Parramore residents say rents have increased in affordable housing complex while developers benefit

ORLANDO, Fla. — The city of Orlando celebrated the next phase of an affordable housing complex in Parramore.

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However, people already living at Parramore Oaks said it’s all a front.

They told Channel 9 that they moved in for affordability but said their rent has been raised.

One neighbor confronts the city and developers during their phase two celebration.

“Have you ever ridden a roller coaster,” Retha Mouzon said. “That’s what it’s like.”

Read: Protesters interrupt tour of new affordable housing development in Parramore

Channel 9 first reported on Parramore Oaks in 2017, when the city announced its 120 affordable housing units created by Invictus Development.

“When I moved in, it started off like at $573 (a month),” said Mildred Teamer, one of the first residents to move in.

Excited community members like Retha Mouzon, Mildred Teamer, and Cocoa King moved in. They showed me their initial agreements.

“And it was affordable,” Cocoa King said.

All of them said their incomes have not changed, but rent continues to increase. They said they are struggling to make ends meet.

“I don’t see where they’re saying it’s going to be affordable housing,” Teamer said. “When it’s not proved there that they are affordable housing, they’re using the word that’s all it is, using the word.”

Read: Urban farm serving Orlando’s Parramore community forced to close

On Thursday morning, while Commissioner Regina Hill, Mayor Buddy Dyer and the developers were back at the complex to celebrate phase two of the affordable housing units to be added at Parramore Oaks, King accused them of misleading the community.

“These new affordable housing units help strengthen our commitment,” a representative from Invictus Development said during the press conference.

Channel 9 asked Commissioner Regina Hill about the residents’ accusations that the complex was only affordable for a year. She acknowledged the prices have gone up.

“The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development regulates the percentages that they can go up,” Hill said.

Hill said that compared to Central Florida, the prices are affordable and that increases are impacted by the median income of the region and not the people living there.

Read: This local ZIP code among fastest growing in nation for new apartments

“I still understand that it might be unaffordable (for her),” she said. “But there’s nothing that the city nor really, we can do about that.”

Teamer said she’s cut back on everything she can risk.

“I can’t cancel life insurance to pay rent,” Teamer said. “(If) one of us go well, we got to be on the street begging for money to bury one another.”

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