Key West officers this week prioritized folks over revenue and dealing residents over unworkable hire hikes for tenants at Metropolis Marina on Garrison Bight.
Town fee at their June 4 assembly shot down a proposal from town’s port and marine providers division that might have raised the rents for liveaboard residents on the marina by 50 to 70% and compelled a lot of them from their houses.
“These will increase would displace most of us,” liveaboard resident Joe Miccia, a cofounder of the Key West Liveaboard Affiliation, advised the commissioners. “The concept these will increase are honest or possible is just not rooted in actuality.”
Miccio had strongly criticized and refuted a market fee examine of marina rents town had commissioned final 12 months, which really useful the hire will increase. The examine in contrast the slip rents at Metropolis Marina with these at upscale, vacation-style marinas that don’t hire to floating houses, and that supply facilities resembling swimming pools, non-public seashores, bars, eating places and shuttle providers. Metropolis Marina gives none of these.
“This metropolis is getting a repute of not caring for its workforce and turning into a metropolis of haves and have nots,” liveaboard resident Amanda Scott advised the commissioners. “We want a extra sensible plan. The proposed will increase of $14 to $49 extra per foot are unreasonable and outrageously surprising.”
Native nurse and enterprise proprietor Suzy Jo Moore begged the commissioners to “please defend one of many final inexpensive methods to proceed residing in Key West,” whereas one other speaker referenced a doc from a metropolis port division worker that stated inexpensive housing is town’s prime strategic precedence.
“Is it actually?” the speaker requested, emphasizing that the proposed will increase would eradicate the affordability of the liveaboard slips and displace dozens of native employees and retirees.
Commissioners spent practically two hours listening to just about two dozen such residents who stay on boats docked on the city-owned marina close to the nook of Palm Avenue and North Roosevelt Boulevard.
The liveboard residents on the docks which might be designated for floating houses and houseboats pay about $17 per foot, in response to the size of their vessel, in month-to-month slip hire, plus an upfront, nonrefundable charge of $5,000 to $16,000 to order the slip for a long-term lease. The identical charge have to be paid once more if a further individual, resembling a roommate, partner, father or mother or grownup youngster is added to the lease. Their hire additionally will increase yearly, usually about 3%, in response to the federal Client Value Index (CPI).
Ultimately, officers voted down the proposed slip hire will increase for the houseboat residents and agreed to keep up the established order, which is an annual hire adjustment in response to CPI.
The commissioners additionally voted to grandfather in a further 28 long-term liveaboard residents whose boats are docked at a unique pier from those designated for houseboats and floating houses. These 28 residents on the different docks will probably be shielded from proposed hire will increase, and can proceed paying their traditional month-to-month slip hire of $32 per boat foot. However the hire management solely applies to these present 28 residents. As soon as they depart, the slips they vacate will probably be topic to the proposed larger charges.
“The tenet right here must be that nobody will get compelled out,” stated Commissioner Sam Kaufman, whose district contains Metropolis Marina, and who has been working carefully with the liveaboard residents for greater than three years.
Commissioner Aaron Castillo agreed, saying, “We have to defend our folks and our employees. I made a promise to assist them.”
Kaufman rapidly supported a movement made by Commissioner Donie Lee that might approve the proposed hire will increase, however grandfather within the present 28 residents on the long-term, transient piers.
Commissioner Lee additionally had proposed a 20% hire enhance over two years for the houseboat piers, however that movement was voted down in favor of no will increase apart from annual CPI changes.
Town fee chambers erupted in aid and applause following the vote.
“We did it,” Miccio wrote in an e-mail to his fellow liveaboard residents after the assembly. “Zero hire will increase. All the pieces stays the identical for all liveaboard leases. We additionally received ‘grandfather; standing for transient long-term liveaboards. Their rents will stay the identical, and the Port Director was directed to arrange leases to mirror that, particulars to be labored out in collaboration with the Key West Liveaboard Affiliation. It’s going to stay at our regular annual CPI hire will increase for all.
“We achieved collectively what most feared can be unattainable. EVERYONE in our marina got here collectively in an incredible present of assist for each other …. With out this particular unity we couldn’t have completed this lengthy and hard-fought objective.
“We thank our honorable mayor and metropolis commissioners who again and again postponed the questionable proposals over these final two years till they gathered the knowledge vital that allowed them to make knowledgeable and compassionate choices final night time on behalf of the residents of this glorious metropolis all of us love.
“Kudos to our district commissioner Sam Kaufman, who delivered by introducing his decision to maintain our charges the identical, and bringing it residence by rallying the votes. And to Commissioner Donie Lee for proposing his profitable decision that grandfathered hire charges for our long-term transient dock liveaboards.”