Gulfport Referendum #1 Limiting Leases of City-Owned Property to Five Years
Ballot Language:The City Charter currently allows leases of City owned real property for a maximum of thirty (30) years. Shall the City Charter be amended to reduce the time period for all leases of real property owned by the City of Gulfport to a maximum of five (5) years? Synopsis:In May 2025, the City Council appointed members to the Charter Review Committee to perform a full review of the City Charter for updates and/or changes.The current language in the City Charter states “No lease of real property shall exceed a period of thirty (30) years.” This referendum would limit these leases to a maximum of five (5) years.The goal of this proposed charter amendment is to give the city more control by preventing long-term deals which limit the opportunity to review and renegotiate terms, ensuring better alignment with the needs of the city and community.This referendum is related to Referendum #2 which requires leases to be a Fair Market Value. Paired with the fair market value requirement, these referendums aim to reduce the undervaluation of public assets over long periods.Yes - For the MeasureChange the maximum term of a City-owned real property lease from 30 years to 5 years.No - Against the MeasureLeave the maximum term of a City-owned real property lease at 30 years.
