ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — In a neighborhood where homes sell for millions of dollars, renting a one-bedroom apartment for a few hundred dollars had become a rarity — and a lifeline — for many residents of St. Petersburg. That affordability is now disappearing at the Greenland Apartments in the 100 block of Seventh Avenue N, where tenants said rents are nearly doubling under new ownership.
For years, the complex charged about $700 a month for a one-bedroom apartment. Tenants said that will change in January, when rents are set to increase sharply, prompting some residents to move out and others to scramble to find a way to pay.
More than a dozen units sit on the property, many already appearing vacant, with little activity coming in or out. Tenant advocates say the situation reflects a broader trend playing out across St. Petersburg, especially in the Old Northeast and Uptown neighborhoods…