Florida

NLIHC has estimated a need for no less than $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and broke down the need and cost for each state (download Excel spreadsheet). 

In response to COVID-19 and its economic fallout, many cities and states are creating or expanding rental assistance programs to support individuals and families impacted by the pandemic, and NLIHC is tracking in-depth information on these programs.  

You can use the interactive map and searchable database to find state and local emergency rental assistance programs near you. You can also see the latest news on rental assistance programs through the state-by-state news tracker. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of all rental assistance programs as we continue to update frequently. If you are aware of a program not included in our database, please contact [email protected]. 

COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs
 

Across the country, homeless service providers are struggling to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to follow public health guidelines and help ensure people’s safety, some shelters are being forced to reduce services, restrict admittance, or close entirely. The loss of these critical resources puts people experiencing homelessness at even higher risk of illness. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of shelter closings.

Below is a list of shelters that have had to majorly alter services or completely close:

Waterfront Rescue Mission in Pensacola, which has an overnight shelter for men, has limited the number of people. Nearby, Opening Doors Northwest Florida, which provides services and counseling to people experiencing homelessness, closed in late March.

Bethany House, a small shelter for women and children, closed on March 25 as a result of declining staff and a lack of supplies.

Spectrum News reports that more than a year after receiving nearly $16 million in federal emergency rental assistance (ERA) funds, Orange County has yet to distribute any of the aid. As of March 31, five of Central Florida’s eight ERA programs had fallen short of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s (Treasury) 20% spending threshold, putting their funds at risk of reallocation. Per an April 28 internal memo, Orange County had yet to complete its plan for distributing ERA2 to residents, meaning it stood to lose $23 million in funds. According to the University of Florida’s Shimberg Center for Housing Studies, evictions in Orange County have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels by nearly 10%.

The Pinellas County emergency rental assistance (ERA) program distributed over $48 million and assisted over 5,400 households since it was launched in March 2021. The county stopped accepting new applications on May 26. While the county has $4.4 million in federal ERA remaining, it is still processing about 2,000 applications and anticipates exhausting its funding before processing is complete.

The Sarasota County Emergency Rental Assistance Program has distributed more than $11 million in rent and utility assistance over the last year. The program has assisted 900 households with a total of 8,400 months of rent and 3,500 months of utility payments. In an ongoing survey given to funded ERAP applicants, over 90% of respondents said receiving Sarasota County ERAP funding prevented an eviction or loss of their home and 85% of respondents said that receiving rental assistance allowed them to pay other critical bills.

Updated on June 14, 2022

The Florida Department of Children and Families announced on May 10 that it would stop accepting applications for the OUR Florida program on May 12. The program has distributed over $1.3 billion in rent and utility assistance to more than 228,000 families.

The Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County is partnering with St. Lucie County to offer eviction prevention and diversion programs, including legal aid and other services to historically underserved communities in Southeast Florida.

Volusia County reopened its Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program using funds from a previous federal grant. Households who are receiving or have received assistance through the OUR Florida program are not eligible to receive aid through the county’s ERA program.

The St. Petersburg City Council is considering how to increase the availability of legal representation for tenants facing eviction.

Updated May 23, 2022

Thousands of renters in South Florida face eviction as property owners seek to sell while the housing market is hot. One renter who applied for and received rental assistance from Our Florida was evicted after his landlord sold the property but kept the rental assistance funds. The new landlord then provided the tenant a 3-day eviction notice.

Updated on January 28, 2022

Spectrum News 13 reports on the issues many people are having with OUR Florida, the state’s emergency rental assistance (ERA) program. Florida’s “pay to play” eviction law allows cases to move quickly, resulting in some residents being evicted before their aid arrives. A tenant evicted by her landlord learned that OUR Florida paid out her former landlord a month after she lost her eviction case.

