Jacksonville Rental Registry Launched for Tenant Protection

The City of Jacksonville and Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA) launched a new online tool Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, to help renters research potential housing. The website, jaxstablehousing.org, serves as a rental registry for Duval County, allowing residents to check properties for existing code enforcement violations and past eviction records.

The initiative aims to bring transparency to the rental market. "We can’t make landlords register for anything in Florida, but we can help bring some transparency to the rental process by helping you learn more about where you are renting, or in particular, where you want to rent," said Jim Kowalski, CEO and President of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid.

JALA obtained the data for the registry through a public records request and will operate the website. The tool is designed to assist renters, especially military families new to Jacksonville.

Tiajuana Bell-Williams, a resident, believes the registry would have benefited her when she moved to the city. "From a renter’s perspective, I think it’s good, especially relocating to a city that you don’t know, with all the military people we have coming. They need a resource that they can actually trust even if it’s temporary," she said.

City officials hope the registry empowers renters by providing information on property conditions. "If they are about to rent from there, and they see that there’s a code violation, now it gives them the tools they need to say, maybe I don’t want to rent in this property," stated Councilman Jimmy Peluso (District 7).

Residents can access the rental registry online at jaxstablehousing.org.