CAPE CORAL, Fla. — A new housing proposal from President Trump is generating debate across the country, including here in Southwest Florida.
Senior reporter Emily Young speaks with a family renting a property about how this might affect them:
President Trump is pushing congress to draft legislation that would limit large investment companies from buying significant numbers of single-family homes.
He says the move is designed to level the playing field in the housing market and give renters a better opportunity to become homeowners.
In recent years, institutional investors have become major players in residential real estate, purchasing large numbers of homes and converting them into rentals.
Supporters of Trump’s proposal argue that these companies often out-compete individual buyers with cash offers, driving up prices and limiting inventory for families looking to purchase their first home.
By restricting how many homes large investors can buy, they believe more properties could become available to everyday Americans who want to own rather than rent.
However, some renters in Southwest Florida say the proposal could have unintended consequences.
Many families in this region rent single-family homes, often through large national companies, because it is their best or only housing option.
For some, these companies provide structured leases, standardized maintenance services, and customer support that smaller, individual landlords may not always be able to guarantee.
Jessica Heuerman and her family are among those concerned. After losing their home in a fire, they say renting through Main Street Renewal allowed them to quickly regain stability.
The home they rent is close to work, school activities, and the community they have grown attached to. Heuerman says that if the company were forced to sell off properties and their home went on the market, it would be devastating.
She worries about the possibility of having their lease disrupted in a neighborhood where homes rarely go up for sale and affordable options are limited.
Housing experts caution that if large companies are pushed out of the single-family market too quickly, there could be fewer rental homes available in the short term.
That could lead to leases not being renewed and increased competition for remaining rental properties.
In tight housing markets like Southwest Florida, that competition could place additional pressure on families who are not yet financially ready to buy.
At the same time, supporters of the proposal maintain that expanding access to homeownership is the ultimate goal.
They argue that reducing investor dominance could create more purchasing opportunities for first-time buyers and help stabilize prices over time.
Trump is expected to clarify in the coming days what would qualify as a “large investor” under the proposed legislation, a key detail that could determine how broadly the policy would affect communities like those in Southwest Florida.