Updated on December 20, 2021

Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) has not confirmed whether it submitted the program improvement plan required by the Treasury Department for the state to keep its $660 million in unused funds. Florida Politics reports the most recent Treasury data show that, as of September 30, Florida’s DCF-run program had expended only 24% of the funds, or a little more than $200 million, to households. “People will need help to get on their feet and stabilize. We need to make sure they get it and get on their feet as quickly and as equitably as possible,” said NLIHC’s End Rental Arrears to Stop Evictions (ERASE) Senior Project Director Sarah Gallagher.

ABC Action News posted the program improvement plan the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) was required to submit to the Treasury Department. As of November 15, Florida’s rent relief program had paid out 42% of the total funds allocated by Treasury.

Updated on December 13, 2021

Despite being approved for $4,900 in rent relief through Our Florida, a Florida man was evicted when his landlord refused to accept the assistance. 

Updated on November 22, 2021

WFLA reports on the most recent emergency rental assistance (ERA) program data, which show that ERA1 and ERA2 programs in Florida have ramped up distribution since July, but some Tampa Bay communities have slowed down their payments. Fewer households have been assisted by some of the programs administered by Tampa Bay municipalities. 

Updated on October 19, 2021

Since the CDC eviction moratorium ended, evictions in southwest Florida have been on the rise. Data indicate evictions are occurring at a higher rate in the region than they were last year. Charlotte County data show evictions have been steadily increasing over the past three months, and data from Lee County indicate a 30% increase in evictions from last year.

Updated on October 13, 2021

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate the federal eviction moratorium, Florida Legal Rural Services has seen an uptick in evictions, new clients seeking assistance, and clients whose judgment was put on hold but now may be litigated in the coming months. The organization expects evictions to increase significantly over the next six to 12 months. More than 1,100 eviction cases are pending in Palm Beach County.

Despite being approved for federal emergency rental assistance (ERA), some northwest Floridians say they are facing eviction because the ERA program, Our Florida, has not yet distributed the funds.

Updated on September 21, 2021

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports that only 19% of Sarasota County’s rental assistance funds have been distributed. Advocates say this is due to a rigorous application process that requires many types of documentation from both the tenants and landlord. 

Updated on September 14, 2021

An ABC Action News I-Team investigation reveals renters are being evicted while waiting for aid from Florida’s rental assistance program. Florida has distributed less than 3% of the $871 million it received in federal emergency rental assistance. 

Florida has distributed about 2% of the more than $870 million it has received in federal emergency rental assistance (ERA). As of July 30, the Florida Department of Children and Families said it had distributed only $18.3 million to about 4,300 applicants through its statewide ERA program, OUR Florida. Kody Glazer, legal director of the Florida Housing Coalition, attributed the state’s disappointing distribution number to several factors, including the online-only application and a requirement that landlords create a new account and reapply for every tenant if they are applying on behalf of multiple people. 
Updated on August 30, 2021

The Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County is concerned that an avalanche of evictions may occur when the federal eviction moratorium expires on July 31. Palm Beach County has spent about $12 million of the $45.2 million it has received in federal emergency rental assistance.

Thousands of Tampa Bay residents have been evicted during the pandemic, and thousands more will be facing eviction when the federal eviction moratorium expires. ABC Action News found that 3,327 writs of possession were issued in Pinellas County in 2020, and 1,330 have been issued so far in 2021.
Updated on July 22, 2021

The Orlando Sentinel discusses housing advocates’ concerns about a tsunami of evictions in Orlando when the federal eviction moratorium expires at the end of July. The article reports millions of dollars in federal rental assistance remain unspent.

