I used to rent a home in Seymour, IN for years. Always paid on time, even paid rent a year in advance. One day, without any notice, the landlord sold the house to a rich buyer. The new owner immediately raised the rent by $200 a month. When I refused to pay the increased amounyt, I was kicked out, ending an eight-year stay in a place I called home.

Seymour has experienced a significant surge in rental prices since the onset of COVID-19, making it increasingly difficult for residents to afford housing. Many families, like mine, find themselves priced out of the market. There’s a perception that this increase is linked to changing demographics, but irrespective of the causes, the reality is that lifelong residents are being forced out of their homes.

Renters in Seymour face a bleak housing landscape. We are calling on local government officials to intervene by implementing a cap on rent. Before COVID-19, rent prices were manageable for many families, and there is an urgent need to return to those levels. Implementing rent control could stabilize the housing market and ensure that everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, has a fair shot at living in our community.

Rent control is not an outlandish request. Various cities across the nation have found success in enacting such measures, providing tenants with much-needed financial security and stability. Rent caps prevent unjust and rapid rent increases, which can have disastrous effects on families and the community as a whole.

We ask for your support to help make housing affordable again in Seymour, IN. Sign this petition to demand our local government to put a cap on rent, protect our community, and keep families together.