In a city where luxury homes command millions, a rare haven of affordability for many St. Petersburg residents was the Greenland Apartments, offering one-bedroom units for a few hundred dollars a month. This sanctuary of accessible housing is now under threat. Tenants at the complex, located in the 100 block of Seventh Avenue N, report that under new ownership, their rents are poised for a dramatic increase, nearly doubling what they have paid for years.
Previously, a one-bedroom apartment at Greenland Apartments typically rented for around $700 per month. However, residents have been informed that this rate will significantly change in January. The impending sharp rent hike has created immense pressure, forcing some long-term tenants to seek new housing and compelling others to urgently find ways to afford the steep increase.
The visible signs of change are already evident. More than a dozen units within the complex appear vacant, with a noticeable lack of activity suggesting a wave of departures. Tenant advocates point to the situation at Greenland Apartments as a stark illustration of a wider housing crisis unfolding across St. Petersburg, particularly impacting desirable areas like the Old Northeast and Uptown neighborhoods.
The Trend of Rent Gouging and Its Impact on Essential Workers
William Kilgore, a lifelong Pinellas County resident and co-founder of the St. Petersburg Tenants Union, asserts that such drastic rent hikes are a clear case of price gouging. “Really what it is, is price gauging. These landlords do it because they can,” Kilgore stated. He has resided in St. Petersburg for 12 years and, like many others, transitioned to gig work delivering food via mobile apps during the pandemic after his previous restaurant job evaporated. Kilgore shared a personal connection to Greenland Apartments, having delivered food to its residents for years.
Kilgore emphasized that older apartment complexes like Greenland often represent the sole viable housing option for service industry workers striving to make ends meet. These are the individuals who are indispensable to the city’s daily operations.
“The folks who are busing your tables, who are washing your dishes, who are waiting your tables, who are working the checkout line. Folks who are cleaning the hotels, working long hours doing that sort of things. These are jobs with very little pay that are a lot of work, and the city couldn’t function without these people,” Kilgore explained, highlighting the vital role these workers play.
A Shifting Landscape for Artists and Creatives
The significant rent increase at Greenland Apartments directly follows the property’s sale by its previous owners to Urban Core, a larger real estate company. Kilgore noted that the complex has also historically been a home for artists and creative individuals who contribute significantly to St. Petersburg’s vibrant cultural identity.
“St. Pete is an art city. A lot of these folks are artists, the folks who you see down at the Pier, who you see playing music or trying to hawk their art. Those are the types of folks who live in places like this,” Kilgore commented. The displacement of these residents raises concerns about the potential erosion of the city’s artistic character.
The current average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in St. Petersburg, according to Zillow data, hovers around $1,500. While this figure is approximately $100 less than at the same time last year, many residents argue that it remains prohibitively expensive for individuals earning wages typical in the service industry. The gap between average rents and what essential workers can afford continues to widen.
Kilgore also pointed out the persistent issues with the quality of housing in many of these more affordable complexes. “You still have problems with the quality of many of these places. The landlords cut corners at every single turn. That’s because the landlord is essentially the dictator of the property,” he observed. This suggests a pattern of landlords prioritizing profit over tenant well-being and property maintenance.
Neighbors residing near Greenland Apartments, who preferred to remain anonymous and did not wish to be filmed, conveyed their distress over the rapid rent escalations impacting long-term residents. They indicated that the Greenland Apartments had not presented any issues in the past.
Urban Core, the new owner of the Greenland Apartments property, has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the rent increases and their impact on tenants.
Seeking Support and Community Action
For tenants facing similar housing affordability challenges in St. Petersburg, or those residing at Greenland Apartments and seeking assistance, the St. Petersburg Tenants Union is offering a resource. Their next monthly meeting is scheduled for January 6th at 7:00 PM. The meeting will be held at Allendale United Methodist Church, located at 3803 Haines Rd N, St. Petersburg, FL 33703. This gathering provides an opportunity for tenants to connect, share experiences, and strategize on how to address the growing housing crisis in the city.