Spectrum News 13 reports on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s recently released bulletin warning landlords and consumer reporting agencies not to file inaccurate information about evictions. The article highlights how burdensome documentation requirements, such as proof of a current lease, can exclude tenants in need of emergency rental assistance (ERA) and slow the distribution of aid. NLIHC encourages ERA programs to allow applicants to self-attest to meeting most eligibility criteria and provides examples of state and local self-attestation forms.
Updated on July 15, 2021

The Orlando Sentinel reports that while the Biden administration is considering a one-month extension of the CDC eviction moratorium (an extension later announced on June 24), Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is not considering enacting another state moratorium.
June 28, 2021

Governor DeSantis allowed the state’s moratorium to expire last fall, saying it was no longer needed due to the CDC order. Residents of the Paradise Park Mobile Home Park in Miami received a six-month notice of eviction last November, just days after the trailer park was bought by developers for $15 million, and about one month before one of South Florida’s worst COVID-19 outbreak. As of May 31, Paradise Park residents were still awaiting information from the landowners on whether the evictions would proceed as planned.

June 22, 2021

Spectrum News reports that many Florida landlords are refusing to accept federal emergency rental assistance (ERA). Landlords’ refusal to participate in ERA programs is complicating the distribution of billions of dollars in critical aid. “It's not happening fast enough to prevent a potentially historic wave of evictions in July if the moratorium expires and these funds haven't been expended,” said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of NLIHC.  

Months after the City of Jacksonville received $29 million in federal emergency rental and utility assistance, thousands of tenants are still waiting for their applications to be processed and approved. United Way of Northeast Florida is tasked with distributing the majority of the funds – $23 million. So far, the organization has paid just over $1 million to nearly 300 families, leaving more than 2,600 applications pending and $20 million left to pay out. 
June 14, 2021

A three-part Orlando Sentinel special report examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed Florida’s eviction crisis. According to NLIHC research, Florida ranks among the states with the worst affordable housing shortages in the U.S. “When you pay so much of your already limited income towards your rent, you’re always one financial shock away from missing rent and being evicted, in the worst cases becoming homeless,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. “Pre-COVID, that financial shock might be a natural disaster, or it might be an everyday disaster, a broken-down car, a sick child and missing a day of work. Last March, the COVID-19 pandemic and its financial fallout was the financial shock.”
June 4th, 2021

Spectrum News 13 reports on the CFPB’s new rule to strengthen enforcement of the federal eviction moratorium, highlighting housing advocates’ months-long calls for the administration to strengthen and enforce the CDC order. For some Polk County residents, however, the CFPB’s rule comes too late.

April 28, 2021

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Alan Fine issued an injunction prohibiting Florida City from evicting roughly 70 people from a trailer park it owns and plans to sell to developers. Judge Fine wrote that evicting the residents would not only be unlawful but force them into homelessness amid the ongoing pandemic and drastic economic fallout.

The Tampa Bay Times reports on the housing resources in the recently passed COVID-19 relief package. The emergency rental assistance funds passed by Congress in December 2020 have started trickling down to Florida and local governments in the Tampa Bay area. However, neither the state nor many of those local governments have started distributing it.

March 31, 2021

Nonprofit organizations in Palm Beach County are seeing many tenants facing eviction, despite the federal eviction moratorium. Nearly three million renters in Florida are behind on their rent payments. These organizations are bracing for a wave of evictions when the eviction moratorium is lifted. 

March 08, 2021

Despite the federal eviction moratorium, some Florida landlords are using a loophole to continue evicting tenants on month-to-month leases. Attorneys at the Community Justice Project and Legal Services of Greater Miami are seeing many situations in which landlords are evicting month-to-month tenants.

The Sun-Sentinel reports that Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade counties are finalizing details of how they plan to distribute millions of federal rental assistance. Palm Beach County will begin accepting applications to its $45.2 million program in the beginning of March. Miami-Dade County has $60 million in rent relief to distribute. Of 6,000 to 7,000 pending eviction cases in Miami-Dade County, nearly 1,700 await a judge’s signature – the final authorization to evict tenants.

March 01, 2021

Orange County commissioners approved a revision to the county’s rental assistance program that will increase the amount of money available from $4,000 to $10,000 per household. The county received $33.4 million in federal rental assistance, which enabled the boost in funding. The program is scheduled to launch on March 1.

