The Florida Attorney General's Office is hauling the former owner of the Howard Johnson on International Drive into court, accusing the company of stonewalling over records tied to steep room rate hikes during Hurricane Milton that allegedly left some guests with nowhere safe to sleep. The petition, filed this week in Orange County circuit court, names Rore Orlando I Drive LLC and notes that the property at 5858 International Drive is still condemned and closed. Dozens of families who had been living at the extended-stay motel were displaced after the city ordered an evacuation last summer.
AG seeks records after consumer complaints
The Office of the Attorney General filed a petition in the Ninth Judicial Circuit asking a judge to force Rore Orlando I Drive LLC to comply with an investigative subpoena served on Jan. 15, according to the court filing Office of the Attorney General. The petition, which was e-filed yesterday, says the investigation began after the office received multiple complaints alleging drastic and sudden price increases during the state of emergency declared for Hurricane Milton. The filing asks the court to order compliance within five days and to award attorney fees and a civil penalty if the company continues to refuse to turn over records.
Allegations: rates doubled during the storm
The petition claims nightly rates jumped from about $50 to $70, up to $120 to $123, and that weekly rates climbed from roughly $450 to $900. It quotes a complainant who said guests were forced to sleep in cars because the hikes were unaffordable, according to the filing of the Office of the Attorney General. The document also notes that staff told customers the price changes came from management directives. With Gov. Ron DeSantis having declared a state of emergency ahead of Milton on Oct. 5, 2024, the petition argues those spikes could violate Florida's emergency price-gouging rules for dwelling units.
Hotel condemned and tenants displaced
City code enforcement and fire officials condemned the Howard Johnson at 5858 International Drive in August 2025 after inspectors found a non-working sprinkler system and other life-safety hazards, which forced dozens of low-income residents to leave, according to local reporting by WFTV. Community groups and city agencies scrambled to find temporary housing for the displaced families, and tenants described ongoing rodent, water, and power problems at the property. Hoodline previously covered the evacuation in August 2025 in earlier coverage of the evacuation.
Ownership records show a late-year transfer
Property records reported by News 6 show the hotel was sold to Ahrl 25 Core LLC, with the transfer taking effect Dec. 30, 2025, according to local property data cited by ClickOrlando. The AG's petition, however, zeroes in on Rore Orlando I Drive LLC, the operator during Hurricane Milton, and says Rore “has failed to produce the requested records” and had not responded to the subpoena as of March 5. The filing asks for a $5,000 civil penalty and attorney’s fees if the court orders compliance and the company still refuses to cooperate.
What the law allows
Florida law bars renting dwelling units at unconscionable prices in areas covered by a governor-declared state of emergency, and a gross disparity compared with the 30-day pre-emergency average is treated as prima facie evidence, according to Florida Statutes, Chapter 501. That statute gives the Attorney General authority to investigate and issue subpoenas under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The petition leans on those provisions as the basis for compelling records and pursuing penalties if violations are ultimately proven.
What happens next
A judge in Orange County will decide whether to enforce the subpoena and order Rore to turn over records. If the court grants the motion, the Attorney General could then seek fines or other enforcement. News 6 first reported that the filing had been made and noted that Rore had not produced the requested documents as of March 5, according to ClickOrlando. We will monitor the docket and update this report as the case moves forward.
