The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.

Lake Worth Beach is working to provide some rental relief as the cost of housing continues to rise across the area.

On Tuesday night, the city commission voted to continue looking at extending the notice landlords of commercial properties have to provide before raising the rent.

Palm Beach County mayor: No rent cap to be imposed by county

Tuesday's ordinance reading came after the commission last month approved an ordinance that was the first of its kind in Palm Beach County, requiring landlords of residential properties to provide 60 days' notice for rent increases of 5% or more.

The new ordinance will require the same steps for landlords of commercial buildings. However, the commission moved to increase the notice for rental increases for commercial buildings to 180 days, as opposed to 60 days (the required notice for renters of residential properties).

"We certainly are aware and concerned and looking for solutions,” said Vice Mayor Christopher McVoy, District 2 commissioner for Lake Worth Beach.

Upcoming Special Session: Democratic state lawmakers urging Gov. DeSantis to address rent relief

McVoy said city offices have been inundated with calls from people unable to afford their rent, which spurred the commission to act, passing last month’s ordinance requiring landlords to give 60 days' notice to anyone with rent increases of at least 5%.

"We are aware that this is putting a big pinch, a serious pinch on a lot of people and we definitely are interested in trying to be as helpful as we can,” McVoy said.

The new ordinance would do the same thing for landlords of non-residential properties, which currently only have to provide a 15-day notice for month-to-month renters for price increases.

"It seemed reasonable to extend the benefit that we were trying to provide residentials, also to do that to commercial leases, just to give a little more stability,” McVoy said.

Follow us on social: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The final vote on the ordinance is set for May 17.

Boynton Beach: Complex rallies against rent hikes after some expected to increase by up to 50%

Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.