Gov. Ron DeSantis extended the temporary suspension of evictions and mortgage foreclosures in Florida to 12:01 a.m. July 1.
The governor extended the emergency order May 31. DeSantis issued the first suspension order April 2 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an interview with the Jacksonville Daily Record published May 21, Mary DeVries, managing attorney at Clay County Legal Aid, a branch of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, said people who can’t pay rent or their mortgage payment because they lost their job or part of their income because of the pandemic should communicate with their landlord or lender to work out a payment plan for when they return to work.
“Granted, landlords want their rent, but if income loss is temporary, they may be willing to work with the tenant,” DeVries said.
A sample letter requesting temporary rent reduction is available at jaxlegalaid.org and JALA can help tenants if they are served eviction papers after the suspensions expire and cannot afford to hire an attorney, DeVries said.
Visit the website or call (904) 356-8371 for more information.
Florida’s unemployment rate jumped from 4.3% in March to 11.2% in April, according to data released May 22 by the state.