February 17, 2021

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced a new initiative called Pathway to Home to help individuals experiencing homelessness. The program will offer hotel rooms and additional services to help individuals find permanent housing solutions. The city’s hotel program, which predates the Pathway to Home initiative, is currently serving 227 individuals. The announcement follows reports that the city may evict residents of a downtown Jacksonville encampment.

Federal CARES Act funds and other dollars will be used to move Jacksonville residents experiencing homelessness into hotels and then into permanent housing within 30 days through the city’s Pathway to Home initiative.

Florida Weekly discusses the pandemic’s impact on homelessness in Collier County, noting local efforts to support individuals who are homeless, housing insecurity, and food insecurity.

February 08, 2021

According to the Office of the State Courts Administrator, nearly 48,000 evictions were filed in Florida from March 1 through December 31, 2020. At least hundreds of Florida renters have lost their homes since the federal eviction moratorium has been in effect.

Marketplace spoke with Dr. Ted Greer Jr., CEO of HOPE South Florida, an organization that helps individuals experiencing homelessness find housing, food, and employment, about the increased demand for the organization’s services since the start of the pandemic.

February 01, 2021

The Miami Herald reports that the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to extend the window of notification for evictions of month-to-month tenants to 30 days. While the CDC eviction moratorium prevents evictions from being carried out, judges have issued more than 2,000 Writs of Possession in Miami-Dade Court – the final document that will allow for eviction to occur as soon as the moratorium expires.

Spectrum News reports on Orange County’s COVID-19 eviction crisis, highlighting that many landlords and property managers have refused to participate in the county’s eviction diversion program. The article links to NLIHC’s national sign on letter urging the Biden administration to extend, strengthen, and enforce the moratorium.

January 25, 2021

NLIHC’s Diane Yentel spoke with WFTV about the pre-pandemic affordable housing crisis in Florida and across the U.S. and the long-term solutions needed to address this crisis.

Bay County is experiencing a surge in homelessness as many residents face eviction. Panama City is looking at more than 400 evictions when the CDC moratorium expires on January 31. Affordable housing remains a significant issue more than two years after Hurricane Michael, with many of the income-based apartment complexes in Bay County having not fully returned.

Leaders of Brevard aid organizations discuss that despite federal eviction protections extended through January, the area faces a looming eviction crisis, with many tenants falling too far behind on rent to catch up.

An op-ed in the Tallahassee Democrat outlines immediate steps the city should take to address its homelessness and eviction crisis. The author’s recommendations include enacting an eviction moratorium, establishing a forgiveness program for unpaid utilities, and funding social service providers, among others.

Tallahassee leaders are urging Governor Ron DeSantis to reinstate a statewide eviction moratorium. In Leon County, 438 people were evicted in November.

The Orlando Sentinel examines the pandemic’s impact on affordable housing projects in Central Florida. When the pandemic hit, local governments had to quickly shift their focus from building more affordable housing to standing up rental assistance and eviction prevention programs. Advocates and housing providers are concerned about an avalanche of eviction filings when the federal eviction moratorium expires on December 31.

January 15, 2021

An op-ed in the Orlando Sentinel, written by an individual who has experienced eviction and homelessness, urges elected officials to recognize that homelessness is the most pressing issue facing Central Floridians today and take action to keep families housed.

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board urges Governor Ron DeSantis to reinstitute a statewide eviction moratorium that would remain in effect until Congress or the White House pass additional coronavirus relief. According to the Community Justice Project, about 2,500 evictions have been filed in Orange County since the CDC eviction moratorium went into effect in September.

December 9, 2020

Financial assistance and legal protections for Palm Beach County residents facing eviction are ending as advocates warn of a looming eviction and foreclosure crisis. There have been more than 3,000 eviction notices filed in Palm Beach County since April. The Palm Beach County Community Services Department stopped accepting applications for the limited CARES Act rental assistance program this week.

