be subject to the proposed higher rates.
“The guiding principle here should be that no one gets forced out,” said Commissioner Sam Kaufman, whose district includes City Marina, and who has been working closely with the liveaboard residents for more than three years.
Commissioner Aaron Castillo agreed, saying, “We need to protect our people and our workers. I made a promise to support them.”
Kaufman quickly supported a motion made by Commissioner Donie Lee that would approve the proposed rent increases, but grandfather in the current 28 residents at the long-term, transient piers.
Commissioner Lee also had proposed a 20% rent increase over two years for the houseboat piers, but that motion was voted down in favor of no increases other than annual CPI adjustments.
The city commission chambers erupted in relief and applause following the vote.
“We did it,” Miccio wrote in an email to his fellow liveaboard residents after the meeting. “Zero rent increases. Everything stays the same for all liveaboard leases. We also won ‘grandfather; status for transient long-term liveaboards. Their rents will remain the same, and the Port Director was directed to prepare leases to reflect that, details to be worked out in collaboration with the Key West Liveaboard Association. It will remain at our normal annual CPI rent increases for all.
“We achieved together what most feared would be impossible. EVERYONE in our marina came together in an amazing show of support for one another …. Without this special unity we could not have accomplished this long and hard-fought goal.
“We thank our honorable mayor and city commissioners who time and again postponed the questionable proposals over these last two years until they gathered the information necessary that allowed them to make informed and compassionate decisions last night on behalf of the residents of this wonderful city we all love.
“Kudos to our district commissioner Sam Kaufman, who delivered by introducing his resolution to keep our rates the same, and bringing it home by rallying the votes. And to Commissioner Donie Lee for proposing his successful resolution that grandfathered rent rates for our long-term transient dock liveaboards.”
