ORLANDO, Fla. — Gov. DeSantis extended the moratorium on evictions and foreclosures in Florida on Thursday.
What You Need To Know
- Moratorium on evictions and foreclosures in Florida ends June 2
- Many people have not received any unemployment benefits yet
- FAMU expert: If you're facing imminent eviction, you have options
- COMPLETE COVERAGE: Spectrum News | CDC | Florida Department of Health
The moratorium was extended to June 2.
In March, James Simon lost his restaurant job. He says he's still waiting for unemployment benefits.
"It’s very hard and very frustrating," Simon said, referring to the date the order expires. "I’m already behind on April rent. This was May. And yesterday was Mother’s Day, and I couldn’t even get my Mom anything. This is really hard.”
But there are options. Florida A&M University's College of Law Legal Clinic is working with residents facing foreclosures and evictions.
"Just because the moratorium is lifted doesn’t mean a landlord can remove a family or personal belongings. They do have to follow some legal steps to do that,” FAMU instructor Eunice Caussade Garcia said.
She also recommends:
- Speaking with your landlord or bank about payment options
- Contacting your local bar association or legal aid clinic
- Reaching out to nonprofit groups such as the United Way
In Orange County, officials are looking to use funding from Social Services and Community Needs to help with rental and mortgage assistance.
“This is a complex issue. You have to balance out the rights of property owners in many cases who have mortgage payments themselves,” Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said.
Simon says his employer might reopen in several weeks, and he's still holding out for unemployment benefits to come in the next few days.
As Spectrum News has previously reported, some state lawmakers are asking DeSantis to extend his moratorium. We've been reaching out to his office for more than a week but have not heard back.
For a comprehensive list of legal aid options in your area, head to this link on the Florida Courts website.
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