‘David and Goliath situation’: Charlotte tenants worry about rent increases

CHARLOTTE — Angela Parker isn’t one to sit still. She’s a former pageant winner and judge. And, these days, she works her magic, making wreaths for every season. But there’s one time of year she holds her breath: Lease renewal time.

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“I know that this is a David and Goliath situation when you’re going up against rent increases,” Parker told Action 9 attorney Jason Stoogenke.

She says she moved in -- in 2021 -- and that she’s paying about $230 more each month. Another renter in her complex says his rent went up more than $400 per month over the last seven years.

“It is a struggle. You have to look at that amount and that increase and say, ‘OK. What am I going to have to do to make this?’ I can do it, but I may have to sacrifice here or there. And that’s life sometimes. I get that.” Parker said. “It kind of makes your heart pound when you first see that lease renewal notice.

She points out moving isn’t easier either.

According to Zillow, apartment rents have generally been going up across the country and the national average is higher than Charlotte’s. Rent in the Charlotte area has been going down over the last few years. But they’re still almost $300 -- 21% -- higher than 2019.

Parker doesn’t want to name her complex or make them look bad. But she says they emailed her they didn’t raise rates “lightly or in isolation.” They say they face their own “rising costs, including property taxes, insurance, utilities, labor, and the maintenance and long-term care of the buildings themselves—such as roofing, exterior painting, window replacements, landscaping, and infrastructure repairs. These are necessary investments to keep communities maintained, well-cared-for, and livable for the long term.”

Parker hopes this sparks conversation across the Charlotte region.

“I was just hoping to be a small voice in a small community who could maybe have a small impact that could be like a rock in a pond and just have a ripple effect,” she said.

Bottom line:

Landlords can raise the rent as much as they want when a lease is up.
In fact, if your city or county wants to put a cap on that, they can’t. North Carolina law actually forbids rent control.
Options: Short-term: Try to negotiate with your landlord. They don’t have to say yes. But I have seen it work. There may be strings attached. Long-term: You can pressure state lawmakers to change the law.

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