Speakers say Florida preemption limits local power over landlords; call for legislative change

Council member Jimmy Peluso and others repeatedly said state law preempts local governments from forcing landlords to register at the city level, framing the registry as a transparency workaround rather than a regulatory mandate. "Part of the answer to that is the state of Florida preempts us from doing a lot," Peluso said.

Jose Javier Rodriguez and other panelists urged lawmakers in Tallahassee to reconsider preemption and expand tenant protections, with Rodriguez saying an aggressive attorney general could use civil tools such as antitrust or consumer‑protection actions against bad actors if empowered to do so. Panelists stopped short of announcing any pending state legislative change and emphasized that the registry is a local, informational tool rather than a statutory remedy.