The Gainesville Sun editorial board discusses the urgent need for more affordable housing and support for people who become homeless, especially as housing needs increase due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

November 30, 2020

Tallahassee’s newest homeless shelter will open on November 20 amid a dire need for additional shelter as more people are experiencing homelessness due to COVID-19. City Walk Urban Mission’s shelter will house 100 emergency shelter cots and feature a short-term stay wing.

Florida Today reports 18th Circuit Chief Judge Lisa Davidson is seeking attorneys to support veterans facing eviction who are in dire need of free legal services.

November 17, 2020

The Palm Beach Post reports that residents are increasingly struggling to pay rent and meet basic needs amid the ongoing pandemic. With most federal and state emergency assistance provisions and protections expired, nonprofits in Palm Beach County are trying to meet the growing needs of residents facing homelessness and hunger. 

The Tampa Bay Times discusses the federal judge’s decision to deny landlords’ request to halt implementation of the CDC eviction moratorium, noting that the judge’s ruling is particularly important in states like Florida that do not have a statewide eviction moratorium. 

The Charlotte CARES Act Eviction Diversion Program was launched on November 2. The program is designed to serve Charlotte County residents who were approved for CARES Act financial assistance but are still facing significant hardship, specifically eviction. Landlords must agree not to seek eviction for nonpayment once they receive a receipt for past due rent and must waive any fines and fees that exceed the maximum award of $5,000. 

November 10, 2020

The Florida Times-Union Editorial Board argues Congress must pass another federal stimulus package to protect millions of Americans from “homelessness and financial devastation.” 

November 4, 2020

The Florida Housing Finance Corporation on October 16 presented program updates on the $250 million COVID-19 Impacted Households Program funded through the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF). The program provides rental and mortgage assistance to tenants living in Florida Housing’s multifamily and special needs developments and other affected homeowners and renters throughout Florida.

October 26, 2020

NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel spoke with Spectrum News 13 about the Trump administration’s new guidance on the federal moratorium, explaining how the amended guidelines are harmful to renters. “We can’t, as a country, contain the virus unless we are preventing evictions from occurring,” said Diane Yentel.

The Orlando Sentinel reports Central Florida homeless shelters are seeing the first wave of individuals experiencing homelessness for the first time as a result of the COVID-19 recession. Many of the newly homeless are single mothers or parents of young children. According to the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, people who report being homeless for the first time now comprise over 40% of those seeking assistance.

October 19, 2020

According to the governor’s office, Governor Ron DeSantis allowed the statewide moratorium to expire on October 1 to prevent confusion between the state and CDC order. The CDC order, however, does not protect homeowners from foreclosure.

The Tampa Bay Times explains how renters can receive protection under the CDC eviction moratorium. Several Florida lawyers are concerned that tenants assume the moratorium provides automatic protection.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that despite no eviction notices filed in court, property owners changed the locks on the homes of more than 20 Tampa Park Apartments residents on October 2.

October 14, 2020

The Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida is bracing for an uptick in homelessness once Governor Ron DeSantis’ eviction moratorium expires on October 1. “We’ve got more than 40% of the folks who are walking through our doors right this moment that have never been homeless before,” said Allison Krall, president and CEO for the Coalition.

The Gainesville Times explains how the CDC eviction moratorium can help tenants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. One judge with the Hall County Magistrate Court had only seen one CDC declaration as of last week. Some landlords speaking with the Magistrate Court judges have not received any CDC declarations from their tenants.

October 5, 2020

The Florida Housing Justice Alliance and Connected in Crisis are calling on Governor Ron DeSantis to extend Florida’s eviction and foreclosure moratorium, set to expire October 1, and to formalize unofficial moratoriums utility companies have voluntarily followed. The coalition is also urging Governor DeSantis to provide direct financial assistance for rent, mortgages, and utilities. 

