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Mayoral candidate and current St. Petersburg City Council member Robert Blackmon is facing criticism after filing a series of eviction lawsuits following his acquisition of Paradise Apartments, a 10-unit complex in South St. Pete.
The cases, which have since been dismissed, target residents who have lived at the property for years, some only slightly behind on rent, and one tenant who faced eviction just days after his son was murdered.
The eviction cases raise bigger questions among tenants and community activists about gentrification and affordable housing in the city — a platform Blackmon has advocated for in his own mayoral campaign.
– Kelly Hayes, Florida Politics