Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Ends State Moratorium On Evictions & Foreclosures
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On Wednesday evening, September 30, 2020, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he would be allowing the state moratorium on evictions and foreclosures to expire at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. The state moratorium was allowed to expire in order to avoid confusion over whether the CDC’s evictions order should apply in a certain situation. (The CDC enacted a nationwide order that provides federal eviction relief to those who submitted a valid declaration to their landlord about their rent. The CDC’s order expires Dec. 31 unless it’s extended.)
In the video “Gov. Ron DeSantis’ halt on evictions for Florida tenants will expire“, below:
In the video “Gov. DeSantis’ halt on evictions for Florida tenants will expire“, below:
In the video “Gov. Ron DeSantis’ halt on evictions for Florida tenants will expire“, below:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the governor had ordered a stop to evictions and foreclosures for tenants and homeowners who could convince courts they were delinquent in their payments because of wage loss, job loss, or household illness directly due to COVID. But once Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he would be allowing the state moratorium on evictions and foreclosures to expire at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, some single family homeowners may be left without protections against foreclosure proceedings. For the first time, Florida will be left without its own statewide protections against evictions and foreclosures during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a news release, DeSantis’ office cited the federal order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that freezes some evictions . In order for that order to apply, tenants must submit a specific declaration form to their landlords, saying that they have experienced a “substantial loss of household income” and have made best efforts to seek government assistance. The CDC moratorium, covering people suffering income loss due to COVID, will last through the end of the year. They must have tried their best efforts to make partial payments; sought government assistance; or faced homelessness or unsafe shared housing if not for the protection.
There is a group that might be left unprotected without the state’s order are single-family homeowners without federally backed mortgages. The Urban Institute has estimated that about 70% homeowners have a federally backed mortgage.
Legal director for the Florida Housing Coalition ( a nonprofit that advocates for affordable housing), Kody Glazer, said, “Not extending the Florida order would not only potentially harm owners of single-family homes without a federally backed mortgage, but any renters that rent out those single-family units.”
According to Tampa Bay Times (in italics): Texas supreme court is requiring that any tenant who is facing eviction be notified about the Centers for Disease Control’s eviction order and be given a copy of the declaration form. Florida has not instituted a similar mandate.
Some Democratic lawmakers and housing advocates have been pushing for DeSantis to extend the statewide moratorium through the end of the year. Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s order is being challenged in federal court , this is another reason why advocates for affordable housing wanted the state to provide a buffer. However, the director of litigation for the National Housing Law Project, Eric Dunn, has cautioned that the chance of that lawsuit to succeed is not high based on similar challenges to state orders.
Below, are links that will hopefully be of use to some of our readers during this difficult time:
- For jobs and business opportunities: http://www.WindermereSun.com/jobs
- Orange County Government Services Helping Local Neighborhoods: https://www.windermeresun.com/2020/08/31/orange-county-government-services-helping-local-neighborhoods/
- Be sure to check the Eviction Diversion Program at: https://www.ocfl.net/EconomicDevelopment/OrangeCARES/COVID19EvictionDiversionProgram.aspx#.X3WfHJNKiqB
- Be sure to check the Economic Recovery Task Force: https://www.ocfl.net/EconomicDevelopment/EconomicRecoveryTaskForce.aspx#.X3WfV5NKiqB
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida: https://www.windermeresun.com/2016/11/25/healthy-pantries-in-west-orange-of-second-harvest-food-bank-heavenly-sent/ , https://www.windermeresun.com/2017/07/21/florida-hospital-second-harvest-food-bank-partnership/
- Keep New Beginnings of Central Florida in mind if you need food or shelter: https://www.nbcfl.org/about/
- Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Housing) unveils the statewide online affordable rental housing locator: FloridaHousingSearch.org
- You may help New Beginnings in stocking up food: https://www.nbcfl.org/grocery/?gclid=CjwKCAjw_NX7BRA1EiwA2dpg0lwo7VWBAzndXJHOq03L9U71PsOWFOxPIIdqZ2AcD42dWDW-zx59AhoCIpAQAvD_BwE
Please feel free to email me at: info.WindermereSun@gmail.com if you have additional information or link(s) that may be of service to other Central Floridians.
Gathered, written, and posted by Windermere Sun-Susan Sun Nunamaker More about the community at www.WindermereSun.com
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