State Representative Anna Eskamani is urging Governor Ron DeSantis and other elected officials to use a portion of the remaining $5.8 billion in Florida’s CARES Act funding to fund civil legal aid for renters facing eviction through the Florida Bar Foundation.

Septemeber 29, 2020

The Orlando Sentinel reports the final families of the Star Motel in Kissimmee -- with no power, running water, or functional sewer system -- are being moved out of the motel this week by Osceola County and local nonprofits. The Hope Center received $50,000 from the CARES Act to move these individuals into safe, sanitary, and decent housing, primarily into hotel rooms throughout Osceola County.

September 22, 2020

WPTV questions why Governor Ron DeSantis often delays extending Florida’s eviction moratorium until just hours before it expires. NLIHC’s Diane Yentel spoke to WPTV about the harmful impact of this approach and noted there is no evidence to support suggestions that people who can pay rent are not doing so.  

September 10, 2020

“The inaction and neglect by the federal government, by Congress, and by the White House to act until now has resulted in thousands, maybe tens of thousands of people already losing their homes due to COVID-19,” NLIHC’s Diane Yentel told the Orlando Sentinel. “And it’s a relief that the CDC has finally taken action to prevent that same harm being done to tens of millions more families.” The Community Justice Project reports that more than 10,000 eviction cases have been filed in Florida since April.  

Governor Ron DeSantis extended Florida’s eviction moratorium on August 31, less than four hours before it was set to expire. The Orlando Sentinel reports that since Governor DeSantis narrowed the state’s moratorium in August, hundreds of eviction cases have been filed - outpacing the total number of evictions filed from April to July when a stricter eviction plan was in place. Landlords in Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade counties filed 2,170 evictions between August 1 and August 27, which is far more than in any of the four prior months. 

September 10, 2020

Within hours of the Orange County eviction diversion program portal opening, more than one thousand tenants had applied for assistance.

WUSF reports that a Florida landlord informally evicted a family by cutting off water and power to the unit and removing the family’s furniture. By making living conditions so untenable for the family, the landlord effectively removed them from the unit without a formal eviction process.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, a Florida landlord that received between $2 million and $5 million emergency loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), has filed more evictions during the pandemic than any other company in Florida. Tzadik Management has a billion-dollar portfolio of residential complexes across the U.S., including at least 12 in Hillsborough County.

September 2, 2020.

More than 800,000 renters in Florida are at risk of being evicted within weeks. Judges throughout Florida will interpret the various executive orders and eviction protection laws on a case-by-case basis, meaning there is no definite way to predict outcomes.

August 25, 2020.

In Duval County, 219 evictions were filed in court during the first week of August. On August 3, nearly 100 cases were filed, marking the start of the first full business week since Governor Ron DeSantis’ new limited eviction order was enacted. Governor DeSantis’ new order only stops final actions in eviction proceedings and requires tenants to prove that non-payment of rent is due to losses from the pandemic.

Governor Ron DeSantis' extension on the state's eviction moratorium protects families who have been "adversely affected by the COVID-19 emergency" from losing their homes. However, this hasn't stopped landlords from posting the eviction notices on tenants' doors.

August 19, 2020.

While Governor Ron DeSantis extended Florida’s eviction and foreclosure moratorium until September 1, the extension included changes that will protect fewer families from being evicted. The new order only suspends the “final action” in court, which housing lawyers interpret as meaning that new cases will be allowed to proceed until the final judgment. Many tenants will be responsible for proving in court that they have been impacted by the pandemic. To raise that defense, tenants will be required to deposit the entire amount of unpaid rent to court within five days of receiving their notice. The Orlando Sentinel also reported on Governor Ron DeSantis’ extended eviction moratorium, calling attention to advocates’ concerns that the changes the governor made to the moratorium will result in a flood of evictions.

Even with the extended moratorium, housing advocates in Osceola County are concerned about a wave of evictions and rise in homelessness in the coming months. 

