On April 30, 2021, St. Petersburg City Council member Robert G. Blackmon purchased a 10-unit rental property at 330 45th Ave. S, known as the Paradise Apartments. Notices of non-renewal were issued to two tenants just 12 days later on May 11, giving them less than three weeks to vacate their homes. Another tenant was served a three-day notice for non-payment of rent. According to several residents, another tenant of 17 years was given just two weeks to move under Councilmember Blackmon’s management, and voluntarily complied. The eviction complaints for the other three residents were officially filed in Pinellas court on June 14.

Members of the St. Petersburg Tenants’ Union arrived at the location on June 20 to conduct an investigation. Through our observations and conversations with tenants, organizers were made aware of several critical maintenance failures involving the building's plumbing, electrical systems, and appliances. Organizers returned two days later with a letter demanding that these maintenance issues be rectified and that all evictions be voluntarily dismissed by Councilmember Blackmon. Organizers observed maintenance workers scrambling to make repairs, and residents informed us that the property manager, Carolee Blackmon, was aware of the activists’ presence and was "very unhappy". 

While the Blackmon’s did dismiss the evictions because of pressure from the St. Petersburg Tenants’ Union, they can bring them back at any point. The three tenants want to have housing security, and want to be on long term leases. Sign our petition to demand that he offer to put all residents of Paradise Apartments on at least a year long lease. Robert Blackmon is a direct participant in gentrification. Buying properties, renovating them, and then kicking the tenants out. Don’t take it from us, take it from his own Facebook post. Demand he stop this violent practice and protect vulnerable tenants!