In Doral, Florida, the rental market is experiencing a downturn as vacancy rates rise and rents reach their lowest point in three years. The city’s vacancy rate has climbed to 6.5 percent, with some buildings reporting vacancies of 10 percent or more.
Doral’s population includes a significant number of Venezuelan immigrants; about 40 percent of its 80,000 residents were either born in Venezuela or have Venezuelan heritage. Many of these families are leaving the area due to uncertainty over immigration policies under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The Trump administration has moved to revoke temporary legal statuses such as humanitarian parole and Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which had been expanded during the Biden administration. These actions have left more than one million people uncertain about their future in the United States.
Maria Eugenia Nucete, a Venezuelan-American broker who has worked in Doral for decades, described how her clients are responding: “They’re all telling me, ‘No, I can’t stay, my [temporary status] is expiring.” She recounted losing a client who relocated to Italy earlier this year.
Doral Mayor Christi Fraga also noted the trend: “I do personally know of some families that have self-deported. Their status was unsure and they didn’t want to be here illegally,” she said. “I’m sure it will affect the housing market to a certain extent.”
Many departing residents are moving to Spain or Italy or returning to Venezuela. Gabriela Hernandez, a 26-year-old Venezuelan resident of nearly ten years in the U.S., shared her experience: “All of our plans here have collapsed.” She plans to move to Spain after her boyfriend left Doral due to concerns over his protected status.
The shifting tenant base poses new challenges for landlords in Doral. Some property owners now seek information on immigration status before renting out units and may reject applicants with only temporary legal protections. Legal experts warn that such practices could violate federal law.
“It could be viewed as a race-discrimination case or it could be viewed as a case involving allegations of discrimination based upon national origin,” said Courtney Cunningham, an attorney based in Miami.
Despite current difficulties in the rental market, Doral has attracted significant investment recently. In January, local officials approved plans by the Trump Organization for up to 1,500 luxury condominiums at Trump National Doral Miami.
