Just Cause Eviction: Safety Harbor vs St. Petersburg
How do just cause eviction rules compare between Safety Harbor, FL and St. Petersburg, FL?
Safety Harbor and St. Petersburg have similar restriction levels.
Safety Harbor, FL
Pinellas County
Safety Harbor has no just-cause eviction ordinance. Landlords follow Florida Statute Chapter 83 procedures, but Statute 83.64 still bars retaliatory eviction when tenants exercise rights or report code violations to authorities.
View full Safety Harbor rules →St. Petersburg, FL
Pinellas County
St. Petersburg does not have a just-cause eviction ordinance. Evictions are governed by the Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Fla. Stat. Ch. 83, Part II). The 2023 Live Local Act (HB 1417, codified at Fla. Stat. Sec. 166.0444) preempted local tenant-protection ordinances exceeding state law. The city encourages safe housing and protects against retaliatory rent hikes for habitability complaints under state law. Non-payment notice is 3 days (Sec. 83.56); month-to-month termination requires 30 days (Sec. 83.57).
View full St. Petersburg rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Safety Harbor | St. Petersburg |
|---|---|---|
| Just cause required | No, follows state law | - |
| Nonpayment notice | Three days written | - |
| Lease violation notice | Seven days written | - |
| Month-to-month notice | 30 days written | - |
| Retaliation protected | Florida Statute 83.64 | - |
| Just Cause | - | No local just-cause eviction law |
| State Preemption | - | Fla. Stat. Sec. 166.0444 (Live Local Act) |
| Non-Payment Notice | - | 3-day written notice (Sec. 83.56) |
| Month-to-Month Notice | - | 30 days (Sec. 83.57) |
| Retaliation | - | Prohibited under Sec. 83.64 |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Safety Harbor FAQ
Does Safety Harbor require a reason to evict a tenant?
No. Florida law allows landlords to end month-to-month tenancies with 30 days notice or refuse lease renewal without stating cause, as long as the action is not retaliatory or discriminatory.
What protects tenants from retaliation?
Florida Statute 83.64 makes it unlawful for a landlord to evict, raise rent, or cut services because a tenant complained to code enforcement, joined a tenants group, or exercised similar protected rights.
St. Petersburg FAQ
Does St. Petersburg require a reason for eviction?
No. St. Petersburg has no just-cause eviction ordinance. At lease end, a landlord may decline to renew without stating a reason.
What eviction protections do St. Petersburg renters have?
State law protects against self-help evictions (Sec. 83.67), retaliation (Sec. 83.64), and habitability violations. Eviction must proceed through Pinellas County Court.
Compare other topics
See how Safety Harbor and St. Petersburg compare on other ordinance categories.
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