August 11, 2020.

Governor Ron DeSantis on July 29 extended the statewide eviction moratorium through September 1. 

The Sun Sentinel reports that 749,000 million Florida households could be at risk of eviction over the next four months. The state’s eviction laws significantly favor landlords, meaning that tenants who attempt to fight their evictions face an uphill battle.

Advocates are preparing for a potential tsunami of evictions in the coming weeks if Governor Ron DeSantis allows Florida’s eviction moratorium to expire on August 1. 

August 4, 2020.

After funding for a hotel voucher program ran out on July 17, dozens of people experiencing homelessness who were residing in a Fort Lauderdale hotel were forced to leave. Some residents were transported to area shelters on July 17, and all residents were expected to vacate the hotel by Sunday, July 19. The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald also covered the eviction of the residents from the Rodeway Inn & Suites.

A Palm Beach County nonprofit reported that thousands of low-income renters are at risk of eviction and homelessness due to the pandemic. Since March 1, Adopt-A-Family CEO Matt Constantine reported that the organization has received more than 2,000 calls from families in need of assistance. The organization is serving nearly twice as many families compared to 2019.

July 28, 2020.

The Sun Sentinel reported that funds for Fort Lauderdale’s hotel voucher program are running out. Officials, providers, and advocates are raising concerns about where the guests will go after the funds run out, which could be on July 17.

The Miami-Dade Affordable Housing Framework, unveiled July 2, outlines a detailed action plan to address the county’s growing housing affordability crisis. The plan incorporates the coronavirus pandemic in its projections and solutions. Learn more about the framework here.

Approximately 70 people experiencing homelessness who had been temporarily residing at a Rodeway Inn & Suites in Fort Lauderdale were given an abrupt notice on July 12 that they would be forced to leave the hotel within 24 hours. The city of Fort Lauderdale changed course and released a statement on July 13 announcing that it had secured funding to continue providing temporary housing at the hotel. Broward County previously told the city that CARES Act funding was not intended for programs like Temporary Hotel Assistance, but on July 13, the county agreed to allocate funding to extend the program until July 17.

July 20, 2020.

The Sun Sentinel reports that while Governor Ron DeSantis extended Florida’s eviction moratorium until August 1, thousands of renters may be at risk of eviction when the state and federal moratoriums and coronavirus relief benefits expire at the end of July. At least 2,672 evictions are pending in Florida, with landlords simply waiting for eviction protections to expire.

Governor Ron DeSantis on June 30 extended Florida’s eviction moratorium until August 1. The governor announced the extension just hours before the earlier extension was scheduled to expire.

The coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout have burdened Orange County residents who struggled to pay rent before the crisis. Last year, NLIHC ranked the Orlando metro area as the least affordable place to live in the United States.

July 7, 2020.

Governor Ron DeSantis announced on June 25 that the Florida Housing Finance Corporation will receive $250 million in CARES Act funding to help keep families stably housed. Of the total amount, $120 million will be used for rental and mortgage assistance, an additional $120 million will be used for rental assistance for residents in Florida Housing-funded developments, and $2 million will be used to assist with past and future costs in serving residents in supportive housing development.

June 29, 2020.

Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order on June 1 that extends Florida’s eviction moratorium until July 1, 2020.

June 12, 2020.

Even with Florida’s eviction moratorium in place, landlords have tried to evict tenants. Eighty eviction cases have been filed and are pending in Orange County alone.

Purpose Built Families Foundation’s Operation Sacred Trust is providing rapid assistance to very low-income veterans facing housing crises as a result of the coronavirus. The Broward County nonprofit identifies priority neighborhoods each week to deliver services to veterans at risk of homelessness. CARES Act funds are helping the agency expand its services.
The City of Miami Emergency Rental and Utilities Assistance Program will provide one-month rental and utility assistance to low-income residents who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. The program began accepting applications on May 4.

Homeless shelters in Florida have been adjusting their operations amid the pandemic, including imposing social distancing measures, increasing food outreach, and limiting new intakes in certain cases.

Fort Lauderdale officials announced that the city is prepared to spend up to $200,000 to provide shelter in hotels for people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic. According to City Manager Chris Lagerbloom, a $200,000 federal grant would eventually reimburse the city.

A coalition of advocates led by University of Miami doctor Armen Henderson held a press conference on April 17 to announce new plans to serve people experiencing homelessness in Miami-Dade County. These efforts include expanded COVID-19 testing, setting up showers and portable toilets, and distributing masks and tents to those in need.

Florida’s eviction ban during COVID-19 does not protect people living in hotels and motels. Channel 9 asked Orange County’s mayor’s office if he would issue an ordinance to protect the families living in hotels and motels, but the office responded that it is not under consideration at this time.

As Florida’s legislature contemplates returning for a special session Florida housing advocates – DHRC-member Florida Housing Coalition and other members of the Sadowski Coalition - are pushing to preserve the state’s affordable housing trust fund.

Three weeks ago, Orange County, Florida, started offering rental assistance to people using $1.8 million from its General Revenue Fund. However, after two weeks, the County had to shut the program down due to an "overwhelming response." 

Miami-Dade county is moving elderly residents out of homeless shelters and into hundreds of hotel rooms to ease crowding at homeless shelters.

Brevard County

Brevard County’s Board of County Commissioners allocated up to $4.4 million in federal CARES Act funds to help eligible residents with mortgage, rent, utility, and security deposit assistance. The financial assistance funds were made available on May 21.

June 12, 2020.

Port St. Lucie

The city of Port St. Lucie established a COVID-19 Emergency Rental and Mortgage Assistance Grant Program to support residents who have experienced loss of income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

St. Augustine

Health officials in St. Augustine provided coronavirus testing for people experiencing homelessness on May 15. Eleven out of the 18 people tested were individuals experiencing homelessness.

Palm Bay

The city of Palm Bay implemented an Eviction Prevention/Rental and Utility Assistance Program for residents impacted by COVID-19. The city’s Housing and Community Development Division will administer the program.

June 12, 2020.

Federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums are rapidly expiring and the CARES Act supplemental unemployment benefits will end soon; at that time, millions of low-income renters will be at risk of losing their homes. The NLIHC estimates at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance is needed to keep low-income renters stably housed during and after the pandemic. This tracker links to news reports of the growing evictions crisis in various cities and states. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of eviction updates.

More than 800,000 renters in Florida are at risk of being evicted within weeks. Judges throughout Florida will interpret the various executive orders and eviction protection laws on a case-by-case basis, meaning there is no definite way to predict outcomes.

August 28, 2020.

A statewide moratorium on evictions and foreclosures signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in late July has not stopped a number of eviction proceedings from moving forward in Duval County. In Duval County, records show 219 evictions during the first week of August alone. On Monday, Aug. 3, nearly 100 cases were filed, marking the start of the first full business week since the moratorium was limited.

August 12

The Governor's latest extension of his executive order prevents enforcement of evictions in the case of COVID-19 financial hardship through Sept. 1. COVID-19 financial hardship is classified as loss of employment, diminished wages or business income, or other monetary loss realized during Florida's state of emergency and directly impacting a tenant's ability to pay rent. 

August 1

In the third week of July, 31.6% of adults in Florida reported they had missed their previous housing payment or had little confidence they would make their next one on time, according to a weekly survey conducted by the Census. In the same survey, over eight hundred thousand renters reported they had not paid their previous rental payment. 

Most COVID-19 related evictions have occurred in low-income communities of color, especially in Florida. 

July 29

More than one-third of Florida residents reported being unable to pay their June rent or mortgage payment or will be unable to pay July’s. 2,672 evictions have already been filed throughout the state. 